When Will You Sell the Young Horse You Bred?

When people call to inquire about breeding to my stallion, I always ask the prospective breeder what their plans are for the foal that they will be producing. Some are breeding to a mare they really like but is no longer rideable, so they are hoping to get something as good or better for themselves, others are breeding a mare that is still being ridden but they want another similar or better than her for themselves or to sell, and others are simply breeding to sell. Many have unrealistic ideas about selling the foal before or just after weaning. This can be done, but usually at a really low price or with a proven combination of mare and stallion that have offspring that are already showing and in the ribbons.

In the Warmblood Sport Horse market, young horses do not usually sell until they are at least under saddle, but more often under saddle with some show experience. Many trainers don't even want them until they are 5 years old. They know that younger horses require a special type of rider and with their busy show schedules they would rather not have to take the time required for young horses. The breeder of these horses must be willing to invest the time and training ($$$) into developing a talented young prospect that will fit the requirements of the average amateur rider, because that is the biggest market. Horses that need a professional or advanced rider might go on to be a truly great horse, but the market for them is small and very competitive.

Breeding Warmblood Sport Horses requires an investment in time as well as money. The good news is that if you do a good job you will make money in the long run and eventually people will be willing to invest in the younger horses because there is a track record of success with your breeding program.

The Farrier Is A Horse's Best Friend

I am always surprised and dismayed when I encounter horses that are not seen by a farrier on a regular basis. I know that there are a lot of different theories out there about how horses should be trimmed or shod and I am not recommending any one of them - I am just saying that all horses should been seen by a farrier regularly. I know that it can be expensive and time consuming, but to me it is just part of owning a horse. It is just good basic care.

Young horses are frequently the ones that I see neglected the most. They are usually harder to work with and some farriers just don't want anything to do with them if they don't stand and behave. But if a young horse's feet are allowed to grow without frequent attention from the farrier, they are more likely to develop leg and gait abnormalities. The farrier has the most influence on the growth of a young foal than any other person they will encounter. It is very important that breeders and people that buy young horses find a talented, patient farrier and develop a good relationship with them. The future of their young horses depend on it.

It is amazing what a difference a good farrier can make in a horses gaits and overall comfort. I had an older gelding that had frequent lameness issues in his front feet that a previous farrier was addressing with more frequent trims and shoeing. But I still had to have injections in his coffin joints to keep him sound. After moving to a new barn, the farrier there agreed that the horse's feet grew faster than most but he also recommended trying a different type of shoes. They worked so well that I was able to discontinue the injections and the horse has continued to be sound.

Young horses may object to having their feet picked up and trimmed, and even some older horses act like it is their least favorite thing to have done, but in the long run, teaching them that the farrier is their best friend is a good idea. The health and soundness of a horse's feet are vital to their future comfort no matter what they do. A good farrier is worth every dollar you pay him - probably more!

The Modern Sport Horse Breeding Game

More and more people who are looking for a warmblood sport horse are asking about the bloodlines and registration papers of the prospective horses that they are considering. Dressage and Jumper riders and trainers are the most likely to want a horse with registration papers because they recognize the success of the horses bred in Europe and in Europe it is very important that all horses have been inspected and have their papers. Breeders of warmblood horses in America are becoming more educated about the bloodlines of stallions and mares in the various breed registries, but many are not nearly as concerned about them as their counterparts in Europe. In the hunter world it seems that only some of the breeders are concerned with bloodlines and registration papers, but that is changing as more of the European breed registries are recognizing stallions that are producing good hunters. They have noted the price that American hunter riders are willing to pay for a good hunter and have set out to produce them for us.

For the breeder, going to inspections with mares and foals is a lot of work and money. The mares and foals are presented like at a breed show and are expected to be clean, braided, and able to at least stand for the judge while the conformation is checked. The foal is usually allowed to move freely afterwards while the judge checks out the gaits and overall impression. The mare must have on a bridle and be walked and trotted on the triangle even if she has already been approved with the foal usually staying close and moving with her. The foal can not get papers from the breed registry unless it is presented at an inspection. If it cannot go the year it was born it can be presented as a yearling or 2 year old, but then DNA must be done on the foal and if it hasn't already been done on the mare and stallion, it must be done on them as well so that a letter of parentage can be presented to the judge to prove that the foal is from these parents.

In the 2008 ISR/Oldenburg Breeder's Guide, Ekkehard Brysch compared playing chess with the game called Modern Sport Horse Breeding. Chess requires knowledge of the rules, planning ahead, patience, and practice. The breed registry provides the breeder with all the information they need to "play by the rules" and plan, and the inspection is the evaluation of how well you played. It might be possible to win a chess game without very much knowledge, planning, etc., but that would be a "fluke", just as a top foal can be bred "by accident". To really play the game successfully breeders must utilize the information provided by the breed registries, make plans, present foals for inspection, and get the documentation of pedigree. While some breeders and buyers in the U.S. still don't feel that all this is necessary, if we want to be competitive and breed high quality Sport Horses it makes sense to pay attention to the proven methods of the European breeders.

Let's breed our own top Modern Sport Horses so that the horses our Olympic and international competitive riders are on are bred in the USA!