Pony Hunter Breeding and Bloodlines

[Horizon]

If you were looking for a quality pony hunter broodmare, or young pony hunter stallion prospect, what bloodlines would you search out and why? What trends are emerging with modern breeding and what bloodlines are tried and true and highly desirable? (both to breeders and to the general hunter pony market) What pony bloodlines cross the best with one another?

I see a lot of threads on COTH that discuss which HORSE lines cross the best, but I have yet to see a discussion about it for ponies.

Furthermore, I’ve noticed that pony hunter breeders often line breed. What stallions have been the most successfully line bred? Are there any other studs that you think should be doubled up in a pedigree?

A lot of questions, I know. Hopefully we can get a good discussion going here

[Daventry]

I think you will find a variety of answers…just as you would if you asked warmblood breeders, etc. I personally like some of the old tried and true pony hunter bloodlines, i.e. Farnley Lustre, Cymraeg Rain Beau, *Sleight of Hand, Gayfields, but I don’t personally seek out a particular broodmare based on bloodlines. What is most important to me is the mare herself - conformation, movement, temperament, show record, etc. If she has great bloodlines on top of that, or siblings winning in the ring, etc., it’s a huge bonus! As a result, we have a variety of mares in our program that are suited to our own personal tastes.

I will say that there are several “younger” generation pony stallions that I believe will end up leaving a big mark on the pony hunter circuit in the future - Blue Who, Land’s End Adagio, Sugarbrook Blue Pacific, *Telynau Royal Anthem and *Telynau Royal Charter. As a result of that “hunch” and being impressed with the offspring, we have added a few of those lines to our program.

I am not a fan of inbreeding/line breeding…whatever you want to call it It’s not something I would ever intentionally do in my program, so I can’t speak to what works and what doesn’t.

[Fastjofast]

I’m a relative newbie to pony breeding. I’ve noticed in my area that a lot of pony breeders like the british riding ponies and imported bloodlines from the UK. They seem to have their niche market and do quite well for themselves. I have decided to use proven US hunter pony bloodlines in my program.

I was influenced by several of my trainer’s lovely ponies who were by Blue Rain, Blue Fox and Gayfields Vida Blue. This got me looking at the USEF leading pony hunter sire list and I’ve tried to use stallions at or near the top of that list that are well proven by their offspring at the big AA shows and well represented at Pony Finals. I have a beautiful filly by Blue Fox and this year I am expecting a foal by Farnley Belshazzar.

My broodmare is crossbred mare that competed in the large pony division on our A circuit and did quite well. I think I will also be getting another mare this summer who is also well proven on the circuit. I would love to be able to add some bloodlines from the usef list to my broodmares when the right opportunity comes along

I just recently purchased a 2012 colt that I plan on keeping intact. He’s by Blue Rain out of Benlea Laureate (by Benlea Rambler). Lately I have been delving into pedigree research and I will be paying close attention to this thread for potential matches to my guy in the future

[Lorelei_Welsh]

I have a colt I am raising as a stallion (Smoke Tree Poetry in Motion) who I show on the line in Pony Hunter Breeding and he is by *Smoke Tree Spun Gold (deceased) out of a Boston Bentick mare. I also have two other mares who I think have a very lofty, flat-kneed movement. The first (Rose) is by *Wedderlie Maradonna (deceased, but full brother to *Wedderlie Mardi Gras) and out of a Bronheulog Royal mare, the other (Tamzin) is an imported mare by Holyoake Fire Sprite (deceased) out of a Millcroft Royal Lustre mare.

I have seen some really lovely foals from *Telynau Royal Charter, *Telynau Royal Anthem, and Smoke Tree Dragon Tail (who is also by *Smoke Tree Spun Gold). I have heard that Lane’s End Adagio, Carolinas Red Fox, Lane’s End Poseidon and Otteridge Foxtrot (among countless others I am surely forgetting!) throw nice foals but haven’t had the pleasure of seeing any in person to give an opinion.

I also echo Daventry’s comment about looking at each individual pony. A pony can be beautifully bred but still not be the type you are looking for due to some genetic hiccup. There are some really lovely ponies to be purchased out there right now, best of luck!

[VirginiaBred]

I’m a firm believer in continuing the old welsh lines with at least one side of your breeding equation. So, if you’re interested in using a newer line on one side, go with a proven line on the other.

I try to use the old lines on both because they ARE old lines and need to be continued to avoid them dying out.

Farnley had many stallions but some were far more prolific for performance than others. The Downland lines that were brought forward (to Dolrhedryn, for example) are outstanding.

As in anything you want to do well, you have to do your homework. Too many new breeders go on looks only and forgo the necessary “background check” so important in breeding. If there isn’t significant performance results in the get of some of these stallions…keep looking.

[092556]

![](f you are looking to add some CYMRAEG RAIN BEAU & SOLWAY MASTER BRONZE blood to your breeding program checkout KOKOPELLI BEAUS N ARROWS. He is the only Reg. Welsh son of “CYMRAEG RAIN BEAU” offered at stud, he will be standing for the first time to the public at Hedgerow Pony Farm.

[IMG]http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa170/hacooke/BamBamadweb.jpg)

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/beaus+and+arrows

[VirginiaBred]

How interesting 092556…