Catoo - why did he become a dressage horse?

[kathrinef]

Might be a bit of a weird question for anyone reading this who actually knows the answer; but why is Catoo now a dressage horse?

Seeing his breeding, Con Air x Caletto I, he is jumping bred through and through, so why would they show him as a dressage horse? Not doubting his talent as one, just wondering if he was planned as a dressage horse, if it “just happened” or did he just not have talent as a jumping horse?

I just bought an unbroken mare by him, damsire Lancer II. When I saw her pedigree I recognized Con Air and Lancer II of course, so I thought of her to be very jumping bred. But doing some research about Catoo made me think maybe she was supposed to be a dressage horse?

Anyone knows if he is mainly being used as a dressage sire - or even both?

Thanks for any info or input

[Katona]

If I’m reading this correct (and I may not be) he seems to have scored significantly higher in dressage than jumping at his stallion approvals: http://holsteiner-verband.de/front_content.php?client=1&lang=2&idart=2843

[DownYonder]

As often said on this forum and elsewhere, jumping blood can be a big bonus in dressage horses, because it adds hindquarter power, as well as scopeyness to the canter.

Jumping-bred horses don’t always succeed as jumpers, esp. in Europe where they expect international quality scope and boldness from their jumpers - and esp. from jumper stallions (jumper breeders don’t breed to stallions that are lacking scope/boldness, etc.). That is one big reason why so many jumping bred horses end up in NA as hunters.

Some of these horses have really nice “dressage-type” gaits - big slinky, ground-covering walks, fancy trots with good rhythm, impulsion, joint articulation, etc., and powerful, pure canters, plus they show good ability to take weight behind (sit-ability), plus they have good minds/rideability for dressage training. Ergo, they can do very nicely as dressage horses.

Whether they breed-on more for dressage or for jumpers is a toss-up, and usually depends on the other side of the equation (i.e., the mare). Breeding a stallion like this to a mare that is strongly jumper bred, and from a family that usually has what the stallion is lacking (scope, boldness, etc.), could produce a decent jumper. Breeding him to a mare with a strong dressage-oriented pedigree could produce a quite nice dressage horse, or a hunter type.

[alexandra]

Catoo showed very good gaits so he was presented at bundeschampio at for Holstein. At that age jumping classes are anyways in Germany not existent so they took the chance. He than scored so well and was placed that he is considered a dressage horse since and shown as one.

A different aspect is Thant ask whether he is dressage stallion or not. For me Rhodos a different question ! As said above a horse that has typical jumper traits can be in any case a good addition in dressage horse breeding to improve certain things.
Catoo has never the less a pedigree of jumpers and I would think a lot. Store using him. I believe with such a horse/pedigree a decision whether it fits or not to a mare is much more difficult, than with a stallion bred as dressage horse for generations. But this does not mean he is a good or bad dressage stallion one can not say just like that - one has to put him into relation and a concept.