Horse Agistment and Spelling – What Owners and Trainers Need to Know

Purchasing, owning and training a racehorse does not just stop on the auction floor. There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to proper maintenance and care of your investment. Clear Mountain Fairview offers premium horse agistment and spelling services as part and parcel of their services. 

Interested in horse agistment or spelling options near Brisbane? Get in contact with us today and we’ll trot you through our packages.

What is horse agistment?

In the simplest terms, an agistment service is when a horse belonging to someone (or a number of people) is kept on land that is owned and operated by someone else. The duty of care and provisions for the horse are the joint responsibility of the person or company that owns the land and the person or group of people who own the horse. 

Clear Mountain Fairview offers this service. You can find more information here. Pricings are made available upon enquiry.

Should owners fall onto hard times or not meet the ongoing payment schedule, a lien is put in place. This means that a legal process is undertaken that gives the agistment property possession over the horse until the money that is owed for the agistment is paid or the racehorse is sold. 

What should we look for in terms of finding horse agistment near Brisbane?

Space, access to groundwater, large lots of land and caring hands are the key requirements when looking for a facility that offers agistment services. Agistment should be offered for either the short or long term. A process and plan will be negotiated if you are working with property owners who are worth their weight in racing gold. 

Pasture quality is of the utmost importance. As, too, is the ability of the agistment providers to supervise, meet and exceed the needs of your valuable investments. Ideally, an almost oasis-like field of clean, green grass and rolling paddocks should be what you’re looking for. A temperate climate, like you would experience in Queensland’s beautiful Darling Downs near Brisbane, is key and the importance of allowing horses access to roam is a must. 

Foals, yearlings and thoroughbreds should be able to share these spaces yet given appropriate restraint so as to not compromise the safety of the horses. Every chance should be awarded to these beautiful animals so that they may live up to their incredible potential. 

Horses should have access to on-site trainers to care for their well being and care for their every need. A nutritional program should be on offer as part of the horse agistment near Brisbane offerings. You would also need to ensure that you undertake this program with the promise of an onsite veterinarian to ensure your horse is well looked after. 

What is thoroughbred spelling and do we need to factor it in?

Every champion needs a break. Imagine if you worked intensely hard, all day every day, and you were never allowed a holiday. 

Thoroughbred spelling is exactly that. It’s a program that gives hard-working horses the chance to rest and recuperate as they prepare for the next race or racing season. Champion thoroughbreds are incredibly valuable investments and need to be treated with respect and consideration. Consider it an employee bonus, if you will.

Thoroughbred spelling near Brisbane must take into consideration the needs of the horses. The presence of an on-site veterinarian should be front-of-mind when it comes to making the all-important choice of where to spell your horse. Your elite athlete deserves the space, time and facilities required to be able to rest and relax appropriately as they recuperate and reserve their strength for their big races. 

Purpose-built paddocks specifically designed for spelling are key when it comes to making your selection. Just plopping your horse down in any old pasture is not appropriate nor is it sensible – this is a big decision that is part and parcel of owning and training equine athletes. 

Post and rail spelling paddocks need to be incredibly safe and spacious and come equipped with individual shelters complemented with fully established flora and pasture. A daily nutritional program should be on offer that is backed by science and success. Selecting an amateur operation would be a huge mistake in this respect. You need to ensure that the diet of your champion is backed by science and experience. Do NOT entrust your investment to anyone who cannot provide for them with the respect that they deserve. 

Depending on the temperament of your horse (particularly if they are in their precocious years) horses may be spelled together or individually. This is a process that should be a negotiation between you and the thoroughbred spelling property near Brisbane. It is not a decision to be undertaken lightly and transparency on behalf of the spellers is key. You need to rely on reputation, resources and responsibility when it comes to making your selection as to where your speller should rest.

You will also require a dedicated farrier who can keep your horse looking good and feeling safe with regular trimming and corrective shoeing practices. 

Post operation recovery should also be taken into consideration, with horses assigned to appropriate sized paddocks in order to accommodate their needs; including access to horse exercising machines designed to meet and exceed the needs of every attendee. 

Horse agistment and thoroughbred spelling near Brisbane

As previously stated, owning a racehorse does not stop with the bang of the hammer at auction day. As an owner or trainer, you have a debt of responsibility to the animal in terms of its accommodation and care year round – not just on race day. 

Choosing to invest in an elite athlete means putting in the research, time, consideration and care as you would any sportsman. Making the decision as to where to pursue agistment or spelling services could be the million dollar difference when it comes to the potential of your equine investment. 

Clear Mountain Fairview is nationally renowned for being a premium agistment and spelling provider in Queensland. Horses from all over the country access these facilities and reap the benefits of a highly organised, specialised program that is designed to allow owners and trainers to reap the benefits of an appropriately managed pasture space. 

As an owner, you have the capacity to come and visit your horse onsite in order to assess the services being afforded unto them. It is of particular importance to ensure that the business you are directly dealing with is one that is completely transparent about their operations and their successes. Looking into the track record of the space in terms of how many champions they have helped to develop may make your decision easier.

Selecting to agist or spell your horse near Brisbane is not a difficult decision when you are presented with the right team. Simply put, you must ensure that you put your horse in hands that know what they are doing in order to protect those legs when it comes to race day.

Clear Mountain Fairview offers an impressive horse agistment and spelling program. Contact us today to being the process for your horse.