# Breeding my mare!



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Hi everyone. I have a 16.2hh percheron mare. She is 7 years old and has foaled before as she was a PMU mare at one point. Anyways Im breeding her to a BEAUTIFUL sport horse type stud this spring. He is a black and white tobiano and throws 80% colour. I dont think Ill get colour because my mare is dapple grey. Ive never seen her past foals,but everyone keeps telling me it will grey out. O well I just want a healthy baby to raise. It will be trick trained after its weaned as a coming yearling to sit on a bale of hay,stand on a platform, bow, shake hoof, rear on command, ect. Stuff like that. It will be offered for sale but if I keep him/her I will use it as a pleasure horse for western and english displines. Maybe some low level jumping. Any tips on anything ?


----------



## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

Just a quick question....why would you breed a draft to a sport horse?


----------



## horse_luver4e (Jul 12, 2007)

> Just a quick question....why would you breed a draft to a sport horse?


My goodness I was going to ask the same question! :?


----------



## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

lol. 

EllaEnchanted...what exactly are you wanting from a draft and sport? Are you wanting a heavy built sport horse? I'm not sure....


----------



## GallopAway (May 28, 2007)

Lol, any specific reason why you want to do tricks and stuff with the baby?



I've seen a few draft horses crossed with sport horse types.
There are some on dreamhorse [just for examples, lol]:
http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1143615
http://www.dreamhorse.com/show_horse.php?form_horse_id=1065199


----------



## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

THose horses looked nice. I wouldn't expect that even when I think drafts are beautiful!


----------



## luvs2ride79 (Dec 17, 2007)

EllaEnchanted said:


> Any tips on anything ?


Just say no. There are plenty of PMU babies you can buy if you want to raise a foal. Don't bring a draft cross mutt into the world just for your own gratification. In doing so you will be denying another foal or horse a good home.


----------



## BluMagic (Sep 23, 2007)

^^^Very good point! You can always find a cross to buy...*shrug*


----------



## horse_luver4e (Jul 12, 2007)

> Just say no. There are plenty of PMU babies you can buy if you want to raise a foal. Don't bring a draft cross mutt into the world just for your own gratification. In doing so you will be denying another foal or horse a good home.


Amen!


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

This mare is being bred to a sport horse for a heavier sport horse foal. The foal is for my daughter to raise and train. Im doing trick training on the foal for fun. In the future if we take it into dressage it might come in handy. My daught also stated she wants to try trick riding. Not a fan but I wont stop her. This stud has been bred with other drafts mares before and has produced (surprisingly) VERY refined foals. Some of his foals are drafty as babies, like little tanks, then grow to be a good built horse. Im not so sure If I will take any offers on the foal because it will be for my daughter. It will be reg with BEHA ( not a 'real' registry but good enough to show)


----------



## horse_luver4e (Jul 12, 2007)

I still think you should just buy a foal. Theres too many horses that go to slaughter. But hey thats just my opinion.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Its perfectly ok to express your opinion! One of the other reasons were breeding my mare and not buying a foal is my daughter is right dead in love with my mare and wants to have a part of her. She also picked out the stud. The foal and my mare wont ever be anywhere near a slaughterhouse in there entire lives! Don't worry, none of my foals, mares, studs, yearlings, ect. Have ever ended out in slaughter.


----------



## horse_luver4e (Jul 12, 2007)

> The foal and my mare wont ever be anywhere near a slaughterhouse in there entire lives! Don't worry, none of my foals, mares, studs, yearlings, ect. Have ever ended out in slaughter.


No I was talking about the add to the population and the other homeless horses. Never the less, it's your mare and if you think it's right go ahead.


----------



## appylover31803 (Sep 18, 2007)

I can understand why you want to breed your mare. She's part of your family and you've had her for a while. I wanted to breed my mare when she gets older, but considering she has HyPP, i'm not going to. 

I think your daughter will have an amazing bond with the foal because she'll be with him from day one.

The tricks also seem cool. Not so much the rearing part of it, but the sitting down, shaking hoof. Thats so cute. I taught my mare how to bow and she'll do it on command. It only stinks when I pick her feet because she thinks I want her to bow. But its so cute.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Awww cute. I taught my old filly how to bow, its what got her sold. Ya, you have to be VERY careful when rearing. I like to only have them rear a foot and a half or so off the ground. Not huge high strung ,feet kicking rears. Thats scary! lol


----------



## cheekyhorse (Jul 24, 2007)

Wow, how many forums have you two joined in the last few days Maber and Deja? I guess you have to keep on posting the same nonsense over and over again to see if just maybe you'll get a different response than what has been repeatedly said?? This is nuts!


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

:shock: Stop stocking me woman!


----------



## cheekyhorse (Jul 24, 2007)

Not stalking you at all! LOL!! You just happen to be posting this same thread over and over at all the forums I already belong to. Look at my join up date........


----------



## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

^^^^^ who cares??? maybe she is looking for as many opinions as she can get. i really dont think its any of your business whether she asks the same question in one or six forums. 

so heres the *objective* response she may have been after: to those who carry on about cross breeding, im getting so tired of hearing it. there is nothing wrong with selectively breeding two different breeds for a specific purpose especially if the horse is going to be a forever horse. even if not, cross breeding is becoming more popular and there is NO problems with doing so as long as the people breeding are responsible when choosing the parents. anglo arabs! the ever growing wb tb x etc etc people need to stop judging a possible breeding couple based on the fact that they parents are different breeds. the slaughter issue comes from backyard breeders who breed any old poor confo horse with another and end up with an ugmo that no one will want. the difference between the two needs to be recognised and people who are responsibly doing these things need to be left alone. personal opinion is fine but some people need to watch how they express such opinions as many of the comments made border on put downs and that is not what this forum is all about.


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

I agree on all points. I think if you are planning on keeping the foal as part of the family you can do whatever you want. I have a couple of dogs (reg. scottish terriers) that we bred for us and a couple of other people who wanted puppys from my male. He is a real manly man, intellegent dog. Of course there is no cross breeding involved but the premise stands about all the unwanted dogs in shelters, why didn't we just adopt one. I do support my local Humane Society and have a couple of dumped mutts that are just as wanted and loved as my registered "kids"


----------



## cheekyhorse (Jul 24, 2007)

Honestly, when people are 'into' and making money out of breeding and selling grade and rescue horses, I will butt in and say it's not right. PM me if you'd like, don't go beating me for expressing my opinions when you don't know any of the story.......


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Darn theres no smilet for the face im making. Kind of a pursed lip to the side thing with relaxed eyes? lol nevermind


----------



## cheekyhorse (Jul 24, 2007)

they do need a wider variety of smilies...... :wink:


----------



## Cheval (Jan 1, 2008)

luvs2ride79 said:


> EllaEnchanted said:
> 
> 
> > Any tips on anything ?
> ...


Nicely said!

But, I'd just like to point out that draft x sporthorses make great eventers, fox hunters, etc. They have (if crossed with a Thoroughbred, for example) have an awesome temperment (from the draft) with an athletic body.


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Bottom line....If you are planning on making the commitment and keeping the foal for the rest of its life then go for it. If you are planning on possibly selling the horse as you stated, I would think twice. Its difficult to sell a cross bred horse for the money it takes to get it to the age to sell. Its tough enough to make money on a purebred horse when you consider the cost of feed, vet and other incidentals and time involved in raising a horse. I think there are more horse breeders going broke then getting rich.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Im keeping the foal. It will be my daughters mount. Trick trained, broke to drive, english, western, you name it lol. Shes gunna spend the horses life training it to be her perfect horse.


----------



## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

I dont agree with back yard breeding but that my own opinion, but I also wouldn't think of this as back yard breeding. 

I do agree though if you plan on keeping the foal, It doesn't sound like your doing this for money or anything, you are just doing something for your daughter (was that right?) and I think thats great. It sounds like you have put alot of thought into this. I hope that all the breeding goes well. I also hope that the training for the foal goes well, good luck.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

thanks :wink: 

I dont think training the doal will be too hard. The stud and my mare have both proven themselves to be extremly trainable. Never a hard time out of either of them. So Im told by the stud owner. Although he isnt quite broke yet. Hopefully the foal will have the same nature.


----------



## Delregans Way (Sep 11, 2007)

Hey there  . I reckon you should breed your mare, after all she is yours, and your reason is good enough  Although horseluver has a good point in over populated horses, but as you said, you would never send any of your horses to the slaughter yards...

Cute tricks are pretty cool too, hehe... Goodluck with the foal


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Thanks alot! Hey the horses in your pic are making me drool! I love the one on the right  The one in the middle looks like a curious yearling.. Too cute!


----------



## Deb (Feb 12, 2008)

( quote)I dont agree with back yard breeding but that my own opinion, but I also wouldn't think of this as back yard breeding. 

What makes this not backyard breeding? As far as I can see, there is no improvement in bloodlines, or confirmation, just another case of "we want our own baby". And I am wondering how this lady can say so positively, that none of her horses have ever wound up at the slaughterhouse?


----------



## jazzyrider (Sep 16, 2007)

Deb said:


> ( quote)I dont agree with back yard breeding but that my own opinion, but I also wouldn't think of this as back yard breeding.
> 
> What makes this not backyard breeding? As far as I can see, there is no improvement in bloodlines, or confirmation, just another case of "we want our own baby". And I am wondering how this lady can say so positively, that none of her horses have ever wound up at the slaughterhouse?


there are a few different kinds of backyard breeding. firstly you have people who have no idea about horses and put a whole bunch together not realising that there is a stallion in the mix who will get the mares pregnant.

secondly, the kind who want to make money so they breed anything they can get hold of

and lastly, and the least offensively, there are those who have a nice mare and for whatever reason they would like to breed with it. especially if this is going to be a forever, keeper horse then i wouldnt see it as a bad thing. i myself am going to breed my mare to a lovely stallion ive found so that i can continue on with the foal when it is old enough. my mare is outstanding at dressage and i would love to carry that on. nothing at all wrong with that

backyard breeding isnt always bad its the people who are irresponsible with it that make it bad. a breeding doesnt have to occur at some rich stud for it to be ok. 

and maybe she cant say with 100% certainty that the horse would never leave her care but no one can say with 100% certainty that i backyard breeding will be totally bad. it all just depends and we need to see the difference between the two so that people who are doing the right thing arent made subject to narrow minded views on the matter. im not saying you are narrow minded but its that kind of perception that makes it hard on here for anyone to be able to do anything that someone else thinks is the end of the world for whatever reason.


----------



## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

horse_luver4e said:


> > The foal and my mare wont ever be anywhere near a slaughterhouse in there entire lives! Don't worry, none of my foals, mares, studs, yearlings, ect. Have ever ended out in slaughter.
> 
> 
> No I was talking about the add to the population and the other homeless horses. Never the less, it's your mare and if you think it's right go ahead.


If shes breeding a horse she plans to keep, then she isn't adding to the population of homeless, slaughter horses.


----------



## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

horse_luver4e said:


> > Just say no. There are plenty of PMU babies you can buy if you want to raise a foal. Don't bring a draft cross mutt into the world just for your own gratification. In doing so you will be denying another foal or horse a good home.
> 
> 
> Amen!



If she wants to breed a horse that she plans to keep, then let her do it. It's not like shes going to turn the thing into a PMU baby. Why deny her the satisfaction of completely raising a foal.


----------



## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

Deb said:


> ( quote)I dont agree with back yard breeding but that my own opinion, but I also wouldn't think of this as back yard breeding.
> 
> What makes this not backyard breeding? As far as I can see, there is no improvement in bloodlines, or confirmation, just another case of "we want our own baby". And I am wondering how this lady can say so positively, that none of her horses have ever wound up at the slaughterhouse?



This isn't backyard breeding because she's not just throwing two horses out in a pasture saying " Ok! Make a baby!" She is deliberately breeding for a reason. She can say so positively maybe because she cares enough about her horses to keep in check with their lives and not just sell them to some nincompoop.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Thanks.. Yes Im not going to be throwing this foal out on the streets. Im surprised very few people were actually happy for me. Ive bred horses before. I actually worked in a breeding shed for 2 years. Ive worked with stallions, mares,foals,yearlings its nothing new to me on how to handle them. Ill post pics of her once shes pregnant


----------



## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Congrats on finding a stallion to breed to your mare! I see no problem with it if you are a responsable horse owner, and it sounds like you are going to give the foal a forever home, or make sure it goes to a good home if you can't keep it for whatever reason. Good for you 




*sigh* it's really looking like we're starting to drive members away... just a thought


----------



## Harlee rides horses (Jan 13, 2008)

JustDressageIt said:


> Congrats on finding a stallion to breed to your mare! I see no problem with it if you are a responsable horse owner, and it sounds like you are going to give the foal a forever home, or make sure it goes to a good home if you can't keep it for whatever reason. Good for you
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah because people feel the need to attack people for something totally off subject. And some how do you realize everything ends up at slaughter when its breeding? Everyone puts an equal sign in between slaughter and crossbreeding, even if it is for reason.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Its not just here its all chatrooms. They will attack especially in breeding and conformation threads. I find when your in person though not many people will approach you and start saying your a bad horse owner because your breeding your horses lol.


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Don't worry about it Ella its just opinion right or wrong. Its too easy sometimes to hide behind a computer screen.
Congrats on deciding to breed your girl. I have never had the chance to chose a stallion. Our mares came to us bred but we did get 2 lovely fillys from them that we plan to keep till either we or them are old and grey.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Tell me about it lol, so many people will be big macho men behind there computers and in real life they could be 12 years old with a horse care book in hand. How old are your fillys now? What do they look like?


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Ha ha yes I know what you mean. I always figure the real pain the patootys are probably living in the bronx and only see horses with cops on them.
My fillys will be 2 in a few weeks they are 10 days apart on birthdays. Saro is a chocolate flaxen and Shiloh is what I would call a chocolate. Shiloh is the one standing next to the sorrel in my avitar. Here is Saro I just posted this pic in another thread.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

WOW LOVE HER!!!!! :shock:


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Thanks she is a pretty thing. Guess thats why her reg name is Pretty Saro :lol: she looks kinda little but my husband took the pic while on Sassafras (the sorrel)


----------



## Deb (Feb 12, 2008)

Well this pain in the patooty is living in a little place called Nova Scotia, Canada. I used to live in BC (the exact other end of the country), and because I wanted to be sure that my horse never wound up at a slaughter house, we moved to where land is MUCH cheaper. Now we have a small acreage where they will spend the rest of their days, whether it be til they are 25 or 35. They are 17 years old and I got them for my daughters when the horses were 6. The girls are gone, but the horses are not. 

They have never been bred and never will be because I made a decision not to add to the horses in this country. It is all very well and good to say that your horses will never go near an auction, or a slaughter house. But no one has a crystal ball and your situations could change and then where will your horses go? If my situation changes, and I am thinking it won't because we have set up our retirement so that our income is just about as safe as one could hope for it to be, and we have no debt, then I will seriously consider putting my girls to rest before disaster strikes and I have to send them to auction. You may sell one of your babies to someone that seems very sincere, but that is no guarantee. People can lie, all the while smiling at you with all the luster of their pearly whites to convince you that they can be trusted.

You mention people not being thrilled about what you are doing. Just curious, as to why you are surprised. How many shows on tv are there, like Animal Cops and Animal Precinct, where people are spending their days going to cases of animal abuse and they try desperately to educate the public not to breed their animals. I think you will find that more and more, the climate that looks on this kindly will wear thin. And if you were standing here in front of me, I would say the same thing.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

Yes and if you were standing infront of me, I would tell you this ONE horse will NOT send 5 more to slaughter. I live in onatrio. There isnt a slaughter house for hundreds of thousands of miles. I think the closets one is in bc or somewhere up there.  thanks for your insight though


----------



## Deb (Feb 12, 2008)

I believe the only slaughter house in Canada that deals with horses might be in Alberta. Do you really think that it is only Alberta horses that are processed there? In fact, the horses that go through there are coming from auctions all over Canada (including Ontario) and the United States. Just because there isn't a slaughterhouse in your neighborhood means nothing. Your horse has just as much chance of winding up there in the tragic event that something goes wrong in your personal life and you can't keep them.

I know how lovely babies are, and I can imagine that looking out the window and seeing that long-legged little lovely bucking around the pasture would just give you so many happy moments. Those of us who keep saying don't do it, are not insensitive to that sort of thing. But I would say many of us, also have a picture that is painful and horrible playing in our minds as well, and that picture involves that beautiful baby, but all grown up and imminently tragic.


----------



## Vidaloco (Sep 14, 2007)

Sorry Deb, didn't mean to imply anything. You have to realize there are some out there who do make it up as they go along on message boards. I applaude you for your kind heart and pro-acitivist mindset.


----------



## EllaEnchanted (Dec 31, 2007)

I unfortunetly know how the slaughter houses work. I never said a horse form ontario couldnt end up in one. But I am not planning on selling the foal, and If I do so be it. Breeders all over the world would have no horses if they all though maybe it could end up in slaughter. Alot of high end breeders agree slaughter is a good thing in some cases. I am not a fan of slaughter myself. My filly or colt whichever sex it is will not be going to a slughter house. I have many good horse friends always looking for horses for friends anf such. It will be a good useful horse and ill pretect it I promise you that. If that helps put your mind at ease even a bit.


----------

