Sport Horse Breeding at Groton House Farm

There have always been livestock at Groton House Farm, and from the earliest days, horses have been among the most important. When the Winthrop family bought the property one hundred years ago, automobiles were uncommon, and horses were the primary means of transportation. In later years, the family tradition of riding for sport took root. Frederic Winthrop (1906-1979) was for many years the Master of Fox Hounds for the Myopia Hunt, and his children all grew up on horseback.

The family bred ponies, horses, and mules over the years, as well as cattle and hogs. By the 1960s the dairy operation had been discontinued, beef and pig farming were phasing out, and some sort of activity was needed to put life back into the farm. But, even as the commercial livestock operation faded, Groton House and the Winthrop and Getchell families were becoming deeply committed to the equestrian world.

In the late fifties and early sixties, Groton House hosted some of the earliest combined training events in the United States. In 1976, Frederic's daughter, Ann Getchell, brought three horse-loving daughters home from Europe whereupon they immersed themselves in Pony Club. In fact, the current series of GHF events was born in 1978 as an adjunct to the Northeast New England Regional Pony Club Rally.

Ann's time became increasingly devoted to organizing and running Pony Club activities and transporting kids and ponies to competitions. Not to be left out, in 1979 she bought herself the Hanovarian mare Electra (out of Florette by Abundance). Electra had a strong thoroughbred influence in her bloodlines, and Ann returned to eventing in which she had dabbled years before. That fall, when Ann stepped in to replace her scheduled rider on short notice, the pair happily won Open Training at Shepley Hill. Ann and Electra went on to compete successfully at the Preliminary level.

Electra was retired in 1983 to become the GHF foundation broodmare. Her first breeding to Lalanza (TB) produced Lorenzo, with whom Ann competed through Intermediate. Electra again proved her ability to pass quality and talent to her babies when her daughter, GHF Arlette, by Anriegetto, entered her first 3-day in 1995, then successfully moved up to Intermediate. Ann is particularly enthusiastic about the Electra line and is continuing it through two Electra daughters.

At least two thoroughbreds in the mare barn have success stories of their own. Delilah, bred to the Galoubet (Selle Francais) produced the grand-prix jumper Gladyola. Spread the News, bred to the same local stallion, foaled GHF Edisto, now six and an excellent jumper who is showing his all-around talent in combined training. A number of other GHF progeny are in the hunter and jumper rings.

The aim of Groton House Farm Sporthorses is to produce quality warmblood/thoroughbred crosses with strong jumping ability, natural self-carriage, and good dispositions. Desire and willingness to work round out the characteristics that make a horse ridable in the very best sense of the word.

Ann raises horses for herself and other amateurs. She acknowledges that generally only pure thoroughbreds have the speed and stamina for three- and four-star competition, but stresses that top level three-day riders represent a tiny percentage of the eventing population. She believes the majority of competitors are much safer and happier on a mount that has naturally good movement, jumps safely and is levelheaded — the offspring that Groton House is breeding today.

As in all learning experiences, trial-and-error has been the best teacher. Ann continues to refine the matching of complementary mares and stallions as successive breedings reveal their dominant characteristics. She keeps quality thoroughbred and thoroughbred-cross mares which are paired with stallions that are carefully chosen for their own performance history and for their reputation as sires.

Available on the farm are outstanding young prospects by the following top stallions:

Anriejetto (KWPN/Dutch Warmblood)
Idocus (KWPN)
Gonzo I (Hanovarian)
Le Baron (Holsteiner)
Benvolio (Hanovarian)
Galoubet (Selle Francais)
Espiritu (Irish Thoroughbred)
Trenchdigger (Thoroughbred)
All the Options (Thorougbred)
Not Surprised (Thoroughbred)

Unlike the thoroughbred registry, warmblood associations allow (and heavily rely upon) artificial insemination as a means for breeding. Modern technology enables semen to remain viable during transport for up to 48 hours. This technique was developed locally by the owners of a nearby stud farm, Hamilton Farm, home of Galoubet, Bonjour and Benvolio. Semen may also be frozen successfully, but the technique requires even more careful handling and usually results in a lower conception rate.

A typical breeding season at Groton House will see three to five foals born in April and May. The eleven-month gestation period requires that the mares be bred again rather quickly to ensure the foals are born in mid-spring when the climate and conditions are favorable. The mares and foals are all pastured together until weaning in October. Then the babies are turned out together until the spring of their yearling year, when maturing hormone levels make it necessary to separate the colts from the fillies. If the colts are exceptionally well-behaved, they may remain intact until they are two, but as a rule, they are gelded earlier.

Foals are led, handled, trimmed, and groomed from the time they are born, but it is not until they are three that they begin to be longed, saddled, and backed. Once they have learned to walk, trot, and canter under saddle, they are turned out again until they are more mature and ready for serious work as four-year-olds.

Those youngsters that have the best natural suspension, typical of warmbloods, ten to be good movers and jumpers and so can be sold quite young as dressage and jumper prospects. Eventers generally look for horses who have at least training level experience and the potential for preliminary and above, which for the breeder may mean a greater investment in time, training and competitive mileage.

Warmblood-crosses are notoriously slow developers in their first four years, easily a year behind pure thoroughbreds of like age. But, for those who do not have three- and four-star ambitions, the end result is well worth waiting for.

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