Leslie Morse gave an interesting discussion of her journey as both a competitive rider and a breeder of exceptional Grand Prix prospects during ShowChic’s December ShopTalk. Morse, who is known for her international success with stallions Kingston and Tip Top 962, has spent the last decade breeding the next generation of dressage horses.
Breeding dressage horses for personality and suppleness
Leslie Morse, who is known for her international success with stallions Kingston and Tip Top 962, has spent the last decade breeding the next generation of dressage horses.
© 2013 by Thurner Hof
Her experiences with Kingston and Tip Top gave her great insight into what to breed for and how to develop the young horses to give them the greatest chance at success at the international level.
“Kingston was a late bloomer,” said Morse, referring to her successful Grand Prix mount that was overlooked by top riders before coming into his own. “So when his babies were going through the same awkward phases he went through, I knew not to push them or write them off. Sure enough given time and patience, they have come into their own and are now beginning the FEI work.”
In addition to Kingston, Morse has young prospects from her other stallion Tip Top, who she described as being 'all rhythym.' One of Morse's young horses is by Tip Top and out of a Kingston mare, a crossing that she hopes will yield an athlete with Kingston's reliability and presence and Tip Tops' rhythym and suppleness. While having to to deal with plenty of heartbreak and trial and error during the process, Morse is excited about her future prospects.
“My goal during all of this was to create Grand Prix horses,” she said. “I wanted to build the US’s reputation for breeding, as well as to have American bred Olympic horses competing in the future. That was my goal, and while my journey is not over, I think we are on the right path.”
In June, Morse returned to the ring for the first time since losing Kingston to colic in 2010, coming down centerline at the Potomac Valley Dressage Association’s Dancing Horse Challenge in Bowie, MD on his eight year-old son, Kingston's Excalibur.
“I got to be a part of my future horses. My two stallions really stamped. Tip Top’s look like Tip Top; Kingston’s look like Kingston. And mixing the two, when the world sees them you can really tell. Kingston throws his neck, his face, and his personality. When you add Tip Top’s elasticity and suppleness… I have received what I already had and have improved upon it, which is the goal of the breeder. I believe my younger horses truly are better than my older ones.”