ENGLISH TEXTS their breeders or keep them on our 90 hectares. They’ re always fed – once a day in May when the grass is rich, twice a day otherwise. I believe more in nutrition than in terroir! If the horses don’ t have leg issues, we heal their minds. We pull the hind shoes and turn them out in pairs.” He allows much longer breaks for his young horses:“ We send them out for three to four months, the difference it makes is incredible.” Youngsters often experience a growth spurt when coming off training – a few months on grass can transform them.
Making Sure Everything’ s Fine Before resting, Peltier’ s horses undergo a veterinary check-up,“ to avoid unpleasant surprises when resuming work – not all tendon issues are visible to the eye.” Dr. Gimenez also supports prebreak exams:“ A locomotor check at the end of training just makes sense, ideally with tendon ultrasounds. These give us reference images that could prove useful later. X-rays of the sesamoid bones in all four fetlocks are also valuable – if the horse didn’ t handle training well, we’ ll often find bone demineralization there or in the carpal bones.” Such signs help adjust the length of rest and any necessary care. She also recommends a full blood panel and ten days of probiotics at the start of rest to help the horse adapt to new food and surroundings. A fecal test is also crucial to determine if deworming is needed and which drug to use.
THE THIERRY CYPRÈS METHOD
Breeder of champions like Bipolaire, Figuero, Kargese, and Kingland, Thierry Cyprès manages rest periods for around 40 horses in training. They all go home for the holidays – to Montigny-sur-Canne in the Nièvre, on an estate over 200 hectares. He works with his son Jules, a former elite pole vaulter.“ Having an athlete son helps me understand the horses better – I’ ve seen the cycles of competition, training, and rest. Horses are high-level athletes too. They can’ t speak – it’ s our job to read and respect them.” His other son, Marius, is a vet who does a full check-up for every returning horse. Each one has a medical file that follows them through their career. They’ re weighed at the start and end of their stay.“ The best time for rest is mid-April to late May – especially for the threeyear-olds who debut in autumn,” says Cyprès.“ In the field, there’ s no pressure – they thrive and regain form quickly. In winter, they have hay at will, large boxes where they can walk, and social contact. We aim to oxygenate them, keep them calm.” Diet and supplements are tailored individually to support gut flora, detox the system, heal ulcers, or ease discomfort. Horses not on full turnout go to the walker and paddock. Listening to Cyprès, it’ s clear that hosting a resting horse isn’ t just about letting it fatten on lush grass.“ Nowadays even minor provincial races are tough to win,” he insists.“ We can’ t just let nature take its course like in the old days.”
WHAT IS HOMEOSTASIS? According to the French Academy of Medicine, homeostasis is the physiological process that maintains a stable internal environment in the body to ensure proper functioning, such as regulating body temperature or blood pressure. The term can also describe a state of biological balance in a cell or tissue – a balance that can be disrupted by excessive or poorly managed training. That’ s when issues like tendonitis or bone demineralization arise, as Dr. Gimenez explains. From Greek: homoios( similar) and stasis( standing, position).
NO REST FROM ANTI-DOPING TESTS According to Article 32 of the Racing Code, trainers are required to declare the location where their horses will be resting when placed on temporary withdrawal from training, as well as the name of the person responsible. Antidoping tests may be carried out at these sites. According to figures from France Galop, ten inspections were conducted in 2024, with samples taken from twenty horses. By the end of June 2025, eleven inspections had already taken place. Individuals
163 # 10