Behind The Scenes During Foaling Season
Foaling season is in full swing, and the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association (PHRA) is partnering with Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pa. and Whysper Wynd Farm in Chester Springs, Pa. to provide a live look at nine expectant mares as they get ready to birth the next generation of champion racehorses. Now through the end of April, PHRA will operate its live-stream foal cams free of charge to view on its website PennHorseRacing.com.
In addition to the foal cams, PHRA is making virtual field trips to Delaware Valley University and Whysper Wynd Farm available for elementary school teachers across the Commonwealth who are interested in educating their students on foaling. The initiative, Bring a Horse to Class, invites school groups to participate in a video call with farm professionals who walk students through the basics of foaling, caring for new foals and the jobs needed on farms during this special season. To accompany the virtual field trip, PHRA provides supplemental educational materials including informational videos, crafts, activity books and more. Interested educators can register for more information online.
Foal cams will be streamed from Whysper Wynd Farm starting Jan. 24 and Delaware Valley University starting mid-February. The streams will feature a live, uninterrupted look at the expectant mares as they prepare for the arrival of their foals. Viewers will also experience day-to-day interactions between the mares and their caregivers and, when the time is right, there is the opportunity to witness the birth of the next generation of racehorses. In addition to the live stream, the PHRA provides breeding basics, videos, interactive polls and gender reveals. Live foaling season updates will be shared on the PHRA’s Facebook and Instagram.
(Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association)