The Old Folks Home

[Arielle]

Arielle, they did pass.

The judge thought that the older mare looked great for her age and said she would make nice babies. She is 17 and is retired as a brood mare. She has had four foals and has earned her life of leisure. I know people will breed mares into their 20's if the horse is in good enough shape but I think of it this way. If I don't want to have another baby at almost 46 years old, she shouldn't be forced to carry a baby at her age either. She is a sweetheart and I wouldn't want to risk losing her over another foal. This is the same reason I wouldn't breed my other 17 year old mare. She had one fantastic baby when she was 12 but had a hard time delivering her. I wouldn't risk losing her either. Love them too much for that. I am considering breeding the 5 year old next year to a buckskin tobiano spotted saddle horse but it depends on how strong his gait is. Cody is not strongly gaited so I need a stallion who is to try to get more of the gaiting action.

Glad they passed--inspections are very stressful. What does the breed organization allow for the stallion? In the Dutch we are very limited and if we breed to outside stallions, approval must be given first. Lots of rules to follow to get the foals papered.

 

[Arielle]

Wisher you might want to look those hens over and possibly quarrantine them from your flock. They might be carriers of bad things. Hoping that they are just fine but it is better to be safe than sorry.

x2

I quarantine everything 5 weeks, and still hope all will be well. Sorry about the two chicks.

 

[dsqard]

Glad they passed--inspections are very stressful. What does the breed organization allow for the stallion? In the Dutch we are very limited and if we breed to outside stallions, approval must be given first. Lots of rules to follow to get the foals papered.

Arielle, it is my understanding that a well papered warmblood stallion would work since they are trying to spread out the gene pool here in the states. There are not many Knabs over here yet so outcrossing is OK. I will be doing lots of research before breeding her though so that I don't have problems when trying to register the baby. I am not planning on doing any breeding with her for over a year. I want to get her training going strong and don't want to put it off for having a foal for now.

 

[Arielle]

Defintely do your homework, a really good stallion costs a lot; a poor stallion might cost a lot or not. In the end, he's not worth it IMO because a good stallion at a moderate price is easy to find.

THe Dutch had a similar system in place about 25 years ago; and they slowly narrowed the choices, squeezing out the poorer bred animals. Might as well pick out the best stallion you can afford.

When I breed for dressage, I look for a stallion with a long line of dressage horses behind him and approved for breeding by one of the better registries. I can make faster improvements that way. As for the gaited horses, only the hackney can only be used for the Dutch harness horse; obviously a horse that is driven , not ridden.

Lot of good German breed stallions are here now. Lord Leatherdale. Boy i'm getting rusty! Can't remember many others. LOL I usually look at the registry listings to find a current list of offerings. Kathy Hickerson has access to the stallions at VDL in Holland-- a lot of Holsteiner breeding in the Dutch horses--frozen semen of course. Many good stallions here as well.

Look at me, babbling on--I could talk horses all day and all night. lol

 

[Stumpy]

I can relate to him a bit -- About the EE's, my two are the favorite of my five, perhaps because they are so docile, but they tend to get picked on a bit and, being new to chickens, I find that a bit difficult to watch. I know there has to be an order established, though.

That is an unusual experience. So sorry about the chicks.

 

[Arielle]

I broke up a few dominance behaviors yesterday. THe older males are just too tough on the juvies. Can't the roosters just stay in their section of the yard while the juvies tryto stay in their section of the yard. Guess I will be moving the juvies this weekend . . out of reach.

 

[Wisher1000]

I can relate to him a bit -- About the EE's, my two are the favorite of my five, perhaps because they are so docile, but they tend to get picked on a bit and, being new to chickens, I find that a bit difficult to watch. I know there has to be an order established, though.

I'm glad you like the EEs so much, it must have been the batch, the neighbor's pullets are out of the same hatch as the ones you have! I started with 24 and he got 10 (it was supposed to be six!) and I gave an elderly lady that I know another 6, the 2 that went to you, 1 was taken by a hawk (Taffy) and another died as a chick, and I still have 5. Two out of that batch of "pullets" turned out to be cockerals, one splash and one wheaten (which I still have,) both are very nice roosters, in looks and disposition.

 

[Cynthia12]

You are lucky you get to "see" that happen. I can't have roosters.

 

[Stumpy]

Cynthia, I haven't seen actual mating, but so far the attempts seem a bit mean and violent.

My husband wants the roo out of here.

 

[Cynthia12]

Oooh, stumpy, you need a nice rooster, I hear they are out there. I've heard a lot of people talk about how nice their rooster is with the ladies.
That's too bad you have a mean one. I have had the experience with a bad rooster, but that was waay back in the day with my grandmother's chickens. Oh man she had a mean one. All of us kids were scared to death of it. He finally got my sister. Boy did he cut her legs up bad. Guess who was dinner the next night?