No Fingernails Required

A friend and long-time owner of top hunters confided to me this summer that one of the most difficult aspects of owning a hunter breeding horse is maintaining your fingernails. I must have looked at him quizzically, because he went on to explain that if you stand at the rail at such shows as Devon (Pa.), Upperville (Va.), Del Mar (Calif.) and Warrenton (Va.) you can feel the indentations where for decades the horse owners have stood and dug their fingernails into the wood railing as they watched their horses compete.

Now I understand.

Thankfully, since my 2-year-old competed at only two shows this summer my fingernails are still relatively intact. I have to think, however, that the breeders who are showing their own horses are the ones who must be most in need of manicures. They’ve invested years into these young horses, not to mention thousands of dollars and countless hours of research that went into choosing the mating, overseeing foal watch and caring for the foals as they matured.

It’s no wonder that you can sometimes cut the tension at the hunter breeding ring with a chainsaw!

After spending some time with the breeders this summer, though, I have a much better understanding of their world. It’s a labor of love, and many have spent decades developing and perfecting their bloodlines so each time their young horses step into the show ring and leave with a ribbon, in a way, it’s a reflection of their life’s work.

I know from past experience that breeding horses is at the same time one of the most rewarding and heartbreaking ventures you can take. So many things can and do go wrong that even having your youngster step into the show ring should be considered a major victory.

Even though I didn’t breed my horse—I purchased him as a yearling—I quickly discovered how addictive these young horses become. You just never know when that magical collection of genes will all mesh, when the parts will fall into place at the right time, when the training will sink in, and all of the stars will align so that there are no (OK, very few) nicks and scratches. It’s then that your youngster steps into the show ring the epitome of what you dreamt he’d become. What a magical feeling.

So now that most of the hunter breeding shows are concluded for the year, the breeders are turning their focus back to the drawing board. It’s time to research bloodlines, compile show results and study this year’s weanlings with a critical eye to decide which stallions to choose for which mares next spring.

It’s also time to consider the foals of 2010 and observe the broodmares as their winter coats begin to grow along with their bellies. Will this foal be the one? Will this mating prove to be the perfect combination that produces a new superstar?

And so the waiting game begins again as it does each fall and winter when breeders cross the days off of the calendar in anticipation of the first due date. I’ve learned there is one added benefit to their mission, however; they’ll have plenty of time to grow out their fingernails for next year’s show season.