SEPTEMBER 2019 67
Behind the Scenes
The tours vary depending on which
ranches they visit and what’s happen-
ing on any given day. But all provide an
authentic first-hand look at horse people
going about their business—a farrier
shoeing; a horse getting a thorough scrub;
over here, a rubdown; over there, a towel-
off. From January through June, you’re
likely to see foals. You might even meet
owners, if they’re around, or get a chance
to talk with breeding managers.
The facilities treat their horses like
the sports professionals they are.
McCutcheon’s rehabilitation manager,
Shannon Kernan, works with horses in
a heated underwater treadmill, which is
used for exercise, fitness, and post-
operative care. “It’s like water aerobics
and physical therapy,” Shannon says. “It’s
good for their minds, too.” Or you might
see a horse having a hydrotherapy treat-
ment. “It’s like a cold saltwater spa,” she
explains. “It dries out inflammation in
legs or abscesses and fungus.”
A sign posted near the ramp of the
hydrotherapy tank reminds people to
keep their wits about them when in the
presence of animals that can weigh more
than a ton: “An equine professional is not
liable for an injury to or death of a partic-
ipant in equine activities resulting from
the inherent risks of equine activities.”
Throughout the tour, guides and train-
ers offer gentle reminders about how to
behave—which horses are sweet, which
might be dicey, which ones nibble, which
need a wide berth. “It’s better not to touch
the stallions to be on the safe side,” goes
the practical suggestion.
For safety reasons and somewhat
graphic content, the tours are not appro-
priate for young kids. McCutcheon’s isn’t
shy about revealing some of the finer
anatomically correct points of the breed-
ing side of the business. The tours some-
times go into detail about how semen is
collected from stallions for impregnating
mares, either at the farm or for shipment.