I'm often asked what to look at when evaluating foal conformation. The interesting thing about baby horses is they are born with abnormally long legs and a shortened body and neck, relative to how they will be proportioned when mature. Anyone who has seen a very young foal attempting to graze, bending its knees and stretching out its front legs to the utmost has seen this physical conformation in action! So they will go through growing phases, where their body lengths and

So how do the downsides compare? Cons of buying in Europe: 1) There is a lot more competition amongst buyers at European foal auctions, and particularly the big stallion stations are often willing to invest a lot of money in top quality colts. The "warmblood stallion market" isn't even comparable here in the NA. Not even close. As a result it can be much harder to get your hands on the really popular foals in Europe, unless you have some majorly deep pockets. 2) Pay attent

I spend far too much time perusing European foal auctions. It's easy to get sucked in, all the fancy babies with their fancy pedigrees, accessible with a single click! (And a large price tag for the ones I really want LOL). Does it make sense to buy a foal in Europe? How do the foals being born and bred here in North American (specifically the US and Canada) compare? What are the pros and cons? Pros of buying in Europe: 1) European auctions can be a very easy way to see a

Given all of these uncertainties associated with buying a foal, it is helpful to put into perspective how much money you’re actually investing into the foal to get it to 3.5 years old, versus how much a decent 4 year old would cost you. Foal purchase price: $15,000 Foal mortality/major medical insurance: $800 per year x 3 years=$2400 Foal board for 3 years (from weaning to 3.5 years old): $350/month x 36 months=$12,600 Vet/shoeing/other expenses in those 3 years=$2000 (assumi

With prices of young high-quality dressage horses increasing, many riders are looking at buying younger and younger in their quest for high quality horses. I've personally bought many foals and young horses over the years and currently have a small breeding program focused on producing top quality young dressage horses. In this short series I will share some ideas about how to think about buying foals for riders, starting with a risk-benefit analysis. The Benefits 1) Quali

"Jedi" is a strong, spunky, flashy colt born May 4th via embryo transfer. He is a son of dam Cathlyn (Flemmingh x Weltruhm), a powerful expressive mare with a strong work ethic, and sire Don Olymbrio (Jazz x Ferro) who has made waves as a top international Grand Prix horse and now outstanding sire. Jedi was bred by me and presold in utero last spring to professional rider Lindsey Parker. I can't wait to watch him develop!! Congratulations Lindsey!