“Oftentimes there is a youngster of a particular bloodline or of very high quality that
commands a high price. If both parents are imported and have very good performance and breeding records, this can also be reflected in the price of a youngster.”
weeks we get the horse started under saddle, walk, trot, canter. Then when the client returns, she can sit on the horse and ride him. The initial breaking time is easy, and it’s also something I love to do —work with young horses.” For the hunter market, waiting until the horses are under saddle at ages three and four is the ideal time to sell, Christine says. “If we sell a horse as a four- or three- year-old, it is profitable since we are asking for more money. After that it becomes more difficult as you have to spend considerable resources to compete horses in order to add value,” she adds. Logic suggests that the older a young horse
becomes, the more time, money and training invested in him by the breeder, thus the more value and a higher price. “It would seem like that would be logical, and from the breeders’ viewpoint that should be how it works,” Dianna remarks. There are exceptions however. “Oftentimes there
is a youngster of a particular bloodline or of very high quality that commands a high price. If both parents are imported and have very good performance and breeding records, this can also be reflected in the price of a youngster,” she says.
The Bloodlines Factor Promoting the bloodlines of sire and dam are important for some breeders, less so for others. Edgar finds that it depends on the discipline. “For dressage and jumper buyers, blood- lines of the horse tend to be more important. Hunter buyers are looking for a certain type of mover and jumping style. Eventers want the versatility and will focus on the attributes of the individual horse,” he says. Due to their longevity in the industry and the fact that they stand their own stallions, both Rainbow Equus and W. Charlot have built a reputation for their stallion bloodlines. Both Edgar and Christine say that people will call request- ing a young horse from a particular stallion. “Maybe they have ridden or owned a particular horse in the past from one of these stallions, or they admire a specific horse currently competing,” says Edgar. For Jennifer, who only uses frozen semen from top stal-
lions, promoting bloodlines is vital to selling her horses. Gigha agrees. “I definitely think this has helped me in sell- ing youngsters,” she says. “By sticking to approved stal- lions, proven bloodlines and sport breeds, buyers can have more confidence in the sport suitability of their foal. I think when people start breeding using non-sport breeds and/or unproven bloodlines, the buyers tend to be more hesitant and either want a steal of a deal to make up for the risk, or they want to wait until the horse is started under saddle to see if he’s really going to amount to anything.”
W. Charlot Farm prefers to wait to sell their horses already going under saddle. This recent picture is of a five-year-old mare for sale, Fabiola by For Sandro.
Dianna reports that in her case, bloodlines don’t play such an important role. “Unfortunately, the bloodlines of the German Riding Pony are not well known or understood. So I have found that while it is very important to me, it is less important to potential clients,” she notes.
Value of In-Hand The Young Horse Show series (YHS) plus the dressage and hunter disciplines offer breeders competitions to show young stock in hand. Both Edgar and Dianna have used these opportunities to give youngsters showing experience, as well as promote their breeding programs. Edgar has even sold some horses this way. “I have shown youngsters in the USDF Breeders’ Series
with great success,” Dianna explains. “For example, the pony Fox Creek’s Code Red was our Regional USDF Champion, beating even the Warmblood foals. But, I have not found this to be much of a factor in whether or not a youngster sells easier than one that was not shown. Although it does vali- date from an objective outside source the quality of a breed- ing program’s stock, and helps the breeder avoid becom- ing ‘barn blind,’ showing young stock is not easy for many reasons. That’s why mare approval scores, stallion approval scores, foal inspections, performance records and blood- lines are also important. The in-hand competitions are just another tool in a breeder’s toolbox, but certainly should not be a determining factor for a client purchasing a youngster.” Both Dianna and Edgar agree that breed inspections
are valuable and that in a sense they are a type of in-hand competition. “I think it helps to sell foals and yearlings, and it’s a great opportunity to take nice photos and videos of the
Warmbloods Today 63
Courtesy W. Charlot Farm
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