The horses retired at Last Chance Farm spend the majority of their time in beautiful pastures with loafing shed. The horses are checked at least twice daily. Last Chance Farm is our home and the horses are our life so it is rare that the horses are not in full view of the residence. Even when we are not with the horses, we can look out the window and take in the beautiful site of horses grazing, sleeping, or taking part in a mutual grooming session, (the "Scratching Hour") or a spontaneous game of tag!

Chris, founder of Last Chance Farm, has over forty years experience with horses including experience on Thoroughbred and Standardbred breeding farms that foaled out winners of the Triple Crown races, experience on the AQHA, Open, and 4-H show circuit as a child and teenager, and experience caring for horses in transit from breeding farms, sale venues, racetracks and show grounds for a leading horse transportation company transporting horses throughout the United States and Canada.

Chris and Jack, along with our children care for the horses at Last Chance Farm.

Owners may choose to pay a monthly fee for a stall on a daily basis choosing the months that they would like their horse stabled, (daily in summer, nightly in winter). Owners do not have to pay for a stall year round to guarantee a stall in winter. Owners that do not pay for stalls can rest assured that their horses would not be left standing outside in severe weather without shelter. Horses that can not access the sheds will either be stabled in the barn or we will convert the larger sheds into 2 temporary 16' x 12' stalls.

We will recommend an owner pay for a stall when a horse's age or condition changes and we feel it is your horse's best interest to be stabled.

Horses are fed Equine Senior several times daily depending on their individual needs. Horses that have worn teeth and cannot chew hay will have their senior feed made available to them at all times. In winter weather horses enjoy a hot breakfast and dinner of senior feed dissolved with hot water. Accommodating horses with worn teeth is a daily experience at Last Chance Farm.

Barn

Our barn is of pole building construction built in 1990. The barn is of center aisle design with sliding doors at each end providing excellent tunnel ventilation. The paved aisle is 10' wide with two sets of crossties. There is a heated tack/feed room, Swingair blanket holders and an intercom monitoring system with the residence.

Stalls

Fencing

Your horse is kept protected with woven Keepsafe Diamond Mesh Fencing and woven wire fencing, four feet high with an oak top board. Corners are rounded for your horse’s safety. This is the same fencing used in Secretariat's paddock at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky . All exterior gates on the farm are kept locked to ensure your horse's safety.

Each of the pastures has a dry lot for use during wet weather. Your horse's pasture is maintained so as to provide optimal grazing. By utilizing dry lots we prevent the pastures from being torn up by the horses' running and playing. The dry lots are large enough to allow your horse ample room to exercise and access to a loafing shed.

Since our dry lots provide access to shelter, your horse can be turned out even during inclement weather to exercise. We strongly believe it is important for the horses to have time to exercise even during inclement weather, footing permitting, as a precaution against impactation colics and as an aid for arthritic horses.

Loafing Sheds

The two loafing sheds located in the pastures are 24' x 16'. The sheds are pole-building construction with oak kickboards to a height of eight feet. The sheds are bedded with shavings and/or straw. These sheds have gates that can be closed to create temporary stalls with a size of 12' x 16'.

A 16' x 10' loafing shed is located in the paddock, commonly known at the farm as, "Pony Prison". Pony Prison came by its unusual name because of the 'disgruntled' ponies who have to be "imprisoned" on a dirt paddock to prevent them foundering on lush grass pastures! A second paddock has a mini loafing shed for small ponies, 8' x 8'. The third paddock is a grass paddock shaded by a beautiful maple tree that the horses enjoy relaxing under.

Pastures

Your horse will graze on pastures planted in bluegrass, orchard grass, timothy, clover, and endophyte free fescue. Our pastures are mowed, fertilized and limed as needed. Last Chance Farm has thee pastures with dry lots and four paddocks.

Farm fields, woods, and our yard border the fields. No roads border the fields where your horse is grazing.

Hay

Your horse is offered Timothy and a Timothy/Clover hay mix hay free choice 24/7 at Last Chance Farm whether in the stall, or while turned out in the pastures or paddocks. We utilize hay bags in the stalls and three of the sheds have hay racks.

Water

Your horse is provided with fresh well water in one hundred gallon tanks in the pastures, and buckets and/or twenty-five gallon tubs are used in the paddocks. Five gallon buckets are used in the stalls.

Your horse is assured a fresh water supply in freezing temperatures as the water tanks are kept ice free with tank de-icers, the paddocks have heated buckets or tubs, and the box stalls utilize heated water buckets.

Salt

Your horse is provided mineral salt licks free choice in the stalls and the loafing sheds.

Concentrates

Last Chance Farm feeds Blue Seal Vintage as our standard feed for horses over fifteen. Horses younger than fifteen are fed a pelleted feed. We also supplement with Omegatin, a high fat feed. We utilize CarbGuard for horses who have to watch their starch and sugar intake. Your horse is fed their senior feed individually in stalls or in our fenced barnyard. (Some horses prefer to eat in the barnyard as opposed to a stall so we accommodate these horses' preferences.) In winter weather horses enjoy their breakfast and dinner served hot. Last Chance Farm routinely serves senior feed dissolved with hot water for our retirees who have trouble chewing their food.

Horse Equipment

Halters

Halters must be leather or nylon with a breakaway crown.

Blankets

Your horse will be blanketed at your request at no additional charge. For owners choosing to have their horses blanketed, we strongly recommend waterproof turnout blankets. We have had excellent results with blankets manufactured by Rambo and Weatherbeeta. Your blankets will be washed by Last Chance Farm for a nominal charge and will be taken for repairs as needed and are stored in tack trunks over the summer.