Linda Pierpoint said the colourful coats of her appaloosa horses –known for their spotted or speckled patterns – helped with sales. 

“We have just sold one to Victoria for dressage, and another to Moree to do cutting and western pleasure,” Mrs Pierpoint said.

Of the 13 foals bred at Ironhorse Appaloosa Stud this year, 10 are already sold. 

Mrs Pierpont said the coat pattern was genetically determined and not every appaloosa had spots.

“They are usually harder to sell without the spots,” she said.

“Although the two ‘solids’ we bred this year have sold already.”

Mrs Pierpoint said the appaloosa registry was one of Australia’s smaller breed societies, but her stud was one of several actively promoting the breed.

She has sold horses across Australia and fielded inquiries from Greece and the United States: “Though the travel costs become to great.”

“We are breeding good riding horses; good legs and feet, nice heads, and a nice nature” she said.

“My husband Bill has a really good eye for conformation.

“We don’t just breed anything to anything; we really try and match the mare to the stallion.”

Mrs Pierpoint said posting foal photos to the stud’s FaceBook page was good for sales.

“We have had foals sell within 15 minutes of posting their photo,” she said.

FaceBook allowed her to watch her foals mature and progress with their new owners.

“Most of the people we have sold them too keep in touch,” Mrs Pierpoint said.

“We love to follow them in their new homes.”

The horse breeder said there was more to a successful stud than pretty horses and good advertising.

“Our horse are registered and well handled,” Mrs Pierpoint said.

“They go to their new homes knowing how to lead, be tied, have their feet trimmed, and load onto the horse-float.”

“We have a good name in that respect, and we have a waiting list.”

Mrs Pierpoint was particularly happy with one of this year’s colts –  Ironhorse Smoke N Mirrors. 

“He’s a keeper. We were so happy when he came out,” she said.

However, Mrs Pierpoint isn’t resting on her laurels just yet.

She wants to breed a stallion as good as Smoke N Mirrors “but in a black snowcap colour”.

“The homozygous Lp genes guarantee coloured foals out of any mare.”