KER President Presents On Thoroughbred Growth and Development

Joe Pagan, Ph.D., president of Kentucky Equine Research, presented data on growth and development in young horses at the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association annual seminar in the United Kingdom.

In a study of just under 4,000 mares and foals on 50 Kentucky breeding farms, researchers found that foals born early in the year experience slow growth rates until spring with growth quickening when the grass came into season. Younger horses experienced less drastic changes at the start of spring. Substantial size differences between five-month-old foals born in January and five-month-old foals born in April were not documented by researchers.

The presentation was organized in partnership with Saracen Horse Feeds, a KER partner feed company.