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Mares

Mare Classification and Breeding Your Mare

In order to maintain a high standard of breeding stock in line with that of Europe, every mare that is to be used for breeding must be assessed and entered into the Hanoverian or Rhineland studbook.
During the Mare Classification, the walk, trot and conformation will be evaluated and recorded. 

The Studbook Inspection (by a highly trained and qualified assessor) awards scores from 1 (very bad) to 10 (excellent). The total score is based on the individual scores for the conformation. The following criteria are evaluated:

  • Head
  • Neck
  • Saddle position
  • Frame
  • Forelegs
  • Hind legs

As well as:

  • breed and sex type
  • quality of conformation
  • correctness of gaits
  • impulsion and elasticity (trot)    
  • overall impression and development

The scores for breed and sex type result in the “total score”, which is the average of these scores and rounded up or down to a whole score.

Mare Classification can be completed at a main venue during the annual tour, on your farm, or by video recording.  If your mare is already breed registered with another Warmblood association, she may be eligible to be Hanoverian Approved depending on her pedigree. If she qualifies and completes inspection, her foals will be eligible for Hanoverian breed registration.

In summary, all mares must be base/foal registered Hanoverian or Rhineland, or have another breed society base registration and qualify to be approved Hanoverian or Rhineland. Then at three years of age or older, all mares to be used for breeding must be inspected and approved into the Hanoverian/Rhineland Mare Books in order for their foals to qualify for Hanoverian registration.

HHSA – Application for Mare Classification

Mare Performance Test

Would you like your mare to take the Mare Performance Test? In the test, the basic gaits under the rider and rideability of the mare are evaluated. As of 2024, free jumping is not required for dressage-bred mares, but is required for jumping mares.

The Mare Performance Tests have a high priority in the Hanoverian Association. The test provides an indication of the mare’s suitability as a riding horse, plus offers valuable information about the bloodline.  The Premium Mare Award (see below) is granted to the mares who pass the MPT, have previously scored well for conformation and movement at their classification, and have produced a Hanoverian foal. The results of the MPT serve as a basis for the breeding value estimation of the Hannoveraner Verband. 

Hanoverian Horses

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Mare Family Presentation

Hanoverian breeders often think in generations – It is great to see the progression of a breeding program through its mares. During the HHSA Annual Tour, Mare Families can be presented and scored. The family is given a score based on the quality of three mares and improvements from generation to generation where applicable.
You must be a financial Breeder Member to present a mare family. All mares must be Hanoverian or Rhineland registered.

The following can qualify as mare families:
– Mother with two daughters
– Generation sequence (grandmother, mother, daughter)
– Three daughters of one mother

HHSA – Application for Mare Family Presentation
Hanoverian Horses

Downloads

Mare Awards

  • Mares must be birth registered Hanoverian or Rhineland mares.
  • Mares must be Main Stud Book classified with the Hanoverian Horse
    Society of Australia or the Verband.
  • The dam of the mare must be Main Stud Book classified with the
    Hanoverian Horse Society of Australia or the Verband.
  • Mares must be presented for classification as a three or four year old and
    receive a Total Score no less than 8. If a mare scores a 7 for her
    classification and does an exceptional Mare Performance Test the classifier, at their total discretion, can allow the mare to become a Hanoverian
    Premium Mare Candidate.
  • Mares must be performance tested at the ages of 3 or 4 and receive the
    following scores:
    Dressage Mare: Mares must achieve an average of 7.25 between paces and rideability
    Jumping Mare: Mares must achieve an average of 7.25 between jumping and rideability,
    with at least an average of 6 for paces.
    Dual Purpose Mare: Mares must achieve an average of at least 7 for paces, an average at least
    7 for jumping, and an average at least 7 for rideability.
  • The mare then must have a Hanoverian registered foal. Subsequently, the mare receives the title of Hanoverian Premium Mare.
  • Australian born mares that fulfill these first five requirements but are yet to foal are known as Hanoverian Premium Mare Candidates
  • Five year old mares may be performance tested if they have foaled in the preceding years.
  • Hanoverian Premium mares will have their pedigree papers endorse with this award as well as those of their progeny born after the awarding of the title.
  • Special circumstances: If a mare that scored a 7 in her classification and does a particularly good performance test, then the judge/s have the discretion to make this mare a Hanoverian Premium Mare candidate.
  • The Premium Mare award may also be gained via sporting success in show jumping, dressage or eventing. Han. Pr Mare Candidate can be given to a mare who scores 8 in her classification and achieves 3 placings, scoring 7.75 or better, and placing first to fifth in official classes for young dressage horses or in classes for young jumping horses. These mares will also need to have a registered foal before obtaining the Premium Mare title.