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A BREEDER’S VIEW BY MARY ANNE MORRISON
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FO C USI N G O N ARABIANS FOR CHILDREN AND AMATEURS
Mary Anne Morrison with the Half-Arabian/Half Welsh pony mare LIL MISS PERFECT LD (Goldhills Most Wanted x Aiming for Perfection).
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t her Laughing Dog Ranch in Ojai, California, Mary Anne Morrison breeds purebred Arabians and Arabian crosses (many of them half Welsh pony), with children and amateurs in mind. The fruits of her labor include her 2019 USEF Leading Breeder of HalfArabians award, along with countless Sport Horse Championships, open Hunter/Jumper and dressage winners, as well as main ring Arabian titles. As Mary Anne says, “Both my parents were horsey. My paternal grandfather was Chick Morrison, a famous movie horse trainer and silent film actor. The Morrison brothers were ‘imported’ to
Hollywood from Morrison, Colorado, by Hal Roach, who needed real cowboys in his movies.” Away from the show ring, Mary Anne is a passionate trail rider, believing that show horses need to have fun, too. “We’re known here in Ojai as ‘those ladies who ride the trails bareback in halters on those Arabians!’” she says. We’ll let Mary Anne take it from here, as she conveys how she found her niche as an Arabian breeder, and how decades as a breeder of champion show dogs gave her a template for producing pretty performance horses. – Denise Hearst
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// Laughing Dog Ranch had a great 2019 Sport Horse Nationals. From left are: LIL MISS PERFECT LD (Goldhills Most Wanted x Aiming For Perfection), with Mary Anne Morrison, winner of three Top Tens in performance and In-Hand; MISS CONGENIALITY LD (Con Caletto x Swan Song DDA by Showkayce) with Hannah Finch was Champion Novice Hunter, plus a Reserve Championship and five Top Tens; and DEAR SWEET ROMEO LD (Goldhills Most Wanted x HS Magical Miss by High Sign) with Simone De Sorcy, won Champion Breeders Sweepstakes Green Working Hunter Derby, plus four Top Tens.
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Below: Roly Poly, Grand Champion Staffordshire Bull Terrier.
EARLY YEARS – THE ARABIAN INFLUENCE
purchased the mare, Nisraffa (Feriben x Sure Nisa). I was fortunate to have summered on Martha’s She’d been an English horse, but soon carried me on Vineyard as a child and teen in the 1960s. Tashmoo some death-defying rides in rural Appalachia. When Farm was a haven for young equestrians, and we “Raffi” died of colic in 1993, I lost my heart. Switched were introduced to some lovely imported Arabians focus to breeding and training Rottweilers at the and Welsh ponies there as National level – that’s well. You started by riding where I met renowned We’re known here in Ojai the often-nasty Shetlands. show dog handler, and If you survived, you were dog and Arabian as ‘those ladies who ride the allowed to move on up to breeder Perry Payson. trails bareback in halters on the Welsh. The WelshWe later bought Arab crosses came next. Syriana VS together! those Arabians!’ Over a 10-15-year span, By 2005 my nest was the best riders were empty, many deaths and offered the chance to ride and tragedies had left me empty. I show the purebred Arabs. To this bought property in Durango, day, I consider Arabs the ultimate Colorado, and my contractor E-ticket ride, and Welsh-Arabs a boyfriend Jeff Searles and I built close second! a barn/home with indigenous Years rolled by, and my horse materials. Now I needed a horse! craziness gave way to boyfriends, I tried an Andalusian, a Quarter college, grad school, marriage Horse and a mustang. Nothing fit. and career. In 1983 I bought a I poked around in the Arab world, small farm near Ohio University. but other than Al-Marah, most As soon as the barn was up, I Arabs were not riding horses
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// mountains, and if someone got bucked off, she could carry two people out.
A BREEDING PROGRAM TAKES SHAPE
GOLDHILLS LOVE THE BLUES (Gayfields Call The Cops x Gayfields Love Potion No. 9). “My Welsh stallion sires incredible athletes – over fences and dressage ponies,” says Mary Anne. People are not buying show halter ponies, they want steady temperament, movement to die for and sensitivity.” He is AHA Sweepstakes nominated.
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anymore. After several years of frustration, I was introduced to Alexa Morgan who was involved in marketing. I told her, “I want a small, smart *Baskbred mare who can do mountain trails.” Presto! We drove up to High Star Farm and there stood a tiny but perfect bay mare, HS Sweetchardonnay (High Sign x Sweetbriar X), a Barbary granddaughter, held by none other than Sue Burkman. I took her to Durango where her beautiful tail was worn down by brambles as she enjoyed free range of 70 acres. We competed in ACTHA rides on scary bridges and terrifying rocky inclines. She packed elk out of the
Fast-forward to 2007 when my then-boyfriend and I accompanied old Santa Barbara friends, Suzanne and Perry Perkins, to Seville for the Andalusian show. I couldn’t sleep one night so I started looking up old Welsh pony breeders online. By chance, I saw the most incredible palomino stallion I’d ever seen! Supreme Champion Goldhills Most Wanted, LOM, AOE, in Paso Robles, California. So I wrote his owner, Megan Burtness, asking if I might see him as soon as we got home from Spain. Suzanne and Perry went with me. My breeder’s light bulb came on and I told her that I would assemble some Arabian mares and build a Welara program, focusing on the Sport divisions and all-round beautiful athletes for children and amateurs. I soon purchased the mares HS Magical Miss (High Sign x BA Miss Magic), bred by Cynthia Burkman, and Aiming For Perfection (PR Casino x Ames Perfection) a double Brass granddaughter. My first foal out of Aiming for Perfection was Lil Miss Perfect LD (sired by Goldhills Most Wanted). She won 2010 U.S. National Champion Half-Arabian Yearling Filly – the first pony cross to win the HalfArabian National Championship title. She went on to win National Champion Sport Horse In-Hand and numerous Top Tens in everything from Sport Horse Under Saddle and Sport Horse Show Hack, and ultimately earned her Legion Of Master and Legion Of Excellence. She is now showing in third level Dressage. I showed Miss Perfect at Scottsdale in 2014 in main ring hunter and I placed sixth out of 30, against all those huge horses. That was my most glorious ribbon. I was so proud of that. My plan is to breed HS MAGICAL her to U.S. National MISS has been a powerhouse in the Sport Horse Champion broodmare band. Tuxedo Thyme ABA (Pyro Here is her 2010 Thyme SA x SMA Alad Half-Arabian gelding THIS Khelima) this year. Her MAGIC MOMENT two full sisters, Glee LD LD by Goldhills and Most Beloved LD Most Wanted as foal. 2010 Halfhave enjoyed successful Arabian gelding. careers in Dressage,
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Lil Miss Perfect embodies my ideal Arabian-Welsh cross.
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want that strength and the bravery. They’ll swim anything, they’ll jump anything, they are really game. That’s heredity – they had to swim, and jump those stone walls to get a blade of grass. I want that steady disposition, and the Arabian lightness and sensitivity, and that’s what we get time after time. But then, I am breeding to the very best Welsh stallions. HS Magical Miss has been a powerhouse in the broodmare band. Her first foal, This Magic Moment LD (by Goldhills Most Wanted), was two-time Scottsdale Champion Sport Horse In Hand, Region 2 Champion and Champion Children’s Hunter on Open Circuit. Her son, Dear Sweet Romeo LD (also by Goldhills Most Wanted), is the fabulous 2019 U.S.
Sport Horse National Champion Half-Arabian Green Working Hunter Derby winner, and 2019 Scottsdale Champion HA/AA Green Working Hunter. This eight-time National Top Ten winner is owned by childhood friend, Simone De Sorcy of Tashmoo Farm on the Vineyard. The third to arrive was Pollyanna LD (sired by my Welsh stallion, Reserve National Champion Goldhills Love the Blues). Pollyanna LD was 2018 Scottsdale Reserve Champion HalfArabian Green Hunter, and is now winning open childrens hunter championships in Thermal, California, with an eight-year-old rider. We’re breeding her to a Warmblood jumper this year. Along the way, I purchased the Showkayce
LD DEAR SWEET ROMEO (Goldhills Most Wanted x HS Magical Miss) is the 2019 U.S. National Sport Horse Champion Half-Arabian Green Working Hunter Derby winner, and 2019 Scottsdale Champion HA/AA Green Working Hunter. This eight-time National Top Ten winner is owned by Simone De Sorcy. Romeo just went Champion Modified Working Hunter at Region 3.
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Hunter/Jumper, In-Hand and various Sport Horse divisions. Lil Miss Perfect embodies my ideal Arabian-Welsh cross. What I want to improve on the Welsh is a smoother topline. The Welsh are looking too drafty now, more like Cobs, with high shoulders and a high apple butt. I want a lovely top line like Miss Perfect has. And I want the drive, and the step – the Welsh are incredible movers. They trot 35 miles an hour. I
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She’s done it all, from in-hand to show hack, dressage and even ranch riding – LIL MISS PERFECT LD (Goldhills Most Wanted x Aiming for Perfection). Hannah Finch, trainer, USDF Bronze on all LDR horses!
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daughter Swan Song DDA, from one of my breeding mentors and dear friend, Carol Steppe. Swan was of Sport Horse type, moved and jumped magnificently, but was too dissimilar phenotypically to breed to my “lil Welshman.” I bred her instead to the international Grand Prix Holsteiner, Con Caletto. Miss Congeniality LD was the result, and what a doozy! As of this writing she is the leading Half-Arabian Third level dressage horse in the country. By this time I’d moved to Ojai and built a little four stall barn, and she was one of the first foals born here. She is 2019 U.S. Sporthorse National Champion A/ HA / AA Novice Jumper Jumper and Scottsdale Reserve Champion Gamblers Choice. In 2021 she won eight Regional
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I will not breed a mare that I cannot personally ride. Temperament is everything when breeding for children and amateurs.
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Championships in second and third level dressage, Sport Horse Show Hack and Under Saddle. She is also a winner of the Legion Of Merit and Legion Of Excellence. Then came Lil Boy Blues LD (by Goldhills Love the Blues and out of my Showgun daughter, Show Me Magic LD). He was 2020 Scottsdale Champion HA/ AA Green Working Hunter and is now winning in open shows with his POLLYANNA LD (Goldhills Love The Blues x HS Magical Miss) was 2018 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Half-Arabian Green Hunter.
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MISS CONGENIALITY LD (Con Caletto x Swan Song DDA). As of this writing she is the leading Half-Arabian Third level dressage horse in the country. Mary Anne says, “I owe so much to my trainer, Hannah Finch!! She has taken my raw material and sculpted them into the fantastic, happy working animals that they are today! Hannah is awaiting confirmation as USDF Bronze Medalist all on Laughing Dog Ranch horses and ponies.”
seven-year-old owner! We hope to see them at Pony Finals! This year we have six youngsters by Goldhills Love the Blues who will be shown in-hand. His yearling filly, Little Love Song LD, out of a Showgun daughter, was 2020 U.S. Sport Horse National Top Ten Half-Arabian Sport Horse in Hand.
A BREEDING PHILOSOPHY IN PRACTICE My breeding philosophy, honed over 50 years in show/obedience dogs, starts with acquiring the best mares possible for your stated purpose. I kept the template I used with breeding show dogs and applied it to horses, and it worked. They have to be structurally correct in order to show. Movement for Sport Horses should come from sloping shoulders and powerful rears. I stick with Polish-related performance bloodlines in my Arabians, and I will not breed a mare that I cannot personally ride.
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...try to meet the stallions you breed to. If you can’t go
into their stall, move along.
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You can’t ride a head, but eyes are the window to the soul. You cannot fix bad legs or feet on a breeding animal...steer clear.
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cannot fix bad legs or feet on a breeding animal... steer clear. The Sport Horse division is growing rapidly. It’s not the “depository for failed main ring horses,” that some considered it in the beginning. Sportthorse breeding and competition have improved dramatically in the 12 years I’ve been involved. The Arabian Sport Horse Nationals at WEC in Ohio
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Temperament is everything when breeding for children and amateurs. Stick with bloodlines most familiar to you and try to meet the stallions you breed to. If you can’t go into their stall, move along. I don’t buy excuses for naughty stallion behavior such as, “he was poorly handled.” So often it’s genetic. When breeding Half-Arabians, consider lowering the “temperature” by using a breed with “colder’ blood, and don’t just go with the “flavor-of-month” stallion. Production records are very important. You can’t ride a head, but eyes are the window to the soul. You
LIL BOY BLUES LD (Goldhills Love the Blues x Show Me Magic LD), 2020 Scottsdale Champion HA/AA Green Working Hunter. “He is now winning in open shows with his seven-year-old owner!” says Mary Anne. “We hope to see them at Pony Finals!”
should be most challenging, as Sport Horses and ponies are huge back East. In Sport Horses, the “halter-y” flat croup must be sacrificed for a more rounded “performance rear.” I like *Bask, *Aladdinn, Raffon, Showkayce, and Fame in their pedigrees... although I must say, my purebred Dakar El Jamaal grandson recently won Region 7 Champion Training Level dressage. I currently breed from five to seven purebred Arabian broodmares, who have excellent conformation and temperaments. I also have a
Left, SYRIANA VS was 2011 Scottsdale Champion Hunter Pleasure Select Rider AATR, 2008 Region 3 Reserve Champion Mare Two Years Old & Older, and has multiple Regional and Scottsdale Top Tens open and amateur (adult and junior) in Hunter Pleasure. Right, Syriana’s son, SYRIUSLY CELESTIAL LD, was recently named 2021 Region 7 Champion Sport Horse Under Saddle Junior Horse, Reserve Champion Dressage Training Level Junior Horse, and Champion Sport Horse Under Saddle Junior Horse.
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National Champion Welsh mare. My best producing Arabian mare, HS Magical Miss, typifies the foundation we want in a great producer: beautiful, smart, unflappable, but boy can she move! I wish I’d shown her in Dressage years ago. As for mares I wish I could’ve owned, I’d have to say Piannisima. She was everything I adore in an Arabian mare. And if I could turn back time, I would NOT have sold my Showkayce daughter! I believe that kids who start with the Arab/Welsh cross ponies will follow into purebred Arabians, and I often think their moms are thinking that too, because their moms are often “re-entering riders” and they are loving the temperaments. Welsh ponies and Arabs are loving, they’re used to dogs and cats and things that go bump in the night. Dear Sweet Romeo is 14.1-1/2. That size could be a shared mom-and-daughter horse. Mom can ride in dressage and the little kid can ride over fences.
Left: SYRIOUSLY CELESTIAL LD is by a Dakar son out of Syriana VS. “He’s brilliant. Won 3 Regional Training Level Dressage champion this season! Right: The purebred mare FORGET ME NOT LD (Skyehawkk x Unforgetable), just won open Champion Hunter AND Jumper at Region 7. “She beats the warmbloods constantly,”says Mary Anne. She is gifted beyond measure.”
I see a lot of women whose Hunter/Jumper and dressage trainers are not so happy about them purchasing Half-Arabians; they want them to buy expensive Warmbloods. There is a tremendous amount of training and grooming required with Warmbloods, and the ladies don’t get to really get to know their horses, or ride for fun…they are told what to do. With the Arabians, they get to take them out and graze and sit in the stall with them. Most women don’t need horses as big as Warmbloods, especially in my age group that is prone to osteoporosis and are looking for an affectionate mount. This is the time for joy. You need something that you can show and take out on the trail... A horse that you can bring home for three months and have some fun. My buyers love
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young age.
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Our pony buyers are now coming from the open hunter/jumper circuit as our Laughing Dog ponies blow away the competition from a
GOLDHILLS LOVE THE BLUES with his friend Ailish.
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Bareback Amigas – Mary Anne on LIL MISS PERFECT LD, Elise Collins, photographer, on SYRIANA VS, Kat Cotti, assistant, on SYRIUSLY CELESTIAL LD, and Roly Poly in the rear.
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that. They love the friendliness. People are tired of horses they’re not allowed to touch. While I often breed my Arabian mares for purebred foals, this year I’m breeding four mares to Warmbloods for Dressage and Hunter/Jumper. Although I personally prefer, and ride, the Welsh/Arab crosses, not all amateurs are as short as I am. Folks have asked me if I could breed them a big horse like my best ponies – I said, “Here we go.” My Showgun daughter is due to foal to Carrazca Z (a Warmblood Hunter) this July. Four foals a year is a good number for me as I do all the foaling and handling myself. I tend to breed in May/June as mares are grazing and cycling well. I refuse to rush into breeding season early just to get into ring faster. Our pony buyers are now coming from the open hunter/ jumper circuit as our Laughing Dog ponies blow away the competition from a young SYRIUSLY CELESTIAL LD, left, age. Our success dam SYRIANA VS, and Francesca.
in the Dressage arena is also beginning to attract amateurs from both worlds. As I look back, I wish the public did not have the perception of Arabians as hot halter horses. We take every opportunity to educate people about the Arabian. I also ride my retired Arabian show mares
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Arabians LOVE the trail. We must ride our Arabs and promote them as the incredibly versatile mounts
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they can be.
on the Ventura County Sheriff’s Posse and in Parades. I’ve ridden Syriana VS (Alada Baskin I x Porcelain GV), my Scottsdale Top Ten Hunter AOTR mare on Search and Rescue practices. Show horses make wonderful parade and trail horses as they’ve seen it all. And Arabians LOVE the trail. We must ride our Arabs and promote them as the incredibly versatile mounts they can be. Each foal I bring into the world is imprinted and exposed to many, many things. We expect them to be good citizens from birth. We send them out into the world to bring joy to their new owners, which is really what it’s all about.
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