King Charles selling Queen's racehorses

[Cocorules]

Seen it being widely reported that Charles is scaling back on the Queen's racehorses. I get this happens all the time if you die while you have horses, especially racehorses.

It just makes me reflect on mine which are not overly sellable. Hoping to outlive them, but their lives would change hugely if I died. At the moment they get to live out happily 24/7/365 in a safe place with plenty of shelter and plenty of room and plenty of other horses and stimulation.

 

[oldie48]

You need to let your wishes be known before you die. I no longer own a horse but when I did, my OH knew what I wanted.

 

[Suncat]

My horses are provided for in my will, my wonderful friend and I have reciprocal horsy-god-parent agreement (to look after each other's oldies), but we've both provided lump sums our wills for their care.

 

[teapot]

I think this is slightly different in as much it’s more about scaling back, and I wonder whether it’s all part of the start of a more modern Royal Family?

 

[Wishfilly]

I also think it's very much about Charles' opinion on how a modern royal family should look- I don't think he thinks spending lots of money on racehorses is a good look for him when a lot of the country are struggling to pay their bills.

I do think it's important to make your wishes known when it comes to any animal that might outlive you, but especially something large and expensive to keep, like a horse, and even more so an unridable one.

I sort of think the Queen may have expected this to happen. I think if she had wanted them to stay in the family, she would have left the horses to Princess Anne.

 

[Andie02]

My horses are provided for in my will, my wonderful friend and I have reciprocal horsy-god-parent agreement (to look after each other's oldies), but we've both provided lump sums our wills for their care.

If you wish to leave 'cash' gifts to a 3rd party, to look after your horse/horses it is not advisable to bequeath the gift direct, but in a discretionary trust, within your wills. Irrespective of any 'god-parent' agreement made by each party. Gifting the gift specifically without a discretionary trust can have certain consequences that you may not have thought of i.e.: the cash gift becomes the beneficiaries on your death and dependant upon their particular circumstances (and dependant upon the sum bequeathed), can cause the person to lose benefits that they may be on, or even be taken as part of a divorce. No matter what the letter of agreement made by each other states. If if is in a discretionary trust within a will, it is safeguarded for the horses and your peace of mind. There are several other issues that may occur which could mean that the monies left for the care of the horse could be taken by the 'god-parent'.

 

[AdorableAlice]

The media are completely blowing it out of proportion. It is the end of the flat season and the vast majority of owners/breeder dispose, via bloodstock sales, of their 3 and 4 year old stock to make way for the yearlings and 2 year olds they have bred.

1500 plus horses catalogued to go through Tatts, it is interesting reading with Coolmore and Godolphin studs clearing out. The late Queen would have cleared out what she didn't plan on putting in her breeding paddocks if she had still been with us.

 

[reynold]

I read that the Queen typically sent around 7 to the sales each year. This year she had around 36 in training and Charles has listed around 12.

I am more worried that he might not carry on with the non-TB studs the Queen had for Fells, Cleveland Bays and Highlands. I think the first two are endangered breeds (or have been).

The Queen also put thru some of her ex-racehorses to showing careers and if Charles isn't that bothered about racing I hardly think he'll be at all interested in showing.

There is some hope for the racing operation to continue as Camilla is into racing and so is the Princess of Wales family.

If Charles isn't interested in the non-TB studs I'm hoping he might hand over the running of them to Princess Anne and then to Zara who both would understand the importance of their continuance.

Prince Andrew also seems to be back into horses/riding and running the Queens studs would be a role he could do without it being in the public eye.

 

[Bobthecob15]

I also think it's very much about Charles' opinion on how a modern royal family should look- I don't think he thinks spending lots of money on racehorses is a good look for him when a lot of the country are struggling to pay their bills.

I do think it's important to make your wishes known when it comes to any animal that might outlive you, but especially something large and expensive to keep, like a horse, and even more so an unridable one.

I sort of think the Queen may have expected this to happen. I think if she had wanted them to stay in the family, she would have left the horses to Princess Anne.

Completely agree, he's doing the right thing reducing the numbers

 

[Kat]

I read that the Queen typically sent around 7 to the sales each year. This year she had around 36 in training and Charles has listed around 12.

I am more worried that he might not carry on with the non-TB studs the Queen had for Fells, Cleveland Bays and Highlands. I think the first two are endangered breeds (or have been).

The Queen also put thru some of her ex-racehorses to showing careers and if Charles isn't that bothered about racing I hardly think he'll be at all interested in showing.

There is some hope for the racing operation to continue as Camilla is into racing and so is the Princess of Wales family.

If Charles isn't interested in the non-TB studs I'm hoping he might hand over the running of them to Princess Anne and then to Zara who both would understand the importance of their continuance.

Prince Andrew also seems to be back into horses/riding and running the Queens studs would be a role he could do without it being in the public eye.

Charles has had a pretty keen interest in the preservation of rare native breeds so I expect the non TB studs are safe. He did quite a bit with the Duchy of Cornwall with rare breeds if I remember correctly.

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

I wonder what happens to horses from yards such as Coolmore/Ballydoyle that aren't wanted for stud. I know some go abroad for racing but do they re-home or is it a more gruesome ending? I know yards such as Godolphin have a retraining scheme

There are some big name horses from other yards e.g. Tactical, what is the point of sending them to the sales if they're not doing well at racing any more?

 

[Gamebird]

I wonder what happens to horses from yards such as Coolmore/Ballydoyle that aren't wanted for stud. I know some go abroad for racing but do they re-home or is it a more gruesome ending? I know yards such as Godolphin have a retraining scheme

They mostly go to the sales. Often they are bought by smaller trainers - what might not be good enough for a big-name yard might be a perfectly good horse for a smaller trainer. For example there are several Mark Johnston and Richard Fahey horses being sold at Goffs UK tomorrow. By tomorrow night you'll be able to see where they've gone, but plenty of the smaller trainers may well be interested. Mares obviously have a different career path, especially if they've been successful. The lower value lots at the sales are often bought as pointers (NH usually, but some flat horses with dual purpose breeding) or riding horses. A few will be bought to sell on - Irish Horse Imports often do this, even with UK bought horses despite their trading name. Polo yards often buy ex flat horses through the sales ring.

The horses that go to retraining schemes generally go straight from the training yard rather than from the sales ring. It is often down to what the owner wants. If they want some money back, or the horse is being sold to dissolve a syndicate then they'll go to the sales. If they are more interested in a good home then they may be found a new home directly from the yard (usually sold as a private sale these days rather than being given away), or be funneled via one of the rehoming charities or individuals who make a living from this. Sometimes the racing owner retains ownership and the horse is rehomed on a loan basis. Generally all horses that leave yards this way rather than going to the sales will have a non-racing agreement (although there is a variation on this that allows pointing).

 

[AdorableAlice]

Irish Horse Imports will mop up the 1 and 2k lots, which will reappear on their website with the usual write up and priced at 4K bargains but minus the Tatts health statements, a few days after the sales dates.

Quality horses but buyer beware.

 

[SEL]

Tough on racing to lose one of its biggest supporters especially now it looks like the royal family aren't really going to be as heavily into it with the Queen gone

 

[Wishfilly]

Completely agree, he's doing the right thing reducing the numbers

It's definitely the right thing in terms of public perception.

Tough on racing to lose one of its biggest supporters especially now it looks like the royal family aren't really going to be as heavily into it with the Queen gone

I think racing as an industry will be fine. I don't think the Queen is a big supporter in terms of numbers of horses in training these days, and there are other, bigger studs based in the UK and Ireland (including Ireland because really it's all one industry imo).

I agree with those who mentioned the loss of support for fell ponies or cleveland bays would be much worse.

 

[Gamebird]

They mostly go to the sales. Often they are bought by smaller trainers - what might not be good enough for a big-name yard might be a perfectly good horse for a smaller trainer. For example there are several Mark Johnston and Richard Fahey horses being sold at Goffs UK tomorrow. By tomorrow night you'll be able to see where they've gone, but plenty of the smaller trainers may well be interested. Mares obviously have a different career path, especially if they've been successful. The lower value lots at the sales are often bought as pointers (NH usually, but some flat horses with dual purpose breeding) or riding horses. A few will be bought to sell on - Irish Horse Imports often do this, even with UK bought horses despite their trading name. Polo yards often buy ex flat horses through the sales ring.

The horses that go to retraining schemes generally go straight from the training yard rather than from the sales ring. It is often down to what the owner wants. If they want some money back, or the horse is being sold to dissolve a syndicate then they'll go to the sales. If they are more interested in a good home then they may be found a new home directly from the yard (usually sold as a private sale these days rather than being given away), or be funneled via one of the rehoming charities or individuals who make a living from this. Sometimes the racing owner retains ownership and the horse is rehomed on a loan basis. Generally all horses that leave yards this way rather than going to the sales will have a non-racing agreement (although there is a variation on this that allows pointing).

And the other day I met a Godolphin bred and big-name-trainer trained Dubawi working in a riding school. So they can literally end up anywhere and everywhere.

 

[Velcrobum]

I also think it's very much about Charles' opinion on how a modern royal family should look- I don't think he thinks spending lots of money on racehorses is a good look for him when a lot of the country are struggling to pay their bills.

I sort of think the Queen may have expected this to happen. I think if she had wanted them to stay in the family, she would have left the horses to Princess Anne.

Our late queen ran her TB breeding and racing as a self contained business apparently. As others have said seasonally sold on the ones she and her racing manager decided were no longer part of the wider plan. I wonder if we will see Zara out on one of her TB's?

 

[reynold]

Apparently the Queen spent the last weekend of her life at Balmoral with her racing manager John Warren making breeding and racing plans for the next 5 years.

It would be nice to think these wishes were considered in any future plans for the TB stud and racing activities.

Also, Godolphin tend to be careful who they rehome their racehorses to so I'm not sure that they intended one to end up in a riding school, but as you say ex-racehorses can turn their hooves to a lot of things.

I saw yesterday that the good chaser Santini has been retired to event with WFP by his owners after finishing 4th in last years Grand National. Good luck to him in his new career.

 

[Kat]

Our late queen ran her TB breeding and racing as a self contained business apparently. As others have said seasonally sold on the ones she and her racing manager decided were no longer part of the wider plan. I wonder if we will see Zara out on one of her TB's?

Doublet was bred by HMQ, although for polo rather than racing.

I believe that Columbus and Countryman III were bred by the Queen too, but I think specifically as sports horses.

Zara has competed on Tiger Lily who was bred by the Queen but again not as a racehorse.

 

[Skib]

The loveliest horse I ever rode, meaning physical - conformation and health - was a TB who had ended up in a RS. I rode her in small indoor school and she cantered me to perfection, removing my fear of canter in a small indoor school. I suspect she was nervous, as I was asked to dismount her in the school when pigeons came in on the rafters.
The following week she had gone. I was told that she had thrown a student over the weekend in the outdoor school. I hope she found a good home. I would have bought her but I am a hacker and she wasnt that type.