Can anyone tell me what the characteristics are of the Seattle Slew line? Do they tend to be good sport horses? Conformation wise, I have heard something about long back and wondered if this was true?
thanks,
I’ve had couple grandsons…and one with SS up close on both his dam and sire lines (he was probably the prettiest horse I’ve ever owned…just striking and would turn heads everywhere).
Usually they have decent bone. Good shoulders and good movers. I haven’t noticed that they were long backed…but they were not the super short backed type that seem to be the rage right now. Just good correct conformation. I don’t usually think of that line to throw huge scope in jumping…but nice all around types. Both mine went on to be very nice hunters. Classically beautiful heads and necks with that sort of sweeping daisy cutter movement.
I generally don’t like the Slew lines for eventing. Individual horses, obviously, vary from poor to wonderful. Last one we had was long backed, very poor feet but was a good boy.
There was a saying in the TB world when Seattle Slew was breeding that there were only two types of Slew foals–really good ones and really bad ones. The “eh” ones were missing. The bad ones got crooked legs and generally bad temperaments. The good ones got good legs, talent and good temperaments.
In succeeding generations, I think the norm is a 16 hand bay with average (less than stellar) conformation and a decent temperament. He’s not one of the lines I would seek out for sport, unless the mare or horse in front of you was really exceptional. I do think they have normal soundness; you’re not often going to find a Slew that is broken down by age eight in sport horse work.
I should add…I don’t seek out that line as eventers either. Both of mine were lovely horses…but more the lovely lower level sort.
One could (and did) win any hack class in top company…and would do well in lower level dressage, novice eventing etc. He was just a beautiful to look at…nice all round low level horse. And that’s what I sold him to be (instead of keeping him as my event horse since my goals were higher than he would have been able to do). He didn’t have quite the jump to be a really top hunter—although he had the movement. This was him: http://www.pedigreequery.com/skip11
I have known two grandsons with neurological issues. That’s FWIW. Both lovely big strapping horses, no idea if there is a connection, but I thought I’d mention it.
I’ve known a few sons and grandsons, owned one son. They were all punks. Super athletic, horrible attitudes.
My Slew granddaughter is lovely, talented, has a great work ethic, and is one of the soundest horses I’ve known. I would say her back is an average length.
Pretty heads and hunter movement. I have seen really big boned and really fine boned ones. Intelligent. All the ones I have seen had very good legs.
I have owned a Slew granddaughter and currently own a grandson. Both were on the damside FWIW. The mare was french bred on the topside, a big strapping 16.2h, plain dark bay, pretty head, nice topline (not long), lovely mover, very correct, very athletic, but claustrophobic (didn’t race until 4, ran once, told us it took them eighteen months to get her to break from the gate–suspect an accident of some sort). The colt is by Smarty Jones, only 3, 16h and growing, gorgeous head, excellent mover, short-coupled and strong back, super athletic, and has the best attitude and mind… hands down my favorite horse I have ever ridden including my old Intermediate mare and my current Training level eventer.
Jennifer
I know trainers that wont touch one with a ten foot pole. I myself am not a fan of SS bred horses. Who ever said “great” and “terrible” was right. SS was one of the most overbred stallions in the TB world. It’s extremely hard to get AWAY from SS breeding in a purebred TB. Like others I have found them have bad temperments (sometimes outright shittty!), often on the smaller side (though no always depending on what else is bred in there) and they are either really sound or not at all. To many (in my opinion/experience) has very bad lower legs. Like I said I’ve known a LOT of trainers in my life who are emedietly turned off at the mention of SS breeding, mostly due to tempermen and soundness issues. Personally I do not care for the line.
It’s funny; I asked b/c I have two horses out of the same mare who has Seattle Slew on her side. She is by the sire Houston who is by Seattle Slew. A mare and a gelding. And yes, both are head turners with correct conformation. I LOVE both of them. They are very athletic and have great movement and tons of scope, and are both really sound, even after race careers.
They are different in personality than each other and I would say, not amateur rides, so maybe that’s what people don’t like, I am not sure??
Anyway, thanks for the opinions, I was just curious as to what people thought…
Got on a couple of Houtson’s at the track but many SSs. When they came in as 2yo’s they were easy to gallop and lovely temp. Next thing you know, they became the toughest horses in the barn to gallop. And no, we weren’t making them that way because no other sire line was this consistent. I did gallop one named Scorpion who would at least let you bullsh** him. You knew within the first 2 strides what kind of day it would be. Don’t move, don’t breathe, don’t twitch, and all will be just dandy. Have to admit, I really liked old Scorpion.
Ticket to Houston carried on that fine traditiion too. I had only just arrived in California when she was down to work on my first day. Mike gave me the specific instructions of " don’t pull on the reins whatever you do, use your body for what you want and talk ", good great stuff. At least she was semi- rateable and not a total runoff, but she did go into the turn a little wide and I gotta tell ya, it’s so freaking hard not to pick up the reins at that point, but alas she was testing me and came right in when I didn’t touch her. Pulling up was a whole nother matter. Tried just easing to the outside and bring her down slowly with my voice and as soon as she was nearly pulled up she’d blast off again. So I thought FI, dropped my hands and she did a slow canter around the track again and pulled up in her own time. Once I got to know her and her little tricks, it became much easier. And no I didn’t get in trouble for going around again because most of the time when she breezed she ended up bolting to the outside fence, so going around again was better than that!
So yeah, the Slew line is not my favorite and I would run a country mile. Luckily for me, not too many over here.
Sorry so long winded,
Terri
How ironic! I own three Houston (Seattle Slew) children- two mares and a gelding. All three are drop dead gorgeous and very correct. The gelding will show in the Green confs year after next. The mares are both in my broodmare band. All three are extremely intelligent and very quiet. One of my mares was being ridden by an older ammy when she was three. I loved mine so much, one of my best friends went and bought another Houston daughter who just scored 50 points at the RPSI inspection and was the top scored TB in the nation this year.
The approved stallion, Gatsby, has Slew on his damside:
http://www.foxdalefarm.us/
Noble Houston (by Houston) has award-winning kids in APHA, AQHA, hunter, and warmblood circles.
http://www.noblehouston.com/
I think there are a couple more…can’t think of them at the moment.
I have eventing friends whose favorite horses have been Slew-line.
My Evansville Slew mare was champion mare at her RPSI inspection. She is hot, but very very sensible, and beautiful in a tall, narrow, upright, Sandro sort of way. She is 16.1, but throws the height of her 17H sire, even when bred to 16H WB stallions. Her kids are lovely to look at, and work with, and are awesome movers. I hope to present the 3y.o. colt to RPSI next year. I bred him to two of my own mares, with outstanding results.
This is an OTTB Evansville Slew jumper mare schooling 4’6"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg9KZ9TZk9I&feature=related
Back in the early 80’s quite a few ended up in show homes near me after they washed out at the track.
They were small, brown or dark bay, good movers but limited in jumping ability. In today’s H/J world they would have been 2’6" horses. They had a cute jump but maxed out early.
They disappointed as they looked like they would make up into something nice but didn’t go on to a good career.
But today most horses with Slew bloodlines have him pretty far back. At the closest 2 generations so his influence is diluted.
A few of them for sure had a screw loose but so did many horses that came off the track. More related to the track than bloodlines.
Glad you brought him up 
I chose him for what he did in his 100DT, for what his kids are starting to do, and, perhaps the most important, the very ammy-friendly temperament he seems VERY reliable in passing on.
It’s one thing to be a direct son/dtr of a stallion. But once you get the next generation away, and especially the next, you’re adding a lot of different blood to the mix, and with few exceptions, it’s not fair to judge a grandkid or great-grandkid based on 1 horse 2-3 generations back.
[QUOTE=JB;5114929]
It’s one thing to be a direct son/dtr of a stallion. But once you get the next generation away, and especially the next, you’re adding a lot of different blood to the mix, and with few exceptions, it’s not fair to judge a grandkid or great-grandkid based on 1 horse 2-3 generations back.[/QUOTE]
Funny thing is…even several generations out…a lot of them just have “a look”. I can be scrolling through horse pics, and one will catch my eye…nine times out of ten, it will be a Slew-line. I have seen that same comment posted a year or so ago on these forums by someone who works at a track.
Now that I can believe, as physical characteristics can be very strong. There are more than a few stallions out there whose kids and grandkids and great-grandkids are all very recognizable
I have a nice appendix QH mare with Seattle Slew on sire side. She is pretty and very easy to deal with, a bit mareish at times when being ridden but fairly easy. Does not have the best front legs in the world however. We plan to breed her to Indian Artbeat next spring.
