There are some folks out there that seem to think I'm getting lucky in terms of breeding. I just happened to find the right stallion and the right mares ... and I'm just happening to have repeated success. Though I'll admit a little luck is required to breed nice horses (the same way a little luck is required to win Grand Prixs) in the end, those that have a shot at breeding exceptional horses or winning Grand Prixs consistently are doing and seeing things a little differently, and frankly probably a little better.

So while I'm not going to give all my secrets away, I am constantly surprised by the way in which the breeding industry seems to like to cater to whimsical notions of what a good horse is, often without what in my mind is a true basis of understanding (and this is for upper level show jumpers only of course).

For example, I've seen the same pretty 2 year old Holsteiner gelding, with over 1000 likes, come across my facebook page multiple times. Many of my friends seem to think this is the ideal horse. He's big, pretty, refined, dark bay, lots of flash, and of course a HUGE elevated mover. And I find myself looking at this nice youngster and thinking cute horse, but then not giving him a second thought (other than what I'm pondering right now, which is not how this is such an amazing potential athlete). I know while he is admittedly gorgeous, in terms of show jumping, which he was probably not specifically bred for, there is a 99 percent chance he will fall short of expectations. Why? Because he was bred to look good and cater to a large sellable market. He could excel in multiple disciplines ... dressage, jumping, 3 day, hunter or equitation. Hopefully he has a pliable temperament, and he's OF COURSE big and pretty. While this gets him over 1000 likes on his breeding farm’s facebook page, it does far from making him a top prospect.

On the other hand, I know there is a 99 percent chance my horses (some of which may be big and pretty and have gorgeous movement, and some of which may not have all of those qualities) will be top athletes for the show jumping world. Why? ... Simple. Because like any good eccentric starving artist, I could care less what the market wants. I'm making these fantastic animals for my own sensibilities of what a good horse is. In other words I'm using the cooking ingredients and the painting colors that I love, and that will hopefully make me 'well pleased with my creation'. It’s my hope (and recent relief) that a few solid horseman appreciate the good work I'm achieving (and before I and most of my foundations horses are gone and or dead would be nice for the sake of financial viability).

But in the end I will probably be playing with them in the round pen and jumping them around their first courses long before most even take notice (i.e. they start winning ribbons at big shows). So I want to look at them and work with them and feel them from the saddle and smile, knowing this is truly an exceptional athlete for competitive show jumping. I want to know that this horse will eventually make it's mark and help the world to quietly see who and what we are, and to finally recognize the unusual work I've been up to on this secluded farm in Wisconsin.

Show jumping is a sport of intense athletic ability and heart. The course designers at the highest level are pushing the horses, riders and trainers to the limit every day. My goal is not to make the human’s life easier, but to make the horse's life easier while they are kind enough to pursue this excellent if not admittedly very difficult sport with us. In my mind this means extremes of athletic ability, that yes, we as riders and trainers have to try to keep up with. I notice that many European warmbloods tend to be very smooth, very even and frankly very easy, with often just enough scope and speed to get the job done. This makes life easier on the rider and trainer, which of course I'm not opposed to, but it's not my first goal.

Extreme speed, endurance and heart does not come from pretty or big movement ... it comes from generations and generations of top horseman breeding for extreme speed and 'try' ... and nothing else. And if you know anything about the American thoroughbred industry you know this is exactly what has been going on for a long time at what use to be one of our favorite past times in this country. And though this speed definitely needs to be tailored a bit for the work I want to do (you won't see me breeding to a sprinter built downhill), in the end, speed IS athlete ability. Period ... end of story. That is why at the highest levels it is so key to separating the average from the best (at the lower levels it's often just burning and spinning the tires ... and not always the greatest demonstration of horsemanship in my opinion). Faster reflexes and a faster mind is better survival in the wild ... and good sport simply imitates what evolution does naturally (hopefully without the brutality of being eaten and or dying if you lose).

Power, jumping ability, courage, and a particularly kind temperament also does not come from pretty. It comes from top horseman breeding horses (and again the key is generation after generation) that allowed them to survive and do what they loved to do and find themselves in one piece at the end of the day. And this is where the Irish Draught comes in. If an Irish Hunt isn't the ultimate test of the above then I don't know what is (and come on guys, the Irish created this sport we love). Take the best of these two breeds refined by an eye that is capable of sorting through the flaws often seen in extreme purebred foundation breeds (without a European inspector to tell them what defects should be avoided) and cross them, and you've got one heck of a show jumper almost every time.

And yes, they will probably have extremes of power, speed and sensitivity that means we will need to be particularly good at our jobs and patient, but will those horses ever be able to perform given a real shot. (By this I mean actually having the resources to get them to the shows with the tremendous support required to consistently maintain comfortably at this level solidly in place).

And yes, I understand that very few of us will go to the Olympics or even be able to stay on a world beater (trust me, these horses have pushed me and my poor body to the limit, and trying to keep up has taken a toll). And hence comes my third and final favorite ingredient ... the Russian Akhal-Teke. Again, we are talking generation after generation after generation (this is one of the oldest purebloods out there) of very particular breeding. Refined and elegant with toughness and an incredibly pliable and easy temperament ... now that is an unusual horse. An Akhal-teke is the original thoroughbred, pure blood and sensitivity, in most cases without the hot and spooky. For those of us that enjoy easily staying in the saddle as much as the athletic ability, this is a much appreciated relief. And so my amateur friendly line involves the best of this lovely breed. All the qualities above in close but not quite the extreme version, and the movement and mind smoothed out with that ancient potent blood that makes this horse an absolute joy to be on top of and work with.

And there we have it ... the reason I know my horses will probably be exactly what they were bred to be. Because I respect the generations of good horseman behind them, breeding consistently for simple specific traits (rather than inconsistently for a large myriad of traits to cater financially to the mass market). It's not magic, and since all of the stallions I've had have always stood publically when I've had them anyone could have done it (with all these wonderful ingredients now right here in the good old USA). And yes, I admit the top Western blood needed to be here, and you have to sort through and find the crosses that work (even with the best horses); be willing to take some risks and try to be somewhat open minded. But the blood has been here for a while now and if the understanding and horsemanship comes with it then the better horses (athletes that make the job easier on themselves and as a result are naturally more competitive) will follow.

The purpose of this writing, and what I really want is for the work and my horses to be appreciated. It seems since we don't currently live at the big shows one of them will have to go to the International level before folks are willing and able to take a hard look at what and why these horses are doing so well in the young, open and amateur jumper rings given the statistically small number of them.

I am happy to admit though, thankfully there are those that are now acknowledging what I have always believed regarding performance horses ... 'pretty is as pretty does'. While my two chestnut mares as 5 year old young jumpers in the finals in Lexington received the comment ... 'are they quarter horses?' ... and I then had to give a lengthy explanation as to their spectacular breeding (remember guys, most of the top thoroughbred race horses as retired 5 year olds are quite stout). As they've grown older (and for the most part performed extremely well in the ring) accomplished horseman have now come up to me and told me how handsome they are just standing there (quite a surprising change I still haven't gotten use to!) So folks do seem to be coming around, but hopefully this little dissertation on my ideas behind breeding will help move things along a little quicker, and more will understand and value the work that has and is being done, right here and now for the US show jumping industry.