There's nothing more calming than watching mares and foals on a warm sunny day.  At Meridian Farms near Charlottetown, this is an every day occurrence.

As one of the largest, most successful racing stables on the the Island there are always lots of standardbreds in the paddocks.

Harness racing has a rich history on Prince Edward Island.  Every year, thousands of racing fans come to the Island for the  annual Gold Cup & Saucer Race... renowned as one of the top harness racing events in North America.

But very few people ever get to see the story behind the racing.  And even fewer get the closer than the grand stands to these magnificent athletes.




Getting this close to one of these beautiful horses is a rare opportunity to appreciate one of the most marvelous and powerful animals in the world.

Harness racing is part of the Island culture and the Andrew family has been raising race horses for two generations.  Today, Brian Andrew loves to welcome guests to Meridian Farms.






When you arrive at the farm, you'll be met by Brian who will take into the barn to see his mares.  If you're here in the spring you might even witness a foal being born but in any case you'll learn all about the horse breeding business.

Depending on the time of day you're at the farm, you may get to help with feeding or mucking out a stall.  (We believe the best way to learn is by doing!)

Brian will then take you out to the paddock area where you'll be introduced to his yearlings.



These are the horses that were born the year before and who will be heading out to their new owners in the fall.

Brian will explain how they will undergo a rigorous training program and if they are suitable, they'll join the thousands of other standardbreds who race at tracks around the Maritimes, across Canada and even into the United States.  Who knows some of them might eventually make it to the Gold Cup & Saucer race.

Prince Edward Island has produced some of the fastest horses in North America.




Brian will harness one of his horses to a sulky so you can see close up one of these beautiful animals thundering around the track..


Available:  Daily Mon-Fri (some weekends by special appointment)             Duration:  2 hours

Fee:  $100 + GST (up to 4 participants) (Each additional person $20)

 

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To get a sense of what it's like at Meridian Farms, check out this video.