Alec Swan
...
Who fancies joining a syndicate?
Right, this is just an idea, and it's only in embryo form, currently!
When we look at the TB influence upon our Event Horse breeding, it seems to be a rather hit and miss affair. It seems that it's the Stallion line which attracts the most attention, rightly or wrongly, and all those who I speak to, who ride at Pro (or approaching it) level, tell me that they are always looking for "blood", in their purchases.
"Blood", of course, mean TBs. In my innocence, years ago, I thought that any old TB would give us the speed that we want. How wrong I was, in that speed isn't the only required quality! I suspect that what we need in the modern horse, is an ability to jump, staying power, trainability, and pace. Not always, but generally today, the modern NH horses are being bred from flat bred stock. Saddlers Wells springs to mind, and he has a few successful sons about.
BUT, are these flat bred stallions really what we want? Do we not want those often rather common looking, but effective horses of yesteryear? Whilst there are none which I can name, off the top of my head, there remain a few in Ireland, I feel certain.
To buy in a colt, and then, keeping him entire, and in work, would be a huge gamble, we know. I suppose that if the right 2yo could be found, and if he could demonstrate that he can jump, that would shorten the process, but are NH colts left entire until the age of 2 years? Very few, I'd have thought.
I've never kept a horse entire, I've never been involved in a syndicate, and I've never been on a serious horse buying expeditions, though I'll admit to quite fancying the idea.
There can be no doubt that there's an awful lot of advice that's going to be needed. Advice from sourcing and buying the horse, to its progress and its regime.
I suppose that the bottom line is that those involved, would need to face the question of what would happen in the event of failure. Could we expect to have a reasonable understanding of costs? If the horse were to attend Burghley Young Horse, at 4-5 and 6 years of age, this is going to be a fairly long term project. It wouldn't be a case of licking him in to shape, and prepping him for the racing based sales. The returns would be minimal. If the horse started to give hope to his trustees, then a few early coverings could be possible, perhaps, but little would come in until the animal was in the hands of the right pro rider, and was starting to move along.
Syndicate size, individual commitment, and the vital research needed to source the right youngster, would all be questions to be faced at a later date.
I would respectfully suggest that it should only be entered in to, by those who are in a position to shrug their shoulders, and write off the costs, in the event of failure. Being reliant upon success would be asking for trouble. It wont be a walk in the park, but with a focused and realistic approach, it could be fun.
I'd be grateful for a reasonable and kindly response, though in reality, I fully expect to be told that I'm barking!
Alec.
Right, this is just an idea, and it's only in embryo form, currently!
When we look at the TB influence upon our Event Horse breeding, it seems to be a rather hit and miss affair. It seems that it's the Stallion line which attracts the most attention, rightly or wrongly, and all those who I speak to, who ride at Pro (or approaching it) level, tell me that they are always looking for "blood", in their purchases.
"Blood", of course, mean TBs. In my innocence, years ago, I thought that any old TB would give us the speed that we want. How wrong I was, in that speed isn't the only required quality! I suspect that what we need in the modern horse, is an ability to jump, staying power, trainability, and pace. Not always, but generally today, the modern NH horses are being bred from flat bred stock. Saddlers Wells springs to mind, and he has a few successful sons about.
BUT, are these flat bred stallions really what we want? Do we not want those often rather common looking, but effective horses of yesteryear? Whilst there are none which I can name, off the top of my head, there remain a few in Ireland, I feel certain.
To buy in a colt, and then, keeping him entire, and in work, would be a huge gamble, we know. I suppose that if the right 2yo could be found, and if he could demonstrate that he can jump, that would shorten the process, but are NH colts left entire until the age of 2 years? Very few, I'd have thought.
I've never kept a horse entire, I've never been involved in a syndicate, and I've never been on a serious horse buying expeditions, though I'll admit to quite fancying the idea.
There can be no doubt that there's an awful lot of advice that's going to be needed. Advice from sourcing and buying the horse, to its progress and its regime. I suppose that the bottom line is that those involved, would need to face the question of what would happen in the event of failure. Could we expect to have a reasonable understanding of costs? If the horse were to attend Burghley Young Horse, at 4-5 and 6 years of age, this is going to be a fairly long term project. It wouldn't be a case of licking him in to shape, and prepping him for the racing based sales. The returns would be minimal. If the horse started to give hope to his trustees, then a few early coverings could be possible, perhaps, but little would come in until the animal was in the hands of the right pro rider, and was starting to move along.
Syndicate size, individual commitment, and the vital research needed to source the right youngster, would all be questions to be faced at a later date.
I would respectfully suggest that it should only be entered in to, by those who are in a position to shrug their shoulders, and write off the costs, in the event of failure. Being reliant upon success would be asking for trouble. It wont be a walk in the park, but with a focused and realistic approach, it could be fun.
I'd be grateful for a reasonable and kindly response, though in reality, I fully expect to be told that I'm barking!
Alec.
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