TB Dressage/Sport Horse Stallions for Appendix Baby

[Primrose22]

Hello! I’m new to the forum thing so please everyone bear with me here if I don’t know the etiquette…but I’m curious to know what everyone’s favorite TB stallion is for sport horse or specifically dressage prospects?

The reason why I ask (and please can all the DQ, WB purists sit this one out, I’m well aware that I’m about to spew some dressage blasphemy right now - and for the record I love a WB too, I’m not hating) is that at some point in the future, maybe the next 2-3 years, I’ll be looking to breed my QH mare and I’d like an Appendix baby for dressage. Now, I’m well aware that an Appendix is not necessarily the optimal breed for dressage. But I was bitten with the dressage bug 3 years after I thought I had chosen reining as my sport (and purchased a reining mare). She’s making the switch with me over to dressage (with an EXCELLENT trainer as our guide, don’t worry I’m not trying to teach my reining horse dressage without the help of a professional) and she’s proving to be pretty decent, for a QH. Plus, reining is obviously very hard on joints and low level dressage is turning out to be a good second career choice for her. So during her retirement (or rather, third career?) I’m hoping to get just ONE dressage baby, because I don’t know that I’ll be ready to go back to reining at that time and I’d love to keep at least one of her babies (and if she has further babies after that, they can be reiners, as she has excellent reining bloodlines). Anyway, my point is - I’ve done some googling looking for a suitable baby daddy for her and I can’t seem to find more than like one or two names, so I figured I would see what everyone’s suggestions are.

I’m obviously looking for like the MOST uphill TB you’ve ever seen to balance out my mare’s very level (not quite downhill) Reiner conformation. I’ve really got my eye and my heart set on Artrageous, but I believe he’s getting up there in years and am not sure if he’ll still be available when I’m finally ready to broodmare-retire my gal, but that is the type of TB I’m looking for (plus I’d like to know if there are other good options). Something to refine my chonky, THICC (the mare’s got your standard QH MASSIVE rear end, with shoulders to match, and no, she doesn’t look like a halter horse, her legs and feet are giant too. She’s 15.1 and as wide as she is tall), “stout” mare’s conformation. Obviously, a sane individual is also important (let’s be honest, I’m a QH person for a reason) but if it adds a little zing to my mare’s very, very relaxed personality, that can only be a good thing.

So…what are the suggestions for TB studs that produce (or could produce) good dressage babies? Also, I should clarify, I’m well aware that this foal may not be a Grand Prix prospect, so I’m not shooting for the Olympics here, just looking for a good TB stud that allows me to breed my mare and keep one of her babies, continue doing the sport I love, and gives us the chance to be registered. Oh and also gives us a slightly more competitive edge than our current one, competing a reining horse in dressage so again this would be a PERSONAL horse, and would not be grade. So…please let’s skip the whole “you shouldn’t be breeding your horse” opinion that I see out there occasionally (and yeah I hate how defensive I feel in making this post).

Thanks everyone!

[Highflyer1]

I’m not sure there are any really marketed for dressage, but there are a few marketed as event horses that are nice. Off the top of my head-- Sea Lion, Saketini, Raven Sky, and Sea Accounts are all nice TBs available to sport mares. I assume you also have the option to use frozen semen with AQHA right? So you could also look at horses that are standing in the UK or that are no longer around. It may be worth talking to stallion owners in advance if you find one you really love.

[Feathered_Feet]

You might have better luck in the sport horse breeding forum - they have a lot of great ideas in there

[endlessclimb]

Also, remember that your baby will take years before he/she’s ready to be ridden. Perhaps you could consider breeding your mare now so that the “supply” of rideable horses isn’t dry for a few years while you wait for the baby to grow up. You can do basic dressage on your mare through a large portion of her pregnancy, and can resume not too long after the baby is on the ground.

[Primrose22]

Thank you! Yes I quickly found that googling “TB dressage stallion” was getting me nowhere so eventually I started looking for eventing horses and I recognize some of the names you listed, Sea Lion and Saketini but I’ll have to look into Raven Sky and Sea Accounts! Yes we should be able to do frozen so that may be an option too. Thank you for your help and the suggestions!

[Primrose22]

Ah good idea, thank you, I didn’t even think of that. I’ll check that out.

[Primrose22]

That’s a good point - and then I’d be able to use Artrageous…the timing is such a tricky thing. If I could afford it (and I’m still looking into it and need to talk to my vets about it) I’d be interested in doing embryo transfer too…but then that still leaves my mare a maiden and she’s 9 this year so I’m hoping not to leave her a maiden for too long (but need to talk to my vets about that too). I’ve clearly got a lot of stuff to plan out but was hoping to get the “fun” part out of the way first i.e. picking the sire

[soloudinhere]

It needs to be an american TB to be eligible for appendix papers, right? I’m not that familiar.

If not, Lucarelli xx is a very nice stallion with proven dressage aptitude out of Ireland.

[Primrose22]

You may be right, that’s ringing a bell. When I was growing up I always thought TB+QH=Appendix and I was surprised to learn recently that it is apparently not that simple haha. Definitely something I need to confirm with AQHA. I think the TB stud may even need to be approved by AQHA (maybe? I could be wrong), I think I saw that of the names that Highflyer recommended, a few of them are AQHA approved, I think Artrageous is too. If not though, I will definitely check out Lucarelli xx! Thank you so much!

[Primrose22]

After doing a quick google I found this, from AQHA’s website, saying that to breed a QH to a TB, the TB has to be registered with the AQHA (as an approved TB). But, from other quick research, it sounds like any registered TB crossed with a registered QH could be registered as an Appendix Horse with the AHAA. And I think which direction you choose could affect whether a baby of the Appendix can be registered with AQHA down the road…anyway, figured I would drop this article here in case anyone else was interested!

[cardinale]

There are also very nice dressage-type TBs in Germany, which might be feasible if frozen is an option. Some would be approved sires for WB registries there so you might be able to find them via contacting the Verbands.

[BrendaJane]

you might also check with their North American counterparts for a list of eligible ‘local’ stallions.

[Jealoushe]

Vibank is in Indiana. He’s older and not doing race breeding but I have 2 mares by him and they are absolutely amazing girls. Great work ethic and above average movers. He has other offspring doing upper level Eventing. His owner is on Facebook although she doesn’t list him publicly it’s worth looking into!

[Mondo]

You’ll have to go back a few generations on the pedigree, but look for any studs with Storm Cat or Seattle Slew breeding. They are super movers and have excellent temperaments. I had a Secretariat grandson a few years ago, and not only did he look just like his gramps, but he was the best moving TB I’ve ever seen.

On another note, I bred my AQHA mare (loooong time ago) to a Danish WB stallion and got a super duper colt out of her. She was Sir Quincy Dan and King bred. Really nice mare.

[ClassyJumper]

Not to derail the thread but how about the other way… I have a TB mare and would love a sporty QH sire, do you know of any? To be honest I will probably never breed but curious what is out there. My first gelding was an appendix and was the perfect blend of fancy/ammy friendly that I have ever found.

[Primrose22]

Thank you I will check him out! I have quite a spreadsheet going now, thanks to everyone’s suggestions

[Primrose22]

Interesting! Storm Cat definitely came up in the articles I found about great TB’s for sport, I’ll look for some of his progeny for sure - in true equestrian world fashion, I heard some rave reviews about Storm Cat babies and I heard some not so great things (I believe that was in reference to their sanity ) but I’ll definitely keep those names in mind! Seems like there’s always differing opinions!

Regarding your QH/WB colt, I really considered going that route too but I (again) heard mixed reviews and wasn’t sure about the registration aspect of it. I’ll be honest I’m super confused by WB registries and especially the American WB registry so I need to read up on that! Were you able to register your colt/and if so, what was he registered as, if you don’t mind me asking? Thanks!

[Willesdon]

If you are happy to use frozen, have a look at www.stallionai.co.uk for a positive smorgasbord of stallions for all disciplines and of many breeds. They have some very interesting TB stallions for eventing and showjumping, including a clone of Gem Twist called Murkas Twist that is very popular in the American market. Totally professional, top notch company.

[Jealoushe]

Have you used this company?

[Willesdon]

@Jealoushe

Have you used this company?

I don’t breed, I do, however, follow breeding. Tullis Matson, with whom I have passing acquaintance, has build up an amazing facility used by people such as Nick Skelton to collect from Big Star, Ollie Townend for event breeding, Billy Twomey has Je T’aime Flameco based there. Tullis Matson has recently become involved in preserving rare breeds and has even collected semen from wild elephants! Usefully, they can sex semen. Possibly still available on line, British Breeding has been running online training videos and virtual Stallion Parades in conjunction with Stallion AI Services.