Breeding/Foaling

One of the leading Thoroughbred breeding farms in the United States, Rancho San Miguel is equipped with state of the art technology to insure the best care for mares and foals. Facilities include padded palpation chutes and foal boxes, a large breeding shed with adjacent foal box and a foaling barn used only during foaling season to insure a clean and safe environment for newborns. The foaling barn is equipped with a 2,000 lb. hoist in case of an emergency during foaling, and staff members living on the farm provide 24-hour watches so that foaling difficulties have immediate attention. The on-site veterinarian lives only steps away from the foaling barn and is available for all foaling procedures. Stored colostrum and nurse mares are additional precautionary measures provided by Rancho San Miguel. The well being of mares and their foals is our highest priority.

Foal handling starts the day after foals are born and continues until the horses leave the farm. Each foal is led along side the mare to the palpation chute, in addition to daily handling in the stalls and pastures. During each session foals are walked, rubbed, brushed and their feet are picked up. Our techniques incorporate, in a gentle manner, the concepts of horse behavior and psychology. The main goal of our foal handling program is to gain the trust and respect of the foals so they are easier to handle in the future.

During the breeding season, mares are teased daily until they are confirmed in foal. This allows us to monitor their cycles closely. Teasing mares, palpations and ultrasounds are the best indicators as to when mares should be bred. Our on-site veterinarian is available daily to perform ultrasounds, palpations, cultures, lavages, and any other breeding procedures required. There are several barns and two pastures set up with lights to accommodate open mares. Lights simulate the longer days associated with the coming of spring, which in the natural world would cause mares to cycle at the appropriate time. By having the facilities to put open mares under lights, we can try to "jump start" their reproductive systems so they are ready for breeding at an earlier date. The breeding season is an exciting time at Rancho San Miguel and we are dedicated to creating the best possible circumstances for breeding success.

On-Site Veterinarian

Dr. Joseph (Jake) Lynch joined the Rancho San Miguel staff in 2003 and he is available at a moment's notice to provide up-to-date care for all horses on the farm. His extensive knowledge in the area of equine reproduction is an invaluable asset, and in addition to veterinary work, he has been instrumental in the building of air-conditioned stalls for sick foals and padded chutes for the mares. In the off-season, Dr. Lynch attends seminars and educational meetings to stay current with the fast-changing world of veterinary medicine. He brings the information back to share with the staff and continues our education as well.

Sales Prep

At Rancho San Miguel we treat each horse as an individual and we tailor our sales prep accordingly. Kasia Tomaszewicz leads the sales prep program at Rancho San Miguel, applying her years of experience in groundwork and nutrition to the daily routine. Each horse is worked on the euro-ciser and in the round pen in order to build muscle and work on basic ground skills. Weather permitting, the horses are turned out each day to allow them time in a more natural environment. In the morning, horses are brought into stalls for grooming and are on a regular bathing schedule to keep their coats looking shiny and sleek. General Manager, Clay Murdock, evaluates sales horses on a weekly basis in order to make proper adjustments to nutrition and conditioning programs. For all sales, the on-site veterinarian is available to perform required sales radiographs, coggins and pregnancy confirmation tests. The farm secretary insures that all paper work is sent to the sales offices by the respective deadlines.

The sales that Rancho San Miguel primarily focuses on are: the Northern California Yearling Sale conducted by CTBA in August, the Barretts/CTBA October Yearling Sale held the first Tuesday in October and Mixed Sales at Barretts in January and October. For further information on nominations, entry dates and requirements, please contact our office at (805) 467-3847.

Lay-ups

Whether a horse needs a break from the racetrack routine or has an injury, Rancho San Miguel has the facilities to provide outstanding care for all horses. Our on-site veterinarian is equipped with radiography and ultrasound machines in order to evaluate the progress of the horses. The farm has stalls, turn-out pens, and small paddocks to accommodate different types of recovery programs. We also have a euro-ciser to gradually ease horses back into a conditioning program. We look forward to taking care of your horses and getting them back to the winner's circle as soon as possible.

Our passion and knowledge allows us to provide our clients with only the best and we look forward to working with you.

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