Debatress

Debatress with her 2002 filly, Sabrina

Debatress was an older TB mare, bred at Horse Haven Farm, by Carl and Bonnie Johnson. When I was first looking for a warmblood horse, I couldn't afford one. So I bought a young Swedish Warmblood, and then I went looking for a nice thoroughbred to ride while the baby grew up.The Johnson's, her breeders, come from a family that is extensively involved in Eventing and Pony Club.They bred (and still do) classic, older-style thoroughbreds that are built for sport. Debatress was one of their favorites and their nick-name for her was Big Bird, due to her long, long, legs. When I tried her as a gorgeous three year-old, what struck me is her trot felt exactly the same as the only warmblood I'd ever ridden, an imported SWB gelding, Dijon. So on that hunch, I bought her.(She didn't pass her vet exam, due to a slightly crooked stifle, and old Carl Johnson told me she would be fine).

That hunch was a good one, because Debatress was destined to be the foundation mare of my breeding program. She was wonderful to ride; the first time I took a lesson on her, my instructor said, "there's your FEI horse". She was incredibly light to ride; when she learned the collected canter, it was her favorite thing to do. Unfortunately, an accident left her unsound, so she was bred to a young warmblood stallion.

I didn't know anything about warmblood registries, but I knew they had to see her in order to register the foal (please note, this is not necessary when registering Swedish warmblood babies).My friend Lucy Curley helped me get Debatress ready for inspection. It was October and really cold, so I decided not to bath her. I told Lucy it probably didn't matter, we would be lucky to get in the low book, since Debatress hadn't passed her vet exam as a three year-old. We did braid her mane, but if you patted her a little dust cloud poofed into the air, despite all our brushing.

Lucy told me later, when Debatress was turned loose for the free trot and canter, everyone in the audience started asking, "Who is that horse?" I was so excited that we made it to the second go-round. I called a friend, and said how we might even get a 5th place! As we walked with the other horses (I now know this is a line-up), the German judges called out various commands. One horse had been especially unruly, and Big Bird (Debatress) was being quiet, so I thought we were in the front as traffic control. Karen Reid was right behind me. Karen kept going, "pst!pst!" and I was like, "Huh? What?",

Finally they called us up, describing what they saw in each horse. When it was just three of us left, I started to have a clue. It was one of those weird moments when you are hoping, but it can't be. Then they announced that Debatress was Site Champion, the Regional Champion Mare for the Pacific Northwest. They said she was a Premium mare; they noted her crooked stifle, but said it was unimportant in a mare like this. They even said it was an honor to bring her into the Holstein breed, and that this was the kind of thoroughbred mare they would like to import back to Germany.

Here's an example of Debatress's wonderful contribution as a broodmare. She is shown with her 2002 filly by the Holstein stallion Silvano N.

Sabrina is sold to Gayle Glisson-Kuhlberg of North Carolina. Congratulations Gayle!

Debatress has been a wonderful mare to know; she is probably my favorite, the one I am closest to. She has some funny traits though. She loves to rear! She never did this when I was riding her; she just saves it for opportune moments, like if the vet or shoer are being just a bit too familiar. She is a careful rearer though. When she was only three, we had an argument over whether she would enter the trailer. She reared maybe 50 times. But it was always controlled, balanced, and never near me (yes she did get in trouble for that). And every year, once she has foaled, her first celebration is to run around and rear! Here's a few moments from one summer: