Preschool

Nestled in the Warwickshire countryside, the working life of many young racehorses begins on Outhill Farm. Hannah and Ryan Mahon introduce their classes of 2024. 

WORDS BY MOLLY HAYNES 

Hannah Mahon wearing her Monsoon II Classic Smock in Teak

It’s the summer term on Outhill Farm and the class lists on the whiteboard in the main indoor stables shows each horse year group in Hannah and Ryan’s care.  “We divide them up by age, otherwise the older ones pick on the younger ones,” explains Hannah, a former amateur jockey who alongside her husband Ryan started looking after young thoroughbreds here seven years ago. “It’s like dealing with children at times.”

Outhill Farm is the place a racehorse calls home from the age of 6 months to 3 years old. In their final year, they’re broken in and sold, then take a few months off at the farm before making the move to stables to begin their formal training for jump racing. “With the dream being a win at the Grand National or Cheltenham Gold Cup,” says Hannah.

The oldest age group wait impatiently for Hannah to give them their morning food in their field. Nipping at each other’s ears, jostling to get a closer spot and chewing on lead ropes and feed bags in the back of the RTV before chasing each other up and down the hilly field. But it’s a freedom no one takes for granted.

“The horses are stabled indoors from around October to the end of April,” explains Hannah. “The land here is clay so it’s either rock hard or bottomless, and the latter is not good for thoroughbreds. They can cope with the cold. They can cope with the wet. But not together.” 

‘Thoroughbreds can do stupid things like trying to jump things they can’t jump. Luckily we have a good relationship with our vet.’ 

Everyone on the farm is involved when they move the horses back to grass in spring, including Hannah and Ryan’s two young sons – Dennis and Alfie – who are keen to point out their own ponies in the neighbouring field.

“The horses get excited when it’s time to get back outside,” says Hannah. “And a young, excited thoroughbred is dangerous.” For this reason, they give them a small dose of sedative before moving them.

“It’s just to take the edge off,” explains Hannah. “It keeps everyone safe with the right level of celebrations as they set foot on the grass for the first time in five months.” 

While Hannah and Ryan stable the horses over winter, every waking hour revolves around keeping them in top condition. From regular turnouts in the sandpit enclosure to lunging, where they move in a circle on a line to help build muscle.

“We usually have around 50 to 60 horses here at any one time,” says Ryan. “That’s a mix of horses we own, horses we’re looking after for owners and older horses who are here on respite from racing.”

Hannah does much of the conditioning and training of the horses to make sure they pass the strict pre-sale vetting process. She admits she gets attached to all the horses in their care. “We follow the careers of all our alumni. It’s great to see them do well and move to notable trainers or stables.”

Ryan manages the arable side of the farm. But he’s also a former jump jockey, who has ridden in the Grand National three times, turned bloodstock agent. “It was a natural progression for me,” he explains.

“I have the knowledge and connections in the racing industry. And can work with my clients to find the right horses for them. It’s a bonus when I find a gem for Outhill Farm, too.”

Not all horses who pass through the farm go on to race though. “We’ve got a horse with us at the moment who we planned to sell as a yearling,” says Hannah. “But he didn’t make what we wanted him to make so we brought him home and thought we’d try again. He’s actually broken in now and, on reflection, will make a much better riding horse. So that’s what we’re going to sell him as.” 

Above (left to right): Hannah Mahon demonstrates her lunge ring and practice jumps with her favourite horse, Eddie, before feeding the thoroughbreds in her care.

Ryan and Hannah are both from a long line of horse specialists, with Ryan’s grandfather Jim Mahon designing the Aircush Whip – the first fully shock- absorbing horse whip in the world. But the family tree also boasts jockeys and even Olympians.

“My grandparents originally owned Outhill Farm and they were both Olympic showjumpers,” explains Hannah as she points out the metal plaques from their equestrian achievements lining the panelled hallway.

“My grandfather, Warren Wofford, was in the United States Equestrian team and an alternate for the 1956 Olympic Games in Stockholm, where my grandmother Dawn, was a reserve for the British showjumping team. She went on to compete in the individual jumping event at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome.”

As Hannah puts a horse through its paces in the sandpit, it clears the fences with ease. “Thoroughbreds love to jump, which is why the sandpit’s outer fence is so high and electrified,” laughs Hannah. “They’re also highly strung and like to be pampered. They’re basically the Ferraris of the horse world. But that doesn’t mean they don’t do stupid things. They kick each other, try to jump things they can’t jump. Thankfully we have a very good relationship with our vet.”

Even in the summer when things are quieter, both Ryan and Hannah find it hard to switch off. “That’s probably the biggest challenge,” says Ryan as Hannah nods. “Hannah is better at it than me. Another challenge is the weather and those cold, dark mornings. But then the pride in what we do and seeing the horses happy, healthy and go on to be successful outweighs all that.”

It’s hard to imagine them anywhere else. Although Hannah admits if she weren’t running Outhill Farm she’d be a sports journalist. As Ryan considers alternative careers, there’s a long silence.

“There’s honestly nothing I’d rather be doing,” he says, before heading off to harvest the crops.