I’d love to hear feed backs of breeders who have used Christ frozen semen… And of breeders who had Christ foals in the past. Good and bad. I am considering him for one of my mares next year.
Thanks!
Kathy St. Martin had one this year. 
[QUOTE=Spike;6591992]
I’d love to hear feed backs of breeders who have used Christ frozen semen… And of breeders who had Christ foals in the past. Good and bad. I am considering him for one of my mares next year.
Thanks![/QUOTE]
Yes, had a filly this year out of Dixieland Jazz d’Avalon (Don Principe x Mata Hari/Mannhattan). She was a bit standoffish and had moments of sheer stubbornness, but once she was convinced that life was easier and everyone was happier if she would cooperate, she never looked back and would do whatever was requested of her. Definitely not a warm and fuzzy kind of girl, but oh so beautiful. She ended up being a premium foal and a foal of distinction at her inspection and the comment was made that she was not typical temperament wise…as she went right up to the inspector for a scratch. Curious and bold.
We bought two doses of semen a few years ago. Semen was “okay”…not stellar or rocket fuel. Mare was a young maiden. We repeated the breeding this year and bred the mare on her foal heat. She is pregnant again. With that said, we don’t even check our mares until they are at least 10 days post foaling and everything must have been textbook before we will attempt to breed on that cycle.
So, with all of that said, I know several breeders have not been successful with the semen. I believe there are only a handful of his babies here in North America. If you are going to use it, work with a good reproductive specialist and a good, reproductively sound mare. In discussing the mare to use with Christ, make sure she has an absolutely impeccable temperament.
I don’t have photos of the filly on this computer, but will post some later. She really is stunning
Edited to add you can see some photos of her here:
Thanks Katy for the feedback! I will continue my investigation Temperament is very important for me, but temperament of the mare is a 10+ and her foal from this year, despite being full of himself, is a quick and attentive learner. He is sensible (and have a big sense of justice) but indeniably attracted to human kind, and scratches and attention…
Anybody else who have tried him? Where did you bought the semen?
I have one that I bought in Germany. She was always a very friendly confident foal, and never changed even now at three under saddle. She is very sensible, but again, that I am sure has been influenced by the mother. She has a big engine but is not “hot.” I really like her and was going to sell her but instead am waiting since I love riding her and she has so much talent. She has a phenomenal hind leg and three really good gaits. She is Christ-Stedinger-Cartousch from the damline of Falcao and For Edition. I would only breed Christ to a mare with a super character though. He was really hot.
I cant comment on semen quality. My experience is that they are rather difficult under saddle. One of my breeder friends has a Christ mare he send off for training and after 3 months, they are barely on her (they usually have them w/t/c in 3 weeks, and starts 60 plus a year for years!!) the breeder called and asked about the filly as the full brother (4 year old) was VERY difficult (still). similar sightings of horses show/in auctions and just talking to breeders. All have a dam of course, so if your dam is ueber quiet and you need some pep, then…
But who knows, ones they are worked for a while they might have the PEP for upper levels?
just my 02 cents
Linda, my Christ filly is perfect as a future GP horse so I judge her by that metric. She was a little sensitive to start and has lots of go, but is less reactive than my Royal Hit-Le Coeur mare for example.
The Christ filly that went through the last GOV elite auction had a very good character, and the Christ-Rohdiamant licensed stallion that Kira W rides is also good to ride.
My Christ filly is not one you ever need to kick, but I can also ride her with spurs and a whip if so desired.
If people like horses that want to be lazy or kick on under saddle, Christ might not be the sire for them, but again you have to see.
There are some that are extra sensitive too though as you say. I have heard some stories as you did, but if they get in good hands they seem to do fine. The Don Fredericos and some others also have reputations so you just have to figure out the horse you have and make a system work for them.
I’ve got 6yo with idiopatic head shaking syndrome - Christ x Don Primero, it could be genetic so I don’t recommend
The other two that I know of are diffcult to ride, so I love Christ, he is the most beautiful in the world, but… not anymore.
