Dressage Horse for Sale!

Since much of my readership is of the dressage persuasion, I told Kim I would let everyone know about her wonderful dressage horse she has for sale! A good friend of the family (*ahem* sister from another mister), Cynthia Weldon, has spoken to me about this horse before and what a wonderful dressage horse he is, so I can confidently say that he really IS all he's cracked up to be!

Photo courtesy Kim Severson Eventing

Chopin is a 10 year old Hanoverian shown through 4th level, with a 3rd level championship last year. He's currently working on his piaffe and passage, and tempi changes. He is talented enough for a professional/YR, but steady enough for an AA (he lives at an eventing barn! Nothing can spook this horse!!) If you're interested, I encourage you to check him out here: http://www.youtube.com/user/KimSeversonEventing (horse's name is Fantasy Impromptu/Chopin). Kim said to feel free to ask Gerd Zuther about the horse during his upcoming clinic at Touchstone Farm Nov 2-4, as he knows the horse well!

Missing Rolex

I guess it turns out I'm religious after all. Missing Rolex is like missing my annual holy pilgrimage. Sure I've missed Rolex before, but there was always an equally satisfying alternative (Badminton, Burghley, WEG... basically being in the right country at the right time!!). This year, for the first time since I was in high school, I will not be attending a four star event. Pauvre choux, I know.

WEG 2010

But NOT going is really making me realize how much I LOVE going!! Analyzing the competition, course walks, the shopping, the exhilaration of the horses flying past on cross country day, the immaculate presentation for the jogs, the nail biting show jumping. Heck, even dressage can be fun to watch!


So this year, my credit cards are safe, my rain gear will go undisturbed as I fly to New York City for a whirlwind wedding!! Fly in Saturday AM early, fly back Sunday AM early. Back in time to do some cross country repair work and teach a lesson. Whoosh!!

...Maybe its not too late to make it to Pau?


I went ahead and did a little analysis, and I'll DVR everything I can, and lord knows I'll be checking EventingNation every spare moment from Thursday morning onwards. Here's my thoughts*:


R Star (Zahra's aunt!!) will finish. Two bad years have taught them a lot. They should be ready for it this time.

James Aliston will make an impressive showing for the open GB Team slot.

Sharon White and Doug Payne will have an excellent 1st Rolex.

Michael Pollard will have his best showing ever.

Emily Beshear will get cheers the whole way round the course as "First Daughter."

We will have to start calling Marilyn Little-Meredith an eventer. She's not a show-jumper-turned-eventer anymore. I expect at least one of her horses in the Top Ten.

Parklane Hawk
Mr. Medicott
Otis Barbotierre
Fernhill Eagle
Rutherglen
...will be the top 5, in some order (and if I get at least 2/5, I'd be pretty stoked about my handicapping skillz)

Absolute Liberty
Pepper Anne
Qwanza
Sea Lion
...will be horses I watch very closely for the future, for their own different reasons :)


*I don't subscribe to COTH, so unfortunately, I haven't been able to pour over Jimmy's predictions, so if we are either in agreement or not, it is purely coincidence.

The Price of a Horse (Especially in THIS economy!!)

There seems to be a lot of hub-bub lately about horse shopping on the interwebs of late. Maybe the economy is truly coming back, so people are ready to try selling the old and bring in the new? Or hopefully just add another horse to the herd! I hate letting go of my friends! Anyways, I thought I would add my own two cents to some of the excellent commentary floating around.

The last two horses I bought, I bought on the East Coast. Why? Not because the horses out there are better (although the breeder’s out there will tell a different story!!).  No, out East, it costs more to feed a horse, more to train a horse, and more to be in the horse world in general compared to the Midwest. But, there are also more horse enthusiasts per capita, which mean more horse breeders, horse trainers, and horse traders. The larger supply of horses means two things for a potential consumer: more possible “candidates” in a smaller geographic area, and more potential bargaining power for the consumer. These two factors make for the potential of a first rate horse at a cut rate price.

My own little Midwest breeding project :)

Not to say that the breeders here are not worth looking at!! On the contrary, some of the local breeders are able to produce absolutely top quality stock, worthy of the highest praise (and price!!). And the Midwest is practically famous for producing diamonds in the rough! If you can find the horse of your dreams locally, you will save lots of money on the gas to get her home and the fret of finding a trustworthy vet who will give you the honest run down of the horses soundness and capabilities. 

Now onto the meat and potatoes of this post: talking about price, and where these magic numbers come from. There are a number of factors-- first and foremost, there are sunk costs. It takes money to keep the mare happy and healthy while she carries the foal. Then there are the costs to keep that foal healthy and happy as he grows up until the time someone buys him, whether that is at age 6 months or 6 years. I had one breeder out East tell me she had nothing in my budget, because she already has that much invested in the horses the day they are born! The longer you own a horse, the more money it will take to recoup your costs. In order to get more money, the horse needs more training or greater accolades. Getting these accomplished takes more money. Sometimes in the long run, its cheaper to part with a horse for less than your asking price, rather than hold onto him another year waiting for someone to come up with a better offer.

Next comes the talent-to-training ratio. A very talented youngster can cost a lot of money. A mediocre horse with a lot of training can cost a lot of money. Put the two together, and you can have a very expensive horse! Who does the training and how long they did it can make a huge difference too. An upper level rider charges a lot of money to sit on a horse, but every second is incredibly valuable, whereas a local professional will get the job done cheaper, but it will take them longer, and it will not carry the "weight" in a national ad that the big time rider would. Also, if the horse has "been in training" for six months but can't canter yet? Or has multiple trainers listed? Raise the red flag!

When it comes to evaluating talent, there are several factors to consider. First and foremost is the horse itself. How does she look? How does she move? Does she seem smart? Does she have that 'spark' of greatness-- The 'Look of the Eagles' as Bruce Davidson calls it? Next, if its available to you, is the pedigree. Too many breeders rely on special stallions and ordinary mares. The mare is the most important part of the equation. Another Bruce Davidson quote, “If you breed a mediocre mare to a great stallion you will get a mediocre foal. If you breed a great mare to a mediocre stallion you will get a great foal … the cream always rises to the top.” If you're not familiar with the in's and out's of a potential candidate's breed, find a friend who is, and have them check it for any "red flags." The best proof is in the pudding-- if there are any full siblings you can get information on, do. If not, look into as many half siblings as possible, from mom and dad. And, of course, age and training of the horse can make a huge difference in evaluating talent. Its a heck of a lot easier to know what you're getting if you're looking at a trained 6 year old compared to a yearling that may or may not be in an "ugly phase" the day you see him.

The final crucial factor is the seller's situation. Off the track thoroughbreds can be very talented, somewhat trained, and absolutely dirt cheap, because all the seller wants is to empty out that stall and bring the next horse in! And, of course, when we're talking about buying a horse in THIS economy, the seller's situation is a pretty huge factor. As I said earlier, every month you own a horse takes money, so when you really need to get rid of a horse, you may have to let it go well below what it should be worth in a Bull market just for the sake of getting rid of it!

This concludes our lesson on horse economics, aka, if you want to make a million dollars in horses, start with 2 million.

On Love at First Sight

Looking for the right horse is no easier than looking for the right person. Many horses look wonderful on paper, or are breath taking to behold. Some have wonderful, loving personalities, others have the movement and jump to be winners. And ALL horses have quirks. Some quirks can be lived with, and others are non starters. We need to be smart enough to look for the horse (or the person!) who's quirks fit with our own.

With all this in mind, I traveled to Virginia to go horse shopping. I was on a tight budget, but there were certain things I was non-negotiable on-- the horse had to be started, had to have excellent conformation in order to stand up to eventing, and had to have that "spark" of greatness. I definitely did my homework on all the horses I went to look at--any one of them would make an amazing event horse.

Driving up to the last farm on my agenda, I had a clear favorite in mind, this last horse was really only a formality. I had found her last minute-- a previous horse on my agenda had been sold the day before I flew out, and somehow I came across this 3 year old filly, tucked into another horses ad.

Zahra as a two year old

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I was in love with her. She was breath taking in the cross ties. The owner informed that this was only her 7th ride, and then hopped on and rode her on a loose rein down to the outdoor like it was nothing. Her gaits were all beautiful, she was enthusiastic and forward, and oh yeah, she can jump!! 

Zahra is the full package, for sure. Even though it's a Wisconsin winter, I can hardly wait to go to the barn each day after work and teach her something new! We're going slowly since she's so young and still growing, but every day is better than the day before.

I am so blessed to have found a horse like her. I think I've always believed that since I was a good rider, it meant I couldn't have a nice horse. I thought I could take a horse that was "good enough" and do well with that horse, and I did, and those experiences made me the rider that I am today... but now it really feels like the sky is the limit!!

A Tough Decision

I’m currently between great horses. My first real competitive partner, Sgilti Lightfoot, has officially retired, despite my best efforts to hold him together a little bit longer. Genetics finally won the long drawn out battle, and in June of 2010, I officially retired my first FEI partner at the young age of 14. Meanwhile, in May of 2010, Streetlight Manifesto was born. “Puck” is by the Elite Hanovarian stallion Sir Caletto, out of my OTTB powerhouse mare, Wolfnbankersclothn. At the GOV inspection, he received Premium status, with excellent comments from the judges. My personal favorite was “It is surprising, given his jumper pedigree, but this colt has an excellent trot!” Puck is now a wonderful looking yearling, and I can’t wait for the future with him, but the future is still a few years away…

Wolfn at Otter Creek Fall 2011. Photo courtesy Xpress Foto.

Wolfn was supposed to fill in the gap. She came back from motherhood a little calmer and a little wiser, but still fiercely capable of anything. It was such a joy watching her dressage really come together this year… from my trainer Alex Gerding politely asking “When is the gray horse coming back?” to breaking into the 30s at Training level at her last couple shows. And cross country? This girl was a machine! She loved to go fast, and talk about scopey! She wasn't even trying til it was 4'. She was and is everything I want in an event horse: brave, enthusiastic, and extremely rideable. Sgilti used to make the Intermediate jumps ride like a hunter course, and he doesn’t hold a candle to Wolfn’s athleticism.

So, it was with great sadness that I finally came to grips with the fact Wolfn could never be the eventing partner I wanted her to be. She has an old racing injury in her foot—she broke her sesamoid bone while she was on the track. They gave her time off, everything healed up, and back to the track she went! When I did her pre-purchase, I knew the injury was there, but everything looked good in the x-ray, so away we went.

But horses are complex creatures, and the x-ray did not tell the whole story. Soon after we got her, we began to have major problems with trailering her. Over the years, to try and accommodate her, we put on and took off several different types of boots and wraps. We put her in a stud stall, an open stall, a box stall. We tied her. We let her loose. Nothing helped. Sooner or later, she’d lose her mind, and start viciously kicking the trailer as hard as she could. When we finally arrived at the show, my nerves would be shot, her legs would be bloody, and there’d be a new set of dents for the trailer guys to fix.

It took me until this fall to realize these things were connected. I never gave a second thought to that old track injury, but suddenly it dawned on me. Old injury. Arthritis. Even if it doesn’t affect her on a day to day basis, it must be the reason she went crazy in the trailer. Like the old football injury that can predict a rainstorm, it doesn’t have to hurt to be an issue. The vibration of the road through the trailer must have tickled that injury, and she was going to do anything in her power to make that irritation go away!!

So, I'll have to hold out hope she passed to Puck all the traits that I love about her. In the meantime,  I’m going to Virginia to go horse shopping. I need a horse that I can get going and build up to the 2* level, paving the way for Puck to have a smooth road to the 2* level… and beyond?
Stay tuned!