Whether you are planning to breed your show mare or your backyard pleasure mare, you will want to carefully weigh all your options as to which stallion you choose. Breeding should not be taken lightly; it is an expensive and time-consuming venture.
If you are anything like me, a pretty face and nice mover can easily sway you, but don’t fall victim like I did. My first attempt at choosing the right stallion to breed to my mare was somewhat of a failure. I bred my Thoroughbred dressage mare to Diamont, a very popular, and gorgeous Hanoverian dressage stallion, standing in northern California. At the time, I lived in Southern California. I trailered my first mare up to the breeding facility, and after about three months, found out that she was not going to be able to carry a foal to term, even if she were able to get pregnant, which was about a 50/50 chance according to the fertility expert who examined her. So, I picked up the mare, went home, sold her and bought a mare that I thought would be a good match. Since I had spent a large chunk of my budget, I decided to take advantage of AI, which was gaining popularity. Luckily, I had a great vet, and the mare conceived on the first try.
I wanted a jumper prospect, bred two dressage horses, and ended up with a great dressage/eventing prospect…go figure! After five years of time and money spent on care, training, etc, I at least had the intelligence to sell the horse and get back on track. Even though “Dawn’s Early Light” was a beautiful 16.2 hand dark brown Sporthorse filly with the build I was looking for, she was pre-destined to become a dressage horse, not a jumper. She was never going to be the horse I had dreamed of, no matter how much training I put into her. She did however have the talent for dressage and eventing. I sold her for a decent price as a 5-year-old to a lady outside of Las Vegas, Nevada interested in training her as an event horse and future broodmare.
Looking back at the mistakes I made, I can clearly see that the better choice might have been Prinz Gaylord, a great Hanoverian jumper stallion, who was also standing at this breeding facility. I had thought of him briefly, but quickly overlooked the obvious and decided on Diamont. Ok, lesson learned….hopefully!
What’s Your Discipline?
The first consideration when searching for a stallion prospect is what you want to use the horse for. Are you a hunter / jumper rider, dressage rider, eventer, or western rider? Do you just want a well-bred pleasure horse for riding on the trails?
Don’t rush the process and breed to the first “pretty face” you see. Instead, research thoroughly which stallions might make the best match for your mare. Get professional help if needed. Also, consider logistics. Are you willing and able to take your mare to the stallion, or does the stallion owner/ manager offer artificial insemination via shipped semen? With today’s technology, more breeders are offering AI with fresh, cooled or frozen semen. The conception rate is right around 75% - 80% for most breeders.
If you want a jumper, you may not want to breed to that gorgeous 17.2 hand Hanoverian that is winning in all the local dressage shows. On the other hand, if you are looking for an eventing prospect, breeding a nice, athletic Warmblood type to an equally talented Thoroughbred may get the desired results to produce a talented Sporthorse. You might also consider “new” young stallions to the market, as they tend to have a low introductory fee. The fee goes up as the stallion gains more popularity, either in the show ring, or as his progeny prove their talents.
Purebred Or Cross?
Are you set on a particular breed, or do you want a “cross”? The crosses have become extremely popular in the United States, both in the English and Western disciplines. Crosses between Thoroughbreds and European Warmbloods, such as Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Oldenburg, Trakehner, etc. have been in demand for years, and continue to grow in popularity. The color breeds are also making their way into the Sporthorse world. The American breeds, such as Appaloosas, Paints and Palominos have been bred with Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds for decades. There are many beautiful, talented horses out there representing more than one breed.
It used to be that certain breed registries did not want certain colors or types, but things have changed considerably. For instance, Paint and Appaloosa coloring was rarely seen in Thoroughbreds, especially race-bred Thoroughbreds, but today they are becoming quite popular. Personally, I think a Warmblood and Thoroughbred cross with Paint coloring (particularly black and white) is a beautiful, eye-catching combination. I was never fortunate enough to own one myself, but have admired them just the same.
Some of the best horses, with great confirmation and wonderful temperaments have been cross-breeds. I have owned or worked with several crosses over the years; including Thoroughbred/Hanoverian (and other Warmblood breeds), Morgan/Quarter, Arabian/Morgan, Arabian/Quarter, Arabian/Welsh Pony, Shetland/Welsh and more.
My “best friend” as a teenager and into young adulthood, was a Morgan/ Quarter I named Copper Kettle. I always said the name came from his bright Copper color and his stomach (Kettle.) He loved to eat, and was always a bit rotund! He was the kindest and gentlest horse I have ever known. He rarely misbehaved, other than a little jigging early on, but I finally trained that out of him with time. He was a wonderful trail horse and first show horse. He did everything from trail, gymkhana, jumping, English and Western pleasure and was a pony horse at Hollywood Park and Santa Anita racetracks in the early 1970’s. He was a great listener, and stood quietly when I had a bad day and cried in his mane. We went everywhere together. I attribute him to keeping me out of trouble! When he was stolen, I didn’t give up on him and found him after several months of searching. He stayed with me until about the age of eighteen, when I reluctantly had him euthanized due to a complication from an infection. It was the saddest day of my life. I never really “loved” another horse after Copper. I had many that I liked, but never got attached the way I had with him.
Temperament
As much as we all love watching a fiery steed on the big screen or in a special demonstration, we more than likely are looking for something entirely different as our own riding or show horse. You must be disciplined to seek out the qualities you need, and not just those you think you want.
Let’s say you have an older horse that you are showing in western reining, but would like to move up to the next level in a few years. It might be a good time to breed the “next generation” either with a mare you already have, or you may have to purchase one with the qualities you are looking for down the line. You will want to consider not only bloodlines and show records, but confirmation and temperament for the required tasks as well. Too many people overlook temperament, and pay for it in the long run, thinking they can “change” a horse over to their way of thinking. That might work for some, but you don’t want to count on it! It’s better to start with all the right ingredients than to try and change the recipe in midstream.
If you like a leisurely trail ride on a quiet horse that doesn’t spook or prance on the trail, you may want to reconsider the “hot” breeds such as Arabians and Thoroughbreds, and instead look at breeds such as Quarter Horses, Morgans, Paints and crosses. Now don’t get mad at me, I have nothing against any particular breed. I feel that all breeds have a place, but there are always exceptions in each breed. You can have a calm Arabian, or a hyper Quarter Horse for instance. A lot has to do with the way each horse is trained.
Riding Ability
Here is a subject we all need to pay close attention to….riding ability. Whether you are a weekend pleasure rider or seasoned show rider, you need to be honest with yourself and others when it comes to your experience on horseback.
This is something I am a great believer in. I hate to see young people over faced on a horse they cannot control, to the point where they lose their confidence, or worse, get injured. I also know it can be frustrating for a rider to be held back on a horse that is below their ability. The rider can lose interest and get bored, possibly giving up riding altogether. I have seen both scenarios.
The same thing can happen if you breed and end up with a horse that is not what you envisioned. Of course, even with careful thought and planning, there is always the possibility that the horse you get will not live up to your expectations. But this problem can be somewhat minimized by carefully choosing the right stallion to breed to your mare.
In any case, be sure to do your homework, and contact a reputable breeder in your area to work with. It wouldn’t hurt to have a trusted trainer or equine consultant to help with choosing the right stallion, or at least point you in the right direction. As with purchasing a prospect, breeding is just as important, if not more so, as you will not see the “finished product” for years.
I think everyone should have at least one breeding experience under their belt. It can be very rewarding to see the process from beginning to end. There is nothing like bonding with a foal as soon as it is born, watching him or her grow and learn, and be able to mold that horse into your dream horse.
BIO
Angel Gnau is a certified equine appraiser and consultant. Angel manages her business, “Pacific Equine Appraisal & Consultation” in Portland, Oregon. She appraises all breeds and disciplines, with a specialty in hunters/jumpers and racehorses. She also does consulting for pre-purchase, problem horses and other areas within the equine field. She is available nationwide. Her background comes from more than 30 years in the horse industry as a professional trainer and consultant. She is also a freelance writer of horse-related articles. Angel can be contacted at (503) 684-2097, (800) 484-9538 x 4344, or by email at: angel.gnau@verizon.net.
Copyright © 2010 The NW Horse Source, LLC
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