Breeding a successful show jumper begins long before a foal ever enters the arena. At RJ3 Sport Horses, our breeding philosophy is centred on producing horses with the athleticism, mindset, and soundness required for modern sport.
Today’s show jumping horses must combine scope, carefulness, rideability, and durability. Selecting the right bloodlines is about more than famous names—it’s about proven performance, correct conformation, and temperament. Mares play an equally critical role, contributing not only genetics but also early behavioural development.
Good breeding is a long-term investment. By prioritising quality over quantity, and pairing mares and stallions with purpose, we aim to produce horses that are competitive, trainable, and built for longevity in the sport.
A team from Fernrigg traveled to Dubbo the 2nd weekend of April 2025 to participate in the show jumping event being run to help support the Pink Angels. This event was so much fun and included a fundraising team event on hobby horses.
Team Fernrigg (not being very competitive) brought home the win for Denman and added to the funds raised for Pink Angels.
The pink theme was a definite winner for everyone involved. The team were beautifully presented and everyone came away as winners.
The organisers did a fantastic job. We all had so much fun camping, the facilities were very good and we will definitely look to make this an annual event.
Equine embryo transfer has been used since 1970s and has increased in popularity over the years. Embryo transfer is a process that involves breeding a donor mare to a stallion and then transferring the resulting embryo at 7-8 days, into the uterus of a reproductively competent recipient mare, which carries the foal to term and raises it until weaning. For those mares that have difficulty even getting to the 7-8 day stage, or sub fertile stallions – ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is now an option.
The resultant foal will be the genetic offspring of the donor mare and stallion.
Advantages
– allows donor to continue performance career while the recipient carries the foal.
– more than 1 pregnancy per year can be achieved from a single mare.
– foals can be obtained from mares that are sub fertile or cannot viably carry embryos themselves.
Disadvantages
– some breed registry societies have restrictions on the number of foals that can be registered per mare per season.
– extra vet expenses dependant on number of embryos/recipients needed if/when successful.
– more intensive management is required for donor and recipients.
The first step of the process is to synchronise the reproductive cycles of the donor and recipient mares. It is important that the recipient mare is at a similar stage in her cycle as the donor mare to ensure that her uterus is ready to accept the embryo.
The donor mare is bred to the stallion. Live cover, AI with fresh/chilled or frozen semen are all common methods. It is important that the mare is monitored, and the time of ovulation is known.
The flushing of the embryo is usually done at 7-8 days post ovulation. A sterile catheter is placed into the uterus of the donor mare and the embryo removed by flushing a special fluid into the uterus. The recovered fluid passes through a filter allowing the microscopic embryo to be retrieved. The embryo is then assessed and graded according to its appearance and then prepared for transfer. The embryo is then inserted into the recipient mare and a pregnancy scan is performed on the recipient mare 6-7 days following the transfer of the embryo.
Success Rates
A survival rate of 75-80% of good quality embryos recovered typically occurs following transfer. But it is also important to consider that embryo recovery rates may be as high as 75% or as low as 25%. There are many factors that influence the recovery rate including:
What is the difference, can you be both, what thoughts do you have about these titles??
Here is the ruling/description for an Amateur rider:
– Article 255.1 Amateur Riders Must not have competed in an Olympic Games or World Equestrian Games in either Jumping or eventing In the past 10 years must not have competed in a World Cup for jumping or in a 4* 3 Day event. Must not have competed in Section 1 and 2 at a Royal Show in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth in the past two years Amateur riders may not compete in an Amateur class if they compete in any class where the first round is higher than 1.20m at that show Amateur riders may not compete in an Amateur class on a horse that will compete in any class where the first round is higher than 1.20m at that show Riders may compete as Amateurs from the beginning of the calendar year in which they turn 21 years of age.
So by this definition I am 100% an amateur. I’ve been doing this my whole life, the term ‘amateur’ doesn’t really fit if you associate amateur as being less than professional.
Lucky to have lights when riding after dark is the only option
Here’s a couple of views that I have – you can be a professional amateur eg: you fit into the description, but are financial enough to purchase whatever horse at whatever level that suits you, you can quite happily employ a knowledgeable professional to train you and/or your horse that they also spent the time to help you find. You’re an amateur because you choose to be.
Inspired by professionals
The amateur that aims to be a professional. You would love nothing more than to be able to do nothing else but ride and produce show jumping horses, however you spend most of your time working for a wage to keep up the payments necessary for the upkeep of an animal that means so much to you.
Due to having a standard job, you usually have to work around working weekends and therefore can only do the shows that fit with this.
This scenario plays on your mind that you’re not going to get the miles/experience to ever be even with those who do this everyday and every weekend.
I believe it should be the frame of mind and experience that determines whether you’re an amateur or a professional, not your bank balance.
A horse’s future has everything to do with how it was brought up and the experience it had as a young horse.
Early handling by someone experienced with young horses, who has a good understanding of horse psychology and the way they learn is essential for success.
Good farrier care is essential for confirmation and is a life long skill that is required. Well mannered horses will always be valued.
Horses also need to live as horses and grow up with the natural skills that are required for their own mental development.
At RJ3 sport horses, every foal is treated as the individual it is, and they are brought up with the best knowledge available to them at the time. The theory is and has always been ‘do the best you can, and then when you know better, do better!’
Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is being seen more and more, or do we just have more awareness now?
A happy horse has freedom, forage and friends. Young horses should grow up as horses, competition/work horses should have others in site so they don’t feel alone.
The number one most important thing in horses diets is roughage. Horses are designed to constantly pick, keeping a small amount of feed in the stomach at all times, which also requires them to move to maintain this supply.
Small feeds of 1/2 & 1/2 oaten/wheaten & lucerne chaff are a great base for essential minerals/vitamins to ensure a healthy diet. Extra to this is dependent on each individual and the requirements on them. Slow feeders/nets are great ways to ensure roughage is available at all times and can be placed in various locations to encourage movement. Having them away from the water trough is a great way to ensure movement.
Horses survived in the wild for a long time before humans discovered how to work with them. Keeping them as naturally as possible is the smallest thing we can do in appreciation for the countless things theses incredible animals give to us daily, no questions asked.
It’s not uncommon for people to think my horse is too young to have dental problems and feel it’s not necessary to get their teeth done before breaking in/starting. This couldn’t be further from the truth.
Just like children, horses go through stages of change in their mouths as they grow. They lose baby teeth or caps and often suffer more discomfort than older horses when their permanent teeth are coming through.
Benefits of getting your young horse’s teeth done before introducing them to the bit
– better acceptance of the bit
– lessens the chance of developing bad habits such as head throwing, lugging or holding their head to one side, open mouth, tucking their head, or carrying it high, all in an attempt to avoid pain/discomfort.
– accept the contact with bit better.
– reduce any sharp teeth that may cause pain/discomfort and allow the teeth to wear correctly. Sharp teeth or caps can cut/lacerate the inside of the cheek when the bit is pulled being painful for the young horse just learning to accept the bit.
– remove wolf teeth, if present (small tooth that sits in front of the 1st cheek tooth) they have a nerve supply so therefore can be painful when a bit is placed in the mouth. The bit can easily irritate or loosen the wolf teeth over time.
– eliminate the possibility of the bridle cheek strap pressing against loose caps that may be sore or swollen on the inside of the mouth.
– if your horse is pain free and has a well balanced mouth, they will learn and concentrate better, especially in those important first few weeks of breaking in/starting.
Wolf teeth
Young horses have a lot of changes going on in their mouths between the ages of 2-4 years, this is when they’re shedding caps and getting permanent teeth. It is not not possible to see the back teeth without a gag and things such as loose caps, sharp edges and uneven wearing are not possible to be checked from the outside.
A lot of time and effort has gone into looking after your young horse to this stage of their life when they’re finally ready to be started under saddle, all the more reason to make sure their 1st introduction to their future education is pain free and pleasant.
Mental training is an important aspect of any athlete’s training program, our horses are no exception! Just like us, they benefit from mental preparation when it comes to performing at their best. We all have ‘off days’ but here’s some ways to help ensure our horses are mentally and physically prepared.
Increase focus and attention.
There are many reasons why we may lose focus when trying to complete a task, and that is no different for our horses! Every horse is an individual and will have varying stimulators for motivation as well as distractions. In most cases though, training does come down to quality over quantity. As the horses training session lengthens, if it is not being stimulated by the work, it is likely the quality will decline and distractions become more prominent. Keeping our training schedule varied and having a plan in place before we saddle up can help keep each session fresh and invigorating for our horse, thus maintaining their focus and concentration.
Increased confidence.
There is nothing better than feeling confident for the performance you are about to produce, and preparation is the best way to get there! To give our horses the best confidence, they need to have had ample preparation. It isn’t fair to bring our horse into work after a break and take them straight to a competition with only a handful of rides. Not only are they unprepared physically, but mentally they are unfit and out of routine. The same is applied in the sense of over facing our horses, they may be of good fitness, but (for example) taking them out to jump a height or perform at a level higher than what you have been training at home, isn’t setting them up for success, and has a huge potential to decrease their confidence.
Communication.
A big part of creating confidence and being able to measure such , is effective communication between horse and rider. The way we ride when we train at home should best emulate the way we ride at a competition- which is easier said than done! However, making sure our communication methods are clear and consistent, and using the same tools to achieve this communication (whether it’s type of bit/noseband/spurs etc) between home and at competition, will assist in increasing confidence and decreasing stress and pressure that can arise from the competition environment.
Reward.
One of the most important aspects of training – REWARD! If our horses are not rewarded, they can not distinguish if what they have done is correct, and this can loose motivation to replicate that outcome. We know that in our own life , negativity and perhaps even a lack of recognition can become very deflating and consuming mentally – same goes for our horses. Rewards and praise should be given regularly and on the immediate instance of performing a desired action. Rewards come in many forms, the best understood for horses is release of pressure, voice commands/sounds, pat/scratch or treat are also commonly used.
Making sure our horses are best prepared for success with primed physical and mental preparation can make a huge difference to our performance potential. Striving to increase our horses concentration and confidence are 2 major components in reaching this goal, but it is not achieved without our own effective planning, communication and of course- provision of rewards!
Deciding to geld your colt or stallion is a very personal decision. There can be many reasons for making the decision ie: breed, discipline, facilities and/or experience.
Colts can be gelded as soon as both the testicles have descended. This could be as early as 3-4 months, and is commonly noted at 6-12 months. Occasionally only 1 will descend which is referred to as a Rig or Cryptorchid. This is generally not a problem, but does require more specialised surgery to remove.
Some of the pluses and minuses for gelding at a young age include:
– delaying can lead to colts developing more ‘stallion’ like behaviour which can take longer to subside the older they are.
– The older the colt, the more developed they are, meaning increased size and blood supply to the scrotum. This can lead to complications such as increased bleeding and swelling post surgery.
– Most castrations are performed under general anaesthesia. It is less risky to recover a smaller/younger horse than a larger/mature colt.
– Younger horses will heal faster given the smaller amount of tissue and scrotum involved.
After care for your gelding is most important. You should monitor your gelding closely for the 1st 24-48hrs, checking for excessive bleeding (bleeding should stop within the first couple of hours post surgery, a small drip is fine but anything more, you should contact your vet ASAP). They should remain in a clean environment (grass yard) for the 1st 24hrs then be encouraged to exercise and/or move around in a small paddock to help prevent excess swelling and reduce the risk of infection.
They should have vital signs checked regularly and if there are any signs of increased temperature, abnormal swelling or lameness, contact your vet.
Buying ready made horses are not cheap. Depending on the level and potential you’re looking for, these are big factors in the prices you can expect to pay.
Producing these horses takes time and expertise, which is what adds value. This doesn’t always fit into everyone’s schedule/time frame.
Do you pay the price for someone else’s expertise and time, or do you have a smaller startup cost, and be patient with the time it will take?
Either way it will cost you. There are positives and negatives to both situations.
RJ3 Sport Horses 