"There’s a lot going on at the moment; more than we were expecting in February. By the end of the month we will have had 20 stallions come through the centre since the beginning of the year for dummy training, ground training, semen assessments and freezing for export.

We also have the first mares moving in ready for foaling at the end of this month. We generally recommend that mares move here 30 days prior to their expected foaling in order to build up immunity to any new pathogens in their new environment, and to give us a chance to get used to their normal behavioural patterns and individual personalities.

On top of all that, we have to get ready for the UK Stallion Expo which is running at the College Equestrian Centre, Keysoe, Bedfordshire on 13th and 14th February (and will be shown on H&C on 20th Feb). We’re taking our Selle Francais stallion Valesco (by the Olympic Showjumper Je T’Adore) to present alongside the other 50 or so stallions from all over the UK. We’re also doing a presentation during the day about fertility, and will have a trade stand – so if you’re attending – please come and say hello!

Finally, we’re running a three day training course at Hartpury College at the end of the month. The course is taught by Jos Mottershead – probably one of the best known breeding experts in the world. Jos runs the world-famous website www.Equine-Reproduction.com and his courses are famous all over the world. The course is approved by DEFRA and the RCVS to train AI technicians to enable them to inseminate mares (which is usually a veterinary procedure, unless you have an exemption certificate from an approved training course). There’s lots to get ready for the course, so the next job is to get down to the printers to get the course booklets made-up…

We’ll have some more information about the stallions who will be standing with us in the next blog – we have some exciting residents joining us over the coming months!"