The horses that I have been around all my life have one thing in common–they are all different. Whether it was the pack horses in our front yard when I was a child in Colorado, or the racing Quarter Horses my Dad owned in Oklahoma later in my youth, or the magnificent Thoroughbreds I care for today, they’re all individuals. The one thing I try to remember is that each horse is unlike the horse in the stall next door, even though they may have the same job. You must tailor their daily routines to their individual needs.

I feel that we should try to let the horses be horses as much as we can. At Three Chimneys Farm (near Midway, Ky.), our stallions are ridden for both the mental and physical benefits of exercise. And we try to give them as much turn-out as possible because we believe a happy horse is a better horse to handle on a daily basis.

I think the best time of my day at Three Chimneys Farm is the morning. The stallions come in from their paddocks, go out for a little exercise under tack, eat breakfast, are bathed or groomed, then we are ready for the breeding shed or for visitors.

Of course, it’s not always that easy! Some horses might stay in at night, some are fresh off the racetrack, and some are on limited turnout, so every morning is different. You must be flexible