# Best stallion to improve conformation in warmblood mare



## Imcutinup (8 mo ago)

Plan to breed my warmblood mare. Hoping to use baby for hunters. My daughter will be bringing baby up so temperament is most important. Vet recommends a stallion to help improve on conformation as her back legs are very straight. Not sure of correct terminology. Planned on using Cabardino but not sure now. What are y’all’s recommendations. I’ll try to add photo of her


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## Imcutinup (8 mo ago)




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## Imcutinup (8 mo ago)

Imcutinup said:


> Plan to breed my warmblood mare. Hoping to use baby for hunters. My daughter will be bringing baby up so temperament is most important. Vet recommends a stallion to help improve on conformation as her back legs are very straight. Not sure of correct terminology. Planned on using Cabardino but not sure now. What are y’all’s recommendations. I’ll try to add photo of her
> Photos of mare added below


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## Palfrey (May 29, 2020)

Pretty mare! The Rubinstein line is known for having exceptional temperaments and I know that some breeders use the line for hunters. Maybe browse around on Hilltop Farm Inc. website and you'll see something that catches your eye and ticks your boxes. 

There's also Eurequine. 

Or if is frozen is a possibility, check out Superior Equine Sires.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

I personally would not advocate breeding a mare with hind legs that straight. No matter how outstanding the stud's conformation is, the mare still contributes half the genes. 
There would be no guarantee the foal would not have hind legs as straight or even straighter. If so, the foal would likely have stifle problems and most likely would not be able to jump. Horses with very straight hind legs are prone to locking stifles and/or lifelong pain issues. If your mare does not have pain issues, she is very lucky. Are you certain she does not have DSLD? In some of the photos her pasterns appear dropped. It is hereditary but I don't think they know yet how it is passed on exactly.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

She looks like an Irish Sport Horse.


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Fronts look off as well. Not a mare I'd breed. I'd find a prepotent stallion that stamps every foal with great legs. That means looking at lots of photos of babies and photos of mares to see if any had a similar conformation but foals took after sire.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

gottatrot said:


> I personally would not advocate breeding a mare with hind legs that straight. No matter how outstanding the stud's conformation is, the mare still contributes half the genes.
> There would be no guarantee the foal would not have hind legs as straight or even straighter. If so, the foal would likely have stifle problems and most likely would not be able to jump. Horses with very straight hind legs are prone to locking stifles and/or lifelong pain issues. If your mare does not have pain issues, she is very lucky. Are you certain she does not have DSLD? In some of the photos her pasterns appear dropped. It is hereditary but I don't think they know yet how it is passed on exactly.


*I noticed the pasterns, too, such as in this photo:*










*However, I think it may have more to do with her feet being trimmed short, upright and with heels too high.

I used to ride an Irish Sport horse that had back legs something like that. He never seemed to have any stifle issues. I do not , unfortuneately, know how he is NOW, 8 years later. He was a lovely ride!*


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)




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## Zimalia22 (Jun 15, 2021)

gottatrot said:


> I personally would not advocate breeding a mare with hind legs that straight. No matter how outstanding the stud's conformation is, the mare still contributes half the genes.
> There would be no guarantee the foal would not have hind legs as straight or even straighter. If so, the foal would likely have stifle problems and most likely would not be able to jump. Horses with very straight hind legs are prone to locking stifles and/or lifelong pain issues. If your mare does not have pain issues, she is very lucky. Are you certain she does not have DSLD? In some of the photos her pasterns appear dropped. It is hereditary but I don't think they know yet how it is passed on exactly.


I agree, my first thought when I saw the pics was DSLD. 

IF she was mine, get her checked for it prior to breeding.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

In this photo the hooves look like they're trimmed fairly well balanced, but the fetlock still drops behind the hoof.


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## Zimalia22 (Jun 15, 2021)

The hocks being soooo straight is another dead giveaway clue. DSLD.
Please check this mare out with the vet prior to breeding.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

This is hard because you’ve started a thread asking for advice on a suitable stallion to use that would compensate for your mare’s faults.
Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee, regardless of how correct the stallion is, that the offspring wouldn’t still inherit the mares conformation flaws.

Her hind legs aren’t great but the angle of her pasterns on all four limbs is more worrying.

There’s a possibility that she has DSLD, which is known to be hereditary.








Degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis as a systemic disorder characterized by proteoglycan accumulation - BMC Veterinary Research


Background Degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD) is a debilitating disorder thought to be limited to suspensory ligaments of Peruvian Pasos, Peruvian Paso crosses, Arabians, American Saddlebreds, American Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, and some European breeds. It frequently leads to...




bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com





In my opinion, it just isn’t worth the risk.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

What do you think of this horse's pasterns? DSLD?


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

tinyliny said:


> What do you think of this horse's pasterns? DSLD?


To me they don't look problematic, and the horse has angulation through the hocks. I wouldn't suspect DSLD with that horse.


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## 4horses (Nov 26, 2012)

I probably would not recommend breeding your mare, unless you are absolutely 100% certain the mare does not have DSLD. The problem with DSLD is that it does not usually show up in younger horses, but as the horse ages, the disease continues to advance. 

The only way to be certain that a horse does not have DSLD is to breed the horse later in life, as the disease normally shows up by age 15. 

I'm not saying this horse has DSLD, just that I would be concerned it does or may be developing it. Is the horse currently sound? As if it isn't sound, that would be a huge red flag. Unsoundness often develops prior to other symptoms or conformation changes in DSLD. 

Breeding your horse can cost $5000 or more between vet visits, vaccinations, the after foaling check up and any additional vet fees if your foal gets an infection or needs veterinary attention after birth. It is actually much cheaper to buy a foal or even an in utero foal, with a better outcome. You won't lose your mare, possibly lose your foal or both. 

I would have loved to breed my first mare, but she developed DSLD and I was forced to wait. I would have loved to breed my 2nd mare but she also had some issues. The 3rd and 4th mare I bought and sold. The 5th was a lease I returned. It wasn't until the 6th mare, that I finally felt I had a worthy horse.

It is only worth breeding the absolute best. Because DSLD is always a (eventual) death sentence, I would not even risk it. Wait and only breed the very very best, even if that means you have to find a different horse. I waited, saved up my money, and it was totally worth waiting for. I suggest you do the same.


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