in North America, but they are never developed or utilized to their full potential because people never see them or they are priced too high for riders to be able to afford them. I think one advantage we have over Europe is the hunter ring. Not every horse will be destined for the jumper ring, but here we can offer an alternative where they can shine. I think while we are getting closer to North American buyers being ready to buy here, we are not quite there yet. They are also usually looking for horses that are already going.” Because most buyers are looking for horses started under saddle, one of the problems Taylor highlights is find- ing qualified young horse trainers. Here in the U.S., she says, we are lacking young professionals who have the educa- tion and desire to start young horses, in part because it has never been a huge focus here. She adds there are many young professionals who would be interested in this work, but that the costs [of producing and showing a young horse] are prohibitive. She also identifies the cost of producing a young horse to a saleable age and stage of training as a chal- lenge. She says she would like to see some sort of incentive program for young horse trainers, perhaps in the form of scholarships/grants offered by the national federations to help them with developing young horses. Taylor has lots of ideas on how the national federations can help breeders. “I think the USEF and the United States Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA) are ready and willing to support American sport horse breeders, but I am not sure
they know the exact best way to do that yet,” she says. “I think they realize for us to have longevity in sport as a coun- try we need to breed and develop our own horses so we can have a pool to choose from. We are starting to see more of a focus on young jumpers and young hunter classes, and committees have been formed. I would like to see the USEF and USHJA develop a program where these young horses can gain safe miles in show environments while also being affordable. While I do not think the horses should be over faced, I do think they need to be jumping age-appropriate jumps and courses if we are trying to develop competitive international horses. One of the biggest things we are lacking here in the states is a way to get from the breeding shed to the show ring.” There are, she reminds everyone, no “definites” in breed- ing—but plenty of opportunities. “It is important to start with the best mare you can find and then do your homework and breed her to the best stallion for her. Do not breed to the top stallion simply because it is the top stallion, because that stallion may not be the right stallion for your mare. Likewise do not breed a mare simply because she is a mare. Pick your mare apart, know her weaknesses, and then breed her to a stallion that complements those weaknesses,” she says. “Someone once told me ‘go find the best young fillies you
can, that they are affordable because they are young, so buy them then and breed them once they are old enough.’ That was the best advice someone could have given me.”
Warmbloods Today 25
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