Author:
Julia
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Date Posted: 03:41:59 02/07/02 Thu
Author Host/IP: 155.229.58.146
Hi Mandi :)
>I see the wisdom of in breeding and keeping to a
>certain bloodline, I just worry about getting a horse
>too inbred. For example, a stallion that I know of (I
>won't mention his name) sired two colts that both at 2
>years of age broke their legs. The vet was able to
>save both of them. Then a grandson of his also broke
>his leg as a 2 year old but he couldn't be saved due
>to the location of the break. I don't know if he had
>any other colts sired by him or that he is the
>grandsire of break their legs it just seems that it
>must be more than just bad luck that these three
>stallions all broke their legs at 2 years of age and
>he was the sire or grandsire of these three. On top of
>that the dams' pedigrees while similar were not that
>similar that it was on the dam's side. It seems to me
>that these are genetic and probably from too much
>inbreeding.
That is interesting... but there would need to be more research done to find out if this was an inbreeding problem or not.. probably testing on the colts themselves to see if there were deficiencies that would cause such, then testing the stallion and the mares, etc., plus finding other owners that had had the same problem.
>How important to you is it that the stallions that you
>bred your mares to have won lots of classes at shows?
It is not as important as type and temperament, but I do not discount it because it is sometimes easier to sell a foal with known parents than a foal from a pair of complete unknowns. And, the stallion always seems more important to us in this regard..But I would never choose a stallion for my mare just cuz he went out and won even a national championship or something...rather look at what produced the horse and try to reproduce it. Our chances of getting a winner by breeding to a winner is sort of like a crap shoot :)
>Would you rather have a stallion with more wins
>towards halter or performance?
Probably performance but then, to me, a halter horse that is winning should be able to go on and do performance. We don't want to have halter or performance horses, but halter horses that can do performance too!!
>Would you breed your mare to a stallion whose show
>career is completely dressage or jumping or endurance?
Not necessarily, unless I liked the stallion that much. My stallion, for example, will be doing a variety of performance stuff (dressage, hunter, western)...and showing halter too.
>How about a stallion with no show or performance
>career?
Well...when it comes to the stallions like Hadaya El Tareef and such... thats just fine.. I already know horses from that line can perform if trained...so a lot depends on what folks are doing with offspring from some of those stallions who have never shown in performance. If they move well, have good temperaments, etc. then I would not be afraid to breed to them and then train my foal in whatever I want.
>How important is temperanment in the stallion that you
>breed your mares to?
Very important!!
>Do you feel comfortable sending your mares to an
>outside stallion without really knowing what their
>temperament is like?
I think the mare has really a lot to do with temperament, though some would be inherited from the stallion, but a lot would depend on the conversations I had with people who have used a stallion, if I were breeding to a horse I do not know.. :) I tend to work with horses I like and there are some real good ones in my area, so I have not had to purchase breedings from places where I could not visit the stallions :)
>Have you ever had problems with horses that were used
>at stud then gelded?
No, never have had that experience...
>What method of breeding do you prefer, pasture, AI,
>etc? Why? I like natural cover, but handled when bred.
Pasture breeding can scare a mare if she is a maiden especially, and the horses are not in control unless they are just living together which changes things a lot. AI is ok too, but my foundation mare, that was a breeding problem, was hand bred to get that first foal on the ground... and the next time she got in foal with AI. I think the hand breeding, natural cover, did the trick for her tho..
>What age do you usually start breeding your mares?
If she were not going to be trained to show in performance, probably at 3 yrs old.
>Do you continue to ride them while they are pregnant?
Yes, does not hurt them to do the things they are used to doing while pregnant. But nothing too difficult or strenuous.
>Do you continue to show them while they are pregnant? Have not had that come up... but I would probably quit when they start looking pregnant :)
>How old are the foals when you wean them?
4-6 months, depending on how well the foal is doing and if the mare starts losing weight.
>Do you believe in breeding mares on their foaling heat
>or waiting until the one after?
A wonderful farm manager who is a breeding shed expert told me to wait for the next heat. He has said the foal heat is natures way of cleaning up things and so I do not breed on foal heat.
>Why did you pick the Egyptian Arabs over the other
>types?
This is easy... partly from the romantic ideas that I developed as a child reading the Black Stallion series. I have always wanted desert horses!! Also, I want pedigrees that go in an unbroken line to the desert, and in my Egyptians I have both of those. Also, I am not into the popular halter "look". I like a nice stretchy, typey horse, but it must look like an Arabian to the novice for me to like it much :) These Egyptians have wonderful sweet temperaments too :)
>It is nice having someone to talk to about Arabs.
>Thank you so much for answering all of my questions.
Your welcome.. I am having a good time talking with you about all of this :)
Julia
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