Management and Breeding Approach

Our breeding approach is based on a very deep understanding of jumping pedigrees going back many generations. Mares are paired with appropriate stallions based on what we believe would be a cross that creates offspring with the most desirable traits of both. We believe that, statistically speaking, the results of our breeding strategy compare favorably to any other top farm in Europe and, indeed, the world. On the management side, our two facilities are set up to focus on whatever we feel a horse needs to enhance the natural-born ability and enable it to be as successful as that ability allows it to be in our sport. Three basic elements that we feel are essential starting points are:

• Stabling:
  • Healthy stabling with plenty of space, light, and fresh air
• Exercise:
  • Individualized daily training regimens for all horses in training to include two daily exercise sessions for optimal physical conditioning consisting of one riding session and one session on the lunge or in the walker.
  • Regular turnout of all stallions and sport horses onto specially designed grass paddocks.
• Feeding:
  • Ensuring the highest quality of feed is given to all horses. We prefer to obtain our hay from local distributers even though it comes at a premium in terms of cost because buying in small quantities at regular intervals allows us better quality control.
  • Regular frequent feeding in small quantities:
    • Sport horses get roughage and grain three times a day in addition to a night time feeding of structured feed.
    • Horses in barns are provided with roughage ‘ad libitum’.

The facility has two indoor riding halls, one outdoor grass arena, one outdoor sand arena as well as a race track. Young horses and brood mares are kept outside on fields by the river all summer long. When winter comes, the young horses are brought in and kept in herds in big barns. The brood mares go into large individual stables to prepare for foaling. All young horses and mares are turned out daily onto all-weather paddocks during the winter to maintain their physical conditioning and mental health.