Every day I drive past the 327 acres that make up Rhapsody Farm, but until last week, I had no idea what kind of work goes into training and selling the Thoroughbred horses, many of which go on to race competitively.
Elaine Peck and her husband Richard Quinn begin work every day at 5 a.m. “Last year, we prepared over 20 horses for Saratoga,” Peck said. “This year we have as many if not more.”
I arrived at Rhapsody Farm in Plymouth at 8 a.m. on the day the horses were being transported to the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. Although I missed most of the excitement of the day, Elaine showed me around the property and explained what goes into preparing the horses for the sale.
The horses that go to the yearling sale have to be at the farm 75 to 90 at least days in advance of the August sale, Elaine said. Training begins in May. “We have a controlled regime of exercise,” said Elaine. “We want the yearlings to peak mentally and physically at the time of the sale.” As with any training regiment, the daily nutrition and exercise of each horse is monitored, and the staff at the farm watch each horse to determine if there is a serious change in their behavior that might indicate a potential problem. The farm has decreased the number of horses prepared for each sale, Peck said, in order to maintain a better knowledge of each individually. “If the number of animals is too high, you could tend to lose track of the individual. You have to know what’s normal to know what’s not normal.”
“The horses that are raised here, seem to be easier,” Elaine said. “Whether it be that we know them better or we’re in control since birth.”
During the course of the day, the employees at Rhapsody Farm are responsible for exercising the horses, and bathing them once they’re done, feeding the horses and cleaning up the pastures and the stalls. Along with this there are extensive hours of grooming, of which Elaine says her husband is the key person. “This time of year, we start at 5 a.m., take a break in the afternoon, come back for night chores at 5:30 or 6 and work until approximately 9 p.m., sometimes later,” Elaine said. “During foaling season, you could be working anytime, day or night.”
After a lifetime in the Thoroughbred industry, Elaine knows what prospective buyers are looking for in a horse. During the horse sales, Elaine explained a horse could be shown 75 to 90 times in a day, and each time they are expected to act professionally, be bright and alert and stand in a certain way through three to four days of showing and selling.
She brought one of the two remaining yearlings forward to demonstrate the stance. She explained they need to be bright and alert.
Before the horses can go to the sale they must undergo a series of x-rays and airway scopes to make sure they have no physical problems that would affect the possible sale. Each horse goes through 32 x-rays and a throat scope before going to the sale, and the results are available at the sale. “We’ve been blessed,” Elaine said of the results of the x-rays throughout the year.
Training and caring for the horses is an extensive job, and each year, Elaine said, Rhapsody Farm is making more improvements and upgrades to keep up with the industry. Four years ago, she said, she began using an automatic horse exercising machine, which can control the speed and duration of time a horse is exercised. Two of Elaine and Richard’s employees, Chrissy Breault and Guy Sutter, walked the two remaining yearlings to the machine and Elaine started the horses out at a good open walk. “As they build toward the sales, we may increase the length and speed of time they exercise, depending on the individual,” Elaine.
While the horses are also exercised outside of the machine, Elaine said the machine paid for itself the first year it was in use, but she explained it’s not for everyone. “You have to make sure you have the training and the knowledge before you begin using a machine,” she said. “Each horse is different and you’ve got to use good judgment so you don’t do extensive damage.”
My visit to Rhapsody Farm taught me a lot about my own knowledge (or lack thereof) of horses. With 85 to 90 percent of the horses at the farm raised to be winners, Elaine and Richard have created a name for themselves in the thoroughbred industry, and I’ve decided it’s work better left to the experts.