Seattle Slew line characteristics

I LOVED my Seattle Slew grandson. He was a huge bay at 17.2h and lots of bone. He raced until he was 10 with career earnings of $293,828 and was a multiple stakes placed horse. His trainer/owner retired him since the winter footing was bad and he didn’t want anything to happen to him. I retranied him in dressage since he had some old fibrotic myopathy on his hamstring and wouldn’t be a jumper. He had so much character! When you asked him for something and he didn’t want to do it he’d literally groan! But he did it anyway. He loved my daughter and was a kind soul. Unfortunately he had a pasture injury 2 years ago and hurt his leg and was put down.

I have a SS granddaughter by Crimson Slew <http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/charbonneau+slew3>. She was my dressage horse for a few years while I was waiting on the Oldenburg babies to grow up. She taught me a lot about “asking less, and getting more” and she was a fun, forward ride, but had a strong sense self. Now, she in my broodmare band. She has had two fillies, by Bergamon and a R-line stallion, both are lovely movers, beautiful with a little zest. Actually, the Bergamon filly is hot, and likely not an amateur ride. We’ll see…This year she will be bred to Comic Hilltop.

[QUOTE=MightyLove;6779552]
Resurrecting this thread…

I’ve had two Houston sons who were, by far, the best horses I’ve ever sat on. My “once in a lifetime” horse was one of them. “Quirky” didn’t even begin to describe him, but he went Fourth Level dressage and would jump around and Advanced level xc course like it was nothing.

Just out of curiosity, anyone know of any other Houston babies out there?[/QUOTE]

I have the Houston mare that RanchoAdobe mentioned earlier in this thread, the high scoring TB with RPSI in 2010. She had an amazing Baron Van Gogh foal that is now 2. She is just about to start her show career and I adore her. She is smart, willing, and beautifully put together… but definitely “specific” about her likes and dislikes. I am very excited to ride her in a Linda Allen clinic this weekend, it will be exciting to see how she handles it. If you want pictures feel free to PM me or email and I will send you some.

Here is a recent pic of my SS through Houston getting ready for 1st yrs in Thermal. It took him a bit to mature, but it’s been worth the wait. Sisters are both MMB GOV and both had Premium colts this year.

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Going back and reading all the previous posts… For anyone who’s interested, one of the stallions mentioned, Slew the Slewor, passed away this past December. He was owned by a friend of mine and she was absolutely heart broken when she had to put him down.

I currently own a mare who’s grandsire is SS. Typical dark bay without a speck of white and hardly fades at all in the summer. She’s huge bodied, 16.3 and looks more like a warmblood. She has a smallish head with a very pronounced jibbah, and her only conformational fault is she toes in. However, her damsire was well known to pass that trait on, so no telling which side it may have come from. As for movement, she’s got an absolutely beautiful daisy cutter trot and a canter to die for. She’s sweet and smart, but can sometimes get distracted and worries about things. And boy is she the alpha mare!

Excuse my necromantic ways, but I wanted to revive this thread to hear about more Slew descendants - I have a grandson over here in Oz who is SUCH a character - black/brown, about 15.3, pretty and he knows it. He’s a rescue, was ungelded and barely handled until he was 6, so I’m not sure how many of his, uh, less-desirable qualities are the result of that rather than breeding…
He’s still green under saddle, but he loves being worked - he doesn’t necessarily behave at all, but he likes the interaction!
He’s cheeky, dominant, stubborn, a bit of a clown - he grunts when he’s frustated (Flipped Her Halo’s groaner made me think of this) and has a tendency to nibble me…
I’m hoping he has some talent for competition - probably only low/medium level - we’ll start to see next year when I get him out and about.
Oh, and ROTTEN feet!
http://www.schrar.net/sc-spirit

I mentioned mine briefly early in this thread. She is 20 now, looks 10 and still 100% sound with great (unshod now) feet. She loves to work and competed successfully up to GP jumpers, needing very minimal maintenance over a long career at the upper levels. One of the hardiest horses we’ve owned.

Good luck with your guy! :slight_smile:

I had one in the 90’s who was an Intermediate level Eventer by the time he was 7. He was an incredible jumper and also could win the dressage at that level, in the best company. I sold him and he went on to have a long career with a young rider. He was sound and brave but very strong on cross country.

I have a gelding from the slew line. Super EASY, quiet, and phenomenal jumper.

Quick update: Charbonneau Slew, granddaughter by Seattle Slew, is in foal to Hilltop Farm’s stallion Comic FRH. And, Charbonneau’s offspring, Bella Coola, by Bergamon is under saddle and doing fabulous under the guidance of Cindy Anderson-Blank at Windchase. Bella is lovely, super powerful and athletic, but most definitely a pro ride.

SS son Tsunami Slew has produced some talented offspring.

Two in particular, Sally Cousins mount Tsunami “Sue” (Tsu Tsu Ro) and one of the few all TB mares in the Hanoverian Jumper Breeding Program “Good Karma”.

[QUOTE=shadowkat;7109956]
Excuse my necromantic ways, but I wanted to revive this thread to hear about more Slew descendants - I have a grandson over here in Oz who is SUCH a character - black/brown, about 15.3, pretty and he knows it. He’s a rescue, was ungelded and barely handled until he was 6, so I’m not sure how many of his, uh, less-desirable qualities are the result of that rather than breeding…
He’s still green under saddle, but he loves being worked - he doesn’t necessarily behave at all, but he likes the interaction!
He’s cheeky, dominant, stubborn, a bit of a clown - he grunts when he’s frustated (Flipped Her Halo’s groaner made me think of this) and has a tendency to nibble me…
I’m hoping he has some talent for competition - probably only low/medium level - we’ll start to see next year when I get him out and about.
Oh, and ROTTEN feet!
http://www.schrar.net/sc-spirit[/QUOTE]

What a great story, shadowkat!

I have a great-granddaughter, but I also had her dam - SS was her dam-sire. They are very special mares, my homebreds dam was very prepotent & considering her relative lack of any line-breeding, it’s interesting. Great hooves on each. The 4yo had been traveling around & trail-riding everywhere barefoot. They are long-backed but have power & push that makes you :smiley: The Daughter can trail with her hocks if I’m being very critical - but she’s 17h & growing & the push, natural engagement, and power are special. Just a super cool horse, I’m lucky to have bred her. Her dam, with SS as a Dam-sire was a tough, large, gorgeous mare with a walk that made me swoon. What really impresses me with these horses is their natural rhythm and cadence. You can’t train that walk or canter it’s just there. The trot is also lovely.

Yes, they do have their own opinion, however, my 4yo is very willing. Everyone mentions how “smart” she is; which unfortunately means she has to think some things through. I could see this personality being difficult for some, the answer is “yes” or “let me think about it…fine,” and if I didn’t have her dam in my barn, was unaware of this trait, or impatient, the “let me think about” could end with some unpleastantries. They are not hot, or reactive, as a barely broke 3yo she was fine to hop on bareback & take for a stroll. Will tolerate a beginner rider.

Interestingly enough, I always thought her dam would have paired greatly with Bergamon after seeing several of his get over the years. Not a DQ, so not my area of expertise, but was a

I’m case any SS fans wanted to see pictures! All of the above are babies by my Houston mares. The first is this years Diktator; the yearling pic features an Escudo, an Apiro, (a friend!), and a Carbon (Contefino); the final is our oldest Baron Ban Gogh 3 yr old at the YHS in the spring. The 3yr old is one of the easiest I have ever seen to break and very talented- we expect great things for her future in the hunter ring. The Slew line crossed great with Warmblood stallions.

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We have a really neat 7 year old gelding that is extremely athletic that we would consider a free lease on with a first option to the “right’ rider. PM if interested. Serious inquiries only please and would prefer a rider in the Mid-Atlantic area so we can see him showing.
Has done some eventing and jumpers. Bred, raised and started by us. Only raced a few times. Hope I am not breaking any COTH rules and regs posting this. It is a free offer.

I have known two pretty well

Both geldings. Both were the woman’s heart horses at their time and one was a total stinker and the other a total angel. Likely the stinker was a serious ulcer horse just ahead of the availability of Ulcerguard and Pop Rocks. He hated dressage the other is a wonderful dressage horse.They both loved their person and were one person horses. They both took care of their person. I liked them both a lot for totally different things and we all miss the bad boy. PatO

It’s an old thread, but I love my grandson SS boy… he is a beautiful bay, big lovely shoulders, beautiful sound gaits, smart and super willing, likes to work and explore trails, a bit hypervigilant, but totally sane and curious. Even with the big shoulders and 16h, I would consider him fine-boned, good legs and feet. His back seems short, but it really is not short, his wither is high and long and his natural girth is a bit farther back than the average horse, this makes his back seem short - but he has a nice balance… probably one of the most social and curious horses I have had - very similar to an Andalusian I had as a yearling for 4 years - smart, curious, willing & social.

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