Van Olst Breeding
In addition to the stud farm, the breeding and the sporting stable, the rearing of young horses has long been a very important link in Van Olst Horses. Big names like Valegro, Andiamo, Chippendale, Everdale, Fairytale, Glamourdale etc. come from this rearing and have been heavily influenced the development of Van Olst Horses.
What is the Purchase Policy?
Each year during the breeding season and during foal auctions, Van Olst Horses purchases foals, aiming to breed them until they are at least good young sporting horses.
The foals that are purchased are mainly descendants of their own stallions. This is because all the “ins” and “outs” are known about their own stallions. This knowledge is also very important to assess the potential of a foal to term.
What is the Rearing Policy?
After the foals are acquired, they are delivered to Van Olst Horses at an age of about 5 months. The foals are already subject to a very critical eye on delivery; this very critical eye (strict selection) is the “central theme” that is used throughout the entire rearing period.
In the winter of the first year, the foals are kept indoors in stables in groups and get their daily exercise. After this winter the summer period follows where the yearlings are mostly grazed at home in groups. After this summer, the yearlings (now around 1.5 years) are kept indoors from around 1 November and are subjected to a first X-ray examination. After the winter, in the spring of the second year, it is partly determined which animals will stay as provisional stallions and which are castrated. The geldings then get a full pasture period in the summer and the stallions are checked for any potential stallion show candidates. From 1 September 1 the stallion show candidates start their work. In December these stallion show candidates will be re-examined and x-rayed by a vet. Around the New Year the first work begins with the geldings that are destined for the Van Olst Sales. The potential auction horses are x-rayed and examined for the second time around 1 March before the auction and clinically checked again shortly before the auction.
What is the idea behind the Rearing?
The idea behind the rearing is twofold.
Firstly, it is the intention to work with breeders to create a win-win situation. Many breeders like to have foals, but also benefit from sales. Due to the fairly large number of foals that are purchased by us, we can partly take care of sales at the breeders. Hereby it should be noted that the foals have to meet certain quality requirements and that it is impossible to buy all of the foals of your own stallions.
Secondly, it is the essence behind the Rearing that ensures the continuity of Van Olst Horses to a large extent.
This amazing “Kweekvijver” (“Breeding ground”) rearing is full of potential and guarantees a large group of young horses that can be sold each year.
What is the idea behind Van Olst Sales?
The auction is very interesting for the potential buyer because it is a unique opportunity to see, assess and compare a large group of (ridden) horses in one place. A team of good people began to gently teach these auction horses in early January so that the best possible image and insight can be gained into the riding quality of the horses.
The information which is available on the relevant auction horses from foal makes Van Olst Sales a unique opportunity for riders and owners to purchase a good promising future horse in a familiar and reliable way.