who are you lining up for next season?

I think it is a gamble you only have to look at the race horse industry & those being bred for top competition to see that. All you can do is try to illiminate as many of the issues as possible. If I did breed one of these top horses I would have to sell it anyway as unless my daughter has the talent to ride it, any potential would be lost. I think so long as you breed something that will stay sound for a job whether that be in harness, or RC events & has the temperment then you should feel happy. It may not get to the level you want but that is the gamble.
 
I don't have any mares of my own, and am feeling rather envious of you all - choosing stallions and working out breeding strategies and programmes looks like a lot of fun!
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The closest I get to a breeding strategy is poring over photos and pedigrees, doing 'fantasy breedings' and hoping that people will send mares of particular bloodlines to my stally....
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So far, this wishful thinking/fantasy approach has proved to be a surprisingly successful method!
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Last year I was rather hoping someone would send Kubinec, Padron or Carmargue/Estopa-line mares - and sure enough, we got 1 Kubinec daughter, 2 Padron grand-daughters and a Carmargue grand-daughter out of an Ibn Estasha mare! Oh, and there were a couple of European mares, dams of international champions, that I kept drooling over - and guess what: they are both in foal to Tobago!
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I could go on...

For next year, I really wanted to do a closer line-breeding experiment, to Padrons Psyche - and lo and behold, someone has just booked a Psyche daughter to Tobago for 2008... I was also hankering after another Estopa mare, and musing about El Saleem/Rusleem, and along came an Esta-Espashan daughter and a full sister to Rusleem...
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Either I have a guardian breeding-angel granting my wishes, or, more likely, other people are having the same thoughts as me about what mares would suit my boy!
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By the way, big thank you to the anonymous angels on here who recently recommended Tobago to a super-nice woman with a big, gorgeous Irish Sport Horse eventer/hunter/team-chaser mare - she is now trying to persuade her OH that an Arab would be a great cross... fingers crossed!
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Sorry - didn't mean to hi-jack the thread!
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Tetratch, we had 2 Merits on the yard (one sold on earlier this year). Have to say nice but not special. The mare was a big winner inhand (PBA) and they are intended to be large hacks. The older brother just measured in but was sold as he's not the standard the boss retains to show herself. The 2yo places at county level and will make a nice riding horse but again will be county standard without being a county winner. So on the basis of those two Merit wouldn't be on my list as an improving sire.

Kerilli - thats where knowing the dam line is so important. If you have an idea what the dam line produces you have more of an idea what your mare is carrying in her genes rather than just going on the apperance (phenotype vs genotype). Sometimes what can appear such a good cross when looking at the physical apperance of two horses, just doesn't quite work. Sometimes it is worth keeping a filly from that cross and then breeding from her, as what you were trying to breed may be there but needs another nick to make it work. Does that make any sense? Like in Germany with the Hanoverians and Trakehners, no-one likes to be the one to use a TB stallion as the F1 cross can be unpredicatble and not the sport type people want to buy. But, if you retain the filly and bred her to the right stallion you have that lovely TB blood back int he 2nd generation but start moving away from some of the worse parts of the F1 cross. sometimes you have to be brave and think in generations. But breedings such a lottery/gamble that even great systems like the Dutch and Germans seem to have dont always produce what you'd expect - for me thats half the fun.
I cant wait to see what the next generation of fillies produce and hope I'll get where I want to be before I retire
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Volatis
I used Merit on my Welton Louis mare and got what I wanted, in fact my trainer told me that with a jump like his had I not had him gelded he would have graded.
I wanted a sport horse and I got one.
Hello Merit in the spring.
 
Personal circumstances have meant that I haven't bred mine for a couple of years, but this year I want to send my old TB mare to the sire of her last foal; a TB called Royal Knight (by Proud Knight out of Autumn Haze) who stands, or stood, in Aberdeenshire; however I'm not sure whether he'll be available as his owners were gradually winding down operations last time I spoke to them. He's a nicely made animal with a big jump but the thing that really struck me when I saw him was this huge sense of power and energy; massive acceleration and a sort of electricity about him; somehow he really seemed what a thoroughbred should be. This was beyond the usual "look at me" of a stallion showing off, and it wasn't just a result of schooling or skilled riding; it was more workmanlike than that and a part of the horse; I really felt "He could breed a real performer..."

If he's not available he's going to be a hard act to follow, but I'd be looking for another TB for this mare: a couple of people on here have offered advice and suggestions and I'm always open to more, but be warned; I'm fussy, quirky and poor! I'm afraid Merit doesn't really do it for me (plus his owners are so skilled at presenting their horses that he could have a leg missing and you wouldn't realise it) but I would have said there's some good stuff in his pedigree. (Why not Rainbow Quest, Sportznight?) This family can jump and I want to keep this, but also the Weatherby's registration, so A.I. is out.

I want to put a second mare in foal; I usually end up breeding one and struggling to find it a companion; and I'd like to be a bit more adventurous here. I don't want to travel the young, inexperienced TB too far or have her trussed up like a chicken to be covered for the sake of the stallion; so I'd probably look to getting her A.I.'d and would cross her in the hope of getting a filly to ride / breed in the future but also a saleable gelding if the offspring is not of stallion quality. One horse that interests me is Pembridge Minstrel (CB/TB), but there are loads of interesting Warmbloods too. I'd like a horse that can jump fluently; I'm not too sure of this exaggerated bascule; surely thats not an economical way to jump? (besides, I'd fall off). Again, I'd like a horse that moves fluently and can cover the ground, maybe with a slightly higher action than a TB but without the more exaggerated, artificial dressage trot, with the sort of poised foreleg. I'd be looking to breed an eventing type. I'm still doing my homework at present; the real fun bit and the possibilities are endless.
 
Sorry SN. I will definately post some piccies next week, I have been very naughty & scuttled off to Florida where a friend has rented a house for a month. So 10 days of relaxation for me at the moment. Will get piccies done when I return on Monday, lets hope they havent turned too wooly!
 
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