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Silver Springs Stud

Farm Manager
Erik Johnson
Phone: 
(859) 987-6312
Address: 
722 Brentsville Rd.
Paris, KY 40361
United States
Additional Contacts: 
Contact Name: 
Steve Johnson
Phone: 
(859) 621-6886
Contact Name: 
Erik Johnson
Phone: 
(859) 753-4779
About Us: 

The Bluegrass region has been at the epicenter of North American farmland since long before the horse industry became what it is today. A sound horse requires strong, healthy bones in order to have a successful career — and nutritionists will agree that strong bones require calcium and phosphorus in the proper ratio. It is the pursuit of developing both of these elements in ourhorses that led Steve Johnson to Paris, Kentucky to transform the original Silver Springs Farm into Silver Springs Stud.

Thanks to the surrounding geologic conditions, the Bluegrass region has inherited the ideal 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. The limestone that can be seen along our highways is a direct result of marine fossil remains (calcium) combining with the eroding mountains (phosphorus). As rain and surface water trickled through that water-soluble lime, the underground reservoirs became saturated with even more calcium and phosphorus. This water then returned to the grass and soil above, and through the hydrologic cycle (the process by which rain forms, and eventually returns to rain once more), the soil of the Bluegrass counties became the high-quality loam soil that nourished generations of Iroquois, Cherokee, and Hopewell Native Americans, the buffalo that used to roam these fields, and all that have followed in their footsteps.

The services we offer encompass all stages of training. From day one, a horse must be able to both trust and respect their handler, while maintaining the spirit unique to the Thoroughbred breed. Our foals begin learning to lead on that first trip out of the stall, and are expected to stand calmly for the farrier even before they are weaned. To aid in that process, all of our young horses (foals, weanlings, yearlings, 2yo's and layups) are groomed every time they enter the stall up until they depart. Practice for shows, both walking and standing, begins in conjunction with grooming.

Training in the more traditional sense is well underway by July of their yearling year. To that end, whether a yearling is being prepped for a sale or will remain on the farm to graduate our on-farm track, they will have worked with light tack through hand-walking, on the walker, and while being driven in the arena. By the end of September, all will have experience with saddle work, and by mid-October they will begin both jogging and galloping in the field – just as they would in Newmarket. Speed work is attained at the very end of December, with quick 1/16ths and 1/8ths. Our program is infinitely customizable, thanks to our use of the Polar Equine heart rate strap, which allows us to analyze both GPS and heart rate data on a daily basis. Thanks to our exact understanding of how each student handles their daily work, we are able to tweak their program to best suit their individual needs, while working with the owner to best accomplish the desired goals.

Please read and learn more about our methods and services by linking to the Silver Springs Stud website on this page.

 

 

Facility Details

Facility Type: 
Private Training Facility (Accepts boarders, no outside trainers)
Track Details: 
Surface: 
Open Gallop
Stalls On Grounds: 
88

Facility Features

Starting Gate
Lay Up Care/Rehab

Amenities

Walkers
Round Pen
Paddocks
Open Gallops