- January 1 marks the official birthday of all Thoroughbred horses in the UK
- Horses at the Jockey Club were treated to a ‘cake’ of hay, apples and carrots
- Pictures show several animals tucking into their birthday treat, which was topped with a candle
Horses at Cheltenham Racecourse celebrated their birthdays by tucking into a three-tier cake of hay.
January 1 marks the official birthday of all Thoroughbred horses in the UK and the Northern Hemisphere.
On Monday, horses at the Jockey Club in Cheltenham were treated to a huge ‘cake’ made out of hay, as well as apples and carrots.
Horses at Cheltenham Racecourse celebrated their birthdays by tucking into a three-tier cake
Forget Christmas, New Year’s Day is the most exciting day of the year for our equine friends
Pictures show several animals tucking into their birthday treat, which was topped with a candle.
Regardless of when they were actually born, all racing Thoroughbreds become a year older at the start of every year to ensure all horses move up to the next level of racing at the same time.
The rule was also created to regulate breeding and make it easier to keep track of bloodlines.
Horses at the Cheltenham Racecourse tucked into a three-tier cake made of hay and vegetables
January 1 marks the official birthday of all Thoroughbred horses in the UK and the Northern Hemisphere
Breeders try to get the best advantage for their foals by breeding for foaling to happen just after the New Year.
This means their foals are more developed than those they will be racing against who were born later in the year.
For example, when racing as two-year-olds, a horse born in the early months of the year is likely to be more mature than one born later, despite being the same age.
A couple of horses are seen tucking into their birthday treat, which was topped with a candle