Breeding Season Which Stallion for which mare?

[MBhorses]

I like your sorrel pinto filly but I feel she will have a short thick neck and throat latch like her sire. I would breed Mia to Elvis.

Unfortunately, I don't think Fancy is a good cross with either stallion. Her colt was nicely colored by Elvis but I would like to see what he grows up like before I do this cross again. And I don't think Duffy is a good cross with her either.

But I am going on the pictures you have provided. They are not the best conformation shots but do give some idea on what the horses look like.

Fancy is due by Elvis end of May or first june. I pray the foal turns out nice we will see

 

[MBhorses]

Mia is Fancy first foal by Buckskin Little Kings Hallmarks Buckshot Mia is 33.75 inches where Fancy is 32 inches. Elvis is 31.25 inches. Duffy is 32.25 inches.The sorrel pinto filly 2012 is 21 inches

 

[MBhorses]

duffy page http://www.paintbynumbersranch.net/7501/126458.html foal is at bottom of page

elvis page http://www.paintbynumbersranch.net/7501/126449.html foals are at the bottom of page

 

[MBhorses]

I got Duffy when he was about 6 mos old. Duffy is 3 yrs old nowduffy few years ago

 

[supaspot]

I dont know how to say this without sounding rude but i would breed all your mares to the black overo Elvis , I think you are using Duffy maybe because you love him so much but to be a breeding stallion he should be above average quality and to me he is not (he is cute though) I dont think he has as much to offer as a stud as Elvis , Elvis far out classes him

 

[MBhorses]

I would like to thank you all for helping me with my horses. My husband is wanting me to sell one of the studs to get another mare.My husband wants me to get a dulite mare

It will be hard to part with one of the studs when I have own them both for years now.I have own the palomino since 09 and Elvis since jan 10 but I worked on buying him back in dec 09.The only reason I didn't get a foal in 2010 because my mare fancy was in foal to a appy stud I had sold, but I lost the filly in 10. Mia wasn't old enough in 2010.I didn't bred Mia til 2011 to the palomino I was hoping for buckskin pinto

from those two.Elvis first foal was 2010 it is blue eyed black pinto filly by previous owner.Yes I do love Duffy he is from a close friend of mine.I got Duffy at 6 mos old

 

[MBhorses]

duffy

 

[supaspot]

i understand how hard that is , 3-4 years ago i was in a very similar situation , I had two nice stallions ...nice but not great ,...I worried about it for a long time - over a year before I made my mind up to sell them both and buy something better , it killed me to let them go , I had owned them both since they were yearlings and loved them to bits , I got the money together and bought myself a really good stallion , I know now it was the best thing I ever did , I havent looked back , my first foal crop from that boy has just been born and Im very proud of them , I just wish Id been brave enough to do it sooner

 

[Magic]

Unless you don't have room for more than the horses you have now, another option is to geld Duffy. You and the children (I think I remember that you have children) could do all kinds of things with him. When I am terribly attached to one of my colts but have no use for him as a stallion, or if he isn't really stallion material, I have them gelded; easier to house for sure, then I get to keep my guy. We have four miniature geldings here right now, just sold another one, and a two year old is slated to soon become a gelding as well. I LOVE the geldings! (I love them all though, lol!)

 

[MBhorses]

Unless you don't have room for more than the horses you have now, another option is to geld Duffy. You and the children (I think I remember that you have children) could do all kinds of things with him. When I am terribly attached to one of my colts but have no use for him as a stallion, or if he isn't really stallion material, I have them gelded; easier to house for sure, then I get to keep my guy. We have four miniature geldings here right now, just sold another one, and a two year old is slated to soon become a gelding as well. I LOVE the geldings! (I love them all though, lol!)

Yes I have children younger will be 18 yrs old she is about to start college. So it will be me cares for them and loving them

My daughter who is about to be 18 yrs old is a great helper. When she starts college she will still be home thank Goodness, because I would be heartbroken when she does go off to college.

i understand how hard that is , 3-4 years ago i was in a very similar situation , I had two nice stallions ...nice but not great ,...I worried about it for a long time - over a year before I made my mind up to sell them both and buy something better , it killed me to let them go , I had owned them both since they were yearlings and loved them to bits , I got the money together and bought myself a really good stallion , I know now it was the best thing I ever did , I havent looked back , my first foal crop from that boy has just been born and Im very proud of them , I just wish Id been brave enough to do it sooner

Yes it would be hard to sell either stud, I have had them a few years now. Are you saying I should sell Duffy and Elvis? I think if Duffy was smaller weight wise and work then he would look alot better for you all. I have noticed the older studs get then more weight they put on in areas.I look at your horses very nice.Duffy came from a dear friend of mine, she would be heartbroken if I sold him or gelded him

(She knows he have great home at my place).When you get close to your horses, how do you part with them? All my minis I have sold I try to keep in touch, because they are like my children. How would I sell one without hurting the seller (Person or Persons I got them from )feeling ?I have a first right refusal contract on Duffy with the seller I got him from.

 

[susanne]

As a breeder, you are in a position of enormous responsibility. Even if you sell the foal, which I assume is your goal, you are responsible for doing everything you possibly can to ensure a great life for him or her. In today's market, there is a terrible glut of minis and not enough people who can afford to keep a horse, so any breeding must have a great reason for putting another horse into the world. Breeding to make the stallion happy is simply NOT a good reason, especially if the result is a foal of mediocre quality that will very possibly face of life of being shuffled from one home to another, if not worse.

It's great that you care for your friend's feelings, but if she truly loves Duffy, she will see that gelding is best for him and will enable him to stay where he is loved and well cared for. I would talk to her about your plans, and let her take him back if she is so set on him remaining intact. It is absolutely not right for her to demand that you keep him as a stallion, when she didn't see fit to keep him herself.

 

[Lizzie]

Well said susanne.

Lizzie

 

[MBhorses]

As a breeder, you are in a position of enormous responsibility. Even if you sell the foal, which I assume is your goal, you are responsible for doing everything you possibly can to ensure a great life for him or her. In today's market, there is a terrible glut of minis and not enough people who can afford to keep a horse, so any breeding must have a great reason for putting another horse into the world. Breeding to make the stallion happy is simply NOT a good reason, especially if the result is a foal of mediocre quality that will very possibly face of life of being shuffled from one home to another, if not worse.

It's great that you care for your friend's feelings, but if she truly loves Duffy, she will see that gelding is best for him and will enable him to stay where he is loved and well cared for. I would talk to her about your plans, and let her take him back if she is so set on him remaining intact. It is absolutely not right for her to demand that you keep him as a stallion, when she didn't see fit to keep him herself.

My friend is a great person.She has very nice show horses. She knows her horses very well.She thinks Duffy is herd sire material. She has several horses that have been shown. Duffy sire was shown in amha did great.Duffy's dam is a daughter of Dels Cowboy. I don't want you all to take it the wrong way,but it might be my photos not doing Duffy right.I have been told bad photos can hurt a horse lookings. I have tried to get better photos but it is hard by yourself. My friend is a like a sister to me, she was here for me when my grandma died years ago.Duffy's half brother was shown in amha driving place well.I pray it isn't my photos making everyone think Duffy isn't herd material.I wouldn't want my friend to get the wrong ideal about her beloved horse. She only sold Duffy because I wanted him.If it was up to my friend she would keep them all, because she loves them all.You all know us animals lovers think our animals are great weather they are or not.I am trying to improve my herd is the only reason I was asking you all what you all think. I have been told by some folks duffy is great and elvis is great and others say something different.I have been told my mares a great others said sell the mares and start over.I am about ready to pull my hair out.I want the best foals I can produce,because I would love one of my foals shown someday.if I was able I would love show,but can't I work full time.I know our farm is well know, but I am trying to better my herd. I have know of minis that are big time winners come from small farms to.I get sadden to think just because we are small farm folks think we can't produce a WINNER in the future.As a breeder, I make sure my horses foals or mares or studs go to good homes.If you get one of my horses, I will check refers and call your vet.I will also check on the horses progress. I also have told folks who have gotten from me if for some reason they can't care for the horse or horses to let me know. My horses Life is very important to me.I want the best for my horses. My vet said he hasn't seen someone love their horses as much as I do.Another thing I do that some folks don't when I get a horse I sent photos and update on the horse I brought from them.I keep in touch with the horses previous owners.I don't want anyone on here think I don't care for my horses.My horses are like my children i love they dearly.Thank you all for helping me out.

 

[Windhaven]

Just want to say all horses are beautiful! And I think all of yours are. But no horse is perfect and not all horses should be bred or you have to be careful what you cross them to.

Wanted to say Elvis is your better stud prospect.

Duffy is beautiful and I love his facial expressions and looks like he has a great loving attitude, but even if he was thinner you can't correct some of his faults. His main fault (that catches my eye right away) is he is very heavy in the front end. You can't change the way his neck ties into his head or shoulder, or the length by making him thinner. And I think he does pass this on to most of his foals.

If you don't want to part with him, geld him and he will be MUCH happier. That way you can turn him out with the mares when he is over his studdliness and he will have friends. And you can enjoy him more.

Good luck, and I wish you the best. It is always hard to make decisions like this.

 

[Minimor]

I too would use only the black pinto.

It seems to me that you are placing much too much emphasis on coloring and on your friend's feelings. Placing those things ahead of conformation is not the way to go about breeding. Show ring success of the parents does not guarantee quality in the offspring; that has been proven many times over.

When selecting a horse to buy, or when deciding which stallion to breed a mare to, you need to look at the horses withou seeing color. In your mind's eye paint them all the same drab shade of brown--and then look at them again. With coloring gone, which horse do you like the best? What conformation faults do you see in each?

 

[MBhorses]

I agree conformation should be first.I taught Elvis had good conformation?Is Elvis a good herd sire?

 

[disneyhorse]

Ditto to everything supaspot, Suzanne and Magic just said! There are so many nice, accomplished stallions out there that it doesn't make sense to breed average or mediocre these days.

Find someone whose horses you REALLY admire and get confirmation critiques from them on each of your horses to help reduce barn blindness.

Just because we "love" our little darlings doesn't always mean they should be bred.

To answer your question directly, I personally wouldn't breed either stallion if I owned them. They'd probably both be geldings as they stand now.

Elvis by far has better conformation though, I'd like to see him perform under harness to see if he's got any potential there.

Duffy has an extremely thick neck that doesn't tie in well to his shoulder and chest, and he obviously passes this huge fault (it is not desired in halter OR driving horses) to his offspring. This makes him quickly fall into my "geld them" category.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

I like them both, Duffy's neck didn't look so thick in his younger pic. But I think I'd go with Elvis.

 

[supaspot]

I would like to thank you all for helping me with my horses. My husband is wanting me to sell one of the studs to get another mare.My husband wants me to get a dulite mare

It will be hard to part with one of the studs when I have own them both for years now.I have own the palomino since 09 and Elvis since jan 10 but I worked on buying him back in dec 09.The only reason I didn't get a foal in 2010 because my mare fancy was in foal to a appy stud I had sold, but I lost the filly in 10. Mia wasn't old enough in 2010.I didn't bred Mia til 2011 to the palomino I was hoping for buckskin pinto

from those two.Elvis first foal was 2010 it is blue eyed black pinto filly by previous owner.Yes I do love Duffy he is from a close friend of mine.I got Duffy at 6 mos old

Im not suggesting you should sell both horses , you said in your own post that your husband wants you to sell one of the studs , if it was me I would sell or geld Duffy , but you are the one that should decide whats best for you, Why not find him another job - break him to harness and have some fun with him , even if both boys were magnificent you dont have enough girls to keep them both happy so it makes more sense to have one stallion , Im sure your friend would understand , if she loves him she would want him to be happy , not frustrated and miserable with no mares

 

[Reijel's Mom]

I'm not saying this is true of you, Melissa, but I know this to be true of me. I have loved horses all my life. I had a pony for a short time growing up, and ever since I've been on my own as an adult, I've had horses. I read this forum, books, and horse magazines regularly, but I STILL don't find I'm a natural when it comes to confirmation like it is for so many on this forum. So, if this happens to be the case for you, don't feel bad, because you are not alone! That said, if I were breeding horses to put on the market, I'd really want to have a better understanding of confirmation then I do now, because I'd only want to be putting the best I could out there. Sounds like this is true of you as well, so it sounds like you now have a lot to think about!

Also, I don't know why anyone would be offended if someone were to geld a horse and continue to give it a great home, probably with an even better quality of life as a gelding vs. as a stallion. It just makes me sad that some people only see worth in an animal if it has reproduction potential.