Producing top-level jumpers

THERE has never been a better time to be a producer of young horses. At the top end of the sport, a burgeoning calendar of five-star shows creates an insatiable demand for big-track jumpers. At the amateur level, horse sales are also booming, with lockdowns prompting unexpectedly time-rich enthusiasts to focus on their passions.

While this may be an attractive market, with big money to be made for the right horse, producing is a long and expensive game that can be riddled with disappointment.

“A lot depends on the end game of the producer – they need to evaluate how good the horse is and what their financial pressure is,”

Olympic team gold medallist Peter Charles explains. “You have to learn to judge a horse’s ability to learn and its physical strength.” Often, the guiding principle in horse production is not so much about knowing what to do, as knowing what not to do.

“The most important thing with a young horse is not to mess them up. You need to protect the horse at all