WSSH&K
About Us
"Recently people have been asking me if I always knew I wanted to breed horses and dogs. The short answer might
be 'Yes'.
I grew up on a large farm in the Midwest and was surrounded by birth (and sometimes death) in such a routine way
that it almost didn’t count. When I was in high school, I started working for a neighbor who bred and raised Morgan
horses and there I was exposed to horse breeding in a more structured way. When I was making my bid for
veterinary school as an undergraduate, I worked with a veterinarian who managed a stallion station with 3 working
stallions and about 70 outside mares. I learned even more there about stallion management and breeding horses. It
might surprise people to hear that veterinary college doesn’t always prepare their graduates for a career in animal
reproductive services – it really is an education that must be sought out. So in this way, I knew it was something I
wanted to pursue.
I worked for other breeders and for breeding farms until I was able to purchase my first mare in 1998. She was
middle aged and horribly subfertile! And the next several mares I acquired were similar. But they were eventually
replaced by their daughters and something of a program began to slowly take shape. I have mostly Hanoverian,
Oldenburg and Westfalen lines. Recently I began to branch out into sport ponies. My unspoken [until now] goal –
to produce amateur friendly, mindful, soulful riding companions. I pay particular attention to the personality traits
of the stallions - after all they are all beautiful and talented. I want to make sure that the mind and physique of the
stallion can offset any negative traits in my mares.
These horses are raised with the best practices – their medical, nutritional and developmental needs met. They are
handled but not spoiled. They are fed but not fat. They are horses yet they are companions too, and will load on the
horse trailer, stand in the cross ties, pick up their feet and get their parts clipped from a relatively young age. They
are started correctly under saddle. They are brought up mindfully. A lesson that I have finally learned about raising
horses: Don’t ask a screwdriver to do the work of a hammer – even if his father and mother were hammers!
Regarding parentage and pedigree – read these animals and let them ultimately do the sport and discipline that suits
them best. In other words, raise good horses.
My dogs were not such a deep-seated goal but more of an acquired one. My first bitch was Jillian, a Norwich
Terrier that never did have a litter of puppies for me, despite many attempts both with natural and artificial services.
Learned lots though. Along the way, I had a client who had two beautiful Labrador retrievers that hunted with her
husband. They were small, calm, attentive English Labs. When they had a litter of puppies I brought home Sara
Smile. At the time breeding Labrador Retrievers was not a thought (as I was still working on trying to make
Norwich Terrier puppies)! Sara became the worlds best dog! Everywhere we went she attracted attention, and she
could go anywhere she was so calm and nice. When Sara was around 4 years old I had given up on Jillian and
decided to breed her with a friends male Lab. The labor and delivery experience with Sara, my wonderful dog, was
not for the faint-of-heart and half the puppies died…. More lessons learned. I decided to breed her again - a last
time and this time better prepared – with a very nice male dog. I kept Stella from that litter who became the true
foundation of my program. With Stella I learned about the importance of health clearances and genetic testing and
with the guidance of some friends within the dog-breeding community, began to replicate what I feel like I do with
my horses – healthy, friendly, beautiful, soulful companions."
-Dr. Susan Mende, DVM, Founder and Owner of WSSH&K
If you are considering buying from us, or have one of our offspring….Welcome to the family!
be 'Yes'.
I grew up on a large farm in the Midwest and was surrounded by birth (and sometimes death) in such a routine way
that it almost didn’t count. When I was in high school, I started working for a neighbor who bred and raised Morgan
horses and there I was exposed to horse breeding in a more structured way. When I was making my bid for
veterinary school as an undergraduate, I worked with a veterinarian who managed a stallion station with 3 working
stallions and about 70 outside mares. I learned even more there about stallion management and breeding horses. It
might surprise people to hear that veterinary college doesn’t always prepare their graduates for a career in animal
reproductive services – it really is an education that must be sought out. So in this way, I knew it was something I
wanted to pursue.
I worked for other breeders and for breeding farms until I was able to purchase my first mare in 1998. She was
middle aged and horribly subfertile! And the next several mares I acquired were similar. But they were eventually
replaced by their daughters and something of a program began to slowly take shape. I have mostly Hanoverian,
Oldenburg and Westfalen lines. Recently I began to branch out into sport ponies. My unspoken [until now] goal –
to produce amateur friendly, mindful, soulful riding companions. I pay particular attention to the personality traits
of the stallions - after all they are all beautiful and talented. I want to make sure that the mind and physique of the
stallion can offset any negative traits in my mares.
These horses are raised with the best practices – their medical, nutritional and developmental needs met. They are
handled but not spoiled. They are fed but not fat. They are horses yet they are companions too, and will load on the
horse trailer, stand in the cross ties, pick up their feet and get their parts clipped from a relatively young age. They
are started correctly under saddle. They are brought up mindfully. A lesson that I have finally learned about raising
horses: Don’t ask a screwdriver to do the work of a hammer – even if his father and mother were hammers!
Regarding parentage and pedigree – read these animals and let them ultimately do the sport and discipline that suits
them best. In other words, raise good horses.
My dogs were not such a deep-seated goal but more of an acquired one. My first bitch was Jillian, a Norwich
Terrier that never did have a litter of puppies for me, despite many attempts both with natural and artificial services.
Learned lots though. Along the way, I had a client who had two beautiful Labrador retrievers that hunted with her
husband. They were small, calm, attentive English Labs. When they had a litter of puppies I brought home Sara
Smile. At the time breeding Labrador Retrievers was not a thought (as I was still working on trying to make
Norwich Terrier puppies)! Sara became the worlds best dog! Everywhere we went she attracted attention, and she
could go anywhere she was so calm and nice. When Sara was around 4 years old I had given up on Jillian and
decided to breed her with a friends male Lab. The labor and delivery experience with Sara, my wonderful dog, was
not for the faint-of-heart and half the puppies died…. More lessons learned. I decided to breed her again - a last
time and this time better prepared – with a very nice male dog. I kept Stella from that litter who became the true
foundation of my program. With Stella I learned about the importance of health clearances and genetic testing and
with the guidance of some friends within the dog-breeding community, began to replicate what I feel like I do with
my horses – healthy, friendly, beautiful, soulful companions."
-Dr. Susan Mende, DVM, Founder and Owner of WSSH&K
If you are considering buying from us, or have one of our offspring….Welcome to the family!