While I do love Tate! I have my heart set on getting a Buddenbrock baby out of a TB mare for eventing. More than likely by the time I can afford one, he will no longer be around…but it’s nice to dream.
I adored my Trakehner gelding. I hunted him and he was amazing. From Day 1 he loved his job and would gallop, jump anything and stand quietly at the check. I rode him in a bitless bridle (side pull) because he had a thick tongue and a low palate and he was always easy to rate.
My German dressage instructor told me that Trakehners were very popular as eventers in Germany but because of some of the early imports into the US they developed a reputation for being difficult in the US.
My gelding was not at all difficult, but he was smart and he did not put up with bad riding. He did come to me with some “issues” caused by questionable training, but he turned into one of the most honest and kindest horses ever.
[QUOTE=Sempiternal;8406356]
While I do love Tate! I have my heart set on getting a Buddenbrock baby out of a TB mare for eventing. More than likely by the time I can afford one, he will no longer be around…but it’s nice to dream.[/QUOTE]
And that’s why they have frozen semen. 
Not a breeder, but I have a 1/2 Trak 1/2 Tb that I event at the lower levels. I know a few other local eventers that have Traks, or crosses. My mare was originally bred to be a hunter, I bought her when she was 3, with intentions of eventing her. She turned out to be a brave xc horse and has nice form over fences. As far as her temperament, I don’t do hunters, but my impression is that she would be a little hot for that sport. Her attitude is a little more like a jumper when we are on course, which is more suited towards eventing. It may more of a result of the way I have ridden her—rather than her temperament though. Plus, she’s a mare and 1/2 Tb—so too many other factors to attribute the “hotness when jumping” at just the Trak portion of her breeding!
She was very focused as a youngster and easy to bring along. She didn’t have any issues with new jumps, scary fillers, water, ditches, etc. I can hack her out in a group, or alone. She is a good traveler—easy to take to shows and doesn’t get anxious about going new places etc. I am an adult ammy, and I brought her along after buying her green broke. So, I would not hesitate to buy another full or 1/2 Trak for eventing.
The “difficult” reputation of Grafenstolz was just a rumor started by other stallion owners because they did not like Ken Rehill. I have three Grafenstolz and the only problem with their personality is that they are super friendly and will not let you alone. I would like to be able to work out in the pasture without having them breathing down my neck and picking up all the tools and walking off. I have never heard of a difficult Grafenstolz.
[QUOTE=horseofcorff;8523333]
The “difficult” reputation of Grafenstolz was just a rumor started by other stallion owners because they did not like Ken Rehill. I have three Grafenstolz and the only problem with their personality is that they are super friendly and will not let you alone. I would like to be able to work out in the pasture without having them breathing down my neck and picking up all the tools and walking off. I have never heard of a difficult Grafenstolz.[/QUOTE]
The 3 year old I mentioned early is now a 4 year old by him out of a TB mare. He was super easy to start and easy to ride. Super fancy. Unfortunately he got sick as a yearling and it did enough damage that he will likely never event. I would not hesitate to use him again.
Sure. But so are other WBs - typically with lots of blood. I am happy to see more tracks, olds, hol, and others. The short format is certainly opening the market for WBs :-).
I have no doubt that my Trak gelding could event, but I just don’t have the guts for it. My boy’s sire, Tycoon, is a full brother to Tate. His dam is a TK/TB mare by Schoenfeld, so he does have the dressage capability that I wanted.
My boy is wicked smart and would love nothing more than to be in my lap. My MIL tried to talk me out of buying him four years ago. I’m so glad I bought him because he is anything but the stereotype. And I’ll be on the hunt for another Trak in the future. 
While we are on the subject… I’m going to offer up a shameless bump / reminder that the ATA SSA is going on right now - and ends on Sunday! There is no second round and there are several TKs that are in the auction that are either actively competing at the Prelim Level or higher (Halimay Go Ps, Tatendrang Pb, Semper Fidelis, Ballzauber, Zauberruf, Cardinali, Inamorato, Incantare, Songline Ps, Sea Accounts Pb xx, Sea Lion Ps xx, and Stiletto Pg). There are also a few up and coming stallions (A’Osiris, Rusticus) and many proven stallions in other disciplines many of whom can produce event horses as well (Abdullah PgE*, E.H. Herzensdieb, Magritte) and many others - there are 37 stallions in the auction and I’m sure there is something for everyone
I just thought I would chime in here and add that Tk’s are, for the most part, very people oriented. They seem to very much like “their” person and will try to do anything for them. Not to say that they won’t work for anyone else but they are going to give everything for their rider that they know and trust.
I find myself a member of the trakehner mafia now, had a lovely mare fall into my lap last summer. She is a german import, premium mare by Axis out of a Spirding mare. She was purchased as an event prospect and through no fault of her own sat for about 18 months after her initial entry into American eventing.
The young man who rides for us has taken her recently to two top level dressage instructors. Both have had the same initial reaction -trakehner mare :eek: - and both have had a different opinion of her by the end of the session. (I should add both are top level coaches and judges on the FEI scene - not from the US). She is proving herself to be very light on her feet, loves XC and those dressage scores in the low 20s are really pleasant to see!
Yeah - that mare is SERIOUSLY nice. ;).
And BTW - the ATA Convention will be at Tryon Equestrian Center the first weekend in Nov and I’m thinking the clinician (once confirmed) will be right up your ally! ;). Hoping you can make it!!!
Well trakehners are a very “light” sized registry of the warmbloods. And with all that arabian and TB blood, they are pretty, uh, crazy. (Don’t flame, I have a trakehner.) Their hind ends are not any where the size of the other warmblood registries. And they are great jumpers.
But I still think that TBs are the best for eventing. Most warmbloods, not the trakehners, are too heavy for eventing. Not enough stamina like the TBs and the trakehners (who have all that arabian stamina blood).
I haven’t had much experience with trakehners, have ridden a few crosses, had a hanoverian with a fair bit of TK blood in him but never a full trakehner until recently. Let me start by saying that I really like him and actually commented the other day that I could picture him loving eventing. In terms of temperament if he fits the norm they are very different than the average warmblood. He reminds me a lot more of dealing with a hot blooded horse: super sensitive, aware of everything around them, ready to react (although he doesn’t often do anything), and very quick to bond.
I am having an absolute blast working with this one, and he is a little unique in really only having been started under saddle this year having just turned 11 this year but he is one I can’t ever imagine recommending for a beginner as he is so quick to let his opinions on new things be known and he is not subtle about it. The exciting thing is how keen he is to jump; just introduced him to his first fence the other day and BOY WAS HE GAME!!!
[QUOTE=acottongim;8533729]
Yeah - that mare is SERIOUSLY nice. ;).[/QUOTE]
Thanks! We are trying really hard not to get our hopes up. She certainly is giving us the feeling she’s the real deal, but there is a long way to go from where she is to where we hope she will be.
[QUOTE=WildandWickedWarmbloods;8533735]
Well trakehners are a very “light” sized registry of the warmbloods. And with all that arabian and TB blood, they are pretty, uh, crazy. (Don’t flame, I have a trakehner.) [/QUOTE]
I won’t “flame” you, but I do want to speak up on behalf of the subset of Arabians that are not “crazy”. Due to the way the breed has been promoted in recent decades, one of the best kept secrets about the Arabian is that many of them have absolutely exceptional temperaments, rideability, and willingness. My homebred Arabian stallion got excellent interior scores at the 2015 NA SPT 70 day test, and he is not a fluke, IME.
It was the amazing rideability and willingness that won me over to the breed a number of years ago. (I still admire WBs, and have a particular fondness for good Trakehners --probably because I see some of the same qualities in many Traks that attracted me to the Arabians.)
So, yeah, I’ll push back at the “crazy” label. My very first horse was an imported English TB who had been an UL eventer before he became my dressage partner. He eventually went blind, but remained the steadiest most trusting and willing horse I have ever ridden. So I’ll push back a bit on behalf of the TB’s too! I think this is important, because if Trakehner (and other WB) breeders want to incorporate TB or Arabian blood, it is possible to find representatives that bring desirable interior qualities as well as the stamina, agility, and other physical qualities that are sought after by such infusions of “blood”.
[QUOTE=pegasusmom;8534239]
Thanks! We are trying really hard not to get our hopes up. She certainly is giving us the feeling she’s the real deal, but there is a long way to go from where she is to where we hope she will be.[/QUOTE]
Do you have pics to share? No fair teasing us without pics!
All Wb’s have Tb blood so that doesn’t make Traks unique. And the Arab aspect is not as common to the breed as assumed. Many European Traks have little or no Arab blood in the last 100 years. Although I do find them to be similar to both breeds, but I think crazy is the wrong description. They are sensitive and intelligent and often the handlers opinion is a reflection of their own skill level.
The KWPN have created a similar type of horse in their dressage breeding, sensitive and intelligent. The Weltmeyer line and the success it has also receives criticism.
Too bad we blame the horse instead of being better horsemen.
