Preparation #1: Size And Body Condition

A smooth growth curve for young horses is essential to curb growth spurts and ensure optimal height at the sale time. In most disciplines, the size appropriation is a definite bonus – make sure that the body condition score is approximately five or up.

Body condition influences everything in your horse’s life, from reproductive efficiency, to performance, to good health.

By using Body Condition Scoring, we can find out what kind of shape your horse is in, and work at improving that score. Scoring focuses on critical areas of the body based on palpable fat and visual appearance.

Body scoring works as follows:

1. Poor
2. Very Thin
3. Thin
4. Moderately Thin
5. Moderate
6. Moderately Fleshy
7. Fleshy
8. Fat

Preparation #2: It’s All About The Muscle, Not The Fat

It is essential to remember that horses with well-developed muscles and no fat are mostly rewarded in modern horse sales. Although thin horses aren’t ideal, an obese horse, on the other hand, is not desirable at all!

Preparation #3: Brush Up On The Hair Coat

A desirable horse will typically have a slick and shiny coat with good nutrition, which buyers want in a horse. When in preparation, and long before the sale of a horse, always prioritise grooming, health care and good, balanced nutrition.

Preparation #4: What’s The Quality Of The Hoof?

Always make sure that the horse has high-quality feet. This also means checking for any growth or fever rings on the horse before putting it on the market.

Horse sale preparation is an ongoing process, especially for young ones. When they are breastfed adequately and maintained to a body condition score of about five, you can have the peace of mind knowing there won’t be a need for a feeding change during the horse sale preparation. It is also important not to rush the prepping time as it takes roughly 90 to 120 days to exercise, grow and give the horse good nutrition for the best sale.

From the moment you consider putting a horse up for sale, make sure you put in place a quality feeding program – this will ensure that they are looking and feeling at their best. Consider these points for an optimal feeding program:

• You will need good, quality pasture or forage to support their body condition.
• Ensure that the grain products have added vegetable oil for adequate energy sources and improve their hair coat.
• Between 12 to 14% of protein feed, depending on the forage is covered with amino acids to build muscle mass, will be needed.
• Clean, freshwater and added vitamins A, D, E and Biotin, are also essential for good metabolism, hair coat and hoof quality.

A lot goes into horse sale preparation, and you need to make sure you consult with experts when preparing for the sale. At Glenrae Thoroughbreds, we are experts at all things horses. Speak to our friendly professionals about your needs or inquire on the best way to move forward with your horse sale preparations. 

It’s All About The Location!

The truth is, if your fur baby is too far from your home, travel will hinder the time you spend with your horse. Due to the costs, it gets hard to see it as often as you’d like. “Me/riding” time is essential to growing the bonds you have, so it is vital to search for agistment located in relatively close proximity to where you live. That way you can balance reasonable travelling costs.

Shared Paddock Or Individual Paddock

Shared Paddocks can be ideal because you generally don’t have to muck paddocks or to water the horses much.

These also work because horses are social herd animals and living in a shared space or as a group is ideal.

Agistments with shared paddocks are often bigger, and horses can benefit from incidental exercises when need be.

Shared paddocks are usually cheaper; to cut down on costs, horses can feed off the available grass.
Reasons they might not work:

Risk of injury is higher as the herd starts establishing the pecking order. So it is important to find a facility that monitors the horses closely. 

There’s also the higher risk of infections and illness when horses share the same paddock. The horse agistments facility needs to have worming and vaccination programs in place to curb this hazard.

There are some horse owners who supplement their horses, so remember if you’re one of them, you’ll have to spend time taking your beloved from the herd to eat.

There’s a lot that needs to be taken into account when it comes to where you want to horse to live. Horse agistments need to have facilities that are uniquely tailored to the needs of your horse and also take into account your needs. From the costs to the facilities and services, every box needs to be checked.
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At Glenrae Thoroughbreds, we offer horse agistment among other services. We’re dedicated to making your horse feel at home and to give you peace of mind knowing they are well taken care of. Visit us.

Now that we know the definition let's take a look at some tips that can help you find the perfect spot for your stallion. 

The Right Location 

Finding the perfect location should be on the top of your priority list, especially if you have the hopes of spending loads of valuable riding time with your buddy. For instance, a location that's situated an hour away from your home may be an issue. Could you see yourself driving two hours every day for a ride? Do you think that you would grow tired of the journey and may only visit every weekend?
These are all important factors to consider, not to mention the extra cost of travel.  

Shared Or Individual Paddock 

Now, both of these options come with advantages and disadvantages, but it's up to you to weigh up the options. A shared paddock can be great because the cost is lower, the horses usually get the chance to be in a social environment, and there's often more space. However, the downfalls include a greater risk of injuries if something goes sour between animals and a greater risk of disease or infection if another horse has gotten sick.

An individual paddock is a more expensive option; however, the horse may be left to feed more independently in its paddock. Keep in mind that horses can grow anxious after extended periods spent alone.  

Proper Facilities 

It's vital to consider what facilities you require for you and your horse. Are you riding after work and need proper lighting? Do you need a sandbox? Does the facility have adequate fencing to leave you feeling like your horse is secure? These are all important questions that require thought and planning.  

​Horse agistment is a useful service to many owners who simply don't have the correct facilities on hand. At Glenrae Thoroughbreds, we offer owners a safe and clean space for your horses. Contact us today for further inquiries.