Re: Endurance Bloodlines

["hn.heather" <hn.heather@wanadoo.fr>]

The Russian bloodlines are noted for speed and
> size (not to mention quiet and willing temperaments). >

Hi Bette,
Couldn't agree more.  We have a Russian mare in our breeding program, bred
at Tersk.  She is retired now but was a 200kms specialist completing 3 such
rides, plus several other 130kms.  I wouldn't say she was quiet but you
couldn't have asked for more generosity.  She has given us a filly by an
Egyptian stallion that I'm not so keen on but the sire is a big horse & the
filly at 3yrs is over 15.2 so the French endurance people will like her.
Speeds in endurance in France are escalating so the bigger Arabians are very
popular.  The mare is currently in-foal to an australian-bred stallion who
has a great performance record in endurance so we wait to see what this
gives.  This mare has not been a great breeder so we cross our fingers &
hope she goes to term.

> at what the French are doing in racing right now, although I question some
of the parentage of recent times)

Yeah, too right.  Manganate (dec) the top sire of French racehorses was one
of the ugliest "Arabians" I've ever seen with the most awful coarse limbs
but boy do his stock sell for good money.  Each to his own I guess.  A lot
of the French "arabians" are nice horses in their way, some of them would
look good in the dressage arena but purebred Arabian?  I don't know.  You
don't see many of them in endurance in France unless they are out-crossed.
Many of the top race sires (Manganate, Cheri Bibi & so-on only raced for one
or two seasons which is no reference for endurance given that racehorses go
on nice grass tracks & endurance horses go on...........well just about
anything!

>all of the breeding programs have merits

this is true as well but I can't help but be attracted to the Polish &
Russian breeding programs where until very recently everything, unless it
was 13.2 or only had 3 legs, was tested on the race-track.  Everything we've
bought in Poland has raced, although this doesn't make them easy converts to
endurance.  Our Polish stallion never understood, in 5 seasons endurance,
why he couldn't do his rides flat out & preferably in front of everyone
else!
Our Tersk-bred mare raced as well.

Anyway, promise to visit your web-site!
Happy Christmas
Heather Hamper
Aquitaine Arabians
SW France


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