Raising the Young Thoroughbred

Raising the Young Thoroughbred - Insights from the 2026 Saracen Thoroughbred Seminar

The 2026 Saracen Thoroughbred Seminar brought science, research and practical experience together around one central theme: raising the young Thoroughbred in today’s environment. Presented by Saracen Thoroughbred Nutrition and Kentucky Equine Research, the programme explored how early management, parasite control, nutrition and growth monitoring can influence health, development and future performance.

Held at Newbury Racecourse on 21 July and Tattersalls in Newmarket on 23 July 2026, the seminar also marked 25 years of partnership between Saracen and Kentucky Equine Research. Three expert presentations were followed by veterinary panel discussions, connecting current evidence with the decisions made every day by breeders, trainers, stud teams and equine veterinary professionals.

The Impact of Early Life on Health and Performance

Dr Rebecca Mouncey, Equine Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Royal Veterinary College, examined how early-life experiences can shape the long-term health, behaviour and performance of Thoroughbreds. Drawing on recent Royal Veterinary College research, her presentation considered how management decisions made during the earliest stages of life may influence the journey from foal to racehorse.

Equine Parasite Control and Changing Paradigms

Dr Martin Nielsen, Professor of Equine Clinical Sciences at Aarhus University, addressed the evolving challenges of parasite control in modern Thoroughbred management. His presentation covered resistance, diagnostic testing, climate, seasonality and targeted treatment strategies, with specific relevance to mares, foals and youngstock. The session reinforced the importance of evidence-based parasite-control programmes rather than relying on a single routine approach for every horse.

Modelling Growth to Optimise Development

Dr Joe Pagan, founder and president of Kentucky Equine Research, shared insights informed by more than 30 years of measuring growth and development in Thoroughbreds. His presentation explored how science, data and nutrition can be combined in practical growth-management programmes. Monitoring development over time can help professionals make better-informed nutritional and management decisions for the individual young horse.

Veterinary Perspectives from Newbury and Newmarket

The programme also included veterinary discussion panels at both venues. The Newbury panel featured Nick Wingfield Digby, Robert Dallas, Fil De Oliveira and Pat Sells. At Newmarket, Nick Wingfield Digby was joined by Ian Cameron, Andrew Fogarty and Katie Burden-Lee. These discussions added clinical and practical perspectives to the research presented during the seminar.

From Research to Practical Management

Together, the presentations highlighted that the development of a young Thoroughbred is influenced by a combination of factors. Early-life management, appropriate parasite-control strategies, balanced nutrition and consistent growth monitoring all form part of a more informed approach to supporting sound development, resilience and long-term performance.

The full presentations and the Newbury and Newmarket veterinary panel discussions are available on the Saracen Horse Feeds website.

Watch the complete 2026 seminar programme HERE 

Saracen Horse Feeds is distributed in the UAE by The Veterinary Group.

Source

Saracen Horse Feeds, “2026 Seminar: Raising the Young Horse in Today’s Environment.”