With those stallions and the way they work them so hard so young, and travel them so much, ship them so much, I don't hold it against them necessarily if they get an injury.
This is in all the horse sports. There's a lot of hard miles on those horse's legs and backs.
If I see some obvious flaw in their conformation or gait that's different, if I think they look too heavy in the body for the legs they got, or they have got bad feet, that's different.
But otherwise, injuries are part of life for these top horses. They get very good veterinary care in general as well so I'm not ever particularly surprised if they come back, either. Or not. It's a very hard life. Jumping, eventing, combined driving, dressage at that level of effort, just about any of the riding sports...I am not ever really surprised.
I like it the best if the breeding stallion has gone up all the levels of his sport and placed consistently, solidly, with no big 'vacations' for problems. I like it the best if the stallion came through his 90 day test in good shape, but if he was sent when at the minimum age I'm not completely surprised if they get hurt.
I've seen some of those older stallions - one I took care of was in about 80 Grand Prix jumping competitions. Rider after rider would come in the barn and shout the stallion's name and sxplain they had ridden him in GP jumping competitions in Europe. I was like 'HOW MANY GP DID THIS HORSE GO IN????' 'OH...EIGHTY OR SO'. HOLY FRIJOLES! That game little stallion was so shot in the back end that they'd hold his front legs on the mare when he bred and he'd stand there and cough his brains out.
That poor old dude bred mares right up to the day he died, he laid down and galloped to Heaven. Sweet old guy. He worked very hard for the money.
It's a very, very hard life.
I also have met people who are never shocked at well, most of what they see on those stallion's xrays, either. It's a hard life.
As always 'it depends'. You're never guaranteed to hear 'the real story' unless you're in that horse's barn and are acquainted with the details of his life, in any sport or type of horse.
You just choose the best you can.
My Baby's Daddy Choice of the Month for our little girl is Belissimo M. But I don't think he will be that low a fee for long, but maybe that's just one straw or without a live foal guarantee or something, because Schmidt in Europe had him for 1700 dollars, live foal guarantee. Whatever the price means, Judy Yancey has been in the business for a very long time and she is very, very well respected, she'll do it right.
