AYLESBURY LODGE

There has been a few things recently which has brought on this rave. Not just in my own direct experience, but following a few emails I received.

Forums are a great way of learning new things, open your mind to a variety of different ideals and ultimately making a great lot of new friends. Then we introduce the closed minded morons who have nothing better to do than try and discredit others, their breed of choice or their horses in general.

The latter relates to this rave and I am about to set the record straight to a few of those Standie lovers who may be swayed from their favourite breed by such mornic people.

Issue 1 - My horse was considered dangerous on the track so it should be disposed of

I don't know how many Stbs that have come through now which were retired from the track for other reasons than being slow. I have had several which I have asked trainers for as they were headed to the knackery as they would throw themselves down at the track, bolting at the track (on somewhere other than the race track itself) or just being downright dangerous in the cart.. There are some horses who detest the sulky, racing and fear everything involved with it. The horses to which I refer have gone on to make some of the quietest horses in the saddle.. school master quiet, which has been nothing short of a surprise to many.

If you indeed have one of these horses, by all means, head the warning and don't ride on any race tracks (just in case of flash backs) or perhaps have it in the back of your mind if you do, but does that mean you should dispose of your new best friend? I think not.

There are always those who like to "bignote" themselves, judge the horse for whom he is now, not what he was.

Issue 2 - Standardbreds don't have the correct conformation to be successful outside racing in the saddle.

This is a classic comment plastered on one forum by a non-standardbred person. (Obviously). Reason for the comment "It was stated in a book by >>>>>>>>>>".

There was a time when standardbreds weren't blessed with the grace of an Arabian, the looks of a TB and the structure of a Cleveland Bay (depsite those breeds being the foundation of the standardbred). However, whether the ignorant wish to see it or not, the breed has become substantially more refined over the past decade and indeed so as it's confirmation. Yes, they are still bred for speed and harness (purebreds) but their build has changed dramatically. A decade ago, mile rates of sub 2 minutes were considered "freakish" for example. Nowadays, most race horses will run sub 2 minutes on a weekly basis (excluding some 2yos of course) over the mile and a great deal of this has to do with the fact that the structure/conformation of the breed is becoming more like a TB. A more refined horse thus in the hope for more speed, which has certainly been achieved.

Of course, there is no convincing such a close minded people otherwise. However, we who do know the standardbred can merely sit back and have a laugh at how someone who consider's themselves so knowledgeable can state something so incredibly stupid.

Of course, one did try and set the record straight only to be met with "Oh well, even an Appaloosa won an endurance ride doesn't mean everyone is going out buying Appaloosa's for endurance.." I am not even going to validate this comment with a response at this point.. but merely add a page to this website of all the Standardbreds in competition outside of racing I can find. When it comes to the elite level (FEI, WEG etc), I consider that when it comes to a horse outside of the purpose for which is was intentionally bred, standardbred or any other breed, there aren't too many other breeds at that height of success other than those whom were specifically bred to do it.. Onto next stupid comment....

Sight Unseen doing Grand Prix Dressage in US - A STANDARDBRED

Cloud 9 - (not pictured) - State Dressage Champ in SA a few years back - A STANDARDBRED

Issue 3 - Cross Breeding / Breeding Standardbreds

Fortunately there are a few in this discussion who have brains but again there are always those who should as one has put it, "It pays to say nothing and look stupid than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt".

There are several factors one should consider when breeding standardbreds for the purpose of a riding career. One is none other than commercial value. (After all, breeding is not the cheapest thing to do - especially if done correctly).

Breeding Pure Breds

Our views on breeding a standardbred mare to a standardbred stallion are:- with so many standardbreds already available I question to see other than for sentimental reasons why anyone would do it from a riding horse/commerical proposition. However, taking the commercial reasoning out of it, if the breeder was planning on keeping the foal and training it in the saddle from the offset, then I couldn't see any reason why not. Though again, I would be selecting my mare and stallion wisely. A mare that is inclined to pace, would not be a good idea to breed from if she is infact considered a "natural pacer". You would also need to be selective with your stallion of choice. Again, natural pacers avoid, look for something with movement to suit your riding aspirations and something with good confirmation. And ideally something that has already performed well in the saddle or indeed outside of harness racing.

Breeding Part Breds

There are always those who like to say this is waste of time, especially here in Oz. And like any breeding program selecting the appopriate stock in which you choose to breed is no less important in the standardbred as it is with any other. There are (as everyone has agreed) way to many horses already headed to the knackery without careless people breeding just for the sake of it, and this goes for all breeds.

Having said that, the argument originally was not who or what but why would you want to cross breed a stb in your breeding program, and would/are they successful?

1) French are already well ahead having cross bred their "Trotters" (cold blooded version of the standardbred - they do not have pacers there), with warmbloods for successful showjumpers.

2) Gerhard Quast, (importer of Warmblood Stallions such as Monopol & Lander and breeder of champion world class show horses) speaks to "The Horse Magazine" about his experience with Standardbreds

"When I bought Monopol to Australia, I bred him to thoroughbred mares but I also found three trotter mares because in Germany we had the famous jumping stallion Halla who was half trotter so I thought I would try something here. The trotters don't break down so quick as thoroughbreds. peter Weston who rode Lander for me told me 'don't tell people they are trotters, people don't like that', and I said 'I don't care'. I picked the best ones, not just any trotter and it worked. There was Falkrich who is Finigan's (Judy Dierk's big chestnut horse) father, his grandmother was a trotter - all three of the trotter mares that I chose have resulted in Grand Prix horses. They were good in the first cross but in the second cross when you get the other bloodlines in them they are even better. I've bred about 13 Grand Prix horses and about 12 of them have trotter blood. Out of one half trotter mare I have bred 12 A Grade showjumpers with Monopol and they were excellent."

These are just 2 examples. But I consider Gerhard Quast to be a leader in his game and putting it politely ~ a bit more advanced than those mouthing off on forums.

So I ask? Feel free to question me and other standardbred lovers all you like but how does one consider themselves to be more advanced than the above? Going back to the original comment "STBs do not have conformation to be successful riding horses". 

So to all those narrow minded folk. Throw stones, try and discredit or look down apon the Standardbred and the Standardbred corss breed all you like. As the popularity is taking off here in Endurance, Show Jumping and even dressage (with pure bred standies) and showing, it is us loyal to the breed with the appreciation of the horse as an individual who will soon be having the last laugh.