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It's finally happening!

6K views 43 replies 22 participants last post by  drafts4ever 
#1 ·
Caleigh is being bred in April to BSG Taliesin for a drum baby in March 2012. He's a gorgeous Gypsy Vanner stud, aka Legacy's daddy. Everyone is extremely excited and speaking with Caleigh's breeders she's a wonderful mom, lets her humans mess with the baby as soon as it hits the ground and is easy to breed! My only problem will be finding a blanket to fit her through the winter. She has a history of being a very wide and low carrier. Her breeders words "Remember to open doors as wide as they can go because she waddles and swings her belly around at 8 months."

We're paid in full and on the collection waiting list!

She was vet checked today for routine Chiro and I threw an exam in there. She's checked and ready to go the vet says. She said to spend the next few months toning and fattening her up a bit because this winter she decided to be very picky over her hay and didn't like one of the batches that came through. She's on a vet recommended diet and she'll be going back in to get a cycle check mid February.

According to the color calculator I'll probably get a tri-color drum baby and I'm thinking around 16hands at maturity possibly? Caleigh isn't going to be thrilled about going back into halter but I plan on doing futurities (if the breed is accepted in the area), halter and showmanship of course.

Now here's the important part because I know how some people on here can be. I am NOT asking your opinion on whether I should or should not breed Caleigh. I understand people will have their opinions and people will post them so I am choosing to skip over the more heated responses. I am NOT asking if there is/might be something wrong with the stud or my mare and the unneeded critique will be ignored. All references to feed lots and auctions will be skipped over. I understand this can cause a lot of heat and if it does I am choosing to skip over those posts in my responses. I'm not trying to be rude, I am not here to argue about this, I am here to post my excitement and hopefully receive some tips and words of wisdom in/during this process.

I myself am new at this, new meaning never done this with MY mare. However I have been there through phantom collections, helped stud handling during live cover breedings, and I have helped birth and imprint (I just happened to be there for 2) 4 foals. I am extremely excited about this. I won't be alone in this though. I have numerous contacts and friends who are very experienced in breeding, birthing and what have you. They will be with me the whole way and for that last two weeks I'm freezing my butt off in my sleeping bag next to her stall I have two experienced friends that want to stay with me and another that said she better be called the second Caleigh looks like she might be going into labor. She'll drive over in her underwear. haha Not to mention the vet is bouncing off the walls with excitement!

Anyway here's Caleigh and here's BSG Taliesin.
Big Sky Gypsy and Drum Horses, Gypsy Vanner, Gypsy Horses, Gypsy Cob, Drum Horse, Gypsy Vanner Stallion, Homozygous Stallion, Montana, Seeley Lake



 

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#15 ·
Yeah I've been going through his foal crop pictures and I think I'll get a bay and white or a tri-color. Caleigh is a dominant bay and if my reading is correct I believe that over rules black?

He throws beautiful babies though. I also picked him because I think he compliments her size and structure. And he lends his build and versatility to his foals. I know Legacy takes after him more than her mother. Her mother was solid black and not as elegant looking.
 
#11 ·
Well they are a cross breed to be sure, but I'm sure many now consider them 'almost' a breed or type of their own.

Galway Warrior was probably the most famous to come to the US.

Galway Warrior

Sadly he's gone now. He belonged to Queen Elizabeth 11 before coming to the US. He produced many wonderful offspring. There are now many Drums in the US and they have a very devoted following in many parts of the world. Gyspy Horses used to breed, must be of a certain height for the offspring to quality as a Drum I believe. Drums are often 17hh and over.

They have long been part of the Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse Association and also have their own registry. In many shows, classes are offered purely for Drum Horses.

You can see a Drum Horse here, doing the work for which he was originally bred.

http://www.gypsyhorses.com/graphics/thebandsallhere.jpg

Lizzie
 
#13 ·
They are a registerable breed and pretty popular as well. I love tally babies and since I already have Legacy I looked to see if he was available. A lot of the stallions I looked at are priced 2000+ for booking and breeding with collection not included. For a breeding alone that's a bit above my personal price range. However if I ever change my mind on that St. Clarin and British Sterlin are absolutely breath taking as well!

I'm very excited about this though and after I spoke with Legacy's breeder I got the name of an awesome draft specialist vet for breeding close to me I'll be doing the AI with. After all that is done my regular vet will take over. She's out of the reproduction business now but she loves my mare so much she said she'd pull out her equipment and dust if off. haha
 
#16 ·
Why not breed Legacy to a Drum dradfts4ever? There are so many very nice ones around now and it would keep the breed going as pure Drums maybe.

If you are considering colour though, have you seen the gorgeous Silver Fox?

He's my favourite silver in the US right now. All silver Gypsies in the US right now, descent from one horse, but Fox has DNA'd not to be related closely to the others. He's also a little different colour from all the others. Don't know if Chelle will breed for Drums, but you can always ask.

Silver Fox

Lizzie
 
#17 ·
Silver Fox lives close to me! I was on the page last night. He's 1 hour away!

I haven't found any drum studs that really wow me. I'm pretty picky though. I looked at a lot that everyone agreed one and it took me a year to decide on Tally and that was AFTER I bought one of his babies. haha.

I don't feel comfortable breeding Legacy just yet but I do plan to later on. She's only 4 and I want her to grow up before I breed her. I probably won't until she's 8 or so and then by that time I will have saved up enough to do an embryo transfer and continue showing Legacy in eventing. It'll also be when I have a mare available for the transfer.

Do you know what Silver Fox's stud fee is? I couldn't find it.

I'd do the transfer with Caleigh if I could but I don't have a transfer mare available and right now the risk of losing the embryo with such a high stud fee isn't very appealing. So when I can afford that risk then Legacy will get an embryo transfer. haha
 
#26 ·
Silver Fox lives close to me! I was on the page last night. He's 1 hour away!

I haven't found any drum studs that really wow me. I'm pretty picky though. I looked at a lot that everyone agreed one and it took me a year to decide on Tally and that was AFTER I bought one of his babies. haha.

I don't feel comfortable breeding Legacy just yet but I do plan to later on. She's only 4 and I want her to grow up before I breed her. I probably won't until she's 8 or so and then by that time I will have saved up enough to do an embryo transfer and continue showing Legacy in eventing. It'll also be when I have a mare available for the transfer.

Do you know what Silver Fox's stud fee is? I couldn't find it.

I'd do the transfer with Caleigh if I could but I don't have a transfer mare available and right now the risk of losing the embryo with such a high stud fee isn't very appealing. So when I can afford that risk then Legacy will get an embryo transfer. haha
Sorry to go off topic but this caught my eye. I've always heard that drafts aren't good for jumping because of their size/build (granted, this was a long time ago and I'm not sure about the reliability of the source). Do you jump her?
 
#21 ·
Im very happy with my stud pick. I looked at a bunch and I mean 10 or so studs in the US and they either didn't look right, were too small but gorgeous and way to expensive for me at the moment and most didn't compliment her very well. He's the best for everything i looked for in a stud.
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#20 ·
No he is black but her entire line is bays and throws bays maybe a black here and there. Her breeder didn't have her tested but her mom always threw bay and her dad threw bay 9/10 times so that's what I'm going on.
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#23 ·
Oh wow that stud is BEAUTIFUL!! Caleigh is goegeous as well. They both look like they are going to compliment each other perfectly....I'm a HUGE sucker for Clydes and Vanners. I have never heard of a drum horse though so I researched them and I think I have added another breed to the "Breeds of horses I want to own" list haha...they're beautful.
 
#28 · (Edited)
Drums and vanners are more versatile so for drafts they are more common for eventing. I don't jump caleigh but I plan to do eventing with legacy. She's trained in jumping and dressage so she will be doIng 1 day derby's this year at "hopeful" level. She will be topping out at 15.3 and the vet said she will be a wonderful little jumper and I don't plant to take her past Novice. That's what the vet has OK'd so I'm not pushing past that. I'm excited for that too.
But no becaus of the size and impact on their joints it's normally not recommended to jump the big draft breeds
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