Ogmore Farm
A warm welcome to Ogmore Farm, the home of Christian Williams Racing. A unique and tranquil training facility based on the outskirts of Ogmore-by-Sea in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Conveniently situated just 5 miles form Junction 35 of the M4, the yard sits in the shadow of Ogmore Castle’s ruins and gives the natural advantages of an environment of outstanding beauty. We are fortunate to have both the Ewenny and Ogmore River running adjacent. Horses can cross over the largest and highest sand dunes in Western Europe which cover a vast 840 acres of hills, trails and natural streams. All leading to an uninterrupted 2 mile stretch of magnificent sandy beach and lap infringe at the sea.
Having worked in many of the top racing yards, we are confident our facilities rival them all.
At Ogmore Farm a different approach to racehorse training is observed by utilising the natural surroundings together with a hands-on holistic approach to the work. Christian’s yard offers a very close-knit environment where all ownership needs and experiences can be catered for. The aim is to provide cost-effective exciting and enjoyable racehorse ownership.
The yard is located just under a mile from Traeth yr Avon beach, a secluded stretch of sand and sea which we use daily as part of the horses training routine. It’s very different to most training environments but our horses thrive in it and it has great benefits. The cold seawater is brilliant for horses legs, the cooling and tightening effect greatly reduces any inflammation, heat and swelling, which is common after exercise. Exercising in the sea and deep sand is hard work for them but it really develops their muscles, the water is also beneficial for any open wounds and acts like a poultice to draw out infection.
You can spend thousands of pounds on hydrotherapy tools, we’re lucky to have the real thing on our doorstep and it’s free.
Our round deep sand gallop is conveniently positioned just next door to the yard, which we use in conjunction with the beach and varied terrain tracks. Along with our sand ring, it’s an ideal enclosed, quiet area for getting the youngsters going, as well as exercising the older horses. The deep sand surface means we only need to do slow and steady work on it, and the horses seem to pick up fewer injuries.
We have a range of schooling facilities which are used regularly as part of the horses training regime. Our schooling grounds are ideally placed on grassland with panoramic views of the dunes and beach, they’re a hugely valuable asset and get plenty of use. Alongside trees and logs, we utilise the products of market leaders Easy Fix, the hurdles and fences are easy to relocate which allows us to create a different jumping test and underfoot conditions whenever necessary.
We’re lucky to have access to a wide range of terrains and gradient hills to train on, all within close proximity to the yard. From common land, roads, sand and grass, we can adapt the exercise to suit different types of horses at different stages of their training. We like to do varied things with the horses each day, it keeps their minds healthy and interested.
At Ogmore Farm we have access to 85 acres of good grass paddocks in varying sizes and locations. The grassland is sand based so it doesn’t get too wet and can be used all year round. Our horses spend most of their time out in the paddocks, in calm and relaxed surroundings. We love watching them wander the fields with their ears pricked and we really value this facility.
Our large airy barn contains spacious stables, with wide double doors at either end and a look out down one side. All of our facilities are conveniently close by, ensuring each horse enjoys the highest level of comfort.
