Decision made...now comes the "revamping"

[LindaL]

Altho, we have spent the last few years waiting for our stallion Khan to grow up (we bought him as a weanling) and buying several very nice mares to cross with him, we have now made the decision to no longer breed. While I have gotten some good deals thru online auctions (and I think they are a great idea), there are still way to many horses out there and I just don't feel right (personally) breeding more horses to possibly be run thru auctions. Also, a friend of mine recently "rescued" several nice mares from an auction lot where they would have been put on a trailer for slaughter. Such a happy ending to an almost tragic end. I see Minis on Craigslist that people can't care for anymore and are selling dirt cheap. I could go on and on... but you get the picture.

Of course, I do love the babies and love seeing everyone else's babies. Just a decision we have made and truth be told, many others should make. But..anyway...

With all that being said...our National Champion/National All-Star Champion stallion will be GELDED and will become my KICK BUTT show gelding! Deb and I want to have Under and Over mares and geldings to show as that is where our enjoyment lies...in showing!

It was a difficult decision to make...trust me...but now that we've made it, we are excited to "revamp" our farm with all show horses (except for a few "retired" horses that will never be sold). This show season has mostly become a "bust" for us (we may make it to 2 shows and no nationals for us this year), but next year...We hope to hit as many shows as possible and nationals...and maybe even Congress if we still own our Shetland filly then!

 

[Jill]

Woohoo!!! Sounds like you and Deb are going to have a lot of fun

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Good for you! It is a hard decision to make but for me at least it was also exciting to think of spending my time with my horses doing something other than planning breedings, covering mares and waiting/watching for foals. I bought 2 very nice colts to breed to my nice mares, spent a fair bit on them and waited for them to mature, all the while imagining the foals they would throw for me. By the time they were 2 I was already thinking hard about whether I should actually breed any mares and by the following year had decided that they would make excellent gelding. They were/are still what I would look for in a stallion but they remain unproven and I have already gelded one. The second is slated for gelding this summer/fall if he stays here. I have only 2 mares left, sold the rest and am loving life with a herd of geldings. It has been very freeing not to worry about heat cycles and I can just enjoy driving my horses and hopefully back to showing soon.

I look forward to hearing your show ring adventures

 

[Carolyn R]

Was in your shoes last year, I completely understand. Truth be told, I am sure you will hear it too, many told me they wish they had the nerves and guts to be able to say "no more, I am done".

Isn't it funny, it's not the money we put into it, it's not the sleepless nights or the heartache that goes hand and hand with the joys we experience, it is the human element that wears us down and makes us shake our heads and say " it just isn't worth it, too many treat yesterday's treasure like today's trash." The foaling experience is amazing, waking the kids up at two in the morning to see those spindly legs take their first wobbly steps, it is something I will always treasure, having them experience something that is bigger than all of us, life in all it's beauty, and sadly they have also shared in my tears, I wouldn't trade it for anything. They have witnessed the dedication, love and compassion, and understood when I said enough. All of this, and knowing that someday the pride and joy put into getting a healthy foal on the ground and doing it right without cutting corners, just to come to the realization that foal may be somebody's throw away one day.......

I am certain you were passionate about your minis. I know cried and cried when the wind was gone from my sails. I have been in your shoes and applaud you, it is a decision that is not made lightly, and I am sure tears were shed when you came to the conclusion that this was the right decision for you. It is hard deal with the array of emotions that come with breeding and foaling, and it is hard to have a taste of that and choose to walk away from it all, even the lessons we learn from the bad experiences.

Through it all, I still have the highest respect for those breeders that do it right....selective limited breeding, vet care, vaccinations, worming, dental, handling, constantly on a quest for more knowledge....the list goes on.

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Congratulations Linda and Deb! You have so many beautiful horses and Khan...well....drool!lol You guys will have a blast showing and kicking some butt too! All the best to you both!

 

[Lizzie]

I applaud you for your decision, although I know a difficult one. In these iffy times, I am always rather surprised, when I see some still breeding many mares each year, in all breeds. While my daughter and I have been privileged to have owned many top quality mares and stallions, since the 1970's, we have only actually bred, seven foals. The last one my daughter bred, is now three years old and I doubt she will breed again.

On our Gypsy Horse forum, many of us backed a plan to geld all colts before sale. If we felt one was possibly going to make a top quality stud horse, then we agreed to run him on a bit and keep him or then sell as a stud prospect. Of course, not all took part. A few are still breeding tons of mares each year. Not a good thing in a breed which has fairly limited appeal.

It is expensive, to breed and produce the next generation of our breed/s of choice, properly. I hate to see large herds of mares, all being serviced by one stallion. No stallion is the perfect choice for large herds of mares. As breeders, we are but just a link in a chain. What we do with that which the breeders of old left us, will denote in a major way, that which future generations of breed enthusiasts, have to draw upon. If we are true fanciers of any breed, then we owe it nothing less.

Some have suggested that if responsible breeders with quality stock, limit or stop breeding, it leaves the door open to all those who breed irresponsibly and produce less-than stock. True of course, but we can only try to educate those who wish to breed for the wrong reasons or think everything with working reproductive parts, should be bred.

A while ago, President Obama said, when speaking of something else, "We don't want to be on the wrong side of history." I think the same applies to the breeding of horses and indeed, dogs. Breeding decisions we make now, cannot help, but affect the breed long after we are gone.

I'm certainly not against breeding. Not at all. But in times such as these, when often quality horses end up on the truck heading for Mexican slaughter houses, we must consider very carefully, each baby we seek to bring into the world.

Lizzie

 

[srpwildrose]

I totally agree with your decision.

And well said. Enjoy showing your "gelding".

 

[LindaL]

Thanks for your support everyone! I know not everyone agrees with me and I am not against breeding. There are many farms out there that have a phenomenal breeding program and it seems like every foal born on these farms is show quality. Of course, then again...they may have a few "behind the barn" so to speak that are not and are sold for a few hundred dollars to pet homes. Who knows...All I do know is I am looking forward to showing and making it strictly a hobby instead of a "business". Hopefully we will do our horses justice in the ring and we will buy/sell to make our show string "fresh" from time to time.

 

[jandjmc]

Best of luck with your "kick-butt" gelding! And for sharing your wonderful insights.

 

[Riverrose28]

Linda, I hear you! When hubby and I got into minis we got into it to show, period! Then we caught the bug, breed a couple to show with our farm name attached. We produced Champions after promoting other peoples mares and stallions. We were so proud. Then decided to breed more, for others to enjoy and show. Well long story short we decided because of our age, finances, and health issues to start scaling back last fall. Now we decided earlier this year to go back from being a business to just having fun again, showing, maybe breed one everyother year just for us, again. Actually we were thinking of getting in on a marestare auction: Going Out of Business sale in the fall. If you want to join in, just PM me, that way the horses don't need to leave the farm until sold, so no exposure to bugs & germs. Terry

 

[LindaL]

Terry...Heather will be having another auction next month and I will be adding my horses to that, but if they don't sell, please keep me in mind for your auction.

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

Terry...Heather will be having another auction next month and I will be adding my horses to that, but if they don't sell, please keep me in mind for your auction.

where can i find info on consigning horses to upcoming auctions?

 

[LindaL]

Go to MareStare.com and email Heather about upcoming auctions.

 

[LittleBittyBritches]

Go to MareStare.com and email Heather about upcoming auctions.

ok thanks