Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts #17

12Z turned out with fellow weanlings in October. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End.

Q:

I was wondering how Lane’s End handles the care of weanlings and yearlings. I know a number of larger operations more or less turn the kids out and only bring them in when it’s time for veterinary care or hoof trimming, with the idea that they’re just letting the babies be babies until the time they need to be prepared for yearling sales or training. I was just wondering if Lane’s End does this or if you guys do give more personal care to the little guys even before they need sales prepping or training!

Kelli Clark

Toms River, NJ

A: At Lane’s End we try to find the right balance between letting horses be horses and that extra bit of professional and personal care.

Our weanlings make the transition from the broodmare side of the farm to the yearling division in the month of December. At this point, we will separate the colts and fillies so the boys have their fields and the girls have theirs. This is a stressful time for these young horses so we keep their routine as similar as possible to what it was like at the broodmare division. This will reduce any additional stress and make their transition that little bit easier.

This routine consists of the weanlings/yearlings coming in from the fields at 7am. We lead them into the barn and run our hands down each horse’s leg. We can then feel if any has a cut, bump, swelling or heat in their legs. This also desensitizes them, so they are easier to touch and handle. They then go into their stalls and eat their breakfast. Feeding them inside allows us to monitor how much each horse eats, and alter their feeds accordingly seen as every horse is different and therefore has different nutritional needs.

Once they are finished eating, we will check their temperatures, pick their feet and administer any medication that is needed. We check temperatures daily. Normally you can tell if a horse is sick simply by observing their demeanor or by the fact that they have not eaten up, but sometimes they will not show any of the obvious signs. This is when taking their temperatures is essential. While we are in their stall taking their temperatures we will also pick their feet. As well as being good hoof care and horsemanship it also makes life much easier when the farrier comes !

After these essential daily chores are completed we have time for the vet or farrier to come if needed. Otherwise we will start grooming the horses lightly so they become used to what is in store during sales prep. As we get closer to prep time, we will start to break the yearlings to plastic bits. We leave the bits in their mouths as we groom them. Using the plastic bits create an easy transition to the metal bits that we use later on during sales prep. We also start to introduce them to the hose so that they are used to getting baths when we start our prep.

These additional tasks take us up until lunch time. At 1pm we will feed them their lunch and turn them out at 2pm. This lengthy turn out time of seventeen hours from 2pm until 7am the following morning is more than adequate time to allow horses be horses. They have that time to run, play and frolic. The concussion on their bones that they create from running and playing mixed with the nutrients that they ingest from our limestone enriched soils helps them to produce strong, healthy bones.

Therefore, I believe that we have the right balance here at Lane’s End between letting horses be horses with their lengthy turn out time and their extra bit of personal care and handling.

Our Expert

Peter Sheehan

Assistant Yearling Manager, Lane’s End

Peter, originally from Co. Kildare, Ireland started his career in the thoroughbred industry at Derrinstown Stud while he completed his education at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. After graduating with a degree in geography and math he then completed a post graduate study in statistics. Peter arrived at Lane’s End in 2008 and is currently the Assistant Yearling Manager.

Reader Interactions

1,474 Comments

  1. / Reply

    thx LE for the info you keep providing us bout life on the farm. :)

    hi Zsters.
    i’m reposting what i posted on the other blog since it can be tricky keeping up w/ it ;) ;) lol

    hi dumplings :)

    @Kathy R.- thx for the info on frankel ;)
    @sandy- have a very happy bday! may god bless u richly today <3
    @trina- lovely poem :)
    @sign- nice prayer
    @terry crow- glad ta see ya <3

    love ya gyus, big hugs, vamp
    have a great day every1 <3

  2. / Reply

    With all that turnout time, what kind of hay do you feed for breakfast and lunch? Is it a grass or grain? Do you supplement the youngsters with grain?

      • / Reply

        Thank you, Zenyen. Those are beautiful pics. of hay!
        The State Fair always judges the local hay. You meet all the other barn rats oohing and ahhing over the samples of hay on display. My daughter took a photo of us together this year standing beside the Blue Winner of Hays! Nothing more satisfying than packing that barn for winter and having an empty wallet!
        AGRICULTURE…..w/out it…go hungry and naked!

        Do the KY horses turn blue from eating the KY hay?

    • / Reply

      Roxanne,
      12 Z has been getting grain as a part of the weaning
      Process. He was always fed before Zenny so he could
      Get used to eating by himself. The probably have a standard
      Weanling feed the use.

  3. / Reply

    As always, Lane’s End does things Super professionally but with a caring and kind touch! Way to go LE Team! I look forward to the next “Ask the Experts!” Thanks for sharing with all of us! 12Z is looking MAG-NI-FI-CO….just like his Momma!

  4. / Reply

    Great question Kelley and very nice informative answer from Peter. Thank you Peter and Lane’s End. Have a great day and keep on keeping on with these youngsters we all care so much about, especially you know who.

  5. / Reply

    Thank you Peter. Those youngsters sure have a good life there at Lane’s End. I will close my eyes and think of them when my day isn’t going great!

  7. / Reply

    Thank you for the informative, comprehensive look at the care of weanlings/yearlings. Great photo as well.

  8. / Reply

    Dear Peter and Lanes Ends,

    Thanks so very much for filling us in on the routine of these wonderful young
    guys and gals, as they are growing up so quickly. Love the photo of 12Z, ALYS, with
    his friends. He is soooo cute.

    Great balance between fun and learning their manners, hoof picking and grooming
    are an essential for horse care; and learning early really helps.

    THANKS SO VERY MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS.

    • / Reply

      Karen!!! Words fail me (almost). The video is absolutely great! So nice to see everyone again and remember some of our BC adventures :-) THANK YOU SO MUCH!! YOU were a special treat, and I never expected this. Love you too ♥♥♥♥♥

      Everyone else – this is not just about me (well, a lot of it seems to be about me) but it’s a great chance to see some of our fellow posters. Karen did a wonderful and creative job with this, and I hope the rest of you will take a look too.

    • / Reply

      Happy Birthday, Sandy! How awesome is Karen to make this video for you?! I absolutely loved watching it. It brought back so many great memories. It looks like you girls had a fabulous time at Barn 55. Have an awesome birthday, Sandy, and thank you, Karen, for making this video.

    • / Reply

      Karen, What a great video….again. Such a fun filled three day weekend for some of you.

      When everybody was taking a turn introducing themself, I just couldn’t help but think that wow, all of these people were brought together there in one place because of one horse….and she doesn’t even race any more. She is certainly one in a lifetime.

      This is a great tribute to the Breeders’ Cup festivities, the Zenyatta Dumplinghood and revealed in honor of Sandy’s birthday. Warm and fuzzy. Doesn’t get any better than that. Marty R.

    • / Reply

      Karen: What a great video. A very happy birthday message for Sandy and the video of a lifetime for all of us to treasure! Thanks ever so much!

      – Linda

    • / Reply

      Gosh!! Something happened to the sound! Groan – will have to revisit You Tube to fix! I might have to do all over again – if I do, I will repost new one for you Sandy!! :((

  11. / Reply

    dear lanes end lovely pic of 12z and his buddies enjoying life and knowing he is so well cared for hugs sheena
    dear terry hugs to you from across the pond it’s so great to see you back we’ve all missed you hugs sheena

    • / Reply

      Great photo and article, Kathy! Reminds me of the old Currier and Ives prints with trotters under saddle, and some old time photos from the turn of the century also. Very cool. Hope the idea takes off. I hate the carts! They just look so dangerous to me, and I’ve even driven them (not in a race of course – I’m not that crazy).

      I love your down-under posts!

      diastu in tempe

    • / Reply

      Kathy R
      Love this idea wonder what it is like riding a
      Trotter ???? A unique experience.

  17. / Reply

    Not sure if all of the relevant peeps will see this on the previous post so I’m putting up again here. A friend decided that I needed an “adventure” as I start a new decade (another groan) so she took me to downtown Cleveland where we visited our new casino. It’s in a building that previously housed a department store – Higbees (for those of you who would know the name), and we had heard that they had put up all of Higbees Christmas decorations. That didn’t turn out to be quite true, but it certainly WAS an adventure, and after a visit to the buffet, I don’t think I’ll be eating again for a LONG time.
    SO – first of all, thank you SO much Trina for the fun poem. I really consider myself a novice with Photoshop, but I was so glad to be able to add you (and the Kennedy’s and Stacy Ferris to the picture). I smile every time that I see it, and remember how great it was for us all to be in one place!
    Then, thanks so much to Peggy N, Sign, Ann, Barbara Wood, Darlene Daniels, Keta, Karen Gogue, Marty R, Carol in Arkansas, Sheena, Terry Crow (nice to see you!), the Kennedy’s, Sue Frederick, and Sue Colvin (hope I didn’t miss anyone) for your good wishes. We may be far apart distance wise, but the feelings of warmth and friendship are very real and something that I will always treasure!!
    Sandy

    • / Reply

      Dear Sandy,

      So very much echo your sentiments about the video. Karen G you did such a wonderful tribute to Sandy and her birthday and also a wonderful video tribute to all at the Breeders cup, Zenyatta fans that were there to share.

      Thanks so much to KG, Sandy and all who appeared in the video, it really warmed my
      heart to see all of you together in fellowship and having such fun.

      THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH US.

  18. / Reply

    This is my question – I also asked #4 I think? Hard to check on my phone, but it was the one about herd dynamics and Zenyatta’s place.

    Very thorough, informative answer – I like it! I find it interesting that their temperature are taken daily and that they go out after lunch instead of after dinner like I would have thought with most horses that come inside during the day. Sales prep at Lane’s End sounds a whole lot easier than at other places.. Not a whole lot the little guys haven’t already experienced!

  20. / Reply

    One of things we like best about this site is the continuing education we get just from reading here. This particular response if full of interesting info. and is very much appreciated.

  21. / Reply

    LE, there’s no doubt about it. You sure know how to get the “little ones” ready for their racing careers. Tons of good stuff is mentioned here. Thanks for the answer to a great question.

  22. / Reply

    Thank you, Lane’s End and Peter, for you thorough answer to the great question.
    @Karen Gogue–Words fail me too! I wouldn’t weven have seen this wonderful video, had Sandy not given me a heads up. I would have been posting on the old blog, wondering where everyone. It is just the best. I know for sure that Debbie G., Darlene, and others join me is wishing we could have stayed over for the Barn 55 visit! What fun! Thank YOU for sharing! Love you .

  24. / Reply

    This is another great question and informative answer.

    I’m sure I’ve said it before, but this is my first time watching a horse literally from birth through all phases of his life. I so appreciate Mr. and Mrs. Moss for allowing it and for Lane’s End to also allow it and to provide the expert descriptions and the care for all the horses of all ages.

  25. / Reply

    Peter: This is a wonderful accounting of how these sensitive beauties are handled and cared for to make them the best they can be. I wouldn’t mind being a pony at your place with all that pampering, and yet freedom to “horse around”. We all know Prince Z isn’t heading to the sales ring, but we also know Mr. & Mrs. Moss love their horses to look spectacular. LE’s Team is a sure bet to make that happen! I’m sure we’ll all look forward to lots of pictures being added to the gallery of the kids getting their spa treatments.

    All the best to the LE Team,

    diastu in tempe

    • / Reply

      Kathy: The article says she’s a chestnut, but that photo sure isn’t showing a chestnut, not even a dark liver chestnut. What color is she really?
      diastu in tempe

    • / Reply

      Thanks, Kathy R.
      Wow,wow,wow…look at that tail!
      I believe she is trying for the Whirlaway look!
      Go get em girl!
      Kathy R. It will be a treat to see her in person. I hope you get that treat!!! Thanks for turning us on to this beauty,Kathy R.

  30. / Reply

    Kate Hunter‏@KeibaKate tweet
    Yasunari Iwata received a 2 day suspension for the bumping that occurred
    in the Japan Cup between Gentildonna & Orfevre
    Keta Note: He was Gentildonna’s jockey

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