That’s actually not as unusual as you might think. When Jim and Susan Hill bought Margaux Farm to turn into a training center, the previous owners asked if older resident stallion Devil His Due could live out his life there. The Hills agreed and he remained in his same field and his same stall–they held off renovating the former stallion barn (as they had done with the rest of the farm) until after he passed a few years later.
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That was very kind of them.
@MorganMaresVT requiring the buyer to take on six elderly stallions could affect the sale. It’s a fairly big ask, that some buyers might be OK with and others not so much.
But it sounds like they aren’t even selling the farm where the stallions are located, so it’s a moot point.
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The farm where these stallions were living is apparently not one of those being sold.
Are they consolidating stallions from the sold farms to the one they’re keeping? So they don’t have enough stalls for everybody if they don’t move the pensioned horses somewhere else?
No, the stallions have always been in the same place. One of the other divisions has broodmares and foals and I think the third one houses yearlings and other youngsters.
Thanks.
It’s possible they’re planning to sell the other KY farm, too. It’s clear that they’re drastically reorganizing/contracting the business after the Sheik’s death. Perhaps they’re planning to get out of the US market entirely.
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I’m glad they had a soft place to land and that a significant financial donation was sent with them. However, I’m in the boat that says “the farm they are located at is not currently being sold, so why were they not left where they were??” Some of them look pretty rough which is expected at their ages, but I am not sure how they expect them at their advanced ages to transfer to such a different operation and thrive given their current states.,
The fact that they are still healthy and happy at such ages is a testament to the Shadwell team.
Unfortunately those highest up making the decisions are cutting costs and I am sure do not feel such an attachment to these horses as the forefathers maybe did. I’m sure this is heart wrenching for those caring for horses at Shadwell everyday.
So what came of all the retired broodmares?
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