Breeding matches

I wanted to start a little blog post on how I choose matches for my mares. My thought process, what I am looking to improve on the certain mare, what the dam line has produced, am I hoping to produce a Grand Prix Dressage prospect or an amateur mount, etc. Today, I will use my heart horse, the one I've waited and wished for my entire life, Diamond Days (pictured below as a 4 year old, winning Champion Mare at the PEI Hanoverian Inspection).

I purchased Daisy, as a 2 day old foal, from Kathleen Richardons' Sunnydays Hanoverians, in Kendal Ontario. I adored her dam, SPS Rothara (Romancero H x Wenzel x Weltmeyer), who was a 1A prize winner in Germany and had a superb Mare Performance Test. She was from the famous R-line, which I so desired to have in my backyard, as rumours of rideability and fabulous temperaments really appealed to me. (Daisy at 1 day old and mom, Rothara, looking over her)

Now, the sire Diamond Hit, also was a 'heart throb' to me. Extravagent, correct, and also competed Grand Prix barefoot with many wins! He produced many Elite mares, stallions, and top priced auction horses. And as another appeal, there were not many Diamond Hit offspring in North America.

Daisy immediately tugged on my heart strings. Calm, brave, even as a foal. A walk where she really swings through her whole body, a round powerful trot, and a trot that she offers piaffe and passage well out in the field...and an uphill canter. She is my doll. First to greet you at the fence, very inquisitive without being pushy, and wants to work. I cannot wait until we have a riding ring and start getting her back into a regular workout regime!

Now, after having her first foal by Schwarzenegger, Daisy is finally home in my back yard! She has had about 45 days worth of under saddle training, completed a good Mare Performance Test with an overal score of over 7 and was Champion Mare in 2014! With this, we know that the quality is most certainly there. So, the first thing we look for in a stallion is one who reliably passes on height, as well as substance, since she is more on the refined side. Daisy passes on a attractive look with good type, correct foundation (legs and feet), her super temperament and rideability as well as her fancy movement. With also wanting a larger frame stallion, we hope to also get larger gaits and a slightly more uphill frame. I prefer to use stallions who are competing at a higher level, or have Grand Prix stallions in their pedigree. My list consists of:

1. Benetton Dream (Brentano II x Davignon), a competing GP stallion, who produces large, substantial offspring with bigger movement as well as a highly desireable temperament. Well suited for amateurs and professionals. We see with Belantis (Benetton Dream x Sandro Hit) and Bon Coeur (Benetton Dream x Sandro Hit), that the combination of Benetton Dream and Sandro Hit (who is a very close relation to Daisy's sire Diamond Hit), is a good producing line.

2. Floriscount (Florencio x Donnerhall), another successful stallion competing at a high level. Throws height and substance, as well as a bit of bling. Good temperament as well as extravagent movement. Those who have a Floriscount love them to pieces!

3. Bonifatius (Belissimo M x Lauries Crusador). Not the most popular stallion out there at the moment, but I have seen many different offspring from him that are outstanding. Rave reviews of rideability, how easy they were to break, and the best ones I've seen were from Donnerhall lined dams.

4. Ampere (Rousseau x Flemmingh) a KWPN stallion who has been a rousing success. Many licensed sons, successful competition offspring, etc. Known for their super temperaments and extravagent movement. A cross I will plan on doing down the road.

5. Dante Weltino (Danone I x Welt Hit II) a cross which would double the amount of Donnerhall in the potential foal. Dante's known for throwing height, big movement and good temperaments. The first foal crops have really been outstanding in Europe and North America. A huge bonus is that he has superior frozen semen. We have 1 dose of Dante and plan to use it in 2016.