Elles is a guest contributor from Holland, and she and I have been discussing Tesio Methods and Thoroughbred bloodlines at least since 2013. Elles is also a frequent contributor to blogs and discussion groups and today will share her in depth research on the value in a steeplechase bloodline for the benefit of those of us who breed hunters, jumpers or event horses.
Introduction:
"My name is Elles and I am a 47 year old Dutch woman. My love of horses started at around five years of age and I started riding at eight years old. When I was ten years old I started to take care of some trotting horses (Standardbreds), broodmares and their offspring. After that period I trained trotters for a few years. At 17 years old I was able to buy my first horse from money I had saved from a job. Because I always helped others with their horses I could stable mine cheaply and I paid for it with a cleaning job. So I went to school, went to my horse and then after that I cleaned.
Ever since that first horse I have owned horses, so 30 years now. I have always been interested in all aspectsof the horse world, all the different disciplines and breeds. Also the different topics like health, training, breeding and pedigrees. Then, 22 years ago I bought a Thoroughbred mare and my love for the Thoroughbred breed started. Ever since have I been looking up Thoroughbred and sport horse pedigrees and been analyzing them.
I wanted to know more about the link between the Thoroughbred horse in sport horse breeding. I analyzed the Quarter Horse breed, Trakehners, Dutch Warmbloods, Selle Francais horses, Hannoverians, Holsteiners and breeding in Australia, New Zealand, America, Ireland, Great Britain, North and South America. I am following breeding in racehorse breeding, eventing, showjumping, polo, hunters and showjumpers. About six or seven years ago I decided that I wanted to find a Thoroughbred colt or stallion and to try to get it approved by a Dutch studbook. I decided this because the number of Thoroughbred breeding stallions had been going down and down for years. I was afraid in time none would be left. I started looking on the internet and at a certain moment I came across a website of the Stonehill STud of Anne Radcliff in Cadbury in Great Britain. Anne is the breeder of the four star event horses Stormhill Michael and Stormhill Kossack. There were a number of horses advertised for sale on the website. In the meantime we rented a cottage in England and the cottage was not far from the stud. One thing led to another and I went to have a look at the horses that were still for sale. I like a chestnut yearling colt by Spirit Land out of the mare Saxonburg and bought him. He further grew up in the Netherlands. I named him Spirit Lake and at three years old I had him broken in and prepared for the stallion inspections. He was inspected for the Anglo European Studbook (AES) and he was approved.
Elles' Thoroughbred bloodline study: Her article on the great steeplechase line of Definitely Red
There are 4 pedigrees that go with the artilce: