Paul Nicholls: Flu jabs at Ditcheat mean a quiet month ahead

Horses get flu too, so the stable have been receiving regular jabs from the vet since last month

January is traditionally a quiet spell for us, because it is flu jab time again at Ditcheat.

The horses have the first of their two yearly jabs when they come in from their summer breaks in June and July, and they have another around this time. In fact, we have been injecting them since mid-December and we will finish off after the remainder of the horses have run this weekend. At this stage, I would guess that 98 per cent of the horses have had their jabs.

For example, Kauto Star won the King George on Boxing Day and had his the day after.

I like my horses not to get hot or to sweat for a week after the jab, so their routine is very light afterwards. They will have a day's rest after the jab, then go for a walk the next day, and just a canter on the third.

Jenny Barons always said to me to get the horses fit and run them hard up until January and then ease off them for a few weeks, and bring them back fresh and fitter after the break.

It means that we aren't firing on all cylinders, and don't have too many runners, this month.

But it is a system that has stood us in pretty good stead for 20 years here at Ditcheat.

Paul Nicholls / 3 Jan 2012