Hi! I recently bought a lovely Selle Francais mare. Not for breeding, per se, but because she is a lovely riding horse. I have never owned a Selle Francais before, and the people I bought her from were not “breeding” oriented. I have attached her pedigree. My questions: What do the % mean? I have never seen them with other breeds. Also, would you breed her once her riding days dwindle? Thanks!!
The XX% is the total amount of TB blood. OX% is Arabian.
I’m assuming you bought her as a jumper. She’s defintely got some high powered jumping blood, and if she has any kind of competition record, she’s certainly worth breeding.
If you are going to breed her, don’t wait too long. For a first breeding, younger is better.
She’s very well bred and similar to my boy through Grand Veneur and Elf III. I love the blood and work ethic of the SF. Mine is definitely my once in a lifetime horse 
the paper is unusual meaning the only ‘modern’ horse is the father.
the father of the mother was born 40 years ago !!!
But it’s definitely an interesting paper !
As for the percentage, the explanation is correct, but the meaning behind is worthless, because DdS as all of his male offsprings ‘destroys’ blood : they need mares with much blood to maintain modern exterior (IMHO as much blood as possible (short of TB-mares) …)
Thank you all for your responses! I am learning a lot!!:yes:
Diamant de Semilly is one of the best SF sires in France, bravo! :yes:
OP, are you competing in hunters or jumpers? Have you seen your horse over 1.45 m jumps or higher? Reason I ask is because in TBs, it is often said about a royally bred but slow horse that they are “a dead branch on the speed tree.”
The same is probably also true of jumping talent. If the horse was exported to the US as a hunter, that MIGHT indicate lack of power and scope.
Or is it? Is top class jumping talent more reliably inherited that top class speed?
nice
[QUOTE=dani0303;8573797]
She’s very well bred and similar to my boy through Grand Veneur and Elf III. I love the blood and work ethic of the SF. Mine is definitely my once in a lifetime horse
http://www.horsetelex.com//horses/pedigree/733940[/QUOTE]
Pot D’Or thoroughbred is no slouch when it comes to sport horses - he’s the damsire of at least one 4**** horse I can think of: http://www.horsetelex.com/horses/pedigree/1714698
OP, ya done good, Diamant de Semilly ranked #1 jumping sire in the world, 2015
[QUOTE=mareslave;8585553]
Pot D’Or thoroughbred is no slouch when it comes to sport horses - he’s the damsire of at least one 4**** horse I can think of: http://www.horsetelex.com/horses/pedigree/1714698
OP, ya done good, Diamant de Semilly ranked #1 jumping sire in the world, 2015[/QUOTE]
That’s very cool!! I didn’t know that. I do know that his sister Elfee Du Reverdy (by Elf III) was imported to Canada and was a Grand Prix horse for Megan Johnstone.
Thank you all for the compliments - it was a completely lucky break! Her pedigree was never mentioned when I bought her. I think the owners did not realize it was important. I am a hunter rider, and I think she was always a hunter, so she was not asked to do the jumpers. Maybe she “can’t,” but with her looks, temperament, and pedigree maybe it’s worth a try. I bred a leased Rio Grande mare who was an underperformer to Crown Affair and got an amazing, extremely fancy and athletic colt! 
I really appreciate all of the expertise on this forum. Thank you for taking the time to respond.
[QUOTE=OBdB;8574596]
the paper is unusual meaning the only ‘modern’ horse is the father.
the father of the mother was born 40 years ago !!!
DdS as all of his male offsprings ‘destroys’ blood : they need mares with much blood to maintain modern exterior (IMHO as much blood as possible (short of TB-mares) …)[/QUOTE]
When you breed jumpers, and you aim at the top of the sport, who cares about a “modern look” ? this matters only when you aim at “Barbie Doll” fans…
OBDB, when you look at the horses competing at 160 you find out that the looks are very different from one animal to the other, I’m sure you can’t disagree, specially when you are a knowledgeable Holsteiner breeder…
[QUOTE=andy.smaga;8591616]
When you breed jumpers, and you aim at the top of the sport, who cares about a “modern look” ? this matters only when you aim at “Barbie Doll” fans…
OBDB, when you look at the horses competing at 160 you find out that the looks are very different from one animal to the other, I’m sure you can’t disagree, specially when you are a knowledgeable Holsteiner breeder…[/QUOTE]
I’m a SF-breeder on a mare base of HOL !
Evidently you are right … partially …
Nowadays, most stallions cross best with blood mares. Many stallions absolutely need blood mares. But noone wants to use those stallions who add blood to the mares …
So, in my opinion, a time will come when those stallions who absolutely need blood mares won’t find a suitable female …
As for the Barbie Dolls … Yes my mares are light with much blood and correspond perhaps at what you call, negatively I might add, Barbie Dolls ! Nevertheless my mares have strength and bascule and technic and manner ! And they start in the french breeding and sport championships … and finish with excellent scores.
As to your aim … how many of all the horses born reach the top ? what about all the others ?
So one as a breeder may aim the top, but you have to look further when this goal is not attainable … and you better did this before planing the cross !
But above all, I’m not all interested in breeding big, big-boned horses. My aim is to breed a horse who is pleasant for MY eyes and has all the qualities needed to please, sportively, his owner, be it at the top level or an amateur level !
Otherwise said, I’d like to breed the Barbie Doll able to win Aachen or Stuttgart or …
OT, but Darco always reminded me of a Dachshund. He’s certainly one who, one would think, would benefit from mares with lots of blood.
I’m personally a fan of WBs with blood. I like that fighting instinct to win that the TB seems to give them. My boy always seems to have an edge to him. He’s sensible but built modern with a lot of blood.
evidently, the remark of andy.smaga is correct : when they jump, who cares what they look like …
IMHO, the problem is not there. Light horses with blood are generally more reactif, more flexible, more elastic. They can turn ‘on a hankerchief’ (as the French would say), they have better recuperation power …
It all burns down to one question : what will a show jumping course in 10 years look like ?
Does a horse need strength, power, ability or does it have to have adaption ?
Does a ‘powerhouse’ will be sufficient or would it be better to have a hourse without as much power (as the first) but with manoeuverability and agility ?
[QUOTE=OBdB;8592595]
It all burns down to one question : what will a show jumping course in 10 years look like ? Does a horse need strength, power, ability or does it have to have adaption ?
Does a ‘powerhouse’ will be sufficient or would it be better to have a hourse without as much power (as the first) but with manoeuverability and agility ?[/QUOTE]
It depends on what the goal will be, if you look for a horse able to win GP jump off, then agility is required, but if you aim at Championships then power and scope are what is needed. (talking in general, but as you know there is always exceptions…)
In ten years nobody knows what we will be asking from a horse to win, but it’s difficult to imagine that it will be much different than what it is today.
[QUOTE=andy.smaga;8592737]
It depends on what the goal will be, if you look for a horse able to win GP jump off, then agility is required, but if you aim at Championships then power and scope are what is needed. (talking in general, but as you know there is always exceptions…)
In ten years nobody knows what we will be asking from a horse to win, but it’s difficult to imagine that it will be much different than what it is today.[/QUOTE]
I don’t concur ! A real champion has to have it all ! Perhaps not all, all the time, but a horse who is always without points in the first round but never wins in the jump offs because of … lacking speed and reaction and agility or too tired to be concentrzted on the task at hand (lack of recuperation) … what will we think ?
The answer would be : good, perhaps very good, but never top class, never among the best !
And yes, nobody knows what will be expected in 10 years … but I don’t think it will be the same thing which we expect today …
OP, I absolutely love Diamant de Semilly. He would have been my first choice for my full TB A Fine Romance mare, who was a full sister to an Advanced event horse and winning Grand Prix jumper.
Congratulations on your lovely mare, and best of luck with her.
Maybe it will help put her pedigree in perspective. The horse that just won the Grand Prix de Paris is named Quickly De Kreisker. He is on a Youtube video just posted this week. His sire is the same as that of your mare. Really lovely horse. The video is well worth watching. Amazing athlete.
[QUOTE=OBdB;8592989]
A real champion has to have it all ! Perhaps not all, all the time, but a horse who is always without points in the first round but never wins in the jump offs because of … what will we think ?
The answer would be : good, perhaps very good, but never top class, never among the best ! [/QUOTE]
So you think that Zenith (team and individual champion at the World and Euro Champs that’s 4 gold medals in major championships) is not top class because he never won a Grand Prix ? there is more legendary horses that won only a couple GP.
It’s a different sport when you consider a Jump off and a championship, even more today when the jump off’s have no options and only need a very fast galop to entertain a not knowledgeable audience.
I apologize to the OP for being out of subject.
