Monday, November 8, 2010

Their New Home

I've been super busy this past weekend with the Breeders Cup - which I'll talk about another time... Now it's time to talk about my boys new home!

What a fantastic place!



It has two 9 acre pastures, one 50 acre pasture and 3 small "dry lot" paddocks. There is a beautiful outdoor arena and a very cool converted tobacco barn for their barn. Everything is in fantastic condition.


Toby and Ollie were initially put into a small "dry lot" to limit their running around and allowing them some time to get acquainted with the new surroundings. After a day or two they were moved to the most beautiful 9 acre pasture.


And it's all to themselves! Toby hasn't been in a pasture this nice in a very long time! I think they've both gained weight already. Yes - I'm keeping an eye on that...

The farm is a private home with only 2 other boarders. There are 5 other horses who are currently turned out in an even prettier 50 acre pasture. Toby and Ollie will eventually be turned out with the rest of the gang in the large pasture. They are doing some quarantine time since they shipped on a commercial shipper. So far it looks like they didn't catch any communicable diseases. They are super happy and healthy.




If any of you are into the whole horse racing world, then you'll appreciate what else I find really neat about Toby and Ollie's new home. At the end of the road they live on is the Darley broodmare complex, then at the end of the next road is the farm where Zenyatta was born (Winter Quarter Farm). And on that same road, is the Shadwell Stallion complex where some of my favorite stallions live, Jazil (2006 Belmont Stakes winner) and Invasor (2006 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Horse of the Year). They can be seen from the road as they graze in their paddocks. I get a smile on my face whenever I see them as I drive by. I think it's so cool that my horses are living in the same vicinity as all these great horses and great history! Cheesey, I know but it does give me a thrill...

I'm just happy to have my guys with me and I pinch myself that we found a wonderful place for them to live.

7 comments:

  1. Wow - what a beautiful place! I dream of having some space for my horse - but most boarding places here cram them in for a buck. Nice to find a private place that gives your guys some space to run and graze!

    How cool that you are smack dab in the midst of those other farms! I would love a tour through an area like that. I've been to KY once, driving through on the way to Florida. I was just a kid, so I didn't have any influence over getting the driver to stop and tour horse farms! :-) I just remember seeing miles and miles of rolling hills and fences.

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  2. What a dream place! That is so wonderful and beautiful. As a teenager my Dad took me to some amazing farms in KY. We toured barns that were nicer than our house ;). We went to Claiborne Farm and got to see where Secretariat stood and was buried. It was a cool experience. I think I would appreciate it a bit more at 30 than 16 but I thought it was awesome then. KY is a magical place for horse people and it looks like you have your little peice of paradise right in the center of it all.

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  3. Gorgeous! I'm so glad they/you get this opportunity. How are they adjusting to the presumably warmer weather?

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  4. Looks great...small world too b/c that was my barn owner who delivered/trucked over you two babies :)

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  5. John is your barn owner?! Small world! He had a tough time with them getting on in Traverse City. They were good after that...

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