Holsteiner sourcing question

[ponymom64]

In the next year or so, I’m planning on starting a search for a new hunter prospect (aiming for the A/O, high performance etc) for my DD. She’s ridden quite a few horses from the “C” holsteiner line and we really like the temperament, jump and look of these horses and would like to try to find something from that line, if possible. Where would we start? Are there any breeders in the US or would we have to exclusively look in Europe? It could on the younger side with a good foundation but minimal show exposure, doesn’t have to be made up.

Also, would love any insight into the breeding and what kinds of things or other lines I should research as we begin to look.

And this is sort of an off the wall/out of curiosity question but here goes it: the horse she’s riding now (reg Oldenburg sired by Capriol, no info on the damside except maybe she was sired by Quidam?) has light brown eyes which we love - is there specific breeding that this can be attributed to? She’s ridden a Quidam a few years ago that also had the light eyes, so wondered if it came from there? Just curious because it seems so unique and it is very handsome, IMO

Thanks so much

[vineyridge]

Almost all Holsteiners these days are one or the other of the C lines. There are two–Capitol and Cor de Bryere. You’re going to find stallions from the Holsteiner C lines in almost all registries today. Their genetics are treasured everywhere and they are ubiquitous. You’re going to find them in the US, Canada, and the rest of the world. They just may not have C names.

You should know that the tail male (Y chromosome) is the same in almost all horses ever studied everywhere in the world. There was a mutation in the Y that is in Arabs and modern horses bred in the West and another in horses who derive tail male from Whalebone (TB). This was a mutation that occurred between Whalebone’s grandsire, Eclipse, and Whalebone’s sons (i.e could have been Waxy or Whalebone) that has been found in DNA studies of selected regions to differ from the “usual”, pre-Whalebone, Arab/modern Western horse Y chromosome in only one small aspect. Since all modern sport stallions have TBs back in tail male and most of them do go back to Whalebone, it’s probable that the Holsteiner Y chromosome is identical to the vast majority of TBs.

Other than the Y, the tail male genetics are just as subject to recombination as the ancestors in the other positions. So you should get just as much of the Capitol and Corde genes from horses throughout the pedigree as from tail male–but they will be more concentrated the closer they are.

What I’m suggesting is that you need to look at more that just tail male/sireline for the genes that you want.

[ponymom64]

Haha - that makes no sense to me, but I do appreciate your efforts to help! The ones we’ve liked are all from Capital I (Cassini, Capriol, Cardino)I if that will help clarify

[showjumpers66]

Look at the mothers first and foremost if you are looking for a prospect. Find those motherlines that are producing the qualities that you are seeking. The Holsteiner motherlines are giving a stamm number to identify the family that they are from.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holsteiner_horse

http://www.holsteiner-stutenstaemme.com/us/usa.html

We have a primarily Holsteiner broodmare base and do produce hunter prospects from time to time from our jumper bred mares. Our newest is by Vallado (aka Praise) and out of an imported Holsteiner mare (Latano II / Montanus / Fantus stamm 1734). She is currently doing the pregreens and has great potential in the A/Os and derbys … definitely a keeper for us. Another is Casall / Quinar / Capitol I stamm 776. She did the pregreens and is taking a break to have foals.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=348476878527999&set=a.164179800291042.29602.163360860372936&type=3&theater

As to the light eye question, I really can’t say. I would think that eye color would go hand in hand with color in most cases, i.e. the dilute colors (buckskin, palomino, etc.) tend to have a lighter eye.