Suze Randall Knipe owns and operates Wellbred Farm in Malibu Canyon, where she breeds, raises and trains Warmbloods and Warmblood crosses. Their horses range in age from 1 to 4 years old and include registered Holsteiners, Oldenburgs, American Sport Ponies and Irish Draught Sport Horse Crosses.
Growing up a pony club kid in Britain, Suze left horses at 14 and didn’t return to them until her 30s when a friend took her on a hunt. It’s been 30 years now and she hasn’t looked back. A midwife in her youth, Suze loves breeding, loves the babies, and enjoys ensuring that her horses are raised correctly. “I grew up riding some horses that were ruined early on, so it’s nice to make sure ours are raised correctly.”

Wellbred Farm came into being when Anke Magnusson, of Royal Oak Farm, leased and then sold Suze a Holsteiner broodmare. Hell Or High Water gave birth to Catapult and the first foal of the farm was born. Suze has a special fondness for Catapult, who tied for the Six-Year-Old National Championship with an overall score of 7.956 with owner David Blake. Blake helped Suze break Catapult and ultimately became so attached that he bought the horse.
Wellbred Farm is on 30 acres with all of the horses either turned out or in very large stalls. Suze rotates the horses around a lot so they are socialized. And the hilly terrain is a plus for building strength.
While she is building a breeding business to sell the offspring, Suze feels it’s most important to find the right person to buy her horses. She believes this is the key not only to maximizing the horse’s complete potential, but also to bringing great joy to the owner.
An example of this match is Gina Miles, a U.S. Equestrian Federation eventing rider and current champion of the CCI Championship at the Fair Hill International Festival, who recently purchased two of Wellbred Farm’s offspring. Copycat is a 3 year old Holsteiner colt by Carnaby Crescendo out of a Reserve Champion Thoroughbred mare. Suze says he has incredible potential for dressage and jumping with his floating gaits. Gina also bought a half sister to Catapult. Uphoria is a sensational 2004 Holstiener bay filly out of Hell or Highwater by Linaro. She has a sweet disposition and huge movement.
At Wellbred Farm, all of the foals are handled from birth Pat Parelli style and start regular training at about two years of age, when they are ponied, lunged, saddled, bridled and started under saddle. Suze feeds the foals in the horse trailers to get them loading. At 3, the horses are gradually ridden lightly in the arena and on the trails. Suze believes that it is extremely important that they enjoy their work. The 4-year-olds are trailered out for lessons and start showing. Suze’s goal is to have the horses she develops trained so that anybody can take them and go anywhere. Her horses are completely accessible, not just to high level riders and trainers. “I sold one of my 5-year-olds to a 14-year-old in the Sacramento area and they’ve been winning everything,” she says. “The goal is that any 3-year-old from my farm can be ridden by anyone.”
A three day eventer herself, Suze works with several trainers. Debbie Rosen is the coach of the 2006 silver medal winning Young Rider Eventing Team. Brian Sabo is a trainer for the USEA instructor’s certification program who is also accomplished with young horses, young riders and “old women,” says Suze. “And I also work with Kym Frazier, a brilliant dressage teacher. I trailer my young horses off to these different properties and work in different environments as part of their training,” she explains. “The most dangerous place for young horses is the warm-up arena at a show so I like mine to be exposed to the hustle and bustle early on.”
Suze is currently competing on Boadicia, her 4 year old half Irish Draught mare by Double Diamond, out of an Elite Trakhener mare. Boadicia cleared a 4’3” foot fence with ease her first time free jumping. Suze describes her as a great warrior queen and her admiration for the mare is apparent in her voice. “I hope to go Preliminary before I get too bloody old,” she says with a grin.
For more information contact Suze Randall Knipe at 310-871-7128 or suze@wellbred.net or visit www.wellbred.net or http://useventing.com.