MY love affair with horses started when my father arrived home to our family dairy farm in Yorkshire, with a Welsh Section B colt foal for myself and two sisters to share. I was the eldest at six years old and had never had a riding lesson. It wasn’t an idyllic start!
Having worked with farm horses all his life, my grandfather helped us muddle through the breaking process - albeit my grandfather was more attuned to breaking horses to harness, rather than breaking ponies to ride. Once we got going, we spent our weekends breaking, producing and showing a succession of young ponies at local shows.
In my late teens, I bought my first Irish horse, Drumcastle, out of a show jumping yard in Lancashire. The grey ID x TB mare had no papers, but it was thought that she was by Sea Crest. Drumcastle was a versatile mare with fabulous paces. We had a long partnership, competing successfully in dressage to medium level and in county show hunter and working hunter classes.
After becoming captivated by the elegance of side-saddle, I began competing Drumcastle in side-saddle equitation and ladies’ hunter classes. A wonderful ride, she carried me into the ride-off for Rider of the Year at the 1988 UK Side Saddle National Championships. I like to think that Drumcastle was my first TIH. She was the first mare I bred from.
In 2000, I moved to Ireland as part of the senior management team for Halifax Insurance Ireland’s new call centre in Shannon. Soon after arriving, I met my husband, John Slattery, hunting with the East Clare Farmers Hunt. John shares my passion for horses.
We bought a couple of home-bred geldings from Michael Lynch in Killaloe - The Gateman, by Paris Lights and Nick of Time, by Raise You Time - and enjoyed several years eventing and competing in the Future Event Horse League, before John had to settle down to milking cows at home.
1. Proudest breeder moment?
It was a huge thrill to be present at the Scarteen YES competition in June, to watch Alice Copithorne and Elegant Emilia (Millie), by Young Carrabawn, jump clear to win the TIH working hunter Dublin qualifier, on the mare’s first day out under saddle.
It was equally satisfying that the pair finished the season at Tattersalls on a 20 dressage score and with clear show jumping and cross-country rounds, proving that Millie has performance, as well as looks. Millie is essentially the type of horse we set out to breed.
2. Elegant Emilia (Young Carrabawn - Kings Elegance, by Kings Master), your recent TIHA championship reserve champion, is a traditional-bred; do you breed traditional-breds or all types?
Back to Drumcastle’s first foal, sired by a British Warmblood: this was the most athletic horse I’ve ever bred or sat on, and the worst horse I’ve ever owned. Opinionated and difficult, this filly was very high maintenance - an absolute she-devil!
Whilst many breeders have more positive experiences with warmbloods, John and I set out to breed the type of horse that had given both of us the most pleasure in life - the TIH.
We both love the versatility, rideability, willingness and gentle nature of the breed. TIHs generally have good brains and use them constructively, working with you rather than against you. These low-maintenance horses fit into our busy lives very well.
3. “Bring receipts” - as someone who works in the financial field, any advice for breeders/readers?
Absolutely, you can’t have enough backup documentation if Revenue wants to take a closer look at your affairs.
It’s also a good idea for sole traders/partnerships to review their profits, a couple of months before their year-end. Excess profits can then be ploughed back into the business rather than evaporating in tax.
4. Biggest challenge(s) facing horse breeders?
For stalwarts of Irish breeding, it’s frightening that the TIH is already a rare breed. I bought our only broodmare, Kings Elegance by Kings Master, from John and Julia Crosbie in Enniscorthy in 2012.
I’d been visiting Goresbridge September sales with a trailer for about three years looking for a TIH mare, returning home with an empty trailer each time.
Before each sale, I’d study the catalogue, highlighting the mares that interested me. On any day of the sales, I was down to about six potentials. In the days before Goresbridge published photos or video, I was finding that the ones I liked on paper, I didn’t care for in the flesh. At 15.3hh, Kings Elegance was smaller than I’d hoped for, but her movement blew me away.
5. Prefixes - your views?
As small breeders, we haven’t registered a prefix for the horses. However, we use the ‘Waterpark’ prefix for our pedigree dairy herd. If you’re breeding a good number of animals, it’s your own traceable brand. To the buyers of your stock, it’s a badge of quality.
6. Internet – good or bad servant?
What’s the internet? We live under a rock and are too busy to engage with social media!
Marian Slattery with Elegant Emilia and Alice Copithorne, part of "Team Copithorne" \ Susan Finnerty
7. That famous horse you’d like to have bred?
As a hunter, side-saddle and dressage judge, I’ve inspected lots of horses, and I’ve been privileged to ride many of the best show horses in the British Isles. Beamish has been my all-time favourite.
By Touch of The Blues, he won many hunter and working hunter championships with professional producer, David Bartram, in the 1990s. Beamish also evented and competed in ladies’ hunter classes with much success.
He was a quality, all-round horse, with a Bentley-quality ride. Astride or sideways, you only had to think what you wanted him to do and he did it with the utmost manners. Aids weren’t necessary. He was telepathic!
8. It takes a team – who’s on yours?
My husband John loves researching stallions and enjoys breaking the youngsters. We’re lucky to have Derrick Jones, who breeds the Whitegate cobs, to help us on the farm. Derrick has done more than his fair share of mucking out in winter.
John and I cannot thank Team Copithorne enough for producing Millie this year. Alice rides Millie brilliantly, but would not be able to compete without the support of her partner Jamie Byrnes, father Philip, mother Avril, and sisters Grace and Adrienne - a team within a team!
9. Breeding horses, would you do it all over again?
Yes.
10. Has anyone influenced your breeding policy?
Ann O’Grady. She’s had a succession of horses with the same qualities, which we regarded as a template for our breeding aspirations. Ann competes mannerly horses with good conformation and movement and with the ability to jump a 1.10m track.
If they don’t make professionals’ horses, they have a future. If they’re not capable of top-class show jumping, they’ll event. If they won’t jump, they have the movement to do dressage. If dressage is too boring, they have the conformation to show.
In terms of selling them, there are many options.