It all started when I looked at a Dutch Warmblood for sale on behalf of a friend who later changed her mind and suggested that I look at her as my potential next horse.

I’m not great with conformation but there was something about this horse that didn’t look right. Dutch Warmblood or not, she looked like she had the front end of one horse attached to the back end of another.  Her back was swayed. “I don’t think she’ll stay sound,” I said to my friend. Something about the way she was put together looked really off, and at three-turning-four, I thought she should look more together than she did.

Though I knew I didn’t want this mare, even if she were free, it started me thinking about my next horse.

Being in an area of the country where it typically costs between $600 and $800 per month to keep just one horse, I wasn’t really thinking about the potential horse #2. My plan was to eventually breed my Thoroughbred to the same Dutch Warmblood sire she had been bred to before for a nice cross as my next horse. Her baby was recently started under saddle and doing wonderfully.

So, that was the plan until I started reading all these breeding your mare books…all of which forewarn of great risk in just the first few sentences. Then my friend told me how her mare’s foal was stillborn at 9 ½ months. My other friend mentioned how her trainer “lost two out of 10” bred last year. The thought of losing Lady or her baby was just overwhelming. Then my friend made another good point: “What happens if it’s born with a twisted leg, can never be ridden, what are you going to do?” I didn’t answer. “I know you. You’ll keep him anyway.” She had a good point. That’s what another friend did. The foal born to her favorite eventer had a twisted leg that made him pasture sound only. She kept him until he passed away from old age.

“Besides,” she added. “Are you really willing to wait that many years before having a horse to ride again?” Lady’s still sound, but she is arthritic. At 15 years old, I’m not sure how long she’ll hold up to being ridden as much as I’d like. I’d be looking at almost five years down the line before having a green horse to ride.

And then I kept thinking about all the horses that need homes already now. Do I really want to breed when I could find a nice youngster that needs a home?

So, while I was debating what I was going to do, a friend sent me a link to a yearling for sale. She was a Quarter Horse/Belgian cross. I called my friend. “Have you been reading my mind?” I had been carrying around an old issue of Practical Horseman that had the article “Beautiful Blends.” There, it mentioned unusual draft crosses like a successful eventer that was ¾ Thoroughbred ¼ Clydesdale.

I printed out the yearling’s photos. Boy, did she look nicely put together! I ran the photos by several friends. “I love her! Buy her!” They all exclaimed.

The yearling goes up for auction in a few weeks but we can arrange for a private showing before then.

So, we’re going on a road trip to see the yearling this week. Will this be my next horse?

Stop by and let me know what is your next horse on your list!

Thanks and say hello at our community horse forum

Kris
The Equine Internet Network