Dressage!

As hoopoe stated, no owner or sponsor names. However, designations of merit from breed registries are apparently permitted (as in Dante Weltino OLD and Abegglen NRW).

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Pedigree-wise they could go in lots of directions. She has a good bit of old blood in her pedigree, with none of the usual big-gun dressage sires up close (no Donnerhall, no Sandro Hit, no Florestan, no Totilas/Gribaldi, no Jazz, etc.). And an interesting tidbit is that her damsire is an Anglo-Arab. :smiley:

That said, I would think they would look at stallions that could add more power and scope to her lengthenings.

I saw at least a couple of grooms with this style of stool which made me happy since I am very much in the camp of do not mount from the ground unless absolutely necessary since it is better for everyone’s (rider and horse) body and equipment.

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Here’s another little dressage funny

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I loved Dick Button so much. Is he still alive?

Was that the actress Saorise Ronan?

He looked rather good in a shadbelly! Especially when the horse spooked at a camera. He did really well for someone who doesn’t ride on any kind of basis!

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She has done it all at the highest levels and at her age, this was undoubtedly her swan song. I think Isabell retires all of her greats around the late teens and often after Olympics if they coincide.

She does deserve, and will get, a grand retirement.

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What stallions would you suggest off-the-cuff? She would likely benefit from a more powerful and articulate hind-end but her spring in piaffe is pretty special. And, of course, her brain and work ethic seems fantastic. I’d want to keep that. (like she’s my mare!) She could go in so many directions. Yet if they plan to breed, she’s an older, I think maiden mare, so there’s a large roll of the dice there.

Who would you consider?

Agreed. Unless there is no other option, I’d rather save the wear and tear on the horse’s back and the saddle tree. I bought one of these stools the first year I shipped to USDF Finals in KY, since it needed to fit inside a trunk. I’ve gotten so much more use out of it than I ever expected.

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I don’t know

I love this!

https://www.tiktok.com/@peacocktv/video/6990859880596917509?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6897606240627049990&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0

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That.is.amazing

Looks like Mopsie is a TikTok star.

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Re stallions for Bella Rose - I have ideas on what I would do but I don’t trust myself so I would pick the brains of much more knowledgeable folks.

As someone mentioned, she isn’t a spring chicken anymore and I don’t believe she has ever been bred so it remains to be seen if she can catch and hold a pregnancy. Of course they may try embryo transfer so they can get as many foals out of her as possible (Isabell’s other mare, Weihegold, has produced over a dozen offspring by embryo transfer). But that route can be iffy, too - not every embryo will take in the recipient mare. And because of Bella’s age, frozen semen may not be an option so they won’t be able to use deceased big guns like Gribaldi or Negro or Jazz or Donnerhall/Don Schufro/De Niro (these three D-line stallions don’t have super reliable frozen semen anyway).

As I said she is such an open book pedigree-wise, there are many options for her. And she will no doubt get free stud offers from danged near every stallion owner in Europe. It will be really interesting to see who Isabell and Madeleine decide on for her - will they stick to only German stallions or will they venture to KWPN or DWB?

Thank you, but with all due respect, I can’t let you off the hook that easily. I’ve read your breeding posts for YEARS here. Lets pretend you own Bella Rose, no one is offering you free semen, you have deep enough pockets and a top repro specialist on speed dial, and want to breed another star who you’ll offer to Isabell Werth and she already agreed to try the horse and train/ride it for free if she likes it.

Who would you consider? At least, who would be on your long to short list? YOUR list.

Thanks! I don’t mean to put you on the spot but I know you have such a deep breeding knowledge and would love to pick your brain about your fantasy choices. I’d love to see anyone else’s suggestions, too.

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Fun article:

At the Tokyo Olympics, it’s gymnasts, skateboarders and even horses turning up the volume

Forgot the embedded link.

Dressage even showed up in the comics yesterday!


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Love it!!

I had one of those and I went right through it :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: