LIFE IN THE RACING YARD
What happens in the yard on a daily basis?
On a normal day, the horses are fed at 6.00 am and the staff arrive at about 7.00 am. Their first job is to put all the hay and fresh water for the horses outside each box for use when the horses return from work.
After breakfast for humans, the first lot is ridden out, leaving the yard at about 8.00 am, although the actual time is very dependant on the daylight and the state of the roads, such as whether they are covered in ice. Each lot is ridden for about one to one-and-a-half hours. During that time their boxes are mucked out and fresh hay and water and, if necessary, clean bedding are put in. There are usually three or four lots to be ridden each day depending upon whether there are any horses racing or not. Sometimes we load up the lorry and head for the beach as St Andrews, this is a real treat for the horses and the lads.
After all the horses are ridden out and the yard is tidied up, everyone leaves for lunch, usually at around 1.00 pm.
Evening stables usually start at about 3.00 pm and involves skipping out the boxes, brushing the horses over and rugging them up. There is always a variety of other jobs to be done and this is normally the time of day when the clipping is done. With the yard swept and tidy, the horses are all fed and the lights are out at about 5.00 pm.
All the horses are given a late night feed, have their water topped up and any extra rugs put on at about 9.30 pm.
Glenfarg
