Derek Shaw Racing is now based at a newly purchased yard - The Sidings, at Sproxton, near Melton Mowbray Leicestershire. The yard has over 50 stables consisting of a large indoor barn and some outdoor stables as well as smaller yards. The site is set in over 50 acres of land. It is an idyllic setting allowing lovely hacking to keep the horses interested in their work and always happy. We have some fantastic facilities to ensure the best training for your horse. Why not arrange a visit to see for yourself?
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Office and Owners Room
We have a fantastic office and Owners room complete with leather suite, access to the racing channels and tea and coffee facilities enabling Derek to be available to his valued owners at all times and to ensure comfort for the people who keep the business going.
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The Gallops
We have a five and a half furlong sand and fibre oval gallop which does not limit training distance and because it's oval it trains horses from an early age how to handle the bends. We also have a five furlong grass gallop which is uphill.
We are intending to put in another grass gallop around the outside of the existing all weather gallop with hurdles and jumps so Derek can have the facilities to pursue more passionately training jump horses as well.
We are also intending in the very near future to install an all weather five furlong sprint coming off the oval gallop and up the hill parallel to the current grass gallop resulting in fantastic gallop facilities. |
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Lunging Pen
We have a new Monarch Lunging Pen with the wax Martin Collins all weather surface in it ensuring excellent footing for the horses. Lunging pens are essential for the education and fitness of racehorses. We use the pen daily and it is also used when breaking and schooling young horses.
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Starting Stalls
We have bought new 3 bay Arkenfield Starting Stalls so all our horses can feel comfortable entering the stalls and be best prepared for their races. |
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Hurdles
We now have Easyfix Hurdles installed which are fantastic schooling fences. |
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Stabling
We have 52 stables at The Sidings consisting of a large indoor barn with 24 stables in it leading out to an 8 box court yard. We have a barn with 5 new Monarch Stables in and another barn with 4 standard size boxes and a foaling box which converts into two stables when not in use, all new Monarch stables again. We have four wooden stables which can be used as an isolation yard if required and five further boxes outside.
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All Weather Menage
A newly installed all weather manage is wonderful for schooling horses and starting off young horses. It's also useful for keeping older horses fresh, varying their daily routine and used to loose school horses over fences to start off their national hunt career. |
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Horse Walker
We have a brand new five horse roofed Monarch Horse walker with a computerised unit which turns the horses after the chosen time to ensure a balanced workout. Our Horse Walker is used as part of Derek’s training regime including getting the horses warmed up before exercise and are also used to assist in horses recovering from injury.
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Turnout Paddocks
One bonus when purchasing The Sidings was the amount of grazing available. All paddocks have been refenced with horse rail fencing to ensure complete safety for the horses. We have a large selection of paddocks big and small to suit each horse whether they need a few hours out or all day.
The paddocks are used daily and as many horses as possible are turned out as Derek believes a “Horse should be a horse” and believes it helps the mental state and attitude of most horses. They are also ideal for recuperation and rest after the races. A lot of the paddocks have shelters in again thinking of the wellbeing of the horses.
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All Weather turnout paddock
This facility allows for the safe turning out of horses when the ground is either too hard for their legs or too slippery risking injury. Turning horses out helps keep them interested in their work giving them the chance to run loose and have a good roll and just be “a horse”. |
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