Category: Breeding

What top riders are looking for in their top horses For such a small nation, the Irish punch way above their weight on the world stage. This is never more evident than when it comes to breeding event horses. Year on year, the Irish Sport Horse is at the top of the pile when it […]

Ireland is full of small scale breeding enthusiasts. With a handful or mares, or perhaps even just one (like myself) such breeders are often driven by lofty dreams and a deep-seated love of their horses. We spoke to one such breeder – John Gavin of Holywell horses – whose ‘breeding operation’ is based at the […]

Following on from our previous interview with renowned Showjumping producer Barry O’Connor where we discussed the state of the equestrian industry and what needs to be done to make it stronger, we went on to chat with Barry about his thoughts on breeding horses in Ireland. Do you think it’s economical for small scale breeders […]

While the name Barry O’Connor would raise blank faces among the general public and may even ring few bells among the broad equestrian population, for those in the know in Showjumping in Ireland (and it would have to be said, globally), the name Barry O’Connor is well known and very well respected. Based between his […]

Following on from our previous article ‘The question of breeding’ in which our equine veterinary expert Nikki Walshe considered the important question of whether or not you should breed from your mare, in this article Nikki considers the next steps you should take to give your mare the best chance of conception and in producing […]

We just love spring time… the days are getting longer; the grass has started to grow and there’s the impending pitter patter of tiny hooves as new born foals take their first steps in the world, with breeders dreaming of following them on a path to stardom. But there’s an old saying… ‘fools breed horses […]