The national average does not provide an accurate indication as to the cost of owing a racehorse, as cost are considerably higher in metropolitan areas compared to those in country areas. Costs can also vary depending on what state your horse is trained.

For more information on training costs, registration, insurance, spelling, breaking-in, nominations, track fees, please contact Thoroughbred Breeders Queensland Association or people in the industry, and get the facts straight from the horses mouth.

Deciding where your yearling will go to spell after the purchase is an important decision.

You need to ensure that it is a reputable spelling complex with well maintained facilities such as, safe fencing so your yearling does not have the chance of hurting itself.

If you have purchased a yearling colt, you may need to find a farm that can accommodate spellers individually.

The Stud where you purchased your yearling from may have spelling facilities as well or talk with friends within the industry and ask them if they have any recommendations. The internet is also a great place to search for spelling farms.  

Also consider price and feed when enquiring with spelling complexes as they may be the cheapest, but not necessarily the best suited for your yearling (ie. feed only hay and is in a paddock with a large number of other horses).

Also remember that you can view the facilities and talk to the Manager to ensure the needs of your valuable livestock is well met.

Once you have made a decision on where you are sending your yearling to spell, you need to organise transport.

At the sales complex, there is an area that is specifically set up for transport companies to take bookings.

You may have a company in mind already or the spelling farm may have suggested one to you, otherwise there are a number of people at the area that you can speak with.

Once your yearling is booked on, the transport company will collect her from her stable at the sales complex and deliver to the spelling farm. 

Your valuable yearling is now at a spelling complex and developing into an equine athlete.

Although it has been through the sales and been handled, your yearling has not been ridden and therefore, needs to be broken-in.

Yearlings can normally be broken in from the age of 15 months (depending on the horse) and this process occurs at a breaking-in facility.

The spelling farm where your yearling is currently may have these facilities; otherwise they may be able to recommend a few for you to enquire about.

They can also indicate to you of when your yearling may be ready to brake-in.

Education of a young horse is the cornerstone of developing into an athlete, fulfilling its maximum potential, so it is very important that you engage the services of a reputable breaking-in complex.

You can choose a trainer before you purchase your yearling and seek their advice when viewing the yearling.

You may select after you purchase and ask for their recommendations on spelling farms and breaking-in facilities or, you can choose your trainer after your yearling is broken-in.

In other words, you can choose your trainer at any stage. 

You may want to choose a trainer who lives in the same town/city so you can visit your racehorse and watch it during early morning track work, but the options are endless.

Trainer’s stables come in all sizes. Some trainers have some stables with only ten (10) horses and on the other extreme a trainer may have a stable of 50 racehorses.

Price is also another factor when considering a trainer. Some trainer’s include certain expenses in their daily charges and other trainer’s may charge these expenses on top of the daily rate.

Again, talk to people in the industry, surf the internet, read racing publications as these are all research tools at your finger tips.

The below link is the Australian Racehorse Trainers Directory and is a great tool to gain information on trainers or browse trainers in a certain location -

http://www.racehorsetrainer.com.au/index.html

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