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Tons of Breeding Q's!!!

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Ak1 
#1 ·
Hi, I'm looking at possibly breeding a Holsteiner mare. I have a few questions, so please let me know what you think and if you know the answers! I'll just number them, so you can too if you want :) Here goes:

1. She is 17.1 and BIG bodied. I was thinking of breeding for a taller horse. Like, looking at 17.2/3++ stallions to raise the chance of getting a taller foal. Is this a good idea, or should I go shorter?
I know also that personality traits, and gaits etc. are more important than height but I'm just wondering aboutthe height part.
2. How much does vet cost through out the 11-12 months
3. Any pros/cons/experience with frozen semen and insemination?
4. I'm looking for a good eventing prospect out of this. Other than the obvious bloodline success, is there anything else less-known that I should look for in a stallion?
5. What would I be able to sell a foal for in this economy with the Cicero, Accord II on dams side, and whatever others on the stallion side, registered and inspected? Would it be a better idea to wait, put in the time a training to start him/her?


I mean, I guess, at what point is it a balance of best/most profitable to sell the foal? Wait til 3? 8? I mean just want some ideas. Thanks!
 
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#3 ·
The lines of the mare are good to look at. Try to find "comps" like if you were looking at a house - horses with similar bloodlines to the potential foal. If you like those horses and they have good results in what you want the horse to do then you are probably looking at a good match of stallion and mare.
Temperment is too often overlooked. You can breed the fanciest horse in the world, but if no one can get near it to put a saddle on it then what good is it? If you are looking at two stallions almost equal, pick the one that throws well tempered foals. Even if the better tempered stallion is not as qualified, if the better qualified stallion is rank I would go for the better tempered horse.
You will also want to look at registration considerations for the foal. If the mare is an approved broodmare by Holsteiner, then find a stallion where the foal will be elidgible for registration with Holsteiner.

As far as the height it is hard to tell what a mare will throw. My horse is out of a 17hh+ jumper mare and by a 16.3hh dressage stallion and he is 16hh naturally (ie no starvation or stunting). The mare just throws small horses. Until you know your mare and what she will throw, it is hard to predict height. It is also hard to predict how well se will catch. Most mares prefer fresh or cooled semen but some catch very well on frozen. Again trial and error is your only real option to find these things out.

Good luck!
 
#5 ·
Hi, I'm looking at possibly breeding a Holsteiner mare. I have a few questions, so please let me know what you think and if you know the answers! I'll just number them, so you can too if you want :) Here goes:

1. She is 17.1 and BIG bodied. I was thinking of breeding for a taller horse. Like, looking at 17.2/3++ stallions to raise the chance of getting a taller foal. Is this a good idea, or should I go shorter? It is important not to just look at the height of the parents, but what they produce. Even if you breed to a tall stallion, he may produce small, so do your research.
I know also that personality traits, and gaits etc. are more important than height but I'm just wondering aboutthe height part.
2. How much does vet cost through out the 11-12 months
Depends on what all you do. You figure you have the stud fee. Collection and shipping fee, and the breeding expenses on your end. It runs me about $300 per insemination. You have ultrasounding, the actual insemination, any drugs you may need (lute for example), follow up ultrasound(s)... Prior to breeding you also have your culture and cytology. Once the mare is confirmed in foal and she comes home everything is typicaly the same- once she is further along in her pregnancy you must adjust her feed levels. She needs her booster shots within 30 days of her due date, and worm her at that time. Once she foals she needs to be wormed again.... It REALLY varies on costs, so nobody could give you a straight up answer here.
3. Any pros/cons/experience with frozen semen and insemination?
I have not used frozen. You have to be sure you use a reproduction person that is well experienced with using frozen as it takes special care. It usually will cost a bit more as well on the mares end- I know my reproduction specialst charges twice the amount of fees for frozen vs. AI.
4. I'm looking for a good eventing prospect out of this. Other than the obvious bloodline success, is there anything else less-known that I should look for in a stallion?
#1 is what he is producing. Is he producing eventers? If not, look somewhere else.
5. What would I be able to sell a foal for in this economy with the Cicero, Accord II on dams side, and whatever others on the stallion side, registered and inspected? Would it be a better idea to wait, put in the time a training to start him/her?
Once again, that greatly depends. You have to find the right buyer. You could get anywhere from nothing to thousands. You just do not know until that foal hits the ground.

I mean, I guess, at what point is it a balance of best/most profitable to sell the foal? Wait til 3? 8? I mean just want some ideas.
When I breed to sell, I breed to have that foal sold ASAP- to have the least amount of $ into it as possible, and the least amount of risk. I do not want to HAVE to put thousands upon thousands into a horse's training to be able to sell it.
Thanks!
My responses above in bolded red.
 
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