Just a gentle nudge is what I get when my blog drifts as far down the listings as page 3 on the Celebrity Blogs section of Horse Hero. I never thought that I would be a 'Page 3' girl!
The last two weeks have been hectic with studwork and all the covering stallions have been in demand. It is probably one of the best years that we have had for outside mares and, as usual, they present their challenges. On balance it has been a good year although some of the older mares have been pregnant but then not kept their pregnancies. Some of the mares are hanging on to their large follicles two or three days beyond what one might expect from the textbooks and the result of this and thirty 'wives' is that Wavavoom is very tired. He is of course now a star of stage and screen having featured on the great new Horse Hero video on semen collection and insemination. We have only two weeks before his Badminton Young Dressage Horse Final and I guess the covering will have taken it out of him, but we will try.
On the foal front, I cross my fingers that the osteomyolitis foal is recovering. He seems sound and with no local swelling but we will have to wait and see. He is so cute and a very 'pingy' and elastic mover. Quite exciting. In fact all the foals are excellent this year in terms of type and movement. I think we are getting better and better at breeding the long legs and clean connection in the head to neck area that is so essential for an easy ride. It is true that whatever one might 'pronounce' about conformation, the fact is that despite the angles in their hind legs, the movement of some horses seems to be a matter of personal arrangement. However, an uphill balance in the conformation, a good wither and a proper angle in the croup and loin seem to be the only route to getting the horse uphill and through the back. That’s enough anatomy for one day, I think! For us, the emphasis now, as we in theory slow down and 'downsize', is on breeding international quality horses for our partners. This still means good rideability, as even the professionals don’t want to have to deal with a horse that is lethal or cries a lot! But we now need gaits that can average an 8 plus and will get more expressive with training.
I think I have discovered one secret about top horses, having just turned down (in consultation with our partners) a staggering sum for Farouche. The people who offered are well known and riders for whom I have great respect and they could see in a heartbeat that she is truly extraordinary. What makes her that? Well, she has three very good paces and what was her weakest pace, the trot, has now developed (with good training) quite spectacularly. The special qualities are her suppleness and elasticity through her body but also the amazing lift and stretch in her shoulders. It goes without saying that she is good behind but it is the addition of this great carriage and front action that puts the '0000s on the cheques. So this is my mission now. Only use those stallions and mares that will bring this shoulder and knee action to the good hind leg activity that we already produce.
Farouche’s embryo transfer foal is here and is called Walk on the Wild Side. I am concerned that her recipient mother, now transformed from her 'fire breathing dragon mode' of post foaling, is very steady in her way of going and it occurs to me that the recipient mares need to have the energy of the donor mares so that the early stages of contact and influence are consistent. Genetically, and when asked independently, the foal is inclined to be really active, so we will have to see what occurs. (That must be my Gavin and Stacey "what’s occurring" moment from the heart of Welsh Wales.)
The last foal to arrive for this year is called Eric and watch this space. Eric is his stable name as his posh name is Clapton. He is by the Competent stallion Christ who has a totally different pedigree with no Weltmeyer, Rubinstein, Donnerhall or Sandro Hit. Instead we have the lines of Calypso II, Pik Koenig and the thoroughbred Daimyo xx. I hope he is what Carsten would call a 'geheimwaffe (secret weapon) although not so secret now I’ve blown his cover. He has all the lift and reach in the front to which I referred above.
On a different subject, I did my futurity entries nice and early but intended to do another two for the Catherston venue but it is full already. This is such a great programme. I like to get this valuable third party assessment for progeny of my stallions and I believe that many breeders see their premiums as a warrant of quality for a potential sale. Whatever their motivation, I wish more people would stay and watch the horses presented by others and listen to the comments. There is so much to see and consider. As an Evaluator, I think it is a great privilege to be asked to consider these youngsters and to formulate an opinion with colleagues and I am looking forward to some wonderful horses coming forward. Last year I saw some exceptional jumping foals. I have chosen to do a northern route this year for my evaluations, and it will be good to meet some new faces.
I have looked at my diary and it would appear that every weekend is full between now and November. How can that be? This weekend we shall have a visit from the North West Dressage Group (a return visit) and we are hoping that Michael Eilberg will ride both Rosie (Dornroeschen) and her daughter Farouche. If you want to breed a wonderful horse you need to breed from a wonderful mother and motherline and this mother and daughter combination prove the point.
After that we shall be building more stables (I swore that I would not do that), going to the Badminton Young Dressage Horse Finals, the CDI at Hartpury, then the World Breeding Championships in Verden, The WBS (Warmblood) Show, the Bundeschampionat, the BD Nationals, judging in Scotland, the Hanoverian Show (BHHS) and then October brings the Stallion Gradings. I am very driven by all of it and my best holidays always involve horses.
On the domestic front, my son Tom and his wife Keri are expecting their first baby on the same weekend as the BHHS Show and I am excited about that too. It will be our sixth grandchild, and a girl is expected, so there will be lots of fun buying trips for frilly clothes or butch dungarees at some point in the future. My other grandchildren are a bit interested in ponies and this is a new venture for us this year with, God willing, two Welsh pony mares in foal to Wavavoom. We shall also be taking a share in (and preparing for Stallion Grading) a super Bernwode pony stallion along with the larger versions of some client stallions, including the half brother to Dornroeschen. More of that next time!