Godolphin’s youngstock spend the first 18 months of their lives on studs and farms around the world, before being transferred to our pre-training then racing yards.
These stud farms have five-star facilities, giving every foal the time and attention required to develop into a successful racehorse – and a potential future star.
At the end of this 18-month period, they will start their next level of progression under the expert tuition of our trainers.
Every new-born Godolphin foal is weighed and has its blood tested within 24 hours to ensure its antibody levels are sufficient. Mares and foals are turned out in a nursery paddock for a couple of hours if the weather allows; foals that are too weak, will be turned out in an indoor barn.
Exercise is gradually increased and the foals are weighed and evaluated every two weeks. If any are found to have poor conformation, the stud manager and the vet may monitor them weekly. The farrier will also start corrective trimming on any foals that need it. During this period, the foals will get used to human contact through handling and being led by headcollar and lead rope.
Eventually, the mares and their foals are moved in small groups to larger paddocks, where they are turned out for up to eight hours. The foals are microchipped and their blood is taken for identification purposes. The farrier will give them their first full trim, after which trimming is done every four to five weeks. Wormer is given to the foals for the first time at two months.
Foals start to be weaned when they are five to six months old, and the weanlings are then turned out all day, only coming in for an hour or two in the morning, to be fed and have their feet picked out. This routine of handling, worming and having their feet trimmed continues until the horses leave the farm for pre-training.
The first two to eight weeks of pre-training are equivalent to being at nursery school; the aim is for the yearlings to have fun and learn to enjoy being ridden.
A horse’s pre-training process usually starts at around 19 months and lasts for about three months. However, any yearling not mature enough – either mentally or physically – is returned to the stud to continue growing.
The first two to eight weeks of pre-training are equivalent to being at nursery school; the aim is for the yearlings to have fun and learn to enjoy being ridden. Every day they go on the horse-walker for 30 minutes, are ridden for 30 minutes in the trotting rings, and go out in the paddock for three to four hours.
The next eight weeks are equivalent to being at primary school, during which time they get their first taste of the training grounds. The yearlings learn to go faster and train in groups, to prepare them for racing. They are fitted with front shoes by the farrier and are checked by the chiropractor.
By the time they leave pre-training, the yearlings are able to canter alongside other horses for five furlongs (1,000m) and are ready for the racing trainers.
