People who know about breeding for eventing?

iknowmyvalue

iknowmyvalue

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A little vague but, I’ve been offered possible first refusal of a friends foal if it’s a colt (she really wants a filly). Both parents are SJ bred, AES/KWPN types. Both mare and stallion have temperaments to die for on the ground. Mare is quite hot and sensitive, and conformationally a bit long backed and weak behind if I’m being critical. Stallion is a little more compact, but I’ve not seen many photos. Both around 16.1hh I think. Mare not being bred commercially, but she does apparently have desirable breeding

Now if I was picking a stallion I’d probably have gone full (or at least 3/4) TB because I love that type. Current cross will come out about 40% TB, which I’m not sure if it’s enough?

I’m not talking top level eventing, ideally 1*, maybe 2* if I can find some brave pants. Basically a talented all rounder.

Thoughts?

I won’t post parents pedigrees here, but if anyone knows a thing or two I’ll PM them.

ETA. Mare has competed to foxhunters, stallion to 1.35 BS, medium BD and UA100 eventing
 
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Actually the % of blood is quite important, I have seen so many at the lower levels do a super DR clear SJ rounds only to loose it in the XC with a bucket full of time faults. 40% blood is on the very lower limit in my experience.

Good luck
 
Springs said:
Actually the % of blood is quite important, I have seen so many at the lower levels do a super DR clear SJ rounds only to loose it in the XC with a bucket full of time faults. 40% blood is on the very lower limit in my experience.

Good luck
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I don’t think it is- 2* is not a fast time or a long distance and there are plenty of very low % blood warmbloods winning them day in, day out. Most WBs would work out minimum 35-40% blood anyway
 
Springs said:
Actually the % of blood is quite important, I have seen so many at the lower levels do a super DR clear SJ rounds only to loose it in the XC with a bucket full of time faults. 40% blood is on the very lower limit in my experience.

Good luck
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I'd probably put that down as much to the fact that people who buy horses with a higher % TB blood are also the kind more likely to kick on and get the time. I got bucketfuls of time faults at Novice (now 2*?) until I learnt how to land and go. I suspect a lot of people who have super dressage and immaculate show jumping just don't know how to, or don't want to, really push for time XC. Or perhaps don't have their horses fit to do it, because it's much easier to keep a blood horse fit and there are a lot of unfit horses eventing at the lower levels.
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Springs said:
Actually the % of blood is quite important, I have seen so many at the lower levels do a super DR clear SJ rounds only to loose it in the XC with a bucket full of time faults. 40% blood is on the very lower limit in my experience.

Good luck
Click to expand...

At the lower levels it’s rarely to do with tb%, it’s more often than not horse fitness and/or rider ability to ride for the time.
 
Thank you for the thoughts! She might be keen to keep it anyway if it’s a colt, but if she isn’t it might be worth a punt if it comes out nice. The mare isn’t high blood % but she can really shift when she wants. Though my “type” is definitely still a nice compact TB type! Classic Moet is one of my all time favourite event horses, and I realised today that all the other event horses I like most look almost identical 😂

I’d like to think I’m pretty good at getting horses fit, I used to help get hunters fit as a teenager. Plus I’m blessed to be based somewhere with a LOT of hills and miles of varied terrain hacking.

If she decides to keep the foal, there’s a possibility I’ll be able to pick a stallion to put to her to breed one for me (with me paying all stud/vet fees obviously) which I’m secretly very excited by the possibility of. If this happens I’ll be back for suggestions for compact stallions, high blood % or full TB, with a good front end jumping technique. I have a couple in mind but trying not to get too into it, as would be 2026-2027 before I’d be doing anything about it!
 
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also I know I’m currently only competing at 90/100, but I’m hoping by the time any youngster would be ready to step up, the confidence will be restored.

I want something with the ability, as this will be a “forever” horse. I have no real interest in going above Novice/2* level, but I’d love to have that sort of level as an option if I wanted to

Obviously you can’t predict ability, and the best bred foal might come out with no jump at all, but I want the best chance of it! Because if I breed it and it’s an absolute donkey with no jump I’ll probably keep it anyway 🙈
 
ycbm said:
I'd probably put that down as much to the fact that people who buy horses with a higher % TB blood are also the kind more likely to kick on and get the time. I got bucketfuls of time faults at Novice (now 2*?) until I learnt how to land and go. I suspect a lot of people who have super dressage and immaculate show jumping just don't know how to, or don't want to, really push for time XC. Or perhaps don't have their horses fit to do it, because it's much easier to keep a blood horse fit and there are a lot of unfit horses eventing at the lower levels.
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I think this probably is part of it! I used to get buckets of too slow penalties on my current one, but now we’d consistently be 20-30 seconds too fast if I let him have his way. I had some great tips on here about how to improve my riding, and it’s made a massive difference even though horse and horse fitness are about the same!
 
On the BBC 2 coverage of Badminton they were saying that quite a lot of the entries are now mostly showjumping bred warmbloods apparently. Seems unusual to me, I thought ISH or TBx would be the most popular at that level, but I'm biased as I've come to the conclusion I can't ride or deal with anything that's less than 50% TB blood
 
MatHalTed said:
On the BBC 2 coverage of Badminton they were saying that quite a lot of the entries are now mostly showjumping bred warmbloods apparently. Seems unusual to me, I thought ISH or TBx would be the most popular at that level, but I'm biased as I've come to the conclusion I can't ride or deal with anything that's less than 50% TB blood
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Most of the warmbloods have a good amount of TB though so they can still come out at over 50% even with no pure TB in direct breeding.
Walter is 70%, Cooley rosalent 75%, Colorado Blue 88%, Cavalier Crystal 62%, Valmy Biats 53% etc
 
I would not worry about the percentage of TB, if the main task is to get a good wagon for 1* or maximum 2* eventing. I encountered such blood and did not notice any particular problems, if both parents with adequate psyche and themselves jumped, and not just "for breeding". If you need a strong and courageous character, it is worth looking more at the individual qualities of parents, not only the percentage of TB.
 
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