Hilltop stables are a breath of fresh air for top-tier racehorses
A TOP horse trainer has moved his entire stables 800m uphill to the top of a valley, believing it will help his horses win more races.
Tim Vaughan, a former champion point-to-point jockey, spent four years researching the optimal air flow, wind speed and ventilation levels on his yard to achieve peak performance.
The father of three, who has trained top-tier racehorses in the UK and Ireland for more than a decade, concluded that moisture in the winter months was hampering the performance of his 85 equines, as it locks allergens into the air, which clog up the lungs.
Mr Vaughan, 40, has now relocated the horses he is preparing for major tournaments 800m up a slope at his farm in Cowbridge, Wales, where there is plenty of air and sunshine to disperse spores and other pollutants, keeping their lungs clear.
“We were extremely successful and had lots of winners but when the damp, wet winter weather set in from October, the horses just didn’t perform as consistently and progressively as they did at other times of the year,” he said.
“People thought I was mad because I spent four years analysing it. You need the horses inhaling as clean air as you can.
“It’s the moisture in the environment that holds the allergens and affects the horse’s respiratory system.
At the top of the hill there’s far more breeze and air flow.”
Mr Vaughan took advantage of the lockdown to make the change.
Three seasons ago, he moved 50 horses up the hill on a trial basis to see if it affected their performance. He is now convinced that consistency of wins is hugely influenced by microclimate.
“I can tell by the way they’re running that they’re in good form – more wins and more consistency in their running style,” he said.
“I’m now far more confident we’re getting maximum potential out of every horse. You want happy and successful horses running to form to keep owners happy and I’ve left no stone unturned in my quest to achieve that.”
Alan Creighton, head of environment and nutrition at the Irish Equine Centre, is one of the few people in the racing world versed in what kind of microclimate produces winning horses.
Mr Creighton, who helped Mr Vaughan, said: “Respiratory systems are one of the most important things for a racehorse.
“Taking away the dampness and getting rid of spores is key.”