shopping equation. When you buy a horse in Europe, you see and ride that horse over one to two days. If you are lucky you see a few videos of the horse in the ring and maybe get a record of his competition history. But if you buy from a breeder/trainer in the U.S., you can possibly visit the farm where he or she was born. You can see a number of close relatives, and you can watch the horse develop over a sequence of training rides or shows in the area. It’s feasible to speak to someone you trust who lives and trains in the same area, or even talk directly to the horse’s veterinarian, farrier, rider and groom who have cared for and trained that horse over his lifetime. Find that in Europe on any given day and you have found the rare breeder-owned, shown and sold horse which is a lower risk purchase. Most of our European imports still come through “dealers” or “training barns” to be sold to the first “Fly- buyer” with an open checkbook in hand. The issue of OCD and pre-purchase veterinary exams is also
handled very differently in Europe than in the U.S. The high resolution digital radiographic surveys we tend to rely on here coupled with our veterinary community’s liability-sensitive conservatism in pinpointing every possible defect or issue in our pre-purchase veterinary exam often does serve the buyer’s interest in the very long term. Breeders in the U.S. tear our hair out trying to produce clean, sound horses that will pass these stringent exams with minimal comments. But when we do, our horses tend to last a really long time. How many imports are still jumping with their original owners after six, eight or ten years? Finally, there is the BIGGEST reason of all to buy American
bred sport horses. As Rodney Jenkins says, there is joy and satisfaction in helping a youngster develop from a weanling
through its formative years as its personality and body develops to get to its first show experience wide-eyed and eager for the challenge. Whether alone or partnered with a professional, there are few experiences more satisfying to a genuine horse lover than to experience a young horse’s development over the course of two or three years to the point that one can ride them, enjoy them and feel truly a personal part of their journey. Many passionate amateurs are looking for alternative ways
to enjoy their sport without the economic burden of “chasing points” or showing repetitively every weekend. A well bred young horse from a local breeder might be just that rewarding answer and offer a “renaissance” of personal riding enjoyment.
About the author: Kc Kelley has been breeding Holsteiner sport horses first as a hobby and then commercially for the last 17 years. Her farm, Branscomb Farm, has produced four top- ten finalists in the 2011 Young Jumper Championships Western Division Finals (5- and 6- year-old division); stands GOV licensed
stallions Contiano BF (Contefino), Chicardo (Clinton I), and Acclaim (Acorado) and offers a complete breeding, training, and sales program for serious young jumper and dressage enthusiasts. For more information on Branscomb Farm, visit
www.branscombfarm.com.
Bred in USA Horses that Finished in Top Ten in the 2011 Young Jumper Championships Finals
Warmbloods Today
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