The Timeless Miracle of Life

Here at UR Stable in Greenville, we've had a flurry of activity over the past few weeks--2010 started with several new arrivals into the broodmare barn, the relocation of stallion WILD DESERT to our stable yard, construction of new shed-rows, and preparing the foaling barn with heat lamps, towels, cameras, and extra straw. All of these considerations, married with the day-to-day demands of running a business and caring for horses, made the short January days seem endless in an already cold New York winter.

Yet this season, despite its desolation, brings with it the anticipation of new life and beautiful new faces to accompany us on our journey towards Spring.

Even after many years of delivering babies, each one holds such unique promise. The sight of a new baby standing for the first time both warms the soul and gives meaning to the work we trudge through in the ice and snow. To witness the miracle of birth, to watch a life enter this world in total wonderment and see firsthand the god-given instincts inherent in mare and foal is amazing. It refreshes our gratitude by reminding us of our most basic and still astounding privileges--to breathe and be sustained by the universe surrounding us.

Everyone has a passion, and mine is unquestionably horses.To me, it is so rewarding to take part in this process, and with my participation comes the awesome responsibility of ensuring a healthy life for this animal. At UR Stable, horses are part of our extended family! Here are two of the newest members, both born on February 2nd:

What a difference a day makes!

24 hours later Appro's little girl looks more

like her big daddy WILD DESERT!

Appro (Stuka) affectionately kisses her new little girl

by Wild Desert born at 12:30AM on Feb. 2nd.

24 hours later at play ready to rock and roll!

Wild Desert - You be Nice (Jade Hunter) filly

born at 3:45 AM on February 2, 2010

Remember ... Every horse is a Blessing, Susan.

The Real Cost of Boarding Horses in 2010

As the new year beckons us to consider all aspects of our lives, the issue of finances comes up for many people, and horse-owners are no exception. For those of you who board your horses, do you really know exactly what you are paying for? Not every stable offers a breakdown of the expenses covered by your monthly check, and while day-to-day necessities are typically priced the same regionally, board costs from stable to stable certainly are not -- nor should they be.

To better understand what your money goes to, first consider the most obvious costs: grain, hay, bedding, and labor. The average price of a 50-pound bag of quality grain is $15, and an average size horse, around 1200 pounds, eats between 12 to 24lbs per day, depending on activity level. Horses in training and pregnant, lactating mares consume the most grain. The typical price of a bale of hay is $5, a horse will eat between 1/2 to 3/4 of a bale in 24 hours. Shavings average approximately $6 per bag, and a horse will require 5 bags per week for maintaining a clean stall. An increased bedding cost will be incurred for mares and foals, who need to bedded on both straw and shavings. While they need the comfort and cushion of a shavings-base, the direct inhalation of shaving dust is a serious, potentially fatal risk for babies while lying down. Given that consideration, straw needs to cover the area of the stall over the shavings, protecting foals from dust. A mare and foal will go through 4 bags of shavings and 2 bales of straw per week; straw is generally priced at $5 per bale. The cost of labor, which can be estimated at $10 per hour for an experienced, knowledgeable farmhand, will vary according to how much time is spent care-taking for the horses, the barn, and the land, but for proper supervision of all elements, at least 8 hours per day can be expected. Other, more hidden costs are often related to the facility itself, and to as-needed aspects of equine care. For the barn, items such as camera systems ($500+), stall guards ($50 each), feed tubs ($30 each), water buckets ($10) each, and other necessities such as fans, heat lamps, tools and hardware, etc, can go unnoticed by the boarder, but certainly not to the property owner! The same goes for the miscellaneous use of medications, topical treatments, tack items, halters and blankets, etc. Tractors to seed, mow and maintain the pastures, repairs to the facility and fencing, snow plowing, as well as manure management and removal all require supplies and labor, and all of these can be also considered safety costs for your horse. The cost of electricity and heating, even used conservatively, has a significant impact, in addition. Yet, even beyond those sometimes forgotten expenses, one of the largest unseen costs is for insurance--a liability policy for care, custody, and control of horses can be quoted over $6-7,000 per year.

With those figures in mind, you will generally find that for a single horse, you are vastly underpaying the expense of boarding! This is only more true when you factor in the priceless expertise of a good caretaker, whose value is considerable. The cost of experience is ultimately the cost of prevention from illness, injury, or other trauma. So while the daily expenses stay the same, analyze what are you truly paying for with labor--a famous name, an attitude, or a facility that truly cares for your horse? If you are not already confident in and happy with your situation, reviewing these costs and factors can empower you to make a better choice.

If you have a moment please share your comments, thoughts and experiences boarding horses ~ I'd greatly value your feedback. With thanks ~ Susan.

UR Horses Enjoy Holiday Snow!

The first weekend in December covered the fields with a sparkling array of perfectly white snow. UR young horses played as if the universe delivered a new toy just to brighten their day…

Above: 2008 Midas Eyes - Austin Runner Filly

"The Wild Girls" UR 2009 Fillies by millionaire Wild Desert

Get a piece of a wild Girl for the Holidays

Saratoga 2009 remembered....

The reality of making my way in the sport of kings (on a tight budget!) is that I've just now had time to sit down and share a few rememberances on the grand dame of race meets -- THE GREATEST SARATOGA I HAVE ATTENDED IN THREE DECADES -- I would imagine it was even greater for Rachel Alexandra's Jockey Calvin Borel pictured above en route to winner's circle after the Woodward, what a day! Enjoy -- Susan.

It's hard to believe we are over a month past the close of Saratoga’s glorious race meet, and the Breeder’s Cup is just 3 weeks away! Even more unbelievable is the approach of 2010, a new year of possibilities. As a child these time frames seem an eternity, now they are simply too short. Not long ago, I remember James Taylor at SPAC saying, “the secret of life is enjoying the passage of time". I find it more precious with every passing day, with every passing meet at the Spa another year has come and gone forever. PICTURED: SUSAN KAYNE, TURF WRITER EXTRAORDINAIRE MIKE WELSCH, MEGA OWNER ARON YAGODA


2009 has been a challenging year on the farm; I have added 10 new horses to the Unbridled herd and personally facilitated four rescues from Paragallo, all in a very slow economy--though you’d never suspect any economic woes if you visited Saratoga this year! I spent many mornings at the rail watching a fantastic spectrum of horses, from first-timers setting an auspicious foot on the track, to seeing the magnificence of Rachel Alexandra cut through the thick fog like a goddess of old. Ever my favorite time at the track, the magic of early morning and its bustling activity never fades: with the dawn of each new day, our hopes and dreams are renewed. We are not returning from a race we didn’t win, spending hours in the spit box after rising at 4AM, or carrying any other disappointment from expectations gone unmet. We are fresh and we are hopeful. This season I had the pleasure of meeting new owners for the first time, catching up with old friends and gathering with seasoned partners; together we cajoled, star gazed, improved our “eyes”, expanded our knowledge, and confirmed that we were on the right track with UR Stable. PICTURED: UR GIRLS & LEGENDARY JOCKEY ANGEL CORDERO JR.


Something about the Spa brings out the best in every horse and every person -- the water, the air, the camaraderie – and yet is the most competitive race meet on the planet. Year after year, horses, trainers, and jockeys grind it out in the afternoon, alchemizing even the most ordinary race into a spectacular run; on Rachel’s day, an allowance race went faster than the Grade One Forego ---the fractions were blistering start to finish – it just wasn’t fair for the horses who really fit the condition.

PICTURED LEFT: MICHELLE NIHEI IN PADDOCK WITH INKADO
PICTURED RIGHT: PYRO BACK AT THE BARN AFTER WINNING THE FOREGO - CLICK PICTURE TO WATCH RACE

Rachel’s Woodward Day ... was a joyous celebration about all things good in horseracing. Finally, a breather from the dogged press, “racing is dead”. I can assure you it was not only alive and well on the day she beat the boys, but it sparked the electric anticipation of future owners and and track goers for years to come. PICTURED: RACHEL ALEXANDRA VICTORIOUS IN THE WOODWARD STAKES SEPTEMBER 5, 2009 AT SARATOGA - CLICK PICTURE TO SEE RACE

LINDA's dream meet...

The huge achievement of Linda Rice's training title (with 20 wins!) was so sweet, not to mention deserved. Linda is a friend, and I have worked for her and witnessed personally the dedication she delivers to every aspect of her horses' care and well-being. To those of us in the know – it was no surprise that this day would soon be a reality.

To commemorate Linda’s amazing accomplishment, I am producing a special limited edition DVD featuring the best of Linda Unbridled. In addition to in-depth interviews with Linda, the compilation includes interviews with her uber-horseman father, Clyde Rice, a conformation segment on exactly what Linda looks for when selecting racing prospects, and talks with runner-up trainers, Todd Pletcher and Bill Mott. Click here to order.

PICTURED ABOVE: LINDA RICE IN THE WINNER'S CIRCLE AGAIN!

PICTURED RIGHT: BILL MOTT WON 18 RACES AT THE SPA IN 2009 TO FINISH THIRD IN THE TRAINER STANDINGS -- CLICK ON BILL TO WATCH MY INTERVIEW WITH HIM

With another year to come before the Spa opens its gates again to the roar of thoroughbreds coming down the stretch, now is an excellent time to learn from its most recently successful trainers.

MARK UR 2010 CALENDARS
SARATOGA RACE MEET
JULY 23 - SEPTEMBER 6

To get even more involved with all aspects thoroughbred, check out my free series of Hands On Tip articles at Squidoo, which offer some perspective on breeding, training, and the basics of HOOFCARE.

Equine education is an excellent first step to get your racing dream up and running!

Did you go to Saratoga this season? What was your best/worst day and why? If you have a moment please share your horseracing experiences at the Spa in the comments box below.

Mine That Bird ~ A Breath of Fresh Air...really

Sid Gustafson DVM wrote an enlightening piece on the basics of breathing for the equine athlete, check it out, it's a good read and gives solid insight supporting the breathtaking finish Mine That Bird delivered to the delight of racing fans around the world ... http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/mine-that-oxygen-a-vets-take-on-the-derby/


UR Horses In The News ... Susan Campriello wrote an update in The Daily Mail on the Center Brook Horses that have been adopted. Our new girls were featured in the article, pictured below Queen Burger and Fine Behind happily grazing on UR Farm ...
http://www.thedailymail.net/articles/2009/05/04/news/news01.txt