Facilities
Attention to Detail and Happy Horses are the Keys to Our Success
Terence O’Brien’s racing yard is located in Carrigtwohill, Co Cork, and is just a 20 minute drive from Cork city centre. The yard is a purpose-built, state of the art training facility, situated against a stunning, picturesque backdrop. Top-class training facilities at the yard allow horses to be campaigned to the highest level. Amenities at Woodstock include grass gallops, sand gallops, a schooling strip, an indoor school, horse walkers, turnout paddocks and well-ventilated barns.
Gallops
With Multi Discipline Gallops, We Leave No Stone Unturned.
The yard features newly-laid sand gallops; a three-furlong round sand gallop and a four furlong uphill sand gallop. The latter is situated parallel to the grass hill gallop and it brings variety to a horse’s training schedule. Horses work well on this deep surface and it gets them fit. The round sand gallop is sometimes used as a warm up before grass work, or in the lead-up to raceday.
The uphill grass gallop, over four and a half furlongs in length, poses a different test, over a quick, natural surface. Situated on a steep, natural gradient, it puts emphasis on a horse’s stamina. The level grass gallop, at four furlongs in length, is where horses are taken to breeze along. This freshens up the horses, giving them a pipe-opener.
Schooling Strip
Practice Makes Perfect
The all-weather schooling strip features five obstacles; two hurdles and three fences. Horses are schooled here a couple of times a week, where they can travel at race pace, and pop over jumps, on a safe surface of fibresand. Schooling helps a horse to keep focused and aids the development of their jumping technique.
Indoor School
No Such Thing as a Rainy Day
Indoor schooling is a major part of the training process. This purpose-built feature is used to school horses that are starting out on their jumping career. Horses get a lot of loose jumping at the indoor school. Younger horses, that have just been broken, will learn the basics of how to carry themselves properly here. A facility that is used year-round, it provides an alternative option on days where weather conditions are adverse.
Horse Walkers
Keep Your Best Foot Forward
The yard has two covered automatic horse walkers; a ten-horse walker and an eight-horse walker. These are vital for the yard, as they allow the horses to get warmed up before exercise, or to cool down after a routine workout. Time spent on the walkers lets the horses stretch out the muscles in their legs, which in turn keeps them loose and limber.
Barns
A Home From Home
Horses are housed in one of two well-ventilated barns at Woodstock. The barns are spacious and airy for the horses. Stables are regularly, deeply cleaned, and provide a happy and comfortable home for our equine residents.
Turnout Paddocks
A Happy Horse is a Successful Horse...
The turnout paddocks are located near the stables and horses are let out here for a couple of hours each day. This allows them to get a nice pick of grass and to have a roll around. The period of time spent in the paddocks is good for the horses’ minds, as it helps them to relax and unwind.
Heart Monitors
The Beating Heart of Success
Heart monitors feature prominently in the daily training schedule at Woodstock. These new additions are proving to be hugely significant, with an accurate reading now available after a horse’s work routine. This information is an important reference point for each stage of a horse’s training schedule.
Haygain Hay Steamer
Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail
The attention to detail at Woodstock can be seen with the yard’s approach to preparing feed. The yard steams all its own hay, in order to remove any bacteria or dust. This approach essentially purifies the hay, and therefore increases a horse’s chance of running its race. Horses here seem to love it.
Video footage from a recent visit to our yard by Horse Racing Ireland... Just hit play!
Many thanks for your continued support to our yard Sponsor
