Has anyone had any experience breeding to Finest or Negro? There are so many choices to choose from and I am not sure where to find what type of stallion would be best for my mare. My mare is out of Contango, very hot, dainty face, and modern leggy, standing at 16.2H. If I had to point to traits that I would like to improve on her it would be Ridebability (super HOT) and strong legs. Plus I am an Amazon so height is important. 
Have you asked Iron Spring Farms ? (They stood Contango, I’m pretty sure).
Woodlander breeders suggest just trying to improve one or two things on your mare - the stallion cannot do it all, so good suggestion on improving your mare.
I think these days it is harder to find smaller horses - they all seem to be 17 hands.
I don’t know that I would breed to Negro specifically to quiet a temperament. He is by Ferro. Breeding to Rubenstein line for temperament, yes.
That said, I think it is hard to offer an opinion unless you have ridden a variety of the stallion’s offspring (and every horse has a dam) so take it with a grain of salt. What is hot to one person, may be perfect for a pro and so on. It’s just that some stallions are known for temperament.
Finest is a more elegant type. Both have strengths, but you are looking at two different types of stallion imo. I agree on figuring out what trait is the most important to you.
Negro actually has a good rep for throwing amateur temperaments BUT he will not add much height i wouldnt have thought?
from what you want im not sure Finest will do it either.
keep looking and i think R line too.
[QUOTE=WhimsicalRuby;8821816]
Has anyone had any experience breeding to Finest or Negro? There are so many choices to choose from and I am not sure where to find what type of stallion would be best for my mare. My mare is out of Contango, very hot, dainty face, and modern leggy, standing at 16.2H. If I had to point to traits that I would like to improve on her it would be Ridebability (super HOT) and strong legs. Plus I am an Amazon so height is important. :)[/QUOTE]
I have a yearling Finest filly and had a colt also who sadly had an accident a few months back and was PTS. Both were superb foals, the full brother to my colt was 7th in the German Foal Championship this year. He makes very leggy, elegant foals. Obviously cant comment on the ridability given that none of his offspring are under saddle yet. But my yearling filly is a huge mover, has a nice attitude and is very tall. Having met the stallion in person, I wouldnt have classed him as exceptionally hot. Here is my colt foal at a few months old.
Cant comment on Negro, I only breed with German stallions. One i have gone with is Don Noblesse this year, on a Weltmeyer mare, so excited to see what is produced. He is such a gorgeous stallion and performs himself which is so important. Have been around him at the Pape’s stallion barn and he has a great attitude.
I’ve have/had two Negros and one Finest. All colts that were eventually gelded. The Finest is by far the better mover. None are tall and none easy amateur types. My favorite is the Finest and I would consider using him again. FWIW, I also have a Chippendale (Negro grandsire) 2yo who is indeed very much an ammy type with a perfect conformation, fabulous neck set, and wonderfully easy to work with - even though him dam was a hotter type by Sandro Hit.
