Usher's News And Views
Yesterday I visited Shade Oak Farm just over the Welsh border near Shrewsbury. This is where Hardwicke Stakes winner Telescope stands. I used to see him on the Newmarket Heath most days when he was in training, it was very odd to see him in such a different environment! A horse that’s sculpted like a statue and still very much in our memories as a star; and now in a very quiet corner of the world. He is a beautiful horse and as well-bred as any you will see in training so he should be a good sire. It’s great for small breeders as you can’t usually get much of the Galileo bloodline for the price he is standing at.
On the way out I saw all the weanlings and 2 year olds (for national hunt) playing in the fields and thought how I’d love to wake up and see it every day. They are so cheeky and carefree at that age.
Back to the yard and we have had a sudden influx of yearlings. All broken in and ready to go. They were a little unsettled and very noisy this morning! They had their first canter and so far they are all little angles. Fingers crossed they stay that way!
The Milk It Mick gelding is now a bit behind the others as he was last to come in. He won’t be cantering for a week or two yet. He had a roller on today and he didn’t flinch. Every now and again, no matter how carefully you put the roller on one will explode! It’s the first time they have ever had anything around their bellies and it’s quite a shock. But not our lad, he was more bothered about what was in my pocket!
This is all fairly standard for breaking in yearlings but now is where it will get a bit different. Next you would take him into a lunge pit where it’s safe to let him trot/canter around and teach him a few things but we don’t have one. We will have to thing out the box and trust him.