Ask The Experts: Mike Cline, Part 2
Q: A question for Lanes End: Your pastures appear so lush and Zenyatta obviously loves to graze. Would you explain pasture upkeep and the type of grasses that grow in your pastures? Gayle Haushahn Bismarck, AR A:We started putting Lane’s End together in 1980, and it has grown to 2,000 acres. The farm is divided between stallions, broodmares, and yearlings. Each barn has it’s own pasture around it, of approximately 250 acres. Most fields are 30-50 acres in size, and the fences are laid so that they follow the contour of the land. We’re fortunate because we have a great ratio of horses to pastures; we can rotate pastures and maintain with weed control, fertilize, and move the horses off to rest each pasture. We maintain a mixture of bluegrass and orchard grass. There’s no irrigation, but we have two growing seasons. We are able to sow grass in the… Continue Reading
Ask The Experts: Mike Cline, Part 1
Q: What is it like to have Zenyatta at Lane’s End? How is she different than other horses at the farm? Cassandra Gregory Manitou Springs, CO A:I started hearing rumblings that the Mosses were sending Zenyatta to Lane’s End shortly before the Breeders’ Cup 2010, and we had some staff meetings here at the farm about it. I’d been told that she had a huge following, and obviously i had admired her through the years in racing, but I don’t think anything that I knew about her then would have prepared me for where we are now, a couple years later, my experience with her, and what she means to so many people. I remember she flew in on a plane to Bluegrass Field and was vanned over to Keenland on December 5th. I guess I should have gotten an idea about how it was going to be that day,… Continue Reading
Making New Friends
Happy Thursday! Our favorite colt has new paddock-mates this week. 12Z and his two best buds joined five other horses in a 40 acre paddock. All are the same age and from the same barn. There are two fillies in the group, and they both like to hang out with the new guys. Alys sent these pictures for us. She says 12Z is just like his mom, always coming over to check out the camera! We also wanted to share this video from our visit earlier this month. It was shot early on a gray morning, right after turnout.
Open For Submissions
Hello everyone! We are so grateful for the support and interest that you have shown through the last few months. From the constant stream of comments on this website to the cards and gifts sent by fans, Zenny and her colt truly know how loved they are. As Zenyatta and 12Z enter a new phase in their lives, we thought this would be the perfect time to invite a second round of “Ask The Experts” submissions. We’ve been collaborating with the staff at Lane’s End, some of the most knowledgeable thoroughbred experts in the world, to answer questions sent in by our readers. If you haven’t yet seen our previous posts, click on the “Ask The Experts” category in the right-hand column. Now is your chance to send in a question on a new topic related to thoroughbred breeding or yearling life on the farm. Perhaps you didn’t get the… Continue Reading
Weaned, and All Is Well!
As you know, 12 Zenyatta was successfully weaned on August 14. Three days before, he and mom, along with their paddock mates, moved to the barn and paddock where they had lived when he was a foal. The mares spent three nights there with their colts—familiar surroundings for all! On the third morning, after breakfast, Charles calmly explained what was to happen while 12Z listened attentively. Zenyatta continued to eat. All understood and were completely relaxed. Then, Mom and the two other mares were led back to the barn and paddock they know as home. Shortly thereafter, 12Z and pals were turned out and were soon grazing and playing together. Back in their paddock, Zenyatta and her friends were happily grazing as well. Their human friends, the amazing Lane’s End staff, continue to monitor them, and all reports are good! Yay! We’ll keep you informed and updated. -Team Z
“Born To Greatness” by Fred Stone
Zenyatta.com is proud to announce the new exclusive release of the fine art print “Zenyatta and Foal, Born to Greatness” with bonus racing remarque by the incomparable acclaimed equine artist Fred Stone. Fred Stone is considered one of the pre-eminent equine artists in the world. His work adorns the walls and collections of the most notable and discerning art connoisseurs, including those of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the White House. It is a natural fit for one of world’s most famous artists to paint one of the world’s most beloved racing heroes and the hopes and dreams her first heir carries into the next generation. This poignant and endearing image of racing’s Queen and her newborn foal captures Zenyatta’s nurturing affection as she gently nuzzles her mirror-image dark bay colt with the distinctive diamond blaze. It is a tender and and tranquil scene played out in countless pastures… Continue Reading
Ask The Experts #7
Q: I am curious about the length of time a horse will breed. Will Z have a foal every year, or does she take time off? What is the average age to retire a broodmare? Gail Clark Laramie, WY A:Thoroughbred mares are usually are not bred before their three-year-old year, and they frequently have foals when they are 21 or 22 years old. The gestation period is about 338 days, plus or minus three or four days. Mares will usually come into estrous (heat) seven to ten days after foaling. We rarely breed mares during this heat because it does not allow a mare adequate recovery time after foaling, has a low percentage of conception and a slightly higher incidence of fetal loss. Some mares adapt to motherhood very well and seem to thrive on it, while others do not handle it as well. If everything goes normally a mare… Continue Reading
Lane’s End Visit
Happy Monday! We had a great time at Lane’s End. Zenyatta and 12Z were happy to see everyone, and there were plenty of carrots to go around. 12Z is now tall enough to put his head over the fence, and he weighs in at 560 lbs! He was in a playful mood and had lots of fun with both horse and human friends. Zenny showed off by splashing in the mud from Thursday night’s rain. Here are a few photos from the trip. Check our Twitter and Instagram for more! The Mosses also went to see one of their fillies at the farm. She is a little bit older than 12Z, and has recently been weaned. She is turned out with a happy and inquisitive group–some of her paddock mates had been weaned just two days before. We took a video of them walking over to say hi. Enjoy! -Team… Continue Reading
Photos: The Boys of Summer
Happy Wednesday! We’re quite excited about the upcoming Breeders’ Cup Zenyatta Celebration. Have you purchased your tickets yet? Alys sent us a great new batch of photos of 12Z of the boys having fun, so we thought we’d share them with all of you. Team Z is headed to Lane’s End, so we’ll be posting more photos and fun updates in the coming days. As of today, we’re also on Instagram! Follow us (@teamzenyatta) for updates throughout our trip. Even if you don’t use Instagram, you can see every photo we post through our Twitter feed. Our most recents tweets are always on the right side of the blog. Enjoy! -Team Z
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