Hi,
Where would you look for an amateur dressage prospect in the US? I would love a place where I could see more than 1. Looking for great brain, gelding 3-6 years old, nice mover with some suspension. Budget flexible based on age and experience.
Work with a trusted trainer. Usually the best deals are found word of mouth. I know of three in the last month that my coach knew about before they were officially listed. When one is about to come on the market, people almost always ask trainers in their circle if they know of anyone looking for XYZ first.
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I know a few people who have purchased from Exclusive Dressage Imports (EDI) / Joseph Newcomb. They are wonderful horses and he is great to work with. He also tends to have a variety of ages, levels, and price ranges - not all listed on his website. He seems to have a good eye for importing young prospects that have the right blend of athletic ability, temperament, and size (meaning they aren’t all 17.1 h+ which seems so common these days). He might be worth connecting with.
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I’d try some of the breeders that have riders or work with riders to start their horses under saddle - Rolling Stone Farm, Crosiadore Farm, Maplewood Warmbloods, Hilltop, Shooting Star Farms. I’d also try some riders that work with young horses from different breeders, like Ashley Madison and Kaitlin Blythe. These lists are by no means exhaustive - just naming a few that immediately come to mind.
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I agree network with the breeders of what fits your bill. I am going to look at 40 potential prospects by working with breeders of what is my first (breed) choice next week. Thankfully though life gets in the way and even though they (the owners) aren’t going to be in town I am going to be able to look at prospects with the help of staff in order to consolidate and take advantage of a trip that was planned for other reasons. I spent time on the phone, on the Internet and explained exactly what I am looking for and what I would consider. I explained my ‘window’ and where I can be and when and you know people have bent over backwards to let me take a front seat view of their breeding program and what they have to offer. Now to be fair, I’m not looking at trained or under saddle stock, I’m specifically looking at young, unstarted beasts which likely lends to the numbers. Some keys to my ability to consolidate and arrange such a ‘trip’ is that they all know I’m not a tire kicker. They also all know clearly what will waste both of our time. I respect their time and effort and vice versa. I’m getting excited just typing this. Will I end up with something to arrange shipping for??? Who knows but it will be educational none the less.
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after daughter’s young horse broke a leg in the pasture she was offered many unused horses from trainers we know within the breed of our choice. Serval of these breeders even offered to pay the shipping to get their horse to her (they all know we are small time underfunded just regular people who have spent decades supporting the breed)
She accepted one that had been purposely bred for park saddle use but due to the trainer’s work load of clients kept him from investing in his own horse so it just set in the pasture. The mare was five, never saddled.
Daughter got this mare home, horse is as smart as they come and within two months got her qualified for nationals by showing her in an open dressage show. Mare was the only of her breed there but did win her four classes (she was entered in both days to insure she earned her qualification for nationals never expecting her to place as well as she did as she had never been to any competitions)
Three months later this mare won her dressage division at nationals and also won the sport horse in hand mare division… and placed in working ranch horse just as a change of pace…these were all classes with deep competition of horses who had have years of training.
The trainer who gave her this mare at no cost was overwhelmed when unknowing to him his mare earned him a breeder’s award after daughter captured a world championship with this mare who had just a few months of saddle work
So, there are some really nice horses just setting around waiting.
(also the breeder of her young horse who broke his leg offered daughter the first rights on any of that years foals, she was able to purchase the half brother of her lost horse. At five months old, this young colt since he was at nationals were he was shipped for the exchange was entered in a class just to give him the experience but he won the class and the division against 35 or so head of nice horses from across the county and Canada, picked up where his brother was as he had won the same division as a two year old)
So as suggested check with the breeders of horses in the breed of choice , often there are some really nice horses just setting waiting to shine
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Clanter, that’s a nice story!!
It really depends more what you’re looking for, budget, and location. In the Northeast, for example, I’d reach out to Shelby Ballentine who just sold a really lovely ammy friendly mare, and seems to get that type in often. Some trainers in Florida have more locally competitive and super ammy friendly types, rather than international types, but I expect the Florida prices to be higher - yet you can see multiple at once. EDI wouldn’t be my first thought on the west coast as they are priced up for the name recognition and importing costs, and your post didn’t sound like you’re looking to spend 6 figures which is what I’d expect for most of their horses.
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How do you find a trainer?
I am so excited for you! Good luck!
I would be open to something that hasn’t been started if it was the right horse. I have ridden jumpers my whole life and I used to start my own when I was younger. Now I would have someone else start one. I am newer to the dressage world. Any particular breeders you would recommend? I wouldn’t import one. Hubby is a vet who has to do the PPE
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i hope you document the event! i’d love to see pics!..and what they said about them compared to your assessments.
My recommendation is to first pick one or two breeds that appeal to you and ones that you feel can help you achieve your goals. My two breeds of choice do not appeal to everyone. I am relatively well connected with breeders of each breed and certainly have good mentors that can help me if I need information or advice regarding specific bloodlines or breeding programs. I have spent years connecting and speaking with breeders, learning their programs and luckily have ridden a large number of their breeding horses and young stock so I more or less have developed and short list and long list of those I would consider (regarding breeding programs). This is what has worked for me for the last several decades, literally. Fortunately I can more or less do my own PPE.
I’m sure I’ll be taking pictures and videos; however, I would need to have the breeders’ permission to post/share and as for critiquing and comparing my assessment, well, I don’t think that would necessarily be fair. Having said that, though, where I’m going rarely produces a homely or untalented animal. I do have a list of must haves which will help me weed through all the pretty ponies.
I’ve bought two horses from folks in the Pacific Northwest; not exactly prospects but quality Amateur friendly horses with solid to excellent training. A lot less than the same/lesser caliber horses were going for in So. Cal.
and true 
Her three year old that was lost to a pasture accident was really nice, he had won a world championship at Morgan Nationals as a two year old against nearly forty head of age horses. He was developing into a class act.
there were many people who were sadden at his loss.
Those trainers/breeders we knew jumped a chance to help to try to fill the gapping hole his loss caused
One thing about the mare she accepted (barn name is Lexie) was we really did not think much of until after she won her world championship a trainer we have known for 35 years asked if daughter’s new horse was an offspring of our first Morgan who was really well liked and remembered by many . That trainer said she sure looked/acted a lot like Foxie did.
Sure enough when comparing photos from 30 years ago to Lexie they could have been clones, same marking down to the snip on the nose, Lexie is one inch shorter than Foxie otherwise they could have been the same horse.
But back to OP needs, really there are a lot of overlooked under valued horses just standing around waiting to be found
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Thank you. I really appreciate your breeder recommendations. I know the hunter jumper world breeders well but do not know the dressage scene.
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Lauren Chumley usually has a number of sales horses, all ages, levels, and types. She is wonderful to deal with, and her horses are fairly priced (not bargains, but not overpriced).
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I second Lauren Chumley in NJ
