A racehorse between one and two years old is known as a yearling.
Many horse racing syndicates purchase at the yearling horse sales to train them ready for their 2yo campaign.
A yearling is a young horse that can be either male or female.
But are yearling horses good value for money to buy or are you better investing in the horses in training sales or purchasing a foal horse?
In this guide, we will explain everything you need to know about yearling horses.
Do Yearlings Compete in Horse Races?
Yearlings do not compete in horse racing events because they are too young and are not fully mature physically.
The earliest racehorses can compete in horse races is two years old.
A yearling can walk almost from birth but as a yearling (1-2 years old) they are still underdeveloped to race.
Yearling Horse Genders
There are three types of yearling horse genders:
- A female is known as a “Yearling Filly”
- A male is known as a “Yearling Colt”
- A castrated horse is known as a “Yearling Gelding”
How do you break a thoroughbred yearling?
Here is a great video showing Godolphin breaking in thoroughbred horse racing yearlings:
How much does a thoroughbred yearling cost?
A yearling thoroughbred horse costs on average £55,000.
The cost of yearling thoroughbreds varies depending on the breeding.
In the horse racing world, they say “apples do not fall far from the tree” and breeding of the racehorses is very important.
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Summary
Yearlings are the stars of the future as they break onto the horse racing scene.
The development of the yearlings is just the start and racehorses do not reach peak condition until approx 5 years old.
The progression from a yearling to winning the biggest races in the world like the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe or the Grand National can seem a far cry.
Horse racing trainers must take their time to develop the thoroughbreds and jockeys have got to give them time to mature and develop.
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