KER: Principles of Bone Development in Horses

"Few animals are as precocious as the horse. Within 20 minutes of birth a foal may stand, and within hours can be ready to run at speeds no human athlete will ever achieve. At this stage of life, even with this exceptionally early development, horses have only 17% of their mature bone mineral content, but they also have only 10% of their ultimate body weight."

That's the start of a really interesting article from Kentucky Equine Nutrition that covers bone development and growth rate in foals. Read the rest here.

Photo: Marlynna Pellegrini, her owner and trainer at the time. Uploaded by Lar / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Introducing Bingotti, Approved Hanoverian

Bingotti at the 2020 Regional Championships at Lamplight with Carrie Wilson (trainer)
Photo Credit: John Borys 2020

Introducing Bingotti, a 2010 stallion who has just earned his Hanoverian license/approval through performance and live inspection.

Bingotti is a chestnut stallion who offers solid dressage bloodlines with that desirable dash of jumper blood: he is by Bugatti Hilltop, out of a mare by Krack C, whose dam was solidly jumper-bred.

Bingotti at his Hanoverian inspection,
trot work "like a metronome."
Rider: Carrie Wilson.
Photo: John Robinson

He attended the Hanoverian inspection at Morven Park, Leesburg, Virginia on October 12, with judges George Walker (Middlefield Farm, SC), Cathy Tucker-Slaterbeck (MD), and Suzanne Quarles (Some Day Soon Farm, MD). The inspection is hosted by the Mid-Atlantic Hanoverian Breeders.

Bingotti's owner and breeder, Kathleen Swalwell of Three Fillies Farm, Michigan, was pleased to receive positive and encouraging comments from the judges.

"Suzanne Quarles was especially impressed with his temperament, rideability and overall behavior - while surrounded by mares and babies. She said there are lots of great stallions out there, but not all have his temperament and agreeable attitude. She found his trot work super solid, 'like a metronome'.

Bingotti at the Hanoverian inspection,
handled by Bruce Griffin III.
Photo: John Robinson

"George Walker also commented on his readability and told me I need to breed more just like him! Not to mentioned his presence, and his wonderful, uphill trot and canter."

The post-inspection wrap-up report written by Dennis Moore, president of the MAHB, gave this description:

"A highlight of the day was the chance to see the newly licensed, beautiful, deep cinnamon-colored, 2010 Hanoverian stallion, Bingotti. He already had racked up excellent dressage scores at the Prix St. Georges level, but he had not previously been presented for approval of his conformation and basic gaits. ... Although scores for stallions are not announced, to my eyes he exhibited great presence, excellent temperament and rideability (particularly surrounded by so many mares), rhythmic, uphill movement in both trot and canter, and an excellent walk."

Stallion Grand Champion, Bingotti at Devon 2018

Bingotti has been demonstrating his own abilities through competition from the beginning, starting as a yearling, and currently competing successfully at Prix St. Georges. He also wowed the judges at the Dressage at Devon breed classes in 2018. He won the big one - Stallion Grand Champion - after setting the stage by earning first place with 83.8% in Four-Year-Old and Older Stallions; he was Mature Horse Grand Champion, and won the Born in the USA Championship.

Bingotti was not only born in the USA, but bred in the USA, by his owner, Kathleen Ann Robb Swalwell, and her husband Don, of Three Fillies Farm in Michigan.

The first foals by Bingotti are expected in 2021. Bingotti is available with high-quality frozen semen.

Click here to learn more about Bingotti.

Contact owner Kathy Swalwell.

Follow Bingotti on Facebook. 

Bingotti, champion at Devon 2018

USEA YEH and FEH 2020

US Eventing Association:

Luxury Mail, the 2020 Dutta Corp. USEA YEH West Coast 5-year-old Champion.
Tina Fitch Photography Photo.

"This weekend saw two busy days of competition for young horses on the West Coast with The Dutta Corp. USEA Young Event Horse and USEA Future Event Horse West Coast Championships at Twin Rivers Ranch in Paso Robles, California. Catch up with all the action and meet the six young horses that topped the championship leaderboards."

Tina Fitch Photography Photo

Sea Lioness, the 2020 USEA Future Event Horse West Coast 4-year-old Champion, who is a registered Oldenburg sired by Sea Lion, a Thoroughbred stallion who evented successfully at the highest level. 

For more about Sea Lion, click here.  

Click here for Fast Facts about the event.

Click here for the Day 1 story.

Click here for the Day 2 story.

Foundation Sire: Krack C

 Here is the next installment of Warmblood Stallions of North America’s Foundation Friday.  Every other Friday we will be featuring a foundation sire - one who has been influential in the development of warmblood breeds. We pull from the incredible archive of The Horse Magazine, published by Chris Hector of Australia. Thank you, Chris, for permission to draw on your expertise!

1992–2017
169 cm
Bay
Breeder: Stoeterij 't' Centrum

Krack C is by one the most successful Dutch sire of dressage horses, Flemmingh, and out of a mare that is solidly jumping bred: by the Lucky Boy son Beaujolais out of a mare by a son of Farn. So there is nothing on Krack C’s dam line that says “Dressage” – except the way he moves… ... Krack C represented Holland with Anky van Grunsven at the 2002 WEG …. He has been a very successful sire in Holland and has produced numerous successful young dressage horses. … Krack C’s licensed sons include: Redford (Ferro), Trento B (Ramiro), Tuschinski (Pion), Tolando (Rubinstein), United (Partout), Velazquez (Alasca), Vivaldi (Jazz), Webster (Ulft)and Zhivago (Jazz). … On the 2016/17 KWPN breeding values for stallions with a reliability of over 90%, Krack C is in 19th place with a value of 136 (Conformation – 108, free movement – 109). He is credited with 1509 progeny over 4, 626 competitors, that’s an impressive 41.48%. Krack C, who had had soundness problems for several seasons, was retired from competition in February 2008 at an official ceremony at the 2008 KWPN Stallion Licensing. …

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There's much more to this article about Krack C on the Horse Magazine website! Click here.

Meet the stallion descendant of Krack C on WarmbloodStallionsNA.com. Click here:

Bingotti

Riverman, 1990–2020

In Memoriam Riverman 1990–2020

Some endings you just can never be ready for and saying goodbye to Riverman has been one of those moments that proved impossible to prepare ourselves for. Despite the calendar saying he was 30 years old this year, Riverman had seemed to defy the idea of aging and we greedily hoped we would have more time with the grand stallion.

Bred by Adolf Ratjen, Riverman (Redfort-Landego) made his mark early being named Reserve Champion of his Holsteiner Licensing in 1992. Hilltop Farm was fortunate enough to acquire the handsome stallion in 1995 and his US debut culminated in winning the Grand Championship of Dressage at Devon. Breeders immediately took notice and his impact as a top-sire is undeniable. Riverman has been named the USEF Eventing Sire of the Year 5 times, was honored with the USEF South Pacific Award (for the Top US-based Show Jumping Sire) 3 times, was on the WBFSH Sire Rankings List, and has sired Grand Prix Jumpers, Grand Prix Dressage Horses, Advanced Level Eventers, Advanced Level Driving Horses, and numerous successful Hunters. His versatility as a sire was remarkable.

Riverman was also a bit of a rock star. He was often on the top of the list to see for visitors to the Hilltop Farm -- it didn't matter if they were breeders or what discipline they were interested in -- everyone knew of Riverman. He was a consummate showoff and loved when we did Stallion Shows. His music was always "Simply the Best" - one of the few musical selections that the staff agreed on unanimously. He also seemed to know when a camera was around and always had a bright expression and perfect pose ready.

So, while we feel broken hearted right now, we also know how incredibly blessed we have been to have Riverman at the center of life at Hilltop for 25 wonderful years. Thank you to all of River's people who have loved him so well!

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Riverman was one of the first stallions listed on this website, back when it was the Sporthorse Directory. He was listed here for just over 13 years. Rest in peace, Riverman. Our condolences to everyone who loved him.

Hilltop Farm stallions currently listed on this site:

C Olivo
Machin x Carbonero V
Elegant and modern PRE stallion!

Contucci
Caprimond x Lungau
2x USEF Sire of the Year, offspring winning in-hand through Grand Prix

Everdale
Lord Leatherdale x Negro
Stallion Test Champion, PAVO Cup Winner, and FEI Competitor

Fiti AL
Jondo x Empaque
First PRE Stallion Approved by the GOV & ARS!

Flamenco YM
Diamante Negro x Dadivoso IX
A modern PRE stallion offering FEI talent!

Fürst Belagio FOD
Fürst Belissaro x Rotspon
Newly AHS & ARS Approved!

GK Calucci
Calido I x Acord II
Grand Prix Show Jumper under professional & amateur riders

Gallant Reflection HU
Galant du Serein x Rohdiamant
Reserve Champion of his Stallion Test with scores over 120 points

George Clooney
De Niro x Wolkentanz
An excellent pedigree that is proven for top sport!

Glamourdale
Lord Leatherdale x Negro
World Champion 7-Year Old

Jayson
Johnson x Negro
Impressive FEI driven pedigree with names such as Jazz and Negro!

Kjento
Negro x Jazz
KWPN Stallion Test Champion and Res. Champion at PAVO Cup Final!

Lantanas
Sir Donnerhall x Hemmingway
Exciting new option for 2020!

Louisville HTF
Lord Leatherdale x Negro
Cooled Semen Lord Leatherdale-Negro option!

Negro
Ferro x Variant
Sire of Olympic & World Champion Valegro!

Olivi
Jazz x Aktion
Proven Sire of Top-Quality Dressage Horses - Highly Ranked on KWPN & WBFSH Standings

Pikko del Cerro HU
Pik L x Rohdiamant
International Grand Prix Dressage Stallion & 3x USEF National Championship Winner

Popeye
FS Pour l'Amour x Night Star I
A sport pony with an unmatched record here in North America!

Qredit
Quaterback x Dream of Glory
2x USDF Horse of the Year winner and Grand Prix Competitor

Royal Prince
Rohdiamant x Prince Thatch xx
4th at World Championships for Young Horses; 5x USEF Sire of the Year

Royal Prinz
Royal Diamond x Dream of Glory
Now Hanoverian approved!

Rubinero
Rubinstein I x Ex Libris
High-quality gaits, a gentleman’s character, and exceptional rideability

Sternlicht
Soliman De Hus x Rascalino
3x US National Champion & USDF All-Breeds Winner

Talisman
Toulon x Alexis Z
IJF winner, Exceptional choice for the Hunter and Jumper Market

Woodbury's Harlequin
Ferguson Uno x Moleview Mohawk
Offspring Inherit Beautiful Type & Scope

Riverman also has one approved son on this site: Rip Tide.

KER: Bone Adaptation In Growing Foals

Did you know that foals typically spend 80% of their time standing still? A study has shown that that is the case with Standardbred foals between 2 and 5 months. It's probably true of other breeds as well, and it has implications for proper bone development. 

If you assume that horses are built to move all the time, walking as they graze, perhaps grazing in a pasture doesn't offer as much scope.

Read the article from Kentucky Equine Nutrition for details. Click here.

Photo: Hanna V / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

October 2020 World Breeding News Released

 

The October edition of the World Breeding News has been released. If you're interested in breeding news from all over the globe, check it out. There is a tribute to Berlin, "a special stallion and a wonderful sporting career," as well as other news from Europe, New Zealand, Brazil, and more. 

On page 24 is another article about the growing capabilities in gene editing, which has the potential to change everything we know about breeding and competing sport horses.

Of special interest to North American breeders, a quick tour of the Canadian province of British Columbia, with its four distinct areas, each with its sport horse breeding farms. 

Paul Loomis, of Select Equine Sires, contributes an article on how to understand progressive motility in stallion semen. If that is of interest, be sure to click here and read the article in this news blog by Jos Mottershead on the same topic. Good reading in both articles.

Click here to read the latest World Breeding News.

Nutrition for Foals

Below is a release from Uckele Health & Nutrition on foal nutrition, with an emphasis on balancing mineral and protein needs, especially lysine, against the need to not overdo the calories.

theHorse: Breeding Older Mares

 

"Are you thinking about breeding an older mare next spring? Remember there are still steps—some simple, some cutting-edge—breeders can take to obtain a foal from mares with waning fertility."

This is from a new article on theHorse.com that discusses some of the issues with breeding an older mare - and some of the "good management practices and veterinary advancements" that can help.

It's quite a detailed article, delving into each of the areas that might cause issues as a mare ages.

theHorse.com: Read the article here.

Kentucky Equine Research also has an article on breeding the older mare, with emphasis on the value of omega-3 fatty acids in the mare's diet. It includes interesting details of how an egg develops.

Read the KER article here.

I would personally like to see these articles discussing whether it's good for the mare to artificially extend her breeding life. It's one thing if you're transferring embryos, and another if you make the mare endure the stress of bearing more foals after her body has said she's had enough. 

HorseMagazine: Donnerhall - a Tribute

Instead of Warmblood Stallions of North America’s Foundation Friday, today we recommend a special tribute to one of the most significant foundation sires of our time. Every other Friday we normally feature a foundation sire - one who has been influential in the development of warmblood breeds. We pull from the incredible archive of The Horse Magazine, published by Chris Hector of Australia. Thank you, Chris, for permission to draw on your expertise! Today's post is about Chris's recent tribute to Donnerhall.

This photo, from the HorseMagazine archives, was taken by the late Werner Ernst. 

The great stallion was born in 1981 and died in 2006, but not before he established a dynasty that continues to dominate international dressage. Donnerhall was the founding stallion at one of the first truly glamorous private studs – Grönwohldhof.

The article is a real tribute, and includes interviews (past and present) with those who knew the stallion best. It starts with the statement, "It must be admitted that Donnerhall hardly comes from a ‘good family.’" and, in support of this, comments that his sire, Donnerwetter, "disappeared into the wilds of the United States in the 1970s." It is certainly true that the horses sold to us by Europeans were almost never their best horses, even when they claimed they were.

The article quotes Karin Rehbein, his famous rider, from an interview from 2000, six years before Donnerhall died. "He is still fantastic; he could still go out and win right now."

"Donnerhall’s talent was apparent right from the start, and he scored 131.92 to be second in his performance test at Adelheidsdorf in 1984. Donnerhall’s competition career is the stuff of legend. He won many Grand Prix, Grand Prix Specials and Freestyles for Mrs Rehbein."

The big tribute is to Donnerhall as a sire. "What Donnerhall seems to give to his offspring is a trainability and a strength to handle the more collected work, even if their natural paces are not so spectacular. It would seem that the mix of Donnerhall and a large drop of ‘blood’ (Thoroughbred that is) in the dam is more likely to produce competition horses."

He takes a look at the sheer number of Donnerhall horses represented at the Olympics and other significant events. At the 2014 WEG, for example, there were 13 D-line horses were in the field of 103, and nearly half of the horses in the Freestyle were descendants of Donnerhall.

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To read the full salute to Donnerhall on the Horse Magazine website, click here. The Horse Magazine also has a "Foundation Sires" article about Donnerhall here.

There are quite a few stallion descendants of Donnerhall in North America. Click on the following links to read about each of the ones on WarmbloodStallionsNA.com:

Dacaprio

Devon Heir

Dracula D’Avalon

George Clooney

First Dance

Hampton

Qredit

Royal Prinz

Wittala Theodor

Horse and Hound: Genetically-Modified Horse Embryo Reported

The future is here: you can now create a custom foal with specific genetic traits, like jumping ability, by modifying the genes at the egg and sperm stage. If you can afford it.

Horse clones are not a new thing. Quite a few clones exist of desirable and competitive horses, and several are competing worldwide. Famously, one polo player has competed with multiple clones of his favorite mare on his team.

The most recent news is that a genetically modified horse has now been produced. According to an article in Horse and Hound magazine, "Researchers in Argentina have produced what is believed to be the world’s first genetically edited horse embryo." 

The new technology combines cloning with genetic modifications. According to the researchers, 

"The application of new technologies for gene editing in horses may allow the generation of improved sportive individuals."

There has already been discussion of how the existence of clones will affect competition; now the stakes have gotten even higher. 

Read the article in Horse and Hound here.

Read the research paper here.

Orbiting DNA image: Zephyris / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

theHorse: Broodmare Nutrition: Preparing for Fall and Winter

Is your broodmare in good body condition and prepared for winter? A new article by theHorse.com can help you evaluate your mare's condition, and how to improve it as we head into fall. 

The article looks at how body condition scores are calculated, and at what point a low score can affect reproductive efficiency. They also point out that a too high score will probably not affect your mare's reproductive capacity, but might put her at risk for other issues.

It addresses pasture and hay, as well as concentrates and supplements.

Read the article here.

Photo credit: Guilhermegarcia90 / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

HorseMagazine: The Modern Influence of Bay Ronald and Precipitation

Furioso, son of Precipitation and sire of Furioso II, "the most influential stallion in modern sporthorse breeding full stop."

From a new article by Christopher Hector of The Horse Magazine, Australia:

"Precipitation was born in 1933 and died in 1957, Bay Ronald was born in 1893 and died in 1907, and yet these two stallions are still influential today in the world of sport horses and it seems their influence is getting stronger as the two lines become more and more entwined…

"Almost anyone who has even the faintest knowledge of jumping bloodlines knows the names Precipitation and Bay Ronald, but what is perhaps a little more surprising is the way these two have shaped modern dressage breeding in tandem—what started out as a survey of two stallion lines became much more interesting in the process of researching the story."

Enjoy the full article, which tracks descendants and percentages, and charts modern influence - click here.

CWHBA Fall Classic Sale Online Now

The Canadian Warmblood Horse Breeders Association offers "warmblood horses bred in Canada to international standards" in its annual fall sale. The bidding is open! Live now until October 5!

Click here to view horses.

Click here to register to bid.