Boarding

Destiny Awaits

They say the sky is the limit. We disagree. At Coolmore, we’re always going above and beyond to provide the very best for your stock.

Coolmore is located in the heart of the Golden Vale on some of the best limestone grazing land in Ireland.

Those who board their horses here know that they will thrive on the rich pasture. They also know that Coolmore has invested in an infrastructure that is second to none.

This, coupled with an experienced and dedicated workforce, ensures that the finest service imaginable is provided to each and every horse on the farm.

Put simply, we care for your horses just like our own.

Foaling

Coolmore has six specialised foaling units where your mare and her newborn will receive the very best of care.

The foaling units generally operate from January to the end of May. Mares are monitored around the clock by our foaling staff.

24-hour supervision by highly experienced foaling staff, skilled in post and ante-natal care.
Individual nursery paddocks.
On-site neo-natal and intensive care unit.
All Coolmore foaling units are within close proximity of the world-class Fethard Equine Hospital.
Complete fostering service should the need arise.
Colostrum bank with high quality colostrum if required.
Regular reports and photos to keep you updated on the progress of your stock.

Fethard Equine Hospital

Fethard Equine Hospital, situated adjacent to Coolmore, is one of the most modern and advanced equine hospitals in the world.

The state-of-the-art facilities include three surgical suites, an intensive care facility featuring a neonatal care unit, as well as an advanced diagnostic imaging facility.

Short keyhole joint surgery, standing fracture repair, mare reproductive and colic surgery are routine procedures undertaken here.

Diagnostic tools include Digital X-ray, Endoscopy, Ultrasound examination and Arthroscopy in addition to a fully equipped diagnostic laboratory. The practice is also at the forefront of 3D imaging with the very latest in diagnostic CT technology.

Four Board Certified Equine Surgeons, along with a Board-Certified Internal Medicine Specialist are presently working in the hospital, assisted by a large team of interns, veterinary nurses, laboratory, barn and administrative staff.

There is 24-hour care provided at the hospital with several vets and a nurse living on-site to ensure the highest standard of veterinary care.

Breaking

Every autumn, yearlings raised on the farm and purchased at the sales are broken.

Time, patience and experience are the vital ingredients required, and at Coolmore, we are fortunate to have some of the finest horsemen in the world.

The breaking process typically lasts between six and eight weeks, and everything is geared towards giving the horse a gentle and enjoyable introduction to what will become his new way of life. A horse’s experience while being broken will play an important part in shaping its attitude towards being ridden, and by extension, towards racing.

Mix Grazing

Cattle form an important part of our grassland management plan.

Horses are notoriously selective grazers, and cattle will graze areas within paddocks that have been ignored by the horses, thereby ensuring an even crop of rich pasture throughout each and every paddock. This grass will have a high nutritional content which will massively benefit the young stock raised on the farm.

Hay

Our aim is to produce the highest quality hay for all horses on Coolmore farms.

To this end we select the best hay grass varieties to grow the optimum hay crops.

Ideally, it is harvested in early June when the nutritional value of the hay matches the fibre needs of the horses when stabled.

Coolmore has been afforded the technologies to perfect the harvesting and drying of large square bales which we are continuously developing and improving.

The Harvest

Oats form part of the balanced diet for our horses, and to ensure the highest quality possible, we grow our own.

The oat crop is harvested at the peak of its ripeness, usually in late July. Some of the machinery we use to harvest is built to our own specifications, as is the purpose-built oat store the crop is gathered into.

Winter barley straw provides the best bedding, being more absorbent and less palatable than other varieties. To this end, a significant crop of winter barley is planted and harvested every year. It is meticulously checked for quality at every stage from planting to storage.

It’s that detail thing, and the fact that at Coolmore, there is no such thing as a minor one!