full service hunter jumper Warmblood breeding and training facility located in Essex County, Ontario Canada.

The phrase that makes my skin CRAWL.

"Just A Broodmare"

For those that think the quality of a horse's life ends when a performance career stops or injury occurs at a young age preventing a performance career...

Some mares are off to become "Just A Broodmare". Well, let me tell you - this is my tribute to my broodmare who we sadly had to say goodbye to Tuesday afternoon, surrounded by her family and people that loved her since the start of our journey.

"Finesse" was THE mare that allowed / assisted me to get serious about breeding high end hunter jumper warmbloods. She was injured young and was someone else's very much unwanted horse.

I saw her. I saw through her scars and many injuries, I saw through her terrified and broken spirit, I saw her potential, I saw her heart, I saw her soul. It took years to earn her trust and in that time she taught me so many lessons money can't buy. I watched a mare give her all to her offspring and learn to trust and thrive again. She continuously out produced herself in the breeding shed as well as being the very most text book easy to breed and easy to work on mare I have ever come across. She was the best mother I have seen to all her foals and looked after the other foals as well. She was the mare I started venturing into frozen semen with (100% success rate with her!). She was the mare that has produced very successful hunters and jumpers in Canada and USA. Her legacy lives on as her offspring continue to grow and develop making us all very proud of their dispositions, athletic capabilities, conformation and their mother's heart!

With this giant loss we can't help but focus on and look forward to the progeny she leaves behind.

We have been blessed with fantastic homes for all her babies as well as a very special stud prospect by Casallco out of Finesse (located in Florida) getting ready to make his debut, as well as many mares that will be doing embryo transfers throughout their career to ensure her line continues on.

Remember before saying "Just A Broodmare" that breeders like myself LOVE our mares. They are special, chosen for reasons, bred with intention, well cared for and loved beyond measure. We spend countless hours at all hours with them and pour our hearts into them as they do us.

So this is a tribute to my beloved Finesse who gave me so much, l was able to build and develop my passion in the horse industry and succeeded in my breeding career because of her and the adventure we went on together in the breeding world.

"I fell in love with a horse I couldn't ride. What she did was teach me. She taught me about earning trust, taught me about breeding warmbloods and showed me all of the great things breeders live for... Watching her love babies and just being around her was good enough for me, our relationship was absolutely cherishable... My once in a lifetime horse. NOT just a broodmare."

Rest in peace sweet mare.

March 17, 2026