Selecting A Sire
by Jessie R. Hanson, Equine Wellness Consultant
Making the decision to breed your mare should not be taken lightly. It requires an investment of time and money, planning and work, with no guarantee that the resulting foal will meet desired expectations. Recognizing the inherent risk involved with breeding, it is not an endeavor for everyone. By identifying the true purpose in breeding your mare the objectives become more defined, and you will be better prepared to select a suitable sire.
Before beginning the search for a stallion, a few other factors need to be considered. First, and foremost, it is important to determine the health and reproductive ability of the broodmare. Your veterinarian can advise you whether, or not, your mare is a suitable candidate for breeding, potentially saving much effort and expense. Next, have a realistic idea of the foal’s marketplace value. Is a foal bred for the show ring worth that of a dependable trail horse? And finally, be pragmatic as to all potential costs involved, as well as, in raising the new foal. If you’re objective in making your assessments, you will be much more confident in your decision.
Selecting a sire for your mare can be a challenging and fun process. With the advent of frozen and cooled transported semen, mare owners can now breed to virtually any stallion on the planet. With so many choices, where do you begin? By following the standard selection procedures that most researchers, professional breeding farms, and veterinarians agree upon, you’ll have the criteria necessary to make a well-informed decision.
Conformation – At the top of almost everyone’s list is “conformation”, which describes the anatomical structure and size of the individual. It is the basis for the theory of “form-to-function,” that is to say, how a horse moves and its athletic capabilities are directly related to how it is built. Identifying the intended purpose of the foal provides the breeder with criteria necessary in selecting a suitable stallion, (i.e., you wouldn’t breed your rope horse to a jumper if you wanted another rope horse.)
While disciplines may focus largely on performance ability, breed organizations have defined specific characteristics representative of their particular breed which are required for the foal to be accepted into the breed registry. Even so, individuals will differ within the same association depending upon the type selected for specific competition.
Considering that the foal’s conformation is a result of heritable traits from both parents, a sire should be selected whose characteristics compliment the mare’s areas of weakness and vice versa. This is referred to as ‘selective breeding.’ Although selective breeding may correct, or partially correct, some undesirable traits, it is also possible that the foal may display the negative characteristics of both parents! It is unrealistic to attempt to “breed out” poor traits from both the sire and the dam in hope of creating a “perfect” foal.
As an equine veterinarian with experience in reproduction, Dr. Toby Ewing of Snohomish, Washington recommends selecting for characteristic enhancement rather than attempting to correct conformational defects. “Like tends to breed like,” says Dr. Ewing. “By selecting similar phenotypes (physical body types), the breeder has a much greater chance of concentrating the genes responsible for those body types in producing a more consistent offspring.” Better quality results in a more marketable horse, and one whose life is not plagued by problems due to conformational defects.
Inheritable traits which are known to result in conformational defect can be easily avoided such as, parrot mouth, crooked legs, etc. The breeder can simply choose not to breed that particular stallion and/or mare. By making this decision, the breeder has contributed to improvement of the breed and to the continuing evolution of the horse.
Disposition – Arguably one of the top three factors in selection criteria is “disposition.” The horse that displays an even temperament and is willing to perform is much more enjoyable for its owner and easier to manage than nervous, “hot,” or ill-tempered individuals. Due to their quieter nature, they are less likely to become injured or to injure someone else. They tend to be more predictable and dependable, and have broader market appeal and resale value.
Pedigree & Offspring – While important as a selection tool, solely relying upon an individual’s pedigree and/or accomplishments can result in offspring who do not meet the breeder’s goal. There are many instances of stallions who achieve greatness, only to become a disappointment as a sire. Furthermore, the breeder greatly reduces the options when restricting their choice based only on pedigree. It is more important to question how offspring (get) have fared than the individual stallion himself, and is well worth the effort of investigating his previous foal crops.
Color – Some breeds and associations have been founded based upon “color” as their primary requirement for registration. Originally, color was considered to be the most important factor within these organizations and was the breeder’s sole guideline. As long as the horse met established color requirements, all other selection criteria became secondary, sometimes resulting in inferior quality individuals. This no longer remains the case. While the horse must still meet the color association’s requirements, top-quality conformation and performance ability are now mandatory for success. This has created a segment of the equine market whereby breeders must now proactively select for conformation and performance, as well as color.
Much has been written on the topic of equine breeding and selection over the past several years and is readily available. Before breeding your mare, consult with your veterinarian. Have a clear purpose defined prior to selecting the stallion. Research the opportunities, be confident in your decision, and then you can anxiously await the arrival of your new foal!
