Q: When deciding on a mating, what do you take into consideration?
A: My first consideration is simple – do I honestly believe the match has a high probability of producing an exceptional athlete?
If not, I don’t go any further. Secondarily, I want to get the size right, which means we’d like to end up with a horse between 164cm and 170cm at the wither. Then comes the consideration about any correction for conformational faults which could affect soundness and longevity. To our way of thinking, temperament and rideability are actually non-negotiable.
An imperfectly conformed stallion is not a problem as long as the mares I have in mind are likely to compensate for any weaknesses he may have.
Answered by Ian Callender-Easby of Callaho Warmblood Sport Horses