As
a long time hunter horse aesthete, I have seen greatness as a rarity
in something that marches proudly on all fours, leaps by feet at a
time and has the undeniable ability to win the heart of any young
girl; the genetics of a horse have no memory and little to no
continuity in carrying the most elusive gene of all - excellence. As
sire and dam may pass to a foal their colour, height, personality or
bones, but breeding the best with the best is never a guarantee to
receive something greater. Thus, as I stand up against the wooden
fencing of the outdoor exercise arena on a surprisingly warm Sunday
morning in February and watch as one of our younger students
receives orders to lower her heels and keep her eyes off the ground,
I can clearly see how at Windfall we avoid the misconception that a
horse is born and bred to be a champion. Horses selected for
Windfall students hold only two persistent qualities; will and
personality. The rest is up to who is in the saddle, not who is
under it.
I
have seen my fair share of accidents in the hunter ring over my
eighteen years competing - a hot horse at the mercy of a student can
lead to unfavorable circumstances in the ring in the blink of an
eye. Although, I have determined, the gene of excellence is as
nonpersistant and lacking of memory like the flip of a coin,
temperament prevails. Always. At Windfall, true to visions of the
Bedouins, the mare is the most influential of two halves on a foal,
yet the sire must have a reliable and durable temperament to match.
Success may be lovely, but in truth it is personality and dedication
that determine the outcome of a foal. A sire nor a dam needs success
to produce successful - and above all else, personable - foals that
can blow the competition away. Our philosophy in breeding? Plain and
simple. Don't breed success, breed something that can achieve it,
and deserve it.
A
plaque sits upon the brick wall face of the main barn, next to the
door. At many stables these bear homage to great faces of the past,
or naming of the barns after who financed them, or thanks. Yet upon
closer inspection, a visitor is instead to see the words Victum,
nunquam triumphus etched upon it. A common point of speculation
amongst visitors is, should they comprehend the Latin, what exactly
these three words indicate. For me, it is simple enough to explain;
always striving, never settling. A blue ribbon on the bridle is
always good, but never good enough. After all, nobody got anywhere
in the world by simply being content.
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