Founded in 2004, War Horse Place is a full-service boutique Thoroughbred operation located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region. Housed on 175 acres of nutrient-rich Kentucky soil, War Horse Place provides exceptional, personalized management for every stage of your Thoroughbred's life. Our facilities include well-ventilated barns and spacious stalls, all overseen by our dedicated management team and monitored 24/7 by our on-site staff.

We offer a range of turnout options, including small areas ideal for newborns and yearlings in sales preparation, as well as large paddocks of up to 20 acres designed to develop strong muscle and bone in future athletes. All enclosures are secured with v-mesh fencing, a top choice for safety.

Attention to detail is our hallmark. We offer a customized feed program tailored to your Thoroughbred's specific needs, along with height and weight tracking, veterinary-led parasite management, and conformation analysis and correction. Situated near some of the world’s best equine medical care, we maintain long-standing relationships with specialists in reproduction, lameness, optometry, surgery, and internal medicine.

War Horse Place - personalized management of your Thoroughbred.

CONSIGNMENT

War Horse Place is a respected consignor in the Thoroughbred auction industry, operating since 2004. With a specialized focus on Thoroughbreds, the consignment service offers expert representation at premier auctions in Kentucky and New York. The boutique service ensures optimal results through meticulous attention to presentation and strategic placement of horses.

War Horse Place has built a solid reputation, founded on lasting relationships with buyers and clients. The company excels in clear communication and provides valuable insights on placement strategies. Clients also receive detailed nightly reports on viewing activity, as well as guidance on setting appropriate reserves.

The consignment service has an impressive track record, with horses it has consigned winning multiple prestigious graded stakes races. Notable victories include the G1 Met Mile, G1 Carter, G2 Belmont Sprint Championship, G2 Pennsylvania Derby, G2 Dixiana Elkhorn, G3 Hal's Hope, G3 Discovery, G3 Dwyer, G3 Hardacre Mile, and G3 Fred W. Hooper Stakes, showcasing the effectiveness and success of War Horse Place’s approach.

Most recently, in November of 2024, we sold the highest priced weanling on that day for $235,000. This colt was born, raised and prepped by War Horse Place.

SALES PREP

At War Horse Place, we recognize that the sales preparation process is one of the most important services we provide.

This is the time when we transform your weanling, yearling, or mare into a top-tier show horse, helping you unlock its full financial potential. Achieving the ideal timing so your horse is at its peak when it enters the sales pavilion requires a thorough evaluation of each individual. From there, we create a customized training schedule tailored to their specific needs.

Our farm boasts exceptional resources to ensure your horse is prepared for the spotlight. Our track-shaped walker, 60-foot diameter covered round pen, and gently rolling paddocks for hand walking work together to get your horse in peak physical condition.

Additionally, we utilize a specialized feed program with high-quality supplements and daily grooming to achieve a lustrous, healthy coat. But it's the attention to detail—like practicing walking through a sliding door into a separate room to simulate entering the sales pavilion—that sets our sales prep apart.

These personalized, thoughtful touches are what make our program one of the best in Lexington.

BOARDING

At War Horse Place, we understand that a happy horse is a healthy horse, and we know what it takes to create that happiness.

Horses are social animals who thrive on routine, and we ensure that every horse at our facility is given just that. From day one, your horse is introduced to a structured routine, and if they are pregnant, we pair them with other horses in the same stage of pregnancy so they can bond through foaling, breeding, and weaning.

When bringing in a new weanling, we take the time to "buddy" them up with another weanling of the same age before integrating them into larger groups. Our 9 large fields and 29 paddocks give us the space we need to carefully manage this, ensuring that your horse receives daily attention and inspection from head to hoof.

As a boutique farm, we understand the trust you place in us. To honor that, we provide monthly updates, including pictures, phone calls, texts, and emails, keeping you informed on your horse’s well-being. We want everyone with a horse on War Horse property to feel welcome to visit anytime.

It's our way of ensuring you feel connected to the farm and experience the care we provide firsthand.

2025 MARE INFORMATION FORM

"I have boarded my mares at Kentucky farms for the last 20 years, and at War Horse Place for the past 3 years. The care and attention they receive at War Horse Place is absolutely outstanding. The staff consistently provides frequent updates, often with photos, so I always feel informed about my mares' well-being. Visits are always met with warm hospitality and courtesy, and I feel genuinely welcomed every time I arrive. For any horse owner who truly cares about their mares, there’s no better place to board than War Horse Place."

Sarah Wells - Owner/Breeder

"At War Horse, I know the entire team is personally involved in the daily care of all my babies. Over the past year, I have received over 150 photos and videos of my foals. I have received countless phone calls from Rafael Zambrano documenting the typical ups and downs of any thoroughbred. Rafael's detailed plan of care always reassures me that they are in great hands. The personal touch and dedicated service from the entire War Horse team has provided me with the ideal home for all of my foals."

Robert Hickey - Something Special Racing

FOALING

The day your mare foals is one of the most significant moments in her life and yours, and at War Horse Place, we recognize the importance of this event.

We understand the care and attention required to ensure a successful birth, which is why we take this responsibility very seriously. Both Rafael and Matt have delivered hundreds of foals, and their experience ensures that any situation, no matter how unexpected, is handled with expertise and confidence.

As your mare approaches her foaling date, she will be under constant surveillance, 24 hours a day. We provide dedicated night watch after normal business hours, with staff specifically trained to monitor for any signs of imminent foaling. Additionally, our 8 foaling stall cameras offer an extra layer of observation, allowing our team to remain vigilant at all times.

We promise to keep you informed throughout the process and will notify you with pictures of the new arrival as soon as it is practical. We want you to be a part of this joyous occasion and to experience the excitement of the birth with us.

While we always hope for smooth deliveries, we are prepared for emergencies. Our truck and trailer are stationed just outside the foaling barn, ensuring that if a situation arises, your mare can be transported in just 7 minutes to the renowned Rood and Riddle Equine Clinic for further care.

BREEDING

Choosing the right stallion for your mare can feel overwhelming with the many options available in the Lexington area.

At War Horse Place, we’re here to ease that burden. We offer detailed analysis of both new and established stallions, and if you’re unable to visit them in person, we are more than happy to visit the stallions on your behalf. We’ll take pictures and provide our professional opinions on the compatibility, or "nick," between your mare and the stallion.

Our breeding program has been incredibly successful, with a remarkable average pregnancy rate of 96% over the past few years. This success is a direct result of the routine we provide for your mare, along with the expertise of our outstanding reproductive veterinarian, Brad Tanner.

Whether you’re breeding to a stallion on our farm or at another facility in the area, War Horse Place stands out by personally transporting your mare to the breeding shed. This hands-on approach ensures your mare is safely transported in a clean, well-maintained trailer and, most importantly, that she receives the proper care and supervision during the breeding process.

We’re dedicated to making sure your mare has the best possible chance for a successful pregnancy.

"Since transferring my mares and babies to War Horse Place, I have been more than satisfied with their farm and operation. Having forged a strong relationship with owners, Dana and Kevin, I can unequivocally say they run a first class operation and care about their owners and their horses. All the staff, from Rafael the farm manager, Matt, assistant farm manager, Elizabeth, office manager, and the countless others that care for my animals, I say thank you for a job well done. I value and look forward to our success!"

Patty Tipton - Tipton Racing

"When my gelding Memphis Prayer retired from racing, he came to War Horse Place for lay-up while transitioning to a second career. I couldn't have been more pleased with the quality of care he received. The staff's attention to detail and genuine interest in his new career made his transition seamlessly simple. It was clear they were dedicated to his well-being, both mentally and physically, as he decompressed from 'track life.' I would highly recommend War Horse Place for any lay-up needs!"

Colton Tisdale - Owner

LAY UP/QUARANTINE

At our facility, the safety and well-being of your horse are our top priorities.

From the moment your horse arrives, we provide a secure and carefully monitored environment. To ensure the health of all horses, every new arrival, whether your own or another client's, undergoes a mandatory 10-day quarantine period before joining the main herd.

During this time, we conduct daily health checks, including temperature monitoring, and take extra precautions by having handlers wear gloves and boot covers when entering stalls or moving horses in and out of the paddock. This thorough protocol adds an extra layer of protection to keep your horse safe and healthy.

For racehorses, mares, yearlings, or weanlings requiring surgery, we offer specialized layup care. Our experienced team uses advanced bandaging techniques and provides hand walking, as well as additional exercise on our track-shaped walker, to ensure a full and swift recovery.

Our stalls are spacious, well-ventilated, and equipped with large windows, ensuring a comfortable environment for your horse. We clean and maintain the stalls multiple times daily to ensure a hygienic, well-bedded space for rest and rehabilitation.

War Horse Place - a full-service boutique Thoroughbred operation located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region.

it's our mane priority!