Hill Top Stables

05/19/2026

05/16/2026

By Piper Klemm You can’t go online without seeing Dover Saddlery branches closing, final sales, and people urging others to use up their gift card. Steep discounts. Inventory moving fast. Emails hitting inboxes with the kind of urgency of a liquidation. And for the average rider scrolling through ...

05/14/2026

Interesting!

Interesting fact... Ever wonder why Lexington, KY is the Horse Capital of the World? It wasn't because of coincidence... The Bluegrass region surrounding Lexington is one of the rarest ecosystems in the country, something called a woodland pasture. Almost half a billion years ago, trilobites, brachiopods, corals, clams and snails lived in an inland sea that inundated what is now Fayette County, KY, and the city of Lexington. As these creatures died and drifted to the seafloor, calcium in their shells formed a limestone layer up to 320 feet thick. As the sea drew away and the land lifted, water began percolating through the soil and limestone, which leached out calcium, a vital ingredient for both plants and animals. Lush grass together with shade from the trees proved a winning combination for livestock. The calcium-rich grass and undulating hills enables horses to build strong leg bones. This is the real reason why Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World!
From the web

05/14/2026

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05/14/2026

It's all about the stride!

+ An enormous heart!

+ Enormous Determination!

= An Epic Legend!

53 years ago, a chestnut c**t named Secretariat did something at the 1973 Preakness Stakes that left the entire horse racing world speechless — and the moment was so breathtaking, most people still can't believe it was real.
When Secretariat burst out of that gate, he wasn't just racing. He was rewriting what the human mind thought was physically possible for a horse. Those massive, powerful strides — longer and more fluid than anything seen before or since — carried him across the dirt at a speed that made every other competitor look like they was running in slow motion.
And then the numbers came in.
His stride length was measured at an astonishing 24 feet — a number so extraordinary that experts debated whether their instruments were working correctly. Could one horse really cover that much ground in a single leap? The answer, as the world watched in stunned silence, was an undeniable yes.
The 1973 Preakness Stakes was just the second jewel in what would become the most celebrated Triple Crown in history. But even on that day, seasoned horsemen lining the rail knew they were watching something that would never come again. Jockey Ron Turcotte crouched low, barely having to urge him — Secretariat ran like he wanted to run, like the track itself wasn't long enough to contain what he had inside.
That is what separated him from every other great horse who ever lived.
Witnesses say the crowd went eerily quiet before erupting. That silence was the moment everyone in attendance realized, simultaneously, that they were watching history unfold in real time. Not a highlight. Not a legend in the making. History. Right there, right then, on that dirt track in 1973.
Decades later, the image of Secretariat mid-stride — all four hooves off the ground, muscles rippling, number 3 saddle cloth blazing — remains the single most iconic photograph in the sport of kings. Not just because he won. But because he looked impossibly beautiful doing it, like every element of his being existed for exactly that one perfect purpose🐎

05/14/2026

❗Attention Exhibitors❗

👉UCHS is implementing online horse health document submission for the 2026 show through EventPass by EquiTrace. Exhibitors are encouraged to complete all required uploads prior to arriving on the showgrounds to help expedite the check‑in process.

👉 Note: THIS IS REQUIRED FOR ALL HORSES ENTERED IN JUMP4FUN AND/OR THE REGULAR HORSE SHOW.

👉 To begin, create your free EventPass Lite account and upload the required horse health paperwork before arrival: https://equitrace.app/

Required Horse Health Documentation:
👉 Negative Coggins Test: Required for all horses
👉 Must be current within 12 months of arrival
👉 Vaccination Records: Horses must meet current USEF Flu/Rhino vaccination requirements
👉 Signed Statement of Health: Required for ALL HORSES
👉 Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (Health Certificate/CVI): Required for all horses NOT stabled in Virginia and must be issued within 30 days of arrival at the show

🌎Please visit https://www.upperville.com/horsehealthinformation/ for all the details!

05/14/2026

05/12/2026

They told her it wasn’t realistic. She proved them wrong in front of 100,000 people.

For eight years, Cherie DeVaux built her stable piece by piece. No shortcuts. Early mornings before sunrise. Applications turned down without explanation. Quiet doubts from people who questioned whether she belonged in a sport that rarely made room for women at the top.

On Saturday, all of that came down to 2 minutes and 2.27 seconds.

Her horse, Golden Tempo, looked out of it. Buried deep in the pack. At 23–1 odds, most had already written them off. Even Cherie had a moment where it felt out of reach.

But jockey Jose Ortiz stayed patient. He saw a narrow opening in the final stretch of the Kentucky Derby, a gap most riders would never risk. He took it.

And suddenly, everything changed.

Golden Tempo surged forward. The favorite was right there, inches ahead, until the final stride. Then, right at the wire, Golden Tempo crossed first.

The crowd erupted.

In that instant, Cherie became the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner in more than 150 years. Only the second woman to win any Triple Crown race. Just the 18th woman to even enter a horse.

When reporters found her, she needed a moment before speaking.

“I’m glad I can represent women everywhere,” she said. “We can do anything we set our minds to.”

For Jose Ortiz, it was different, but just as personal. Eleven attempts at the Derby. Eleven years of coming close and falling short.

This time, his parents were in the stands.

“I just wish my grandpa was here,” he said, holding back tears. “But I know he’s watching.”

It had not been a smooth week. Five horses scratched because of injuries. Another threw its rider just hours before the race.

But Golden Tempo stayed steady. The long shot. The one few believed in. Trained by the woman they doubted.

And when it mattered most, they finished first.

Sometimes the longest odds carry the strongest stories.