Keep every foal, competition horse, and retiree thriving in Horses of Hoofprint Bay with this grouped care and horsemanship ledger. Reference daily grooming, hoof picking, and pasture mud cleaning routines, track the chronological aging lifecycle across your 13 yearling paddock slots and 20 adult stalls, board seniors at the town retirement pasture, and train spook resistance using all five desensitization obstacle classes.
Grouped care ledger covering daily stall and grooming routines that protect horse welfare, athletic stamina, and yard Prestige.
| Care Task & Welfare System | Routine Group | Recommended Cadence | Verified Stat, Welfare & Achievement Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coat Brushing & Turnout Mud Removal | Daily Grooming | Daily / After Wet Turnout | Horses rolling in grass paddocks accumulate mud coats; brushing restores coat shine, prevents saddle sores before lessons, and builds daily handler trust. |
| Hoof Picking & Frog Inspection | Hoof Care | Before & After Arena or Trail Work | Clears packed paddock soil and stones from all four hooves so horses maintain sound footing during Caprilli poles, stadium jumping, and rocky mountain trails. |
| Stall Mucking & Fresh Straw Bedding | Barn Hygiene | Every Morning (Manual or Staff) | Prevents hygiene penalties inside the 20-stall main stable; mucking manually before hiring Maria unlocks No Need for Maria, while hired grooms automate larger herds. |
| Hay Rations, Water & Orchard Apples | Nutrition & Bonding | Daily Feeding + Post-Training Treats | Sustains daily energy recovery; hand-feeding apples harvested from the yard orchard tree grants free trust boosts without spending coin reserves. |
| Mane, Forelock & Tail Turnout Styling | Show Preparation | Pre-Tournament / Custom Anytime | Lets players customize natural flowing manes, competition braids, or roached styles in the grooming stall alongside full tack sets from the town shop (All Decked Out). |
| Stamina Management & Injury Rest Days | Health & Recovery | Continuous Monitoring | Overworking tired horses or mismatched guest lesson mounts causes minor injuries or refusals; scheduling turnout rest and forest trail hacks restores morale. |
Neglecting dirty hooves, mud-caked coats, or unmucked stalls drains Stable Prestige faster than a single tournament ribbon can recover it. Once your active herd expands beyond 6 horses, hire barn hands on the Buildings & Staff board to automate morning feeding and mucking so you can focus on groundwork and S-Class training.
How horses mature from newborn foals in the 13-slot paddock to adult mounts and retired seniors in Horses of Hoofprint Bay.
Newborn foals stay beside their dams before transitioning into the dedicated 13-slot Young Horse & Yearling Paddock in v1.0. Because youngsters cannot carry a saddle or enter mounted classes yet, build their early foundation through daily grooming, orchard apple treats, and Going on Walks outside the yard. When your first homebred foal matures into an adult, you unlock All Grown Up (50.3%).
Maturing yearlings graduate into the Main Horse Stables, which expand up to 20 adult stalls in v1.0. Adult horses can train in Arena Flatwork, enter Caprilli tests, climb from E Class to S Class in Showjumping and Cross Country, serve in Guest Riding School lessons, or enter breeding programs (up to 8 foals per mare for Expert Broodmare and 50 coverings per stallion for Widespread Genes).
As veteran horses reach senior age, players never have to sell cherished bloodlines to free up stall space. Retiring a horse you bred directly at your own yard unlocks the hidden achievement A Whole Life (0.1%), while sending a horse to the external retirement pasture at the town breeder unlocks A Forever Home (0.7%) and provides unlimited boarding slots that you can visit anytime.
Complete reference for all five desensitization prop families and groundwork exercises in the Groundwork & Desensitization Yard.
| Groundwork Prop / Exercise | Training Tier | Horse Spook Cue & Handler Response | Trained Stat Gain & Achievement Trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crinkling Plastic Bags | Introductory Groundwork | Hold the rustling bag at arm's length while the horse snorts or raises its head; wait for ear relaxation before praising. | Builds baseline noise tolerance and handler trust; prevents sudden shying during beginner Guest Riding School lessons. |
| Opening Umbrellas | Introductory Groundwork | Visual pop triggers startle reflexes in Sensitive or Energetic horses; step back slightly, let the horse inspect the umbrella, and praise calm stillness. | Raises visual spook resistance required for busy tournament warm-up rings and stadium jumping banners. |
| Fluttering Arena Banners & Flags | Intermediate Groundwork | Lead the horse past moving fabric panels at a steady walk; if a Stubborn horse plants its feet or backs up, pause and redirect gently. | Prepares young mounts for A-Class through S-Class Showjumping arenas lined with sponsor flags and spectator stands. |
| Pool-Noodle Curtain Archways | Intermediate Agility | Guide horses and yearlings through hanging foam noodles that brush their poll, shoulders, and barrel; reward calm forward steps. | Develops tactile bravery for dense forest trail branches and narrow Cross Country brush fences; contributes to 10/100/1000 training milestones. |
| Wooden Seesaw Bridges | Advanced Agility | Lead the horse onto the tilting plank and pause at the pivot point so it balances calmly without rushing off the ramp. | Maximizes footing awareness and obedience for Highland Mountain trails and S-Class Cross Country water/ditch complexes. |
| Going on Walks (In-Hand Outings) | All Ages (Foals to Adults) | Added in the October 2026 update; walk foals, yearlings, or nervous adults in-hand along scenic paths outside the yard. | Builds early lead manners and relaxation before backing young horses under saddle. |
Discovering all six horse personality profiles (Brave, Curious, Sensitive, Stubborn, Calm, and Energetic) across your herd unlocks All the Quirks in the World (0.1%). Always match groundwork intensity to temperament: Sensitive horses need wider approach distances with umbrellas, while Stubborn horses reward patient repetition on the seesaw.