Question for those that breed a stallion that is homozygous

[StarRidgeAcres]

How in the heck to you tell the foals apart??

I am already beginning to see the nightmare I have ahead of me at weaning time. I mean I know this sounds funny and I'm joking about it, but I'm thinking I will need to microchip them BEFORE they are weaned so I can assure I know who is who. I put both mares and both babies out back yesterday afternoon and it hit me. O M G!

How am I going to keep them straight? And then once the other 3 are here I will be going nuts. I'm trying to memorize certain things about each one, but at this time all I have is that Goldie's colt is slightly larger and Classy's foal has blacker points. But both of those things can change over time...and probably will. Their heads and profiles are identical to my eye. This is going to be very, very interesting.

So, what do other people do? Do you microchip? Keep a dot of paint on their coat? Ribbons like puppy breeders use? I'm thinking I need to resolve this earlier rather than later when it may be more difficult.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Seems to me I could get any foal I liked from you so long as I wanted a Buckskin colt

.

I had a rash of chestnuts one year, but as they grow they are easy to distinguish.

I had three black fillies three years ago and the only way I could tell them apart was by getting right up to them and lifting the forelock, their expressions were all different!

I struck lucky there, though, and sold them all to one owner....now it's her problem!

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

Seems to me I could get any foal I liked from you so long as I wanted a Buckskin colt

.

Yep, that's right! You need a buckskin COLT, I'm your breeder!

Honestly, I'm joking about it, but as long as their healthy I'm fine with whatever I get. The correctness, heads and short backs are just icing on that buckskin COLT cake!lol

Maybe I need to consider a new logo or sales tag... hmmm...

 

[cretahillsgal]

OMG!! This is too funny! It's somthing that I hadn't thought of!

Maybe you could clip a little patch of hair somewhere on one of them. But then you would have to keep it clipped and might be hard when they shed out in the spring.

 

[chandab]

You have time to get to know them, after a little time you'll know who's who blind-folded, I'm sure.

When I was in college I worked for an Arabian Ranch, they had 3 flea-bitten gray stallions no white marking (granted in general they were in their separate stalls but the boss knew each of them, easily), several chestnuts with limited white (she knew them together or not), and others that looked very similar (she knew them all by name and pedigree).

 

[Miniv]

LOL! I understand totally your concerns..... We have three fillies who are all light palomino and all about the same height. Fortunately, as they matured we saw some bone structure differences, especially in their faces. One has a longish nose. One has a sweet pony face. And the third has the most refined bone structure.

When they were first weaned, we had different colored halters on them which was helpful.....as long as you remembered which one was wearing which colored halter!

 

[minih]

I'm sorry Parmela, but even you admit it is funny. I am no help there, have never had that problem. I can honestly see your concern tho. Little carbon copies. Very cute ones too.

 

[targetsmom]

This is so funny because I was just thinking about your "problem" while cleaning stalls. What you need is some more color possibilities!! We have the perfect mare for you - BUT SHE IS NOT FOR SALE. Mira is 30" tall, Blue Boy and Rowdy bred (crosses nice with Buckeroo blood), and is GRAY and FRAME OVERO. Gives you several more color options besides solid buckskin!

ETA: I am glad you thought of this only AFTER you sold us the mare that might

produce pinto and blue eyes along with the buckskin!!

 

[love_casper]

Braid a ribbon in their tails!

I wonder how that Triple K farm does it... with buckskin after buckskin....

 

[StarRidgeAcres]

This is so funny because I was just thinking about your "problem" while cleaning stalls. What you need is some more color possibilities!! We have the perfect mare for you - BUT SHE IS NOT FOR SALE. Mira is 30" tall, Blue Boy and Rowdy bred (crosses nice with Buckeroo blood), and is GRAY and FRAME OVERO. Gives you several more color options besides solid buckskin!

ETA: I am glad you thought of this only AFTER you sold us the mare that might

produce pinto and blue eyes along with the buckskin!!

Mary,

Seriously? Any need to rub it in???

 

[Kendra]

We have a lot of black geldings. Fifteen black geldings, all of them between 32 and 34", none with any more than about 6 white hairs and usually all in the same pasture. And while I wouldn't say we'd never confused them (especially in winter), basically they're all different enough that we figure out who's who with only a little deduction. Course, they're not all siblings - that'll add another dimension to issue! But I do think that their personalities will come out and you won't have so much trouble ... at least in the summer! ;-)

 

[srpwildrose]

I am able to help you out.

How about you send a mare and her buckskin colt over the state line to Kansas!

Then you will only have to worry about keeping two boys.

 

[Joanne]

This is an interesting post.

I only had one year in which I had two look a likes. Two solid chestnut fillies with blazes. Born a few days apart (out of black pinto parents....genetics !!!)

Even their dams could not tell them apart sometimes!

You sure you do not want to raise pintos?????