2023 Sunline Trust Scholarship recipient Dorian Kos gives an update on his time abroad.
Hello everyone!
As months fly by here in Ireland and we are now (finally) moving into summer, it is time for me to update you on the progress of my travels and learnings.
I am currently entering the final few weeks of my time at Coolmore Ireland, where I have been since February. Spending an extended period here has allowed me to understand better how this stud is managed. It has also given me the opportunity to work on different parts of the stud and develop a range of new skills on each part of the farm. Following my last update, where I was working with the dry mares as well as the mares and foals getting ready for covering, I found my way into the busiest foaling unit operated by Coolmore, where some great mares have been foaling.
While the foaling unit is slightly isolated from the rest of the farm, it is still managed in a similar fashion. The decision to isolate it from the rest of the farm was also conscious, as it reduced the risk of infections, viruses, or diseases spreading between horses. It also gives the mares a quiet and relaxed environment in which they can foal comfortably. The unit itself is very well looked after, as it is kept very clean, with stables fully washed and sanitised after each foaling to give just one example. Mares that enter the foaling unit are also under 24/7 human surveillance, with staff going around all day and night checking for when they are foaling. The rest of the staff also lives directly on the unit, which allowed us to be there very quickly when a mare was about to foal.
While in the foaling unit, I have had the chance to take part in about 40 to 50 different foalings, which has allowed me to see some issues that we may encounter during foaling and how to deal with these issues. It has also given the opportunity to understand what treatments the mare and the foal get after foaling to reduce risks for both the mare and the foal and give them the best possible chances of staying healthy. It was mind-blowing to see what all the years of experience doing these have brought in terms of the development of the unit itself, as well as the treatments and responsiveness to different issues we may have encountered.
Following my stint in the foaling unit, I am now spending the last few weeks of my time at Coolmore in the stallion yard, where 13 of Coolmore’s best stallions stand. This is giving me the opportunity not only to see but also work with the likes of No Nay Never, Wootton Bassett, St Marks Basilica, Calyx, Magna Grecia, Ten Sovereigns, Camelot, Australia, Churchill, Saxon Warrior, Sottsass, Circus Maximus, and Blackbeard. Working with these gives me experience and confidence working with Stallions and helps me understand the conformation and character of the foals I have been dealing with in the past few months.
In my last few weeks at Coolmore, I look forward to further understanding the treatments and attention given to the stallions and how another department of the stud is managed and operated. I am also looking forward to continuing my travels soon when I go to England and join the team at Weatherby’s to develop my knowledge of the worldwide thoroughbred industry further.
I look forward to updating you again soon!
All the best to everyone,
Dorian Kos
