# Proven??



## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

paintedpastures said:


> A backyard mare that has 1-2 foals & now she is proven...In what exactly? That she has a uterus & can conceive?


But that's exactly it. I have always taken the term proven to mean that the horse is proven to be able to procreate. Nothing more, nothing less. The horse doesn't need to prove it's worth (matter of opinion) the horse has proven that it can successfully breed (matter of fact). If the mare is a proven broodmare she has proven that she is a successful broodmare and you know she has had foals in the past.

I don't feel the term is overused at all, it is a fact thing not an opinion thing, unless of course I am wrong in my understanding of the term.

Yes there are plenty of terms that are overused and make the horse sound fancy when they aren't but I don't think this is one of them. They aren't proving recognition, they are proving they can breed. Separate topic.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Proven mare means the horse has conceived, carried and delivered a live foal several times. Proven stallion means his semen (either live cover or AI) has conceived several full term live foals.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Let me (maybe) clarify. Think of the term "proven producer". Simply abbreviated to "proven"


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

Well maybe it is interpretation .....

Coming from a background of competing with & breeding horses. Proven has more meaning of accomplishment. proven pedigrees,proven performance records,proven producers mean they have been notable in those areas....


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I agree, but think when you say "proven broodmare" you are saying "proven producer" not "proven champion" unless otherwise stated.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

I used to think the term "Proven Stalllion" meant the horse had produced champion show winners or the like. I was told by a breeding ranch that is not what it meant, doh! But I suppose if you are in the market for a brood mare or shopping for a breeding from a stallion, your number one criteria should be - can they reproduce? Even if they won the Grand Championships of the Universe, if the stallion can't produce, forget breeding it or the mare can't settle into foal, she's not the broodmare for you, right?


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

Well when I think of broodmare being proven it is that she has produced offspring that have done something & she is consistent in what she produces. I had one such mare I had bought because she was a "proven" producer in my books,she was shown as a yearling won a couple things but was injured & put in broodmare band at young age. Her previous owner/breeder showed the offspring more than 1/2 her foals{she had 14} had futurity money earnings,were point earners & some had superiors.Her daughters are now also following in her footsteps in producing winning offspring. She was "proven" broodmare beyond just ability to conceive..:wink:


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## CLaPorte432 (Jan 3, 2012)

When I think of "proven" stallions and mares, I am thinking that they themselves have done something that has made them accomplished. Points, Winnings, ROMs, or Titles. On another scale, they personally may not have done anything in the show ring, but their offspring has. Where they have had multiple foals make it into the show ring/race track and collected points, titles, winnings, ROMs etc.

anyways...that's MY interpretation of "proven"
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

I think "proven" can mean many different things in context. I have an Arabian gelding, who was a stallion until he was 7. He was a winner in 2 different Nationals competitions, Regional winner, in hand and under saddle. So, he "proved" himself in the show ring. He also impregnated 3 mares, first try each time, and they in turn had 3 live foals. His foals were at least as good as he is, and one was actually better than he or her dam. So, he was a "proven sire". He could have been a "proven" cow horse, or reiner or trail horse. 

To say a cremello or perlino is a proven "color producer" is sort of a DUH......I'd be worried if they threw a bay or chestnut. I've also seen them advertised as Homozygous for the Creme Gene......You're kidding, right?


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

The only thing a broodmare or stallion has to "prove" to me is that they can produce a QUALITY foal.
Their show records or earnings mean nothing unless they can reproduce a foal that is as good or better than the sire or dam.
So as far as I am concerned a proven broodmare is not one that can just reproduce but that can throw a good sound foal that is marketable.
My friend dremacacther arabians gave me two mares one that is proven as a broodmare because she has produced great foals and the other a maiden.
the maidens get three tries to produce a qood foal if they fail 2 out of three times they are gone. I might cull them if they produce one substandard foal. Shalom


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## GotaDunQH (Feb 13, 2011)

Proven to me means both parents have "proven" themselves as successful performers and their offspring have done the same.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

"Proven" to me means that the stud (or dam) is good at their job; whether it's show, trail, etc, etc. I don't care if that job is giving pony rides at the fair, if they're the best there is than that's 'proven' enough. (This is assuming that they also have several live and healthy foals, and most go on to be good at their jobs.)


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

A 'proven' horse, be it a mare or stallion, has either won at competitions or work and/or has produced foals that have gone on to do well in whatever sphere was chosen for them


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

^I couldn't have said it better myself.

Of course, it can probably mean different things depending on the context.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

> A 'proven' horse, be it a mare or stallion, has either won at competitions or work and/or has produced foals that have gone on to do well in whatever sphere was chosen for them


 I think for many people a proven broodmare or stallion is one who has reproduced successfully. 

To me it is a stallion or mare that has offspring as good or better than themselves, repeatedly.

This is just in the reproductive context. If you were talking about the whole animal being 'proven', they would have to prove themselves in the show ring, as well as the breeding shed. For example my BO's old mare. Successful on the track, excellent mountain horse, winning endurance horse, and every foal is as good or better than her self.

To me a stallion or broodmare doesn't necessarily have to prove themselves in the show ring, if their offspring are truly exceptional. For example a stallion I used to work with. Amazing temperament and breeding, was injured in the pasture as a yearling and couldn't stay sound on the track long enough to race, so was retired to breed. Every foal was spectacular, he had several thoroughbred foals that not only raced successfully, but went on to be excellent saddle horses, a andalusian cross that excelled at dressage, several draft crosses that went on to pull carriages and event, and others. Every foal was useful, good tempered, and as good or better than himself. He was a proven stallion.


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## dbarabians (May 21, 2011)

Midnight Star my black stallion has never set foot in a showring but has sired some very nice horses. that is all the "proof" I need
My other stallion Rushin Sam won his first race by 13 lengths.
Star has proven to be a successful sire Sam is proven on the track yet doesnt have enough offspring for me to claim he has proven himself as a sire.
Sam has the chance in the next two years. Shalom


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I would consider my mare Skye to have been proven. She produced two foals who went on to be top five or top ten multiple times at the Appaloosa World Show. One of them has 700 points in mostly Halter and Showmanship, the other has close to 400 points in Hunter Under Saddle and Showmanship. She herself had never had a show career, just used as a broodmare. I am a stickler for believing that a mare or stallion needs to have a show record and be an exceptional specimen to be breeding worth, but I was considering breeding Skye (who I believed was an exceptional specimen) this past year because she had proven to produce exceptional show horses.


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