# Breeding My Arabian This Spring?



## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

While I understand your excitement, epecially with breeding an Arab mare to a Paint, because I am thinking of MAYBE doing the same thing, I am about to poor cold water all over you.

Breeding a mare with allergies, why would you? Think about the logic, you have a mare whose riding career is cut short by anything illness wise or conformational lameness wise, WHY would you want to breed from her.

So sorry if I am not jumping up and down and sharing your obvious enjoyment.


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## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

I am afraid that I agree with Golden horse on this one. I wouldn't breed that mare, not now, not ever. Why pass on a genetic predisposition to something like that? Not to mention the risk to the mare. Breathing can be made a bit more difficult by the weight of pregnancy, then add to it allergies that might impact her as well. Sorry but I wouldn't do it.

I too understand your excitement as I have a male Rottweiler that is very very nice. He is beautiful, put together so well and has the best temperament. I have had dozens of offers to use him as a stud but I won't ever breed him, not even once as he has had a seizure and I wouldn't consider chancing that he might pass it one.


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## katieandscooby (Feb 14, 2010)

I have to agree with Golden and Inga. As someone who has been stuffed up and have had a hard time breathing through my whole entire pregnancy it's a terrible thing to burden your mare with. The fact is her breathing will get worse while pregnant. And if you live in a hotter damp climate factor that times 3. 

Chances she will.pass this condition on are at about 50%... it is not fair to the foal. And let. me ask you a question that you should answer before you ever breed anything. Are you willing to lose both your mare and the foal? Cause it happens... and if the answer is no, then don't breed.

Training a young horse is a lot of work. A lot, if you have never done anything like this before I strongly discourage you from breeding your mare as your first project.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Another agreement here. I'm usually pretty laid back about people breeding for their own wants (as opposed to breeding to sell) - much moreso than a majority of the forum. That being said I do not think someone should breed a horse with health problems or genetic problems they're likely to pass on. It's absolutely not fair to the foal to inherit these issues and have the same struggles because an owner wants to keep a piece of her horse. Which, by the way, can backfire HORRIBLY - there was just recently a thread on here where someone lost both foal and mare in a pretty traumatic manner. It happens, and a mare with breathing problems an allergies is going to have a strike right off the bat - it WILL get worse with the pregnancy and added stress to her system.


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

I agree with the others. I'd never breed a mare that already shows any signs of genetic/physical flaw. And Respritory/Allergy issues are high up on the list.

Not only that...Lets face it, your breeding for color. You should be breeding for QUALITY. And passing on allergies is not a quality trait.

Take our advice, Don't breed this mare.

By the way, I have had several APHA's, and 75% of the ones I've owned have been a PITA. (And it's not me...) Including the sorrel in my avatar.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Has vet confirmed the cause of this cough?
That would be the first thing you need to do before breeding that mare. Then you will know if it is genetic or not and can base your decision on fact not a guess.
Remember also just because you breed to a loud paint doesnt mean that is what you will get. Especially from a solid mare.
As claporte said find a stallion that will compliment your mare then worry about the colour. There are homozygous tobiano half arabians that might be a better cross. Shalom


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## gigem88 (May 10, 2011)

I would get advice from your vet about the possibilities of passing allergies to her foal. Then go from there. Can you post some photos of your mare?


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

Yes, I understand some things can be passed on to the foal, and I understand that her allergies could affect her when she's pregnant. That is why I want to breed her now, rather than later. Maybe I exaggerated, but her allergies are not that bad. She was allergic to her feed (oats, soy, and I think wheat?) so we changed it and she was fine for a while, but she started coughing a bit again just recently. It's not that bad, and she doesn't have breathing problems. There are a few occasions when she'll put her head down and cough for a few seconds, but she doesn't have any breathing issues.

And then, allergies are allergies... they might not necessarily be passed on to a foal. If it were a genetic issue, would not some of Destiny's ancestors have the same kind of allergies? I was actually thinking about that before, but I do not see why worrying about a foal inheriting allergies should prevent one from breeding. Allergies can often be controlled, and they are not *that* bad as compared to other issues that are able to be genetically passed on. We have yet to see how bad Destiny's allergies will get as she gets older -- maybe they won't even be that bad. She MAY be rideable until 30 or older; it just depends.

And don't worry about a hot climate. I live in Canada. The worst thing would be the cold. 

And yes, if it came to it, I would be prepared to lose both mare and foal. Of course, I would be devastated, as I love Destiny more than anything else in the world, but there is a very low chance of that happening and IF it did, I would have to deal with it. And I could.

And just for the record, I am not some idiot who has no idea what she's doing (well, okay, I don't know exactly what I'm doing, but I'm a lot closer than a lot of people!). I am NOT breeding just for colour. I like stockier horses, and Paints tend to have that, as well as colour. I wouldn't breed to a horse with extreme conformational issues just because he's homozygous for tobiano -- don't worry! The grullo tobiano I mentioned before has a more refined-Quarter Horse conformation with no major flaws. He'd be a good match for Destiny because he is a tad less stocky than most Paints out there, and I'm sure a foal from him and Destiny would be absolutely beautiful both in colour and in conformation.

And lastly, I know training a foal is a lot of work. Why is this not the best way to learn? I have someone to help me, and I will be able to work with and establish a bond with this foal from the very start, making the whole process a whole lot easier. I know training isn't easy, and IF, say, I wasn't up for it, I would send said foal to a trainer. Training is not an issue. Maybe I've never done it, but everyone had a first time, and maybe this is mine. 

I have not spoken to our vet about the most recent allergy problems, but I'm sure I will soon. 

Basically what I'm trying to say is, yes, my mare has allergies, but they are not really bad (as in, no breathing issues). A lot of horses have allergies of some sort -- so do people. My mom is allergic to horses. As far as I can tell, I am not allergic to anything.

Pictures available below (if it works...I don't know how to post pictures in this forum, lol) :
















I would post some that are more side-on (her hind end looks sooo small in the first one and the second is a *very* weird angle o.o) and show her better, without me on her, but facebook is being stupid. Just give me a second and I'll see if I can find some.-_-


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

This is a bit better...

















Her neck looks awful in this next one but anyway...








Running...


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## VLBUltraHot (Oct 26, 2013)

She is a really cute little mare 

Hmm:think:I'm only going to throw my two cents in about the allergies/cough. Breeding her is completely up to you. You know her, and you know what she can and can't handle. I personally, don't think you should completely cross out breeding her just because of a suspected food allergy or seasonal allergy. But anytime you are thinking about bringing new life into this world, it should be thought about and weighed heavily!

I mean people are allergic to all kinds of stuff, and they still make babies:wink: 

I would have her seen by a vet about the cough. Frequently (at least in the practice I work at) horses come through with just a mild dry cough. Generally we listen to their lungs and trachea, sometimes we pass an endoscope to check for mucous and things that could be causing the cough. If nothing appears to be out of the ordinary other than the cough, we put the horses on a light antibiotic and generally that fixes the problem if it's a chronic mild bacterial infection. If that doesn't work, we can assume that it's allergies...and normally we give them a steroid shot. That generally does the trick and they are back to being normal and completely functional performance/pleasure animals. 

Moral of the story......I would have a vet do a general "physical" on her and see if you can pinpoint the exact problem before you seriously go forth breeding her. If he/she feels Destiny has a hereditary issue that isn't worth the risk of breeding, then I wouldn't do it. However if they decide she is capable of producing a nice healthy foal, go for it :thumbsup:

Best of luck


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

VLBUltraHot said:


> I mean people are allergic to all kinds of stuff, and they still make babies:wink:


Just because they can doesn't mean they should:wink: I don't think people are a good example to use, not sure if it is the results of breeding or environment or what, but when I was a kid seeing someone with asthma was a rare event, not now.

OP, from this thread of yours http://www.horseforum.com/horse-breeding/considering-breeding-next-year-183097/



> My cousin brought it up because she owns the barn where I keep Destiny and is thinking about breeding her QH/TB filly next year. She thought it would be cool to breed them at the same time. So it's up for consideration. In no way is this for sure, but it's at least fun to think about.


Thinking about breeding is great fun, I have lined up studs many times for my Arab, but ACTUALLY breeding, well that is a whole different ball game. Read as much as possible, research, do the maths, weigh up the risks, and then decide. DO NOT breed just because someone thinks it would be cool to breed them at the same time.


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## VLBUltraHot (Oct 26, 2013)

Golden Horse said:


> Just because they can doesn't mean they should:wink: I don't think people are a good example to use, not sure if it is the results of breeding or environment or what, but when I was a kid seeing someone with asthma was a rare event, not now..


That statement was sort of a joke I don't foresee there being a horrible genetic issue with mild allergies in horses. I would (and do) definitely have an issue breeding something with obvious detrimental problems. But allergies, eh. Especially if the mare hasn't even been officially diagnosed. Just my personal opinion


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

weeeell....I had a horse who's dam "was just a little allergic to dust", slight cough, not always, sometimes nothing for a long time. I lost that mare's daughter at age 15 to a heart failure due to heaves. She also had metabolic issues and had foundered. THANK HEAVENS I NEVER BRED HER, even tho it was very tempting. 
I, personally, would be equally concerned about her weak pasterns behind.


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## VLBUltraHot (Oct 26, 2013)

ArabianGirl27,

Before deciding to breed, or not to breed....have Destiny looked at by a vet. Confirm the problem, and go from there. Until then, postpone the thoughts of breeding. Better to be safe than sorry.


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## swimminchikin (Feb 27, 2013)

deserthorsewoman said:


> weeeell....I had a horse who's dam "was just a little allergic to dust", slight cough, not always, sometimes nothing for a long time. I lost that mare's daughter at age 15 to a heart failure due to heaves. She also had metabolic issues and had foundered. THANK HEAVENS I NEVER BRED HER, even tho it was very tempting.
> I, personally, would be equally concerned about her weak pasterns behind.


It's like I'm reading my own post. I bought a filly who's dam had "slight" asthma. Filly developed slight allergies and breathing issues once or twice a year. As she aged they exploded into massive allergies and heaves. Had her tested, she was allergic to 30 of the things on the test. Went the whole 9 yards trying to fix her; ended up losing her anyway at 15. I had her put down when she stopped eating. Nowadays you couldn't pay me to take on a horse with allergies. 

Whatever you decide please be sure to consult your vet and get an honest opinion.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

Thank you VLBUltraHot! I agree, she is very cute!

We've had her looked at (multiple times), endoscope too I believe, and there was no sign of a bacterial infection. We had her tested and found out that she is quite allergic to wheat, soy, and wheat, and a tiny bit to carrots. We changed her feed because it had oats and soy in it, which stopped her coughing, but then she started up again recently and we haven't had her looked at yet. We put some kind of supplement in her feed (I don't remember what it was called; my cousin gave it to her. She owns the barn and she knows more about horses than I do.) and she doesn't cough much, if at all, anymore. She's fine for now and we'll probably be talking to the vet in the spring about it.

GoldenHorse, I would never consider breeding just because someone else thinks it's a good idea. If I thought I wasn't ready, or Destiny couldn't handle it, or the foal wouldn't be worth bringing into the world, I wouldn't even be considering this. But I'm overly cautious for a lot of things, especially concerning my horse, and if I think I'm ready, then I am. And I will be speaking to our vet about breeding and see what she thinks, don't worry.  I know actually breeding is way different than just thinking about it, and I have thought a lot about it, for years now. This isn't just a spur-of-the-moment thing. It's been a long time coming, in a way. I wasn't ready for it before, but I am now.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

*wheat, soy, and oats, sorry. She's allergic to wheat, soy, and oats.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

Your mare is cute, but I am concerned about how she would suit your needs. You said she was young, others' experiences that they shared said that they had mares before that were mild when they were young and got really bad when they were older. Sounds like a bad gamble to me, you do not know how long she will remain in good health. 

You also said that you wanted a foal that was laid back and not spooky like a sire you want to breed to. If your mare is spooky or hard to handle, she is more likely going to produce a foal like herself. Yes, you can get calm, gentle babies out of a jumpy and/or high strung mare, but not that often. The mother has greater influence on the foal, she is who raises the baby and nurtures their natural disposition. 

If you want tobiano, there are thousands of homozygous tobianos out there but only a fraction are worth breeding to. Especially cross breeding. There are genetic diseases to watch out for, namely HYPP, which APHA does not test for and only a single copy is needed to effect a foal. Watch for stallions that are built downhill, this is common in stock horses but it is not desireable, especially in Arabs and half Arabs. The other issue with tobiano, is you are only guaranteed a copy of the gene when you breed to a homozygous tobiano. There is no guarantee that will get any pattern at all, you can have a solid baby with no white but still have a tobiano gene. 

Since you have something particular that you personally want, go buy that baby. The market is flooded with weanlings every year. Find your dream horse, one whose personality fits with you, has the temperament, conformation, build, color, etc.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Falcor74 (May 28, 2013)

Just as an information sidebar, APHA does test for HYPP - I had my mare tested thru them.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but I have to agree with everyone else...

Or, kind of.

The biggest question here is what you want to use the baby for. Do you have a discipline in mind? Or do you just want a baby?

Destiny is very cute, by the way!


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

Even if your horse didn't have asthma issues, I would not breed her. Sure, she's cute and I'm sure she's a great horse and you love her to death, but she is not breeding quality. You will merely be producing another ok quality horse (at best) in a world over full of them. 

You have also said you've never worked with babies before. I would suggest finding someone experienced who has a baby who will allow you to help train it to get some experience. This person can teach you. Babies are a ridiculous amount of work and money and if you don't start them out right and stay consistent, you will have a real problem on your hands. 

You are young, and as much as many girls think they will be able to continue riding horses throughout their college years, the majority are not able to. Many have to give up horses for a time, for one reason or another. If you have a young horse, what are you going to do with her/him when you go off to college? Also, since you are young, you are supported by your parents. I don't know if you do some work to pay for your horse or if it is all funded by them, but when you become a young adult, living on your own and having to support two horses, pay off student loans, etc. you will find things very difficult. 

I know the thought of having a baby horse is exciting and you want to try your hand at training one from the ground up, but unless you truly have the time and money to be able to do this well (and it takes a lot more time than you realize) then it is not fair to the horse. I would suggest waiting until you have graduated college and know that you are in a financially stable situation before ever thinking about breeding and then, do it with a different mare or better yet, buy a weanling.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

SunnyDraco, yes, I am breeding to a Paint because I prefer a quiet, laid-back foal. I realize this may not be what I get, but I am hoping for it.  My mare can be spooky, but she isn't exceptionally crazy and she isn't high-strung at all. She's actually very quiet for an Arab, and I can do pretty much anything with her. She just has her moments sometimes, especially when she's in heat, lol.

I also understand that I may not necessarily get a colored foal. I've been doing some research, actually. Basically, out of a solid-colored mare, I could get a foal with a lot of white, a little bit of white, or pretty much no white at all. It's a gamble, but with Destiny as the dam, that doesn't matter to me. 

Thanks for the tips, too!


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

Zexious, thank you!  
I would be using the baby as a pleasure trail riding horse. I don't show, never been interested, but I love exploring the trails around the barn! I also watch videos on youtube of people doing cool things with their horses, like having them pull sleds in the winter or riding bareback and bridleless (I do that with Destiny) or just doing things that clearly show the horse is very laid-back, like dragging tarps over them or going through the drive-through at a fast-food place (don't worry, I wouldn't be doing that one, lol). I'd love to have a horse that I could do things like that with -- just unique, unusual things like that. 

TessaMay, to me, she is breeding quality. And apparently (as I have been told, anyway) a crossbred foal from her would be worth about $5000; a purebred, $20,000. That's from others' perspectives...to me, obviously, her foal would be worth much more. And don't get me wrong, I wouldn't breed her if her allergies were really bad and she couldn't handle it! But I'm sure people have bred horses with worse. Some people breed just to breed...at least I examine every perspective and have a perfectly sound horse with good conformation (don't quote me on that, as I am not an expert at conformation; but I have been told by many that she has good conformation by many knowledged horse people) and am looking for a sire that could complement her conformation. 
And, well, we have a baby (well, she's not a baby anymore...she's 3, but I've known her since she was a weanling). So I know they aren't easy! But I have handled her (not training though, I've never worked with her and she's not broke to ride yet -- she's going for training soon) and I'd have help with my own foal. I know what I'm doing at least, I'm just a tad inexperienced. 
Also...I get the whole college thing. I still have no idea what I'm gonna be doing, I don't know what I want to do. I don't have a "dteam job". My dream is only one thing -- to ride, to have horses, to train my own foal and know it from the day it's born. Okay, that's 4 things, but they're all related.  And I will do whatever I have to do to make that dream reality. When I go to college, I'll be going somewhere near my home and staying at home. I currently am working at the barn in exchange for free board. I know that, whatever happens, I'll always have Destiny - I could never sell her. And if she had a foal, I'd feel the same way about her foal, too.


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## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> And yes, if it came to it, I would be prepared to lose both mare and foal. Of course, I would be devastated, as I love Destiny more than anything else in the world, but there is a very low chance of that happening and IF it did, I would have to deal with it. And I could.


You can say that you are prepared to lose both mare and foal all you want, but that does not necessarily make it true. True, I've never bred a horse before, I have a friend who did and lost the foal in an awful way. The foal was positioned wrong, was poorly formed, and had to be cut out of the mare in sections. That mare was not even a maiden, she was a seasoned broodmare, and it was true miracle (as said by the vet) that she survived. That same mare is now unrideable.

Are you really, really, truly willing to risk Destiny's life, health, and "rideability", or that of her foal's? What if you have to raise an orphan? Can you make that commitment? You said you want a foal for sentimental reasons . . . why, then, would you be so willing to lose your mare? In the end, it really is your decision, though. It's totally up to you, and I won't shame you if you decide to go through with breeding.

Sorry if that came out strange or awkward sounding, I have a killer migraine and get a little loopy on Tylenol :lol:


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## NdAppy (Apr 8, 2009)

Falcor74 said:


> Just as an information sidebar, APHA does test for HYPP - I had my mare tested thru them.


APHA does not require testing of Impressive bred horses nor do they restrict if a horse is H/H in registration. They also do no put status on the papers unless specifically requested by the owner.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

^With the filly, when I said "I've never worked with her", I meant like lunging or desensitizing, training. That kind of work.

I have shooed her away, convinced her to respect me and back away when I ask her to (because she LOVES to try to follow me into the feed room), and led her from place to place in a halter...I know that doesn't correspond to training my own foal, because then I'd have to teach it everything from standing to tying to picking up its feet to lunging to allowing me to put a saddle on its back and ride it...but at least I have been around babies and know how...stubborn and headstrong and just plain annoying they can be at times.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

EliRose- yeah, I know, it's different if it actually happens. But the point is...is anyone really prepared to lose their mare? One cannot prepare for that, but if it happens, they deal with it. And I am no less able to do that than someone else. I am, by no means, willing to lose my mare. I love her to death and if anything happened to her, I would die (not literally, but you know what I mean ). But I'd deal with it...somehow. Believe me, if I had to raise an orphan foal, I wouldn't hesitate to make that commitment.
And thank you! Don't worry, it didn't sound strange at all!  Lol!


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

See my comments in green 



ArabianGirl27 said:


> TessaMay, to me, she is breeding quality. And apparently (as I have been told, anyway) a crossbred foal from her would be worth about $5000; a purebred, $20,000.
> 
> Not sure who told you this, but _highly_ unlikely. Crosses don't go for that much unless they have proven themselves to be very good at something in the show ring. Even a warmblood would not go for that in my area and they are incredibly popular and people will pay more than they are worth half the time.
> 
> ...


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

post the pedigree of your mare and I can tell you if the 20k for a purebred foal is realistic.
In the meantime I can assure you that 20k $ foals don't come from unknown backyard breeders. It's the big breeders who can get this much for a foal, but they breed about40, 50 mares a year and that results in maybe one or two high priced ones. The other 38 usually go to auction or directly on the meat truck. 
IF your mare were a proven show mare, especially halter, with national titles under her belt, and you would use a stallion with the same credentials or better, you might stand a chance. 

I still think conformation of her hindend is way less than ideal, looks like she has DSLD(I can only judge from the pics you posted, of course). 

IMHO, you're much better off getting one of those auction foals, where you can pick color and gender, and raise that and make a good equine citizen out of it. That way you won't endanger your mare's life, and do a good deed in the process.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

TessaMay- I doubt I'd sell her foals for that much, but it's what I've been told. XD
I'm not saying it justifies me to do so, but I could do worse.  That was what I meant, really. 
She has a short back, yes. She's an Arabian. Arabians are known for having short backs. That is not necessarily dreadfully awful.  And I am not sure about her allergies, but even if I have to retire her early, I honestly don't see why allergies are such a big problem unless, obviously, they lead to much worse (which they haven't yet, and if I wait to see if they do, she'll be too old to breed. If I breed her now, there's a chance and there's no chance. Only a possibility.)
My point is, I have some amount of experience with babies, just not the official groundwork and getting on their backs for the first time. The training isn't a problem. I may not have a lot of experience, but I know at least partially what I am doing. I use Clinton Anderson's groundwork methods which are basically the same whether adult or foal, so what I am doing is not going to be a whole lot different from what I do with Destiny -- just the horse will be different, and what the horse does. For once, I have confidence in myself so I know that this is possible. 
And actually, I was wrong...I do have an idea of what I'm going to do. I just haven't decided yet. But I have time to decide. There's always time. Sort of. Ish.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

deserthorsewoman- pedigree: Ben-adhem Aswad Ameera Arabian
I honestly can't imagine her foals going for 20k, but whatever. XD

But, uh, what's DSLD? lol, sorry, I haven't been in this forum long and probably don't know that many horsey terms. :3


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I would post her pedigree thats a great offer and would possibly give you guidance on an arabian stud that would compliment your mare. 

For what its worth, I don't think you should breed your mare. Foals are cute for about 3 months than they become a ton of work. The other issue is that getting a mare in foal is expensive. You take the stud fee, plus boarding the mare (this increases if AI is used) plus ultrasounds, plus vaccines, plus IGG testing once the foal is on the ground. The fact that your mare while nice is nothing steller is another reason but not the main reason that I think you should not breed. 

You are probably in your mid teens. Life with change drastically in the next ten years for you. It is just not a good time in your life to have a foal. I have seen this more times than I can count. Where someone gets a mare in foal when they the owner are 16 years old. The horse turns three and the owner is 19. At which point, the owner has one of the following things that prevent them from working with the foal, boyfriend, college, job, lack of time etc. You are entering what will hopefully be some great years of your life (college) and you will also be fantastically poor in most cases. Affording one horse much less two will be a challenge. I don't say this to be mean, I say this because I can think of five people I knew in high school who bred a mare, life got complicated and the foal suffered for it.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> deserthorsewoman- pedigree: Ben-adhem Aswad Ameera Arabian
> I honestly can't imagine her foals going for 20k, but whatever. XD
> 
> But, uh, what's DSLD? lol, sorry, I haven't been in this forum long and probably don't know that many horsey terms. :3


Degenerative Suspensory Ligament Disease (It effects the hind end I believe)

I think that if you have the means and the facilities that it is a really neat experience to breed and raise at least one horse in a persons life time. I've done it once and I don't know if I'll do it again or not. I keep waffling. Pretty neat experience, scary, and huge responsibility. I also think that if you are going to breed, then it really needs to be done carefully and with great thought. I have a pretty mare or my horse is the sweetest animal in the world should not be the reason.

Your mare is really cute and (I don't know Arabian bloodlines really well) is registered but with her health issues it is really important that you go into this with an open mind and really seek out the advice of a vet. I do believe that allergies are inherited. I don't know the percentages on it but I do know that you will have a chance of passing an allergy on. I'm thinking that breeding this particular mare may not be the right decision for you but honestly, talk to your vet, see what they say.....


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I thought she looked familiar.....I told you I knew one of her ancestors personally, when he came to Germany. He died of heaves, btw. 
DSLD is a weakness in the suspensory ligaments, ending in completely dropped fetlocks. She seems mighty straight in the hocks and her fetlocks are quite low already. A pregnancy puts strain on her legs, she carries that weight around 24/7, when ridden, she has relief when you dismount.

I don't want to be negative, but I seriously think you'd be better off getting a foal already on the ground, where you can, as I said, color, conformation, character. Get her allergies taken care of, and enjoy her as long as possible.


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

The mare is cute. I do not see her as a broodmare. Personally I think the neck is coarse and bred to a Paint that is not likely to be refined. The value tossed around of the possible foal is way out of line as I see it. But the allergy issues are more of a consideration as far as breeding. I would not breed a mare with problems that very likely could be passed on to a foal.
I think our concerns are not going to be heeded, I am sorry to say. It's her decision. The responses given come from years of experience and most likely decisions some wish we hadn't made. 
Even breeding the best mare you can to the best stallion you can afford has a fair amount of risk. 
OP, think this through very carefully.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> I honestly don't see why allergies are such a big problem unless, obviously, they lead to much worse (which they haven't yet, and if I wait to see if they do, she'll be too old to breed. If I breed her now, there's a chance and there's no chance. Only a possibility.)


There is always a possibility that you could be selling the foal. Life is uncertain, you cannot see what may or may not happen in the future. Which is why it is best to breed the best to the best and give a foal the best possibility to be wanted in a market full of average horses selling cheap and free. You are young, you don't even know what you will do after high school to support a hobby of riding, training and taking care of horses you love. 

As far as age is concerned, why do you think your mare will be too old to breed if you wait to see what happens as she ages? She is 8 yrs old right now, coming into her prime. Wait until you finish High School and figure out how you will financially afford breeding and care of two horses for their entire natural lives. 

True story. My oldest sister bred her mare while in High School, she was fortunate enough to take her mare and filly to college with her. Train her young filly through the 4 yrs of college. She had it very hard most of the time, with finances and actually have time outside of school to be with her horses. She held strong and made many sacrifices to keep her horses. When that foal she bred and raised turned 17, she was bred and had her first foal at the age of 18. Now, my next older sister, also bred a mare while she was in High School. She ended up selling the mare a year after the colt was born because she knew she couldn't afford both while in college. Just after that, the colt (yearling gelding) got collic and all the money from selling the mother went to paying vet bills. Years later, after college, that sister had a hard time finding a job and was doing temp jobs but there were long periods of not having any work. She then sold her gelding due to lack of work and she was burning through all her savings just paying bills. 

All in all, your mare is still young, she can wait a few years before you start hunting for stallions. Her health may improve or get worse which would put her in jeopardy for being high risk. Yes, there is sentimental wishes to keep a part of your mare, but do not get selfish and put a foal at risk if things don't work out. 

In addition, you had stated before that you weren't sure of your mare's color status. From the pedigree posted, her sire is black and her dam was chestnut. So, for your bay mare, she is Ee Aa 

And a final note, you may hope to get something in breeding, but you may get something you did not want and would not want to keep after the cute baby stage ended. Breeding is a huge gamble, the only way to improve your odds if breeding a mare and stallion that possess all the traits you want, in build, temperament, height, etc.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

EliRose said:


> You can say that you are prepared to lose both mare and foal all you want, but that does not necessarily make it true. True, I've never bred a horse before, I have a friend who did and lost the foal in an awful way. The foal was positioned wrong, was poorly formed, and had to be cut out of the mare in sections. That mare was not even a maiden, she was a seasoned broodmare, and it was true miracle (as said by the vet) that she survived. That same mare is now unrideable.
> 
> Are you really, really, truly willing to risk Destiny's life, health, and "rideability", or that of her foal's? What if you have to raise an orphan? Can you make that commitment? You said you want a foal for sentimental reasons . . . why, then, would you be so willing to lose your mare? In the end, it really is your decision, though. It's totally up to you, and I won't shame you if you decide to go through with breeding.
> 
> Sorry if that came out strange or awkward sounding, I have a killer migraine and get a little loopy on Tylenol :lol:


The risk of losing the mare and foal are very very slim. Why do people feel the need to frighten someone into changing their minds? This scare tactic does not work so why revisit it every time someone contemplates breeding their mare?
I have bred lots of mares and my family has for generations. Too many for me to count. We have lost only a handful foals and never the mare. Some took a while to recover but they did recover only one was never able to be bred again .
Any sane reasonable person understands there is a risk when breeding any mare. Why bring it up? There is more risk involved though riding, training, in competition , hauling, and doing anything else with a 1200 pound person. Yet we do it anyway.
I dont see anyone else on this forum warning barrel racers, eventers, dressage riders, jumpers, hunters, or just plain trail horses about the risk in those activities.
Now I dont really have a pet peeve about what others generally say or do but this continual warning about the tragedy that might incur during foaling just might be mine. Shalom


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

I own two mature stallions and one prospect.
Judging from those pictures I would not consider your mare for either of my stallions. Those pictures may not be the best and I would want to see her in person but her hind legs as pointed out are not something I would want to pass on to a foal.
People have given you things to consider and all are valid.
Most of all both you and that mare have time to realize your dream. No need to rush things. 
Good luck what ever you decide. Shalom


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

dbarabians said:


> The risk of losing the mare and foal are very very slim. Why do people feel the need to frighten someone into changing their minds? This scare tactic does not work so why revisit it every time someone contemplates breeding their mare?


Because it is very very important! When I had a small breeding herd I accepted the risk of losing a mare and or a foal, an unlikely and unfortunate experience.

Waiting for Ace to foal, well that nearly killed me, I would have been beyond devastated if had lost her. I know the risks are small, but there is only one Ace, and yes there is a small chance of losing a mare, and if I had lost her I would of lost everything. Well not everything, but a part of me would have gone with her.

It is worth reminding those who have just one mare that they are looking at an all or nothing scenario, yes she is likely to survive, but foaling is a risk sport, same as child birth is for a woman.

This sums it up well



By Marcia King
Dec 01, 2001
Topics: 
Foaling & Foaling Problems
Mare Care

 








 
A medical doctor once told me, "There’s only a 1% chance that a problem will develop, but if it develops in you, then it’s 100% a problem." So it goes with foaling: Foaling difficulties occur in less than 1% of births, but if it’s your mare, this statistic ceases to have any relevance.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Golden horse I see your point but the question was already asked and the OP answered it. After that it seems to me the only reason to raise the question again is to scare the OP into changing her mind. 
That isnt going to happen. If the OP changes her mind about breeding it wont be because someone tried to scare her into it.
The other reasons given in other post were more realistic might change her mind. Those members Not trying to emotionally blackmail her will be more successful .
IMPO the post I highlighted was guilty as charged. Tryng to lay a guilt trip on someone or project your fears unto them is wrong. Plain and simple.
Yes I agree if you only have one mare and are that attached to her that you would worry endlessly for 11+ months then breeding is not for you.
Why stress yourself that much for that long. Its not good mentally or physically. 
The OP is young and yes inexpeirnced . She however is not stupid. Shalom


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## demonwolfmoon (Oct 31, 2011)

dbarabians said:


> Golden horse I see your point but the question was already asked and the OP answered it. After that it seems to me the only reason to raise the question again is to scare the OP into changing her mind.
> That isnt going to happen. If the OP changes her mind about breeding it wont be because someone tried to scare her into it.
> The other reasons given in other post were more realistic might change her mind. Those members Not trying to emotionally blackmail her will be more successful .
> IMPO the post I highlighted was guilty as charged. Tryng to lay a guilt trip on someone or project your fears unto them is wrong. Plain and simple.
> ...


DB, teens, not the OP per se, may not be stupid, but they lack the experience nto have a mature perspective. I often ask my daughter, "Are you sure?" when she makes some huge comment.....and try to give her the other "what ifs" that may affect the situation. Oftentimes, younger people can't put themselves there, in those hypothetical shoes.

However. ..OP is not any of our kids. If she doesn't choose to consider DEEPLY her decision, or put any thought into WHY so many people are saying this may be a bad idea....then we should just move on. There is no inherent abuse here, and sadly the worst that can happen to the involved human life is a life lesson.


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## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

demonwolfmoon said:


> DB, teens, not the OP per se, may not be stupid, but they lack the experience nto have a mature perspective. I often ask my daughter, "Are you sure?" when she makes some huge comment.....and try to give her the other "what ifs" that may affect the situation. Oftentimes, younger people can't put themselves there, in those hypothetical shoes.


^This is, in fact, what I meant by my post. As an older teen myself, I know for sure that I do not always grasp possibilities unless I am there. It may be a slim chance, but it is still a CHANCE. OP has stated she is breeding for sentimental reasons . . . Losing a mare/foal is a big "what if?" scenario that cannot just be shoved aside.

Sorry if I offended you, OP, that was not my intention.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Eli rose I understand that you are young also. I dont think you meant to offend or bully anyone on purpose.
Posting an explanation and offering an apology is a very mature and brave thing to do. May I commend you for that. Shalom


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

dbarabians said:


> The OP is young and yes inexpeirnced . She however is not stupid. Shalom


She is young, and inexperienced, and only growing up and experiencing more well solve that one. Until then people sharing what they believe is true is one way of helping that process.


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## CandyCanes (Jul 1, 2013)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> But, uh, what's DSLD? lol, sorry, I haven't been in this forum long and probably don't know that many horsey terms. :3


DSLD’s Devastation
read this article. That will enlighten you. 
I believe that this disease is hereditary If she does HAPPEN to have it.... Would you really want a foal which might have the same thing?


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I would like to explain why I describe the issues with foaling. We have some family friends who take great care of their horses but have had some bad luck. They have had foals with contracted tendons, map-positioning issues, foals with seizures and mares that colic after foaling. These are difficult things to watch and while it is rare it is devastating to see. Dbarabians you are very lucky to have been breeding as long as you have with so few issues. You also with all due respect have a farmers mentality with respect to horses that many people do not have. This is a good thing when you are in the breeding business. You regard your horses as horses and not as pets or best friends. That is not a sentiment that is shared by everyone who breeds a horse. 

I know that foaling issues are rare but when they happen they are bad. I think a portion of the people I see in the world regard difficulties in equine pregnancy the same way they regard difficulties in human pregnancy. There are children born at 6 months gestation who are living. We don't have the same chances with pre-term equines. The other thing is that these complications while rare are often expensive, which is something that owners sometimes forget in the excitement of having a foal. 

I am sorry for sort of hijacking that but I wanted to explain why I tend to be the one jumping on the "bad things happen when you breed" bandwagon.


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## TessaMay (Jul 26, 2013)

OP, you will end up doing whatever you want to do in this situation no matter what people say to you. I hope you think about why so many people are dead-set against the idea of breeding your mare. Really think about it. 

It seems like all you want to see is the fun of having a baby, so in your mind everyone else must be wrong and not understand.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

rookie there is no need to explain yourself to me.
I have said this before if you only have one horse you need to consider how losing one will affect you. Emotionally and financially.
What works for me may not work for you.
No one should take the responsibility to breed good quality foals lightly.
I did not post about the question the first time it was brought up in this conversation. It was a valid question that needed to be considered.
After the OP answered the first question. Intelligently and in detail why bring it up again? That was my point.
Never apologize for having an opinion. rookie, golden horse, and elirose all of you are passionate about horses and concerned for their well being. That is a good thing and I applaud it. Shalom


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## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

dbarabians said:


> Eli rose I understand that you are young also. I dont think you meant to offend or bully anyone on purpose.
> Posting an explanation and offering an apology is a very mature and brave thing to do. May I commend you for that. Shalom


Thank you, db, that means a lot.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

db- Thank you!  I appreciate what you've said.

demonwolf- I believe I am quite good at putting myself in "hypothetical shoes." I'm not saying I can completely go there, but I can understand what it would be like, to an extent...but I get what you're saying.  You can only go so far as to hypothetical situations -- and in reality, it's usually different.

EliRose- no, you didn't offend me. 

CandyCanes- I will be sure that read that, soon (just not now because I have to go, lol)

TessaMay- "It seems like all you want to see is the fun of having a baby, so in your mind everyone else must be wrong and not understand." I don't know if this is meant to be derogatory or not, but I just want to know that is not what I think. I understand what everybody is trying to say, and I know you all aren't wrong. I believe some of the points brought up may not be relevant or matter in my case (SOME, not all), but I don't disregard them completely, even if it sounds like it.

To all- I will be speaking to a vet about this before I make a decision. I appreciate the criticism, because it honestly will help (even if some of it is completely irrelevant -- I understand that I only have one horse, but Destiny has as good a chance at having no complications as any other horse, and a fear of losing her, as sad as it may be, would not change my mind). And just for the record, nobody is offending me for any reason whatsoever. I don't scare easily, and it's even harder to offend me.


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## kassierae (Jan 1, 2010)

What I don't understand is why you would consider breeding a mare with a condition that is more than likely genetic and getting a foal that will have a considerably shorter life span. That doesn't make sense to me, and even if that's a small chance, it would be too much of a chance for me to call a responsible decision.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> To all- I will be speaking to a vet about this before I make a decision. I appreciate the criticism, because it honestly will help (even if some of it is completely irrelevant -- I understand that I only have one horse, but Destiny has as good a chance at having no complications as any other horse, and a fear of losing her, as sad as it may be, would not change my mind). And just for the record, nobody is offending me for any reason whatsoever. I don't scare easily, and it's even harder to offend me.


Thank you for at least reading and thinking about what is being said, and for not starting flouncing when people are less than positive, a very mature attitude on life.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Golden Horse said:


> Thank you for at least reading and thinking about what is being said, and for not starting flouncing when people are less than positive, a very mature attitude on life.


I agree with golden horse on this . I think both young people who have posted in this thread have good outlooks on life. Eli Rose and Arabian girl I for one am happy you are members of this forum. Shalom


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## DeliciousD (Feb 25, 2013)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> TessaMay, to me, she is breeding quality. And apparently (as I have been told, anyway) a crossbred foal from her would be worth about $5000; a purebred, $20,000. .


Im sorry, but how is a foal from an allergic okish quality mare worth $20,000?! Has she a performance record? From what i read, you have a young mare who's ridden days are numbered by a medical condition with no known cause, you want to breed her to either a quarter horse or paint for colour even though thats a gamble and are praying that the foal is coloured and doesnt inherit a genetic predispotion? 

I would rather have my money on 32 black in vegas then your mare breeding a foal worht $20k. Sorry to be blunt but she has rather a few conformational faults and without the medical conditions i wouldnt be breeding her. sorry/


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

Golden Horse and db- thank you! :3

DeliciousD- my horse isn't worth $20k; I've been told her foals would be (untrained) because of her pedigree and her sire's performance record. This was also before we found out she had allergies, I forgot to mention that part before.
And you're close, I want to breed her to a QH or Paint because I'm hoping the foal inherits a calm, laid-back attitude (and I like stocky horses...) and colour is just a bonus for Paints.


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## tranquilo (Dec 17, 2007)

We have a 2YO Arabian whose sire, dam, and maternal sister are all National Champions in performance. So it's safe to say he's a pretty high quality prospect and we thought we could sell him as a youngster and make lots of money. We asked a BNT what he was worth and she said we couldn't ask any more than $10,000 until he's under saddle and proves he has some talent.

The market for Arabian prospects isn't good right now. The only young Arabians that would possibly sell for $20,000+ now are the freakishly typy halter babies that are very rare even when you're breeding two very high quality Arabians together. Last year on an online auction I bought a nice young Arab/Saddlebred cross whose sire is a National Champion with a $4,500 stud fee. I bought him for *$300*.

So it's a pretty tough time to be breeding even the best Arabians unless you're willing to be in it for the long haul and wait until the foal is under saddle and really showing talent in something. I would also hesitate to breed a mare that may pass on her health issue.


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## smaile (Sep 21, 2010)

I own a broodmare that also has allergy from dust. She has had 5 foals, none of them has any respiratory issues - oldest of them is now 9 years old. As I don`t doubt that there may be cases when this kind of allergy MAY be passed on, I think that that possibility is way lower that 50% as someone mentioned earlier. I know lots of mares that has allergies while their offsprings doesn`t. 
Speaking of mare with respiratory issues while being pregnant - in my case, Smaile`s breathing was even better while being pregnant and about a week before and after foaling, she breathed as a completely healthy horse. She also has never had any complications in foaling. 
With this I wanted to say that allergy is not what should stop you from breeding a mare, unless your vet has confirmed that this can and will be passed on a foal.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

tranquilo- yeah, okay. XD Personally, I wouldn't put a price on her foals anyway, because my full intention is to keep the foal. If I happened to breed her a second time to another purebred Arabian (because I'd love to do that and carry on the purebred Arabian in her), I'd be keeping that foal too, IF I did that (but if I did, it would be at least a few years in the future). The prices of horses are down a lot right now anyway...it's hard enough to GIVE a horse away. I wouldn't be breeding if I was going to sell. 

smaile- Thank you for the input! I'm hoping Destiny will be one of those cases! XD


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

Oh, and SunnyDraco- I never mentioned anything earlier, but I'm going to now. XD Thank you, about the genetics...that she's Ee and Aa. I never thought about figuring it out for myself before... for some reason, I never considered taking her parents' colours into consideration. XD (Then again, I only found out her dam's colour a couple of weeks ago -- I put it on AllBreed myself.)

But anyway, I looked at the possibilities myself and saw that you're right -- she's Ee and Aa. That's cool, that we could figure it out without actually having her tested. Now I've been explaining it to people and everyone I know is now utterly confused, lol. Gotta love genetics. XD


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## Dustbunny (Oct 22, 2012)

OP...I think it a nice thing to think of breeding a mare with the plan of keeping the foal for all of its days. It's not very realistic, however. Maybe you have independent financial means and know there will never be issues in your life that will cause a change of situation. But, for most of us, life can be full of surprises, and can take a turn we didn't expect.
When you breed a mare, you want the result to be something that someone else would want should you ever have to find it another home. 
Good luck.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> When you breed a mare, you want the result to be something that someone else would want should you ever have to find it another home.


Agree with this 100%. I bred my arab mare. She is registered, with a decent pedigree, very good conformation over all, extremely healthy and the best saddle horse I've ever owned. She is bred to a thoroughbred stallion who's disposition and breeding are excellent, conformation is very good and has a decent record on the track. I chose this cross because 1) its a popular cross for various English disciplines, 2)its a cross well suited to endurance racing, which I enjoy, 3) the mare and stallion complement each other very well, where he is not ideal, she is strong, and vice versa, and 4) its not terribly common around here, and I know there is a market for it. I want to keep this foal, but life happens, and I really have no idea what the future holds. The most responsible thing I can do as a breeder is to breed something as desirable as possible, to help ensure its future.

I will also say, Despite the positives of the situation, I very nearly did not breed her, for various reasons.

If you breed your mare, I highly recommend saving, and breeding to the best possible stallion you can afford, ideally with color(such as dun factor and/or a dilute) as well as a nice pattern, and a show record, with of course the essential great conformation, disposition and breeding. You are going to find a colored, paint pattered half arab with a recognizable sire much more marketable.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

I would also like to point out that you could breed for a purebred Arabian and get a stocky build and a laid back attitude. That isn't a quarter horse or stock horse only trait, even stock bred horses can be as fruity as the fruitest Arabian out there. My mom's purebred Arabian stallion is mistaken as a quarter horse because he is laid back and has a thicker build. My mom and 2 sisters took 3 of his foals (2 weanlings and a yearling) to a parrelli open house last weekend. They got lots of compliments on how beautiful their horses were, and many asked if they were quarter horses... These babies lead around with a loose lead and kept their shoulder with the handler, couldn't wait to explore all the objects and obstacles, wanted to touch and smell everything, couldn't care less about the carrot sticks touching them all over. They were better parelli students than many of the adults horses in the open house. Selective breeding in both sire and dam make the difference in the foal's outcome, which makes more difference than the actual breed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

I agree sunnydraco. I have a whole pasture full of well muscled arabians. Shalom


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

Dustbunny- I agree with that! And I am hoping that there will be a market for this foal that I am hoping for. The stallion I'm interested in is a grullo homozygous tobiano -- he's heterozygous dun, so he has a 50% chance of producing some kind of dun (either grullo, bay dun, or red dun). I think he has some kind of show record, and pretty good breeding too. And he's quiet, very quiet. My fingers are crossed, anyway!

Very true, SunnyDraco. Destiny isn't exactly the most Arabian-y Arabian. I've had people ask me if she was a Quarter Horse, too! She has her Arabian moments (like when she sees something that interests her), but when she's just standing or grazing, she looks almost like a Quarter Horse (in my opinion).

And, well, any horse could be quiet, I agree, especially with the right handling. But I've heard that Arab/Paint crosses tend to be very laid-back and quiet. There are people breeding Pintabians (which apparently have to be at least 90-something percent Arabian), and they classify the horses as being at the low end of a scale of temperament -- that is, exceptionally quiet and good-natured. That makes me very interested in this type of cross.

Not to say I think it's a bad idea to breed Arabian to Arabian. I don't. I think it would be cool.  But Paint is my first choice.


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## Ninamebo (May 25, 2013)

Hmm even though your reasoning for breeding her now has to do with her age.. you also need to be selfish with this decision. What is this going to demand from your time?

By breeding her now and taking on that responsibility of extra care through the pregnancy, then more years into the future with training this baby you are going to be sacrificing a lot of your own life. Many of the previous posters have mentioned how you aren't in college yet and should reconsider this decision for that reason because they have gone through it and we are speaking from experience here- college is exactly like a full time job in how much time you'll be spending studying for classes. A 40+ hour per week job.

It's the little things that will add up. Have a big midterm the next day: to study or fit in a training session with the foal? And with multiple classes, all of those quizzes and projects and exams will fall all over the place on your schedule, so you will always have at least one thing to be working on.

I know for many of us here on HF (OP included) our horses are a huge part of our lives, but they come with a hefty price tag, and so does college. Add everything up and something has to give. It would be unfair to yourself and your new foal to try and take on so much at one time. 

You have plenty of life left to live, and the dreams that you mentioned could be completed later on in life and I think you'd find that waiting would make it all the more worthwhile, for your sake and your horses.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> And, well, any horse could be quiet, I agree, especially with the right handling. But I've heard that Arab/Paint crosses tend to be very laid-back and quiet. There are people breeding Pintabians (which apparently have to be at least 90-something percent Arabian), and they classify the horses as being at the low end of a scale of temperament -- that is, exceptionally quiet and good-natured. That makes me very interested in this type of cross.
> 
> Not to say I think it's a bad idea to breed Arabian to Arabian. I don't. I think it would be cool.  But Paint is my first choice.


Pintabians (99.8% Arabian) tend to be an Arabian/saddlebred cross due to the similarities in the breeds which makes a nice cross that keeps closer to Arabian type. I grew up with 5 quarter horse/Arabian crosses, all sired by the same mellow and well put together quarter horse stallion. 4 turned out very beautiful in looks, 1 turned out very poorly put together due to getting all her dam's conformational faults and making them worse. 1 of the beautiful fillies had a nasty attitude from the day she was born, her full brother was a polar opposite from the day he was born. The other beautiful filly had some issues that took time to work through but you still could not tie her up, her full brother really turned heads but was a stallion in the brain from the moment of birth and gelding him at 6 months didn't stop studdish behavior with mares. You just never know what you are going to get when you breed, especially when you cross breed. 

My mom's current boss mare is a registered half Arabian black tobiano. Her sire was a registered black tobiano paint, her dam was a registered bay Arabian. We did not breed her, so we do not know what her parents were like in personality. Her previous owner sent her to trainers frequently because the mare was pushy and disrespectful and the previous owner was not horse smart about being alpha and wanted to be a best friend and let her horses push her around in the pasture. After a few months of daily work, the mare became a good citizen but still has her moments. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Foals have short attentions spans and should not be worked longer than 20-30 minutes.
None of mine are handled besides being petted and rubbed all over until they are 6 months old. Then we start halter breaking them but only handle them once or twice a week except for shots and trimmings until they are nearly 2 years of age. By that time they have good ground manners and respect humans. From 2-3 we start short training session to prepare them for being trained to saddle.
Most large ranches follow this same routine. Some do not handle the yearlings at all after halter breaking them.
Foals and their training do not have to take up a lot of personal time. The OP can spend as much time as she needs to suit her schedule and need.
OP college demands a lot of time add social activities and your time to work with any of your horses will at times be minimal.
College is stressful enough add a mare an foal into the equation and it might be more than some people can handle. Shalom


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

Im a first year collage student and im only taking 2 core classes and 2 "fluff" classes. I went from seeing my mare every day to maybe 2 times a week. I dont hang out with friends or 'party' or have much of a social life (My horse and this site are my social life). Its just school, school, school. Im stressing to the point about bills and school that im losing my hair (2x the normal amount when brushing). Im having frequent panic attacks and I have been getting on average 4 hours of sleep scene August. I dont even have a job this semester, 1 i cant find one and 2 i dont have the time. Do you REALLY think you could deal with a preg mare AND school? My mare is accident prone as it is and just the though of breeding her makes me ill. The Vet bills, the constant worrying and tweaking to their diets. I could not handle it. Im 21, I VARY vividly remember being your age. Take everyone advice and don't do it. Wait until you are in collage first. Congress just Oked horse slaughter (or are just about to). So what will happen to this foal if you suddenly cannot keep it? There are on average 60,000 Arabians, 60,000 quarter horses and almost 100,000 tbs (Dont quote me on this but its somewhere in that ball park) born in the us a year! Your foal would have to be able to me more desirable than the rest of the futures foals out there. And it takes more than breeding for that. It takes a show record, conformations health and lord knows what else. There are thousands of unwanted horses out there, Bringing another into the world with an uncertain situation is not fair to the foal.


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## ArabianGirl27 (Aug 5, 2012)

SunnyDraco- oh, that's weird...where I heard about Pintabians, it said 92-something (somewhere around there anyway) percent Arabian and the rest Paint. But anyway, the technical definitions aren't important; my point is that most people who own Paint/Arabian crosses say they seem to be (on average) very laid-back. 

Oh, and the stallion I'm looking at is 4 years old this year, so he doesn't have much of a show record, but he has been shown a bit and they're planning on showing him more this year, I think. His sire is A Tru Rolex.


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## SunnyDraco (Dec 8, 2011)

ArabianGirl27 said:


> SunnyDraco- oh, that's weird...where I heard about Pintabians, it said 92-something (somewhere around there anyway) percent Arabian and the rest Paint. But anyway, the technical definitions aren't important; my point is that most people who own Paint/Arabian crosses say they seem to be (on average) very laid-back.
> 
> Oh, and the stallion I'm looking at is 4 years old this year, so he doesn't have much of a show record, but he has been shown a bit and they're planning on showing him more this year, I think. His sire is A Tru Rolex.


http://www.pintabianregistry.com/registration.cfm
Over 99% Arabian and less than 100% Arabian to be pintabian registered. They bred for color pattern (tobiano) which is found in many breeds and bred to keep as close to the Arabian type as possible. Saddlebreds are common crosses to Arabians, they also can carry the tobiano pattern. You may hear that Pintabians are very quiet, but others may say the complete opposite. Each horse is an individual and may or may not follow expectations you hear about. Many people have prejudices about various breeds and/or genders, this could be based on experience or stories they have heard. 

I think you missed the part when I mentioned my mom's boss mare who is sired by an APHA stallion and out of an AHA mare. She is beautiful in conformation, build and movement. She is not laid back unless she is in a standing heat and near a stallion (she will practically fall asleep for a stallion) or everything in her world is absolutely perfect, which is not when part of her herd is taken out of sight and many other little things. Her own foals have been so much better and laid back, and it wasn't from having paint bloodlines, it was from selecting a stallion (purebred Arabian) with a solid brain and laid back personality. 

Crosses vary greatly, you can never determine the confirmation and build. The very experienced cross breeders are successful because they know what works and what doesn't. Taking every fault into consideration when choosing mare and stallion. I had mentioned the 5 very different foals we got from the same Quarter horse stallion, none of them had the same build or temperament. They are individuals, even the full siblings were built differently. A sister was short, wide, laid back, built like a stocky quarter horse, the brother was taller, sleeker, high energy, spooky, and carried himself like an excited Arabian. 

You will show more maturity if you show patience and restraint, especially when you want to breed. You are young, your mare is young. There is no rush, do not get pressured into breeding by a friend that thinks it would be fun to have foals at the same time. Your friend won't be finacially responsible for your mare. Ever read the horse classified section near the end of summer/beginning of fall? Lots of horses hit the market because their owner is going to college and their family isn't going to keep them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

I have seen some wonderful arabians. I know someone who has an arab that LOOKS JUST like a stocky cutting bred quarter horse. she is a vary nice varian bred arab and all her foals hit the ground sold for 10k. My lil arab mare is calmer then most the full blooded QH I know. I have seen some squarrlie arabs, and as a general rule they are not my favorite breed. I have seen even crazier qh/paint arabs but Saddlebred X arabs are nice. They have a registry the National Show Horse registry and half arab. And going with a 4 year old stud is NOT a good idea. he is still young so you cant tell his personality. Some studs are laid back until they mature, then they are monsters, and some are stupid until they grow up a bit. I would wait until he is at least 6 and shown more. IF IF I EVER bred a mare (Not mine she never should be bred) I would pay for a stud with at least $100,000 in earnings. Not only has he more then proven himself but his foals will have value. I learnt how to ride and work with horses on a Cutting horse ranch in Colorado. The horses were worth on average 20k and had more then that in earnings under their belts, mares included. Not only did they get the athletic ability but they got the conformation and temperament (the stud would be left unhandled in a field for a year then go back to work with no issues what so ever). Shop around for a GOOD stud. The market here is CRAP for horses. I could pick up a horse that is show ready with amazing breeding for less than 1k. And so can the Kill buyers. Remember that. Breed a mediocre mare to a less than quality stallion and you could end up with a foal who might get the BAD genes for BOTH parents.


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