Wintering at Mill Ridge—A Horse Boarding Facility
Mill Ridge, a Kentucky horse farm and nursery, prides itself on allowing horses to be horses. That's the Mill Ridge Way. The temperatures outside don't dictate the daily schedule. The horses never don decorative sweaters like some canine companions often sport in the colder months. When you see snow on a thoroughbred's back, it means its coat insulates the horse. Horse boarding, where the equines are kept in pristine barns and always sheltered from the weather, will produce different results than Mill Ridge horses, who become accustomed to nature. Foals, mares, weanlings, and yearlings live and grow strong before training, usually at farms in Ocala, Florida, where they learn to race. But during these formative first two years of life, they learn to play together, run the hilly fields, build strength, and get familiar with people. They also learn how to handle the elements, which is what wintering at Mill Ridge is all about.
What Is It Like In Winter On a Kentucky Horse Farm?
Close your eyes and imagine a scene so serene and picturesque. The landscape is stark yet beautiful, with cold temperatures often hovering just around freezing. The trees have shed their leaves, revealing bare branches that stand out against the winter sky. The grass covering the rolling hills of the pastures may have turned a natural brown from the cold, or perhaps a blanket of snowfall covers everything in a pristine layer of white. Kentucky horse farms often manage their fields to ensure that horses still have access to forage, using hay as a supplement when necessary. Cozy horse barns punctuate the countryside, with the iconic white or black fences demarcating paddocks and fields standing out against the subdued colors of the winter terrain. Life on the farm continues despite the cold, especially at a horse boarding facility like Mill Ridge. As the saying goes, “Winter waits for no one,” and that’s certainly true for the thoroughbreds that endure the weather, no matter what. Because racing season starts in the spring, winter is a quiet time when foals are born, grow, and get stronger under the expert care of the Mill Ridge team.
What Is Wintering “The Mill Ridge Way” at this Kentucky Horse Farm?
When Alice Headley Chandler founded Mill Ridge in 1962, her resolve, attentiveness, and enthusiasm for the horses were a shining light for horse boarding, breeding, and training at the farm. Dubbed “The Mill Ridge Way,” her approach was to let horses be just that—horses. Never coddling but always caring, the staff has continued to apply this philosophy, basing their work on a balance of time-honored traditions and modern methods.
Thoroughbreds require specific care to bring out their best, and this care starts even before they’re born. Stallions and mares are paired to maximize their offspring's potential to win races in the future. Once born, “horse boarding” takes on a new meaning as a specialized team of farm managers, veterinarians, grooms, farriers (horseshoes, anyone?), and more collaborate to provide the utmost care. The team tends to the horses on this Kentucky horse farm as they move through the stages of development:
A foal is a young horse that is one year old or younger and still nursing on mom. The term applies to both male and female horses at this stage.
A weanling has been weaned from its mother but is not yet one year old. The weaning process typically occurs between four and six months of age, when the foal transitions from mother's milk to a diet of solid food.
A yearling is between one and two years old, the latter age being when thoroughbreds typically begin their racing careers.
But before diving into what wintering is like for foals, weanlings, and yearlings at the horse boarding facility of Mill Ridge, it's essential to understand why this particular season matters in the first place.
Why Is Winter Such An Important Season At a Kentucky Horse Farm Like Mill Ridge?
Thoroughbred horses are bred beginning mid-February because the official birth date for all thoroughbred horses is January 1 (in the Northern Hemisphere), regardless of their actual birth date. It sounds strange, but this standardized dating system is used in the racing industry to maintain consistency in racing classes, often organized by the horses' ages. Because racing thoroughbreds typically begin their careers at the age of two, having a birth date in the first few months of the year means a horse will be almost a full year old by the time it officially turns one, which can give it a physical and developmental advantage over horses born later in the year. Every bit of an edge helps because when it comes to maturity and capability, even a few months can make a difference in a racehorse’s career. The goal is to avoid accidentally birthing in December so that the foals are at their peak as two-to-four-year-olds.
Horse Boarding Foals, Weanlings, and Yearlings at Mill Ridge
Once foals are born at this Kentucky horse farm, they stick close to their moms until it's time for weaning. Fun fact: these youngsters might keep nursing for a year or more in the wild. But in the racing world, they're off to new pastures to hang out with other weanlings their age a bit sooner. Around four to six months, they start venturing out more independently, getting curious and playful. Playtime isn’t just for fun—it's a big deal for their growth and future on the track.
These weanlings also socialize with a different species—humans! This kind of interaction isn't something every horse boarding facility offers. At the Mill Ridge Kentucky horse farm, visitors get up close and personal with the weanlings by giving them a gentle pat, treating them to a carrot, and exploring the farm with knowledgeable guides.
After 365 days of saying hello to tour guests and exploring the rolling pastures, these yearlings are ready to continue their education. Letting horses be their authentic selves is the essence of The Mill Ridge Way. These exceptional animals become more accustomed to the herd dynamic when they can roam free and mingle. That innate urge to jostle and compete out in the fields? That's the raw fuel for their racing spirit.
Beyond The Mill Ridge Way: The Training Continues
At two years old, thoroughbreds typically head to Ocala, FL. The area boasts numerous horse boarding facilities and training centers (including the World Equestrian Center), taking advantage of the region's rich, limestone-based soil, contributing to developing strong bones in horses. As they begin their formal education in racing, the horses will learn to accept a rider, wear a saddle and bridle, and understand basic commands. But they'll never forget the foundation built in the Bluegrass state at Kentucky horse farm Mill Ridge. On those fields, especially during the cold yet formative winters, these thoroughbreds began their journey from foal to finish.
Finding the right Kentucky horse farm to raise your thoroughbred racehorse doesn’t have to be a complicated endeavor. Contact Mill Ridge Farm, 2800 Bowman Springs Road, Lexington, Kentucky, for more information about boarding your racehorse, or call us directly at (859) 231-0606.