Just outside of historic Midway, Kentucky, lies a very unique Thoroughbred racehorse facility. Margaux Farm, an expansive 640-acre farm, focuses on Thoroughbred starting and training, rehabilitation, layup, and boarding. With eight barns spread across the property and two more in development, this impressive facility houses approximately 115 horses.

Incredibly picturesque, Margaux Farm is surrounded by the South Fork of the Elkhorn Creek on three sides and boasts limestone-rich soils, natural spring water, and lush rolling pastures. In addition, a training facility complete with a synthetic gallop track, a turf course, and an all-weather straight flat track accommodate the training and rehabilitation needs of its Thoroughbred racehorses. 

What truly sets Margaux Farm apart, though, is the history found throughout the property. Its barns are actually old tobacco barns that have been converted into horse barns. Renovating these facilities into horse housing is a fairly popular practice in the Kentucky area, since the spacing of the tobacco barn posts makes for a large and airy stall. The design of a tobacco barn is intended to maximize air flow while keeping the weather out, a major health advantage in a horse barn. Beyond the practical benefits, there’s the added incentive of preserving Kentucky history by renovating these established structures, rather than building new ones.

The tobacco barns are striking in appearance, and many are over a century old. The structures have 20-foot walls with a 35-foot gable end, giving them impressive height. They also feature a notable crisscross railing system inside. Originally intended for hanging tobacco, it now creates a beautiful aesthetic touch. Some of the oldest barns on the Margaux Farm property were built without the use of nails, and you can still see wooden pegs that hold the posts together if you look up.

The process of converting the barns was a multi-step renovation. First, the Amish raised the barn so that the lower half could be cut out then replaced with a foundation and block wall. Next, the barn was lowered back down onto the sturdy base. With it firmly in place, the barn was prepared for the incorporation of horse stalls, and finishing touches were later made.

Michael Hardy, General Manager at Margaux Farm, notes that the process of converting the tobacco barns was made easier by starting with a solid plan and working with the right people to execute that plan. All of the stall fronts, stall partitions, exterior doors, and barn end doors used in the Margaux Farm renovation are Classic Equine Equipment products. Hardy notes that “the Classic Equine Equipment product stands the test of time. The pre-galvanized metal really makes a difference in a few years when the horses start scratching the powder coat. The stalls also look great – they are strong, well-made, and have a great finished appearance.”

With a goal of developing strong, sound, and durable racehorses, and offering boarding services to mares, foals, and yearlings, Margaux Farm had very specific needs for their barns. Classic Equine Equipment works hard to meet the individual requests of every client, and was able to customize products for the Margaux Farm facilities. The stall doors were made taller than standard stalls, giving riders going into and out of the stalls plenty of headroom for safety. Classic Equine Equipment was pleased to provide top-quality stall components designed with the safety of both riders and horses in mind.

Want to learn more about Margaux Farm? Visit the farm’s website, and stay tuned for our upcoming article highlighting their Thoroughbred barns and facilities.

Images Source: Margaux Farm

Original source: The Renovation of Margaux Farm’s Thoroughbred Barns