LOCATED in Newry, Co Down Paddy Breen of Carneyhaugh Horses is a great example of a small breeder who has got it right from only a small pool of quality mares.

Paddy is the first to admit he didn’t come from a family who bred horses and that he learnt many lessons along the way. He doesn’t class himself as a big breeder, but with the support of his wife and family, he has bred some superb animals and has much to be proud of.

Asked why he breeds horses, he answered: “It’s simple, it’s because I love horses. It wasn’t for money or glory. I feel that Irish people have a great affinity to horses and that’s why we have such good horsemen and women. Regardless if you are from a family steeped in a horsey background or not, there is just something in us that connects us to the horse.”

With just one breeding mare in Lismore Light, he was starting off with a good foundation mare, although he may not have known it at the time. Lismore Light was bought in-foal from Frank Gilmore from Kircubbin, Co Down. She was a blood mare by Cora Wise (TB) and in foal to White Christmas, with a foal at foot by Mourne Mountain Star (ID). The broodmare’s full pedigree is believed to be Cora Wise and Fire Boy, but unfortunately he could only confirm the sire. This mare was put up for inspection, subsequently being approved as a select broodmare at three-star level.

Lismore Light proved a great foundation mare, going on to produce offspring that jumped up to 1.50m Grand Prix level and competed at CCI5*. Just some of her success stories include Idle Wilde jumping at 1.50m, Carneyhaugh Manx (CSI4*), Carneyhaugh Riddle (1.45m), Carneyhaugh TT (1.40m), Carneyhaugh Conquistador (CCI4*), Carneyhaugh Rua (CCI5*) and Carneyhaugh Surprise, a five-star broodmare who has given him many of the above and his next generation of broodmares.

In time, Paddy added a second mare to his breeding programme. Weathers Crest by Sea Crest x Idle Water was the dam of Carneyhaugh Conquistador who went to CCI4* level, Carneyhaugh Presto (Select Broodmare status), Carneyhaugh Allegro (1.40m), a select three-star broodmare, and Carneyhaugh Trojan, a Stage 1 stallion, to name but a few.

Paddy would say that he was lucky in the people that he met along the way who gave him good advice and a helping hand.

“It was Frank Gilmore who got me started down the breeding route and John Hughes gave me an enormous amount of advice and time. Paddy Quirke, a true gentleman to deal with, and Jackie Larkin’s practical advice and encouragement when things went wrong was invaluable. John Lynch is always there for advice and is hands-on helping with the young horses.”

Along with this help and advice, he also got great knowledge from the module lectures on the Equine Distance Learning course from UL, CAFRE, and in particular Deirdre Cooper, the course co-ordinator.

Essential traits

For Paddy, a foundation mare must have good conformation, blood, pedigree and movement. She must also have proven herself directly and/or in the back of the pedigree. On the other hand, when choosing a stallion, he looks for conformation, blood, way of going, rideability, performance of his own and also the dam line.

Another important question he asks himself is does the stallion complement the mare and is the mating likely to produce the desired outcome? He believes that the mark of a good stallion is one that can produce better-than-average offspring from below-average mares.

It is clear that much thought and research went in to the stallions that he choose and the suitability of the cross was foremost in his mind.

“I chose Sea Crest because he had the potential to produce both show jumpers and eventers and my mare was blood but needed size and scope. Puissance, as he had blood, pedigree, and crossed well with blood mares. Cavalier Royale as he gave blood, movement, size and scope, and crossed well with blood mares and was a great dam sire. Don Juan De La Bouverie as a ‘thank you’ to John Hughes and again, he would give size, scope and movement.

“VDL Douglas, he gave size, scope, canter but, in my case, not the consistency for top competition. He produced one horse with 1.60m ability for me but not the temperament for top-level sport, while the other jumped CSI4* but was just short in scope and type.

“Harlequin Du Carel gave blood and movement, he produced the CCI5* Carneyhaugh Rua for me when crossed with a home-bred Cavalier Royale mare. ARS Avendi gave me my next generation broodmare Select three-star who excelled at the jumping phase on her inspection day and her first produce, Carneyhaugh Sonnet by Pollux De Muze, demonstrated her dam’s technique last year in the four-year-olds’ and has since gone to Dassett Eventing.

“The second, CCI Don Og, would appear to be a hopeful future prospect. Tolan R gave blood but not the size and scope and lacked the rideability but I believe in time will get there. Pollux De Muze for size, scope, rideability, and pedigree as he comes from one of the best mare lines in Europe. We may not have got the size we were looking for but again the outcomes will progress. Clarimo for size, blood, way of going, pedigree, and to maintain our dam line with the infusion of top performance pedigree.”

Changing tracks

Paddy has seen changes in breeding and what is required of horses at the top level. As show jumping tracks have changed in the type of materials used plus the emphasis on related distance and time, the type of horse needed has changed to those that have carefulness, balance, rideability, scope and speed.

Eventing has seen greater importance on finishing on the dressage score so therefore movement, balance, rideability, carefulness, blood and way of going, all come more into the equation.

Any breeder will tell you that there is always lessons to be learned when breeding horses.

To quote John Hughes, “The only predictable thing about horses is the total unpredictability of them,” and when producing them it is stages not ages, they need to be mentally able as well as physically ready for that stage of training – better to do it right first time round than spend a longer period to try and rectify an avoidable problem.

Lifelong learning

Paddy maintains that you must always be open to advice, saying there are many knowledgeable people out there only willing to share their knowledge if you just ask.

“Learning is a lifelong experience, we never know it all. Try not to be sentimental, it can cost you but always be patient and try always to be kind. It costs nothing, the most important thing is when someone gives you their time, value it because time is the most precious of all things.”

Every horse breeder dreams of producing a horse that will go to the Olympic Games, but Paddy is happy to breed horses that are consistent at 1.45m level and/or horses that will go on to CCI4*. Most of all, he admits that it is nice to breed nice happy horses and the rest is a bonus.