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Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween from all of us here at Watermark Farm!! Hopefully everyone has gotten their treats and not had to trick anyone this year!!

Here is a fun shot of our Artesian WF (Again and Again x Aly Alice xx) down at Madeira's Fun Show with his junior rider!


They have had a wonderful year so far in the VHSA shows and enjoyed the victory lap over the weekend in full costume! Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf??



The changes in our 2012 Stallion Line Up are published! If you have any questions about the LFG policy or options, please send Ellie@watermark-farm.net a note.

With those new fees being 'official' - our Deep Discount 50% Off Sale will be ending in one week - November 7th at midnight EST.


Speaking of changes, this is still a work in progress but check out our new Working Student page!! There are lots of biographies to go up and accomplishments to add but it is a starting point for those who are interested in learning what our breeding, riding and training program entails!

So I think that is it for now. Not too shabby for 9:30 on a Monday morning! :)

Happy riding!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Reminder - our Deep Frozen Discount (50% off sale) is still going strong!

Just a shout out reminder that our deep frozen discount is still going on!

But it might end sooner than later due to dwindling supplies, so get your order in ASAP!!

Here's a small refresher as to who's in the line up of available stallions:

Again and Again

A direct son of Abundance (Absatz/Dominus/Goldfisch II) out of the spectacular producing TB mare Nobody Much (Our Tops/Goya II/Jacopo). He is one of the earliest US Bred Grand Prix horses. Even rarer still - he produced GP horses! His full brother is none other than the Hunter Hall of Fame inductee - Ruxton. Their full brother Rushton was also very successful in the Working Hunters, while still yet another full brother competed in the LA Olympics in Show Jumping and was well known as a 'packer-type' of jumper.


Again and Again has been a reliable producer of upper level horses for dressage. He also had several well respected show hunter offspring and event horses. His get tend to be forward thinking horses with big gaits, light mouths and excellent jumping technique.







Adamant is another Abundance son.


He was out of a lovely, kind TB mare Villa May (In Spite Of/Villon/Pillory). Adamant was a successful as an FEI horse, mid level jumper and hunter, event horse and superlative fox hunting mount. He consistently produced multi-discipline offspring with oodles of talent and the mind suited for the amateur rider. His offspring tend to have an elegant appearance with long legs, good sense of rhythm and a sense of responsibility towards their rider.









Avebury WF is a son of Adamant out of one of our Dekor (Durchlaucht/Radetzky/Femor I) daughters - Dynasty WF. Dynasty was one of the 'keeper' mares for us out of a superlative damline with multiple licensed stallions, FEI horses, champion show hunters and open Jumpers to it's credit. Avebury does not disappoint his ancestors in any way - he moved from Beginner Novice to Open Preliminary in less than 8 months of training and has the talent to move beyond as an eventing stallion. That being said, he is spending the winter here at the farm preparing to show as an FEI dressage horse in 2012.


He has a few foals on the ground currently and they have the following qualities in common - leggy appearance, good temperament, kind expression, refined heads, excellent engagement and power from the hindquarter and good use of the shoulder. Our Aloysius WF will be lightly started this winter, so check back for video footage.











Dressage Royal is the international superstar that we represent here in the United States. He is by the legendary Donnerhall out of a super producing Rubinstein/Futuro/Magister mare. He has consistently produced super elastic offspring with good minds, international quality movement and a steady temperament.


The licensed stallions Damsey, Doringcourt, UNO Don Diego are just a few of the stars he has produced thus far. Desperado OLD continues to shine as the upcoming international star - he was World Champion as a 5 Year Old in Verden and is now beating top combinations in the Small Tour in Europe. Our own Dressage Royal offspring are daily delights - very attractive, powerful movers with excellent conformation and type.










Showtime WF is an interesting stallion for those who are interested in producing show hunters. He has been campaigning for several years as an A Show Horse down in VA.


He is one of the lovely performers from our super mare line (Today I'm Trying - Viking Spirit/Royal Coinage/Alycidon) and had the perfect hack winning gaits. His jumping form was definitely what the hunter folks are looking for, so if that is your avenue of competitive interest - consider Showtime!











Waldaire is our senior stallion and the grand master of Watermark Farm. He is another domestically bred Grand Prix stallion with ample reason to be proud of his accomplishments both in the show ring and breeding shed. His lifetime average score is over 65% (earned between 1994-2006) and that does not include freestyle scores! His canter is divine (and he passes that along), with a great sense of power, suspension and 'lift'. His walk is rhythmic, pure and undulates through his entire body.



His offspring are powerful movers, very grounded and show high intelligence. They are fun to start and even better to ride. Several are out competing in the hunters with good success. A number have gone on with their AA riders as dressage horses. We have had rave reviews from event riders as they are bold over new material and very careful over fences. He reliably adds bone, so Waldaire is an excellent choice for TB mares.









Wizard WF is the youngest stallion on our list of available stallions. He is continuing to develop as a top FEI prospect with a larger foal crop due in 2012. A number of professional riders have been kind enough to ride him for me during the last year and all of them ask if there is a chance that I would send him with them to FL, or SC as a competition stallion. He is a blast to ride, powerful moving, very obedient and attentive to the rider and even more fun to compete. Over fences he has good bascule, use of the shoulder and easy changes. Actually his changes have been easy from the beginning. :)


His first foal arrived in 2011 and is a stunning black filly with some hind socks and lovely blaze. She is out of a Wallstreet Kid (Warkant/Eiger/Perfekt I) daughter.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Featured horse ***Westerleigh WF***

Just click on her pedigree to learn more about her ancestors (who's who) and we'll let the photos of "Joy" speak for her quality!

She is a full sister to Wyncote WF (down in VA in a A show barn with his awesome owners, Waverleigh WF (still here on the farm and also for sale) and a half sister to Woodruff WF (2004 gelding who is owned by a GP dressage rider in our area!










Her maternal Uncle (dam's full brother) - Smart WF


Her 2007 full brother Wyncote WF as a foal. He's now well over 17 hands and loving life in his A show hunter home with Nardeen and Ryann! <3


Her maternal granddam - Aurora

Maternal great grandsire - Abundance (imported from Germany)


Her sire Waldaire







For more information on Joy, her training schedule, pricing- please email Anne@watermark-farm.net Her 2010 full sister (Waverleigh WF) is also for sale at this time. Both fillies are UTD on shots, worming and trimming. Joy should mature to over 16.1 hands and is quite sturdy in her build (robust, shall we say?). Affectionate, sweet, grounded and people oriented best describe her - she would like to move into the house with her human if she could.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

2 AWESOME lessons with Catherine Haddad Staller!

I am all pumped up this morning waiting for the sun to creep over the horizon enough to go out and start working with the horses! Nothing like having super lessons with a top professional rider and trainer to get your competitive side amped up! :)

First and foremost, sincere thanks go out to Randy at Hawk Hollow Ranch for allowing us to come to her lovely facility and learn from Catherine. Again. To have access to such well maintained footing is a real treat and all the friendly faces are just icing on the cake!

Here are some photos (shot by Anne) of Wyatt and me on the first day at Hawk Hollow Ranch in NJ with Catherine. I was trying a different saddle, so their are some moments that were a bit of a struggle for me as a rider, but overall Wyatt's performance more than made up for my lack of finesse and timing. As we are dishing out the 'thank you's' - a big shout of out Thank You goes to my mom for breeding such a wonderful horse in Wyatt. He's a real peach to work with and sensitized to my every move, which makes changes instantaneous, and therefore more rewarding!






I will be chanting 'swing and tap' in the canter for quite some time I fear but the soft, clean changes that Wyatt gave me more than made up for all the struggles of the summer. It was quite fun to be able to go over some of the rudimentary things that were quite difficult back in June, check the exercises from August and move on to new exercises with Wyatt. Nothing like a clear signal of progress in the training program! And one of the best facets of the program is that everything that we worked on with Wyatt will be applied to all of the horses that are in training here on the farm. Immediately. For anyone who has concerns that dressage is harsh or unpleasant to the horse, Wyatt relaxed and got softer and steadier in all of his work - no gnashing of teeth or fighting with the rider. All of the exercises are based in helping the horse to be more ambidextrous and supple - so from a rider's standpoint - I couldn't be happier! :)

Stubben was very nice and had a saddle fitter and numerous saddles on site for rider's to try. Enjoy the photos of the display that was set up outside the arena.






As always, it is a pleasure to watch Catherine teach other riders. Hopefully, we will be able to entice her out to our part of PA in the future!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Dressage and controversy! Something new!

The editor of Eurodressage.com has always been very upfront in expressing her opinions over the years and this topic is a red hot flaming one -

http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2009/10/13/dressage-become-blood-sport

The FEI has a proposed rule change coming up for vote on allowing blood to be on the lips of the dressage horse. It may even extend to the sides of the horse as well.

So if you care about equine welfare, please consider signing the online petition against allowing blood to flow during training or competition!

http://www.eurodressage.com/equestrian/2011/10/15/sign-petition-against-proposed-blood-rule


It takes only a few seconds (literally less than a minute) and your identity can be kept confidential. Please consider signing the petition in the hope of keeping dressage bloodless.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Reminder 50% OFF FROZEN SALE Starts Tomorrow (10/15/11)

Just a reminder -




Adamant's frozen is available at $250 per dose.

Again and Again - $250 per dose.

Avebury WF - $175

Dressage Royal - $750

Showtime WF - $150

Waldaire - $225

Wizard WF - $175

We will honor those prices for a limited time! Take advantage and buy now!!!

All semen is stored at Select Breeders Services and will be distributed by SBS. Avebury WF & Waldaire have been frozen for the EU as well.
---no additional discounts can be combined with this sale---








Our 50% Off Frozen Semen Sale starts tomorrow!!! Doses will be sold on a first payment received basis and quantities of Showtime, Again and Again, Adamant, Waldaire and Dressage Royal are limited!!! Buy now and save $$$$$!!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Featured horse ***WALLACE WF***





From the time she was a wee baby, Lacey has enchanted us all with her pretty face, kind expression and forward thinking mind. She is a blast to ride each day - very responsive and attentive to the rider, very brave over fences and happy to do as little or as much as the rider wishes. She is a bit of an overachiever in some ways but likes nothing more than to be told she is The Most Important Horse and that will do nicely, thank you! :)








Lacey is for sale and/or lease at this time as we have so many to ride each day. She is not complicated or difficult - just takes a rider with some sensitivity/tact - as she is of a Queenly demeanor - one is advised to ask Lacey, not tell her! ;)

All joking aside, she is fun, sound and ready to go compete a bit with a person who can lavish the appropriate amount of attention on her! For more information, please contact Anne@watermark-farm.net with any questions or requests.










There are many, many videos of Lacey with different riders on the Farm You Tube channel. Please just search Wallace WF and you should find them all there. Or check out her page on the website as direct links are listed there!