To Breed or to Buy? Part 2
© Sally White
Abbie, as we call her, is now a strapping 16.2hh 3-year-old athlete, who regularly outstrips the pure-bred Thoroughbreds in her field in the racing games she loves to play. I know her better than any other horse I've ever owned, because I am the one who's taught her everything she can do. Yet, at the same time, I know I would never have been able to breed her myself: she came from the best Anglo-Arab stock South-West France could supply, from animals I could never have afforded to own. Because of this, I have ended up as the proud owner of the kind of warmblood competition horse I have always dreamed of. In addition, I know that when she does well it reflects on my ability as a trainer, as well as on her generosity and spirit.
These are the rewards of buying a horse young and bringing the animal on yourself. But selecting an untried youngster is not the same as buying a mature horse, and there are a few things to take into careful consideration.
First, decide what sort of horse you want to have in five years' time. It's no good buying a highly-bred Thoroughbred colt if you just want a horse to hack gently around your home. Similarly, a New Forest pony foal may look sweet at the sales, but don't expect it to make it to the Horse of the Year Show. Some do - but most don't.
If you aren't sure what breed is best for you - come back to Young Horses again. I'm planning a series of articles on choosing the right breed, or cross-breed, for all sorts of disciplines, from endurance riding to light hacking.
It's a good idea to buy a youngster from a reputable, professional breeder. Plenty have websites for you to browse: take a look at http://www.irishhorsesales.8k.com/ which offers help in finding quality Irish bloodstock, or http://www.warmblood.com, which can breed you warmblood competition horses to order. Or you can try asking the breed societies to put you in contact with the right people.
If you buy from a breeder, they should be able to provide you with plenty of information about the youngster's parents. This is often the best indication you will have about the potential of their offspring. If you want a showjumper, for example, you should make sure that the mother or father has at least some record of achievement in this field. You could also look at other family members: how have the youngster's older sisters and brothers performed? Grandparents can also be a good indicator: look back at the ancestry of many a champion on the racecourse and you will find that though the parents may be indifferent, the grandparents are exceptional.
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