Help me decide on a stallion to breed my mare to! Update #120

[Celtic Hill]

I don't want to start anything, but I just feel that we don't need any more foals. I went through this a few months back on here and since looked at the bigger picture and such and realized somethings.

 

[georgialee]

My mare was an investment. For me not to breed her would be a $15,000 loss. In a few years I'll give her a year or season off, but at the moment it would not make sense. I have no problem keeping the foal for a few years, either, if it comes to that.

I have to look at it with my heart and my head. If she had cost me a couple thousand I wouldn't even think about breeding her right now.



welsummer - What's your opinion on the Vanner look? I feel like they should stay true to their roots... they're a draft horse and should look like a draft horse (IMO). I feel like the sportier they look (Duke, for example) the closer they're getting to Friesans.

I'm pretty much decided on Falcon to breed her to (the pics below) b/c I feel he'll correct her faults. He looks like a draft. I requested video of him and I still have some more research to do -- hoping he checks out ok.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I still don't understand why you HAVE to breed her.

And I really don't understand how you expect to make money off her.

I'm not trying to be snarky, but with the horse market what it is, the fact that you paid $15,000 for this mare, will pay several thousand more for a stud fee, mare care, vet bills, not to mention what you've paid in feed since you've bought her.

He's a pretty stallion and it's your choice to breed your mare or not, but I don't understand how this is an investment and why you have to breed her.

 

[Celtic Hill]

How would you loose money not breeding her?

 

[georgialee]

I want to recoup some of the money spent on her through the sale of one or two of her foals. I know I can probably make back what I spent on her when you factor in the stud fee, vet costs, etc -- plus the sale of her current foal.

If vanners weren't selling I wouldn't be breeding her. I've done my research.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Dose that make it ethically right to introduce another horse into the world when there are tons of other horses in need of homes? that might just need a little TLC?

 

[georgialee]

It's the same with just about every animal.

Responsible breeders aren't going to quit their passion b/c people are being irresponsible. There are waaay too many dogs, cats, etc. in the world too, is everyone going to stop breeding them? No.

I believe there is a place in the world for the responsible breeders of any animal. How else are we to better the breed? Isn't the the end goal?

If I had 5 mares that I was planning on breeding, then yes I could see your point. I only have one.

There's a huge farm about an hour from us that will have 150 foals on the ground this year. But the guy is also a multi-millionaire and can afford them and their costs if/when they don't sell right away.

 

[michickenwrangler]

I still don't understand. How much are the foals selling for? Again, I'm not trying to tell you what to do or be snide, but I really don't see how you can recoup all expenses on her. If I were to make an investment right now, it certainly would not be in horses. Even breeds like Arabs, QHs, Paints and TBs where there is decent money to be made from shows, the breeders and trainers are suffering in this economy.

If you want to breed and have a foal, fine. But I really don't see how money could be made, and what would be wrong with leaving her open for a year to let her uterus and body rest a bit?

 

[Celtic Hill]

Yes, cats, dogs are all being over bred, but they can be put down.

But god for bid we do anything a useless horse. No one should be breeding until we can get all these homeless animals homes.

I don't care if the horse is a six figure or one dollar, no horse should be bred, there are so Manny good horses out there for people to buy.

 

[georgialee]

Foals of color will sell from 10k-15k depending on conformation, bloodlines, etc.

A silver buckskin was just born (the first in the breed) and she is being sold for 28k. I'm guessing her actual selling price will be around 25k if she sells as a weanling... more if she sells when she's older.

eta: traditional tobiano vanner foals are selling for around 8-9k (black and chestnut... any other color is still 'rare').