Show me your ideal broodmare

[MiniAmateur]

In my switch from big horses to minis, I'm realizing that they do, for the most part, look a little different than the biggies. I would like to eventually get a mare to breed, I'll be starting with a gelding as my first mini though to ease into it, and I want to see a conformation photo of you favorite broodmare(s). Pasture condition is ok and actually preferred over show photos, although if you have both types of photos of the same mare I would LOVE to see them to test my eye and spot quality on a unconditioned horse. Thank you all in advance!

 

[MindyLee]

I like big round rear ends (hips). HOWEVER, if a mare has smaller hips, then need to find a smaller stud that complaments her to minamize a bad birth.

Also my studs have to be smaller and more refind vrs the mare. Also if something on a mare I dont like (example) big plain head, the stud with have my ideal of a head I like. and any other mis likes.

 

[MiniAmateur]

Thank you Mindy! I adore that bay mare you posted! Very "sturdy" build.

 

[MindyLee]

Thanks!

She's a buckeroo and king supreme grand daughter. I watched her for 7 years bounce from home to home. Was always out of my price range ($3500). Then 7 years ago she fell into my price range ($400) and she's been here since and gave me 3 foals with this yrs foal being the best yet and was sold at 6 months still in woumb. She also had 3 foals that I know of before coming here.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

IMO your mares are going to have a bigger precentage of what that foal is going to turn into. Too many people over look the mares and put all their attention on the studs. These are not "broodmares" but they are defiantly worth the title. These 3 have all been shown, 2 of them are Hall of Famed in AMHR and 1 is not too far off and will continue to show til she gets it. My broodmares must have willing and good attitudes, if they don't have that then they aren't worth my time. I also would prefer for them to be all-around performance horses because thats what I am into. I also want them to have good conformation and movement.

My first mare she is a 2X Hall of Famer in Country Pleasure and Roadster and not too far off in Draft. Her sire won Reserve National Grand Champion Stallion, Over at Nationals one year. This mare was real tricky for me because at the beginning I wished she had a better attitude. I even had her for sale at one point but took her off with hardly any interest. Now she is a driving machine and she even competed in halter obstacle and hunter her first time last month. Love this mares hip, shoulder, and chest. She could have a better head and cleaner neck. She is not your typical halter mare but to me she would be perfect if AMHR had a Stock halter class. She will show in Draft halter at Nationals this year. I am pretty sure she will get bred next year.

My second mare is your typical halter mare. Her sire is a Halter Hall of Famer. She is small and refined. Perfect head and great body, the only thing on her that I don't like is she could have a cleaner neck. She is well on her way of getting her halter Hall of Fame. She will also be a all-around performance horse next year. She is everything I want in a show horse and a broodmare as I don't consider her refined as a rail! She also does the draft classes, and was part of the 8-hitch last year that got Reserve National Grand Champion.

My last mare I just got. She is a Pleasure Driving Hall of Famer with both of her parents being Pleasure Driving Hall of Famers. We are working on getting her Country Pleasure Hall of Fame and maybe draft as she is now a team mate to my grey mare. I also have no doubt she won't make a all-around performance horse. Overall no she is not a halter mare, she could make a nice draft/stock halter horse. Her head is not bad, looks very cute and petite when she has a bridle on. The one thing that could really be cleaned up on her is she does have a very steep croup.

 

[MiniAmateur]

WOW JMS, that grey mare is absolutely fantastic! I would have guessed she was a full size Quarab by the first picture! I suppose "broodmare" wasn't the best wording, I should have said breeding quality mare, as we all know there are many mares who spend a lifetime just popping out babies when the mare should have never been born herself.. but that's a whole other discussion. That little pinto mare does look odd in her hindquarter assembly, but boy can she ever move! That extension is wonderful on her, and her english saddle shaped marking is too cute. I also agree that mares should be higher quality than the stallion(not that you should breed low quality stallions, but the mare should really be elite). I bred QHs for 30 years and I always went by the 40/60 rule. The stud contributes 40% and the mare 60%.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Thank you for your comments. I really like my grey mare aka: Penelope. She is a powerful athletic mare. When you work her in the round pen when she reverses she just digs into the ground and spins. She would make a great reiner lol. Yep the pinto she could have a better hind end, she could also have straighter back legs but some breeders will tell you thats how they get their movement, but I tend to disagree. My grey mare is competely straight in the back and yes she doesn't have a perfectly flat topline but its not bad either. Just need to breed the pinto to a stallion that has a better hind end and hopefully will take on daddy's hind end. Probably breed both bigger mares to more of a halter stallion but if I can find one that does both (halters and drives) which isn't easy to find would be awesome!

 

[Watcheye]

I love this mare.

 

[REO]

Welcome to the forum!

The best advise I can give is, take your time looking

My mares are in the link to my site below if you'd like to see my girls.

 

[mystic collies]

Tibbs Briana Bay is our ideal of a super broodmare

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

I think you will find lots of different preferences when it comes to the ideal breeding quality mare. Obviously want correct, sound, and sane, but also nice to have that show record but that said several of my mares have never been in the showring (some I feel should have) but they are producing foals that are doing well or have potential to do well but just havent been out there yet. Here are just a few of ours that either are already broodmares or going to be.

 

[paintponylvr]

What type of QH did you breed for 30 years? Did your breeding focus change as the markets changed and became more specialized within disciplines?

When the QH as a breed became separated into different types - did you stay with the foundation, cowy ranch type, the halter only type, the streamlined flat ring performance type or the racing/warmblood/jumping x-country types? What are you looking for in your miniature horse program? What type of mare are you looking for?

I've found that the MH and Shetland markets have followed much the same direction as other breeds have. There are different types and variances in conformation w/i those types that will allow that horse to do better in that "one" discipline. OF course, starting with basic, good conformation is the basis for all types - but there is no ideal ONE broodmare in our small equine (IMO) - simply because it really depends on what you want to focus on doing with your small equine.

That said - I have at least one broodmare that will NEVER win or even place in halter and may not even be considered to be the best breeding choices. Maybe a more experienced horse breeder may have been able to point out some issues years ago - yet when I consulted with quite a number they were outweighed by other very major factors for me. There were good points to those mares AND they had the BEST children's and amateur handlers' dispositions, awesome striding (move like small horses) and they consistently produce better then themselves when bred to stallion who have better points then they did. In fact, I have several young ponies that people are saying there's "no way" that they could be out of the mares they are out of... They figure I've sold on the mares they came out of, but they are still with me - faults and all.

I also have had foals out of really well conformed mares, that were show ring winning individuals and sired by show ring champions with great bloodlines, that came out with very poor conformation (soooo disappointing!!). You have to wonder where those come from when all you see in the magazines and show rings are the "perfect" individuals, LOL... IT happens.

I have done just enough breeding to know that I've had several mares that were higher maintenance than I wanted - even though they are/were halter winning horses with sought after bloodlines - and no matter what stallion they were bred to - they produced that way, too. That didn't work for me and those mares have either been sold or at least not used in my program.

With the market the way it is, I didn't breed any mares last year. I didn't purposely breed any this year - though may have some pregnant as I did have a jr stallion have "fun" for 2 hours in a field with 6 mares - who then all showed that they were in heat or had been bred... I know that at least two are not pregnant at this time, but not sure about the other four. We'll see.

This mare is not a show ring winner as far as breed shows go - but in local shows and 4H shows that aren't based solely on conformation - she rocks. She's rock steady in a lesson program and has taught about 50 children how to ride and care for equine. She rides western, english, jumps, drives single & as a pair (and will probably be one of the first in my 4UP when I get to that driving), has been swimming in the Cape Fear River, carted little tots on trail rides both while being lead off of a large horse and on her own caring for that rider - all in the small package of 37" at the withers and 35.75" as a mini. She's not registered as a mini. She was our first shetland foal (registered and certified as Foundation) and her dam refused to care for her and actually attacked her - driving her hindquarters into the ground before we got them caught again. She had some issues right at the beginning just learning to live. She ties in very low to her chest and is coarse in the throat. She's very plain and/or masculine in appearance (and indeed at times acts almost studdy - if she was an Arab, Paint or QH she'd probably be tested for testosterone levels), has developed a roach back in her older age (actual conformation, injury as a newborn under attack, hard work??), is slightly cow hocked and turns out in front a bit. Her 3 foals have been much more correct AND have retained her PERSONALITY/DISPOSITION with a little "fire" added from their sire... She's a favorite and is once again out on lease to a beginning family. She's 18 years old this year. She's had 4 foals - 3 by the same stallion for me, her first for the first family that leased her from us. That is a GREAT BROODMARE to me - even with her conformational faults and lack of winning show ring awards/points.

Her 2010 son -

Her 2013 son -

 

[paintponylvr]

I like the draft type of mini/shetland... YET, I'm finding that w/i that "type" there are TWO types. The show type and the "field type". The show type is leggier, higher moving and more upright. The best way to describe mine - is the "field type". They have great, quiet dispositions (for the most part! Some are "hotter" but with training and work, they develop into steady and solid working horses) and I LOVE a ground reaching trot and long strided flat walk... IF stretched into larger horses - they'd be a middle of the road type that could do anything with a lot of extension and plain ol' good sense about them.

This mare was a pasture pet & broodmare when I purchased her at 15 years of age. She'd never been halter trained or had any real handling yet her response was "O, U want me to wear a halter and stand here when you say "Whoa"??"..."OK.... I'm standing.... now where is my scratch or cookie?" "U added another piece of harness and you just want me to step off with it? Am I supposed to "bridle up" now, too?" and "OOOOO, I think I like all these little people riding me - even though you've never saddled me and had a rider on me before" (I almost had a heart attack when I realized that we'd just been leading ponies around and I'd never worked with her with a saddle or a rider. We gave a lot of "pony rides" that day - after spending hours disking in the hoofprints of the big draft horses). She's had other foals that have been added to other breeding programs. She came with a colt at her side who is a wonderful working gelding for my girl friend now. She's had two fillies for me - both of whom are very like her in personality and disposition. Her first one for me was driving as a pair at her side at 3 yrs of age pulling our new wagon. She's a grand broodmare. I DO hope to get one or two more foals from her - but with the market - maybe not... We have 2 of her daughters by different stallions (GG & Classy). GG is already driving both single, as a pair and as part of a ground driven 4 abreast hitch. Classy has been to many functions with her dam - and is about ready to get started in harness.

 

[HGFarm]

Please bear in mind- if there are faults in your mare, breeding to a stallion without those faults may or may not fix those, so take your time and find the nicest mare with the least faults you can afford!

I also like a mare with 'substance' - I like the driving power that comes with that, as I breed more for performance and versatility. However, I also like a horse that is nice to look at. I like a good strong rear end, balanced by a shoulder that matches. Legs need to be correct and a pretty head helps, but wouldnt overlook one with just a 'plain' head either. Nice movement means a lot- and usually goes with a balanced horse.

Here are a couple of my mares- a link to my website is in my sig line.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Where did you get that cart? I need something like that!

 

[paintponylvr]

JMS - where 'ya been (ROFLOL!!). This is a Pioneer Forecart made by Pioneer Manufacturing in Dalton, OH. I've had it since January 2012 and this baby has been featured in a lot of my driving posts... Pioneer themselves don't have a website - but someone else does "for them"... If you contact Pioneer directly ((330) 857-6340) - call during the week. Tell 'em the "Pony Lady - Paula" from NC sent you!!! You can see some of there products here and they do have an extensive product catalog now. I also have a wagon they built and a riding spring tooth harrow w/ a crumbler attachment.

Because I have so a wide variance of ponies (I still have 2 arab xbred shetlands that are 12 HH up to 13.2 hh) - I went with only one cart and chose a Hafflinger size. It's too big for some of my smaller ponies (mini sized) to pull - so I still have to build a "ground sled" for training the smaller guys and gals. If I pull the harrow/crumbler with the forecart, I need at least a 3 abreast of ponies to pull it. This year I have 2 larger mares (3 if you include the daughter of the one, but she's a bit smaller than her very large and "CHUNKY" dam). I ordered our forecart with both the equipment seat and the bench seat, but so far I've only used the bench seat. It has hydraulic brakes, fender guards, 13" working tires on steel rims, the rein guard on the front with the whip holder and a single drink holder (I usually take either two bottles of water on a drive or my mini cooler with several more + bug spray, wipes, gum etc). It may be Hafflinger sized by I got a pony sized tongue and pony neck yoke and evener (plus have a 3 abreast and 4 abreast evener custom made for the ponies). I do have the Hafflinger sized shafts - again haven't used them - the ponies that size didn't end up getting trained to drive yet...

Here is a pic from our first hook up with a pair -

And vicki's with the pony size and pony size shafts w/ equipment seat - her hubby, James is actually driving Eclipse! Vicki and James do not like the equipment seat and I may purchase it from them and use it as a removable seat on my drag... This pic taken in 2012.

Here is a shot of the 3 abreast evener w/ a close up of the front of the cart.

This was the 1st 3-abreast hitch - I'd switched them around since then and they go pretty well. I need to get a 3 abreast neck yoke, too - that will help with the pony wanting to drop back. I haven't hitched 3 abreast this year.

I also have a "reece" hitch on the back to allow the hookup of different equipment. Here is a pic of Vicki's pony pair pulling her forecart (she got the pony sized one which is about 100 lbs lighter and slighter narrower at the wheel base and uses 12" steel rim tire) with the springtooth harrow and crumbler.

and last pic - Vicki's pair pulling the Gorilla cart behind the forecart with a load of cement "blocks". Her granddaughters are putting it in an area to help prevent erosion and runoff.

My forecart has gotten a lot of use with training ponies and actual "trail" driving (while training) and Vicki's has gotten more use as an actual farm work vehicle. Vicki's ponies have definitely been earning their keep. Me - I'm in training mode more often then not and there's a lot I haven't done with equipment I purchased in 2012 and 2013. I will get there, too. Plan on ordering lines for a front pair to start my 4 up team next month and also need to custom order a 3 and 4 abreast neck yokes.

My eventual goal is to hook the Cyclone Rake to the forecart and have the ponies pull it as a pasture vac and then pull it to the back to be dumped. I also want to spread lime this fall/winter - need to purchase a spreader now too...

SORRY to the OP for STEALING YOUR THREAD!! If you are into driving -please also check the Driving Mini horses Forum.

 

[paintponylvr]

Back to broodmares -

This mare was one I saw on someone's site long ago and I kept her pics and info. Found out she'd been sold and went from TX to CA and then to ID or UT. Well, then she came up for sale and I was able to add her to my purchase in 2009 - shipping her from the west coast to NB where I picked her up. She has much more substance than my other mares and a little more height from high, knifey withers, but her back isn't that much taller than the the two mares Bell and Bit (my pair of full sisters). She too, is not a show type pony - but she had produced some show winning foals before I purchased her. AND our first filly out of her by our "Iggy" horse - OOOLALA!! Iggy and Koalah produced a matching pair of fillies that will probably work together well, then finally a larger filly whom I'm not sure where we'll put her in the driving scheme of things...

Koalah did some time the first couple of months as a riding pony for Vicki's step grand-son. Then she went into harness training and I have had a blast driving her. She MIGHT show in Shetland shows in the Draft classes, but I'm not sure that I will be showing again anytime soon (change of job -much lower paycheck w/ more drive distance

) I also don't really have show ring quality equipment (wrong type of harness, wrong type of wagon for multiples and no appropriate cart for Single Draft). I want to breed her to our jr stallion next year OR wait and breed her to the son of our first stallion (!!).

Her first daughter by Iggy (she had a total of 3 fillies by Iggy - All That Style n Class) at the 2013 Shetland Pony Congress. She is VERY exciting!!

Driving as a pair with her 2nd filly at a Draft Horse Plow day about 3 hours away from home in 2012.

and Koalah with her 3rd filly by Iggy -

I find Koalah very exciting and very satisfying to have in my broodmare band. She, too, has her faults but she can outproduce herself and she is a fun and awesome "working mom"! I'm looking forward to cross her on at least two of our jr stallions. I'm really looking forward to growing out the one colt. He's AJ's son (our very first stallion who was Foundation in type but way over the show height limit at 45 1/4"). Since I didn't get Koalah bred to AJ before his passing, hopefully she'll cross well on his last colt - a colt I think (at the time) is worthy of remaining a stallion.

 

[paintponylvr]

So I have put together a broodmare band that is a bit different - they are "mini equine" but not miniature horses. They are all registered as American Shetlands and I seem to have 3 size ranges. 36-38", 40 - 42" and 44-46" - as measured at the withers. Currently have a total of 8 "sr" mares - but some have not had foals for us and 2 have "SNAFUs" with their papers and may never get them. So while I originally purchased those two as prospective broodmares - right now I'm not sure either will be bred. One is a large and wide Royal Pony Farm bred roan mare at 45" in height, the other is Bell's granddaughter (who is also still as wild as a march hare after 2 years of trying to work with her - just haven't decided what direction I'm going to try next with her). K-la will drive with 'Clipse - who is one of 3 Graham's Little King Lee offspring that I have (her, her daughter and Wizard - one of our Jr stallions) - they are both wide and 45" tall!

I also have retained the 5 silver tobiano fillies by Iggy and have 2 other Shetland mares that are solid silver dapple. Plus have Bell's original daughter - silver tobiano - GG. She will be one who will cross in the future with Echo (our AJ son).

Will have to post pics later. I'm cooled off from my "goat rodeo" earlier (2 new goats - what is it lately with "wild animals" and the doe has horns that are darned painful when she knows how to use them and I'm not used to horned animals!@!). Have to go feed.

 

[MiniAmateur]

Thank you all for replying to my thread! Love seeing all these pretty mares!

Maple Hollow, I love your line up. I see we have a similar eye and I wouldn't kick any of those nice mares out of my barn!

HGF, Oh! That varnish roan mare! Be still my beating heart. She is divine, if you ever decide to let her go.. I'd love to be privy to that.

PaintPony, your "Flashi" filly is beautiful. Nice hip, nice shoulder, great balance.

What type of QH did you breed for 30 years? Did your breeding focus change as the markets changed and became more specialized within disciplines?

When the QH as a breed became separated into different types - did you stay with the foundation, cowy ranch type, the halter only type, the streamlined flat ring performance type or the racing/warmblood/jumping x-country types? What are you looking for in your miniature horse program? What type of mare are you looking for?

My husband, when I met him, had a ranch and so I was thrust into the horse world! (And I'm very happy I was) We went on to raise working/reined cow horses. We were in the height of our breeding when QHs began to have more distinctive types. Now, we weren't big breeders, having only 2-4 foals a year at very prime. We always focused on functional, level-headed, work minded horses and that didn't change at all when they began to separate into different types. Our horses weren't your new best friend, but they would work all day as long and as hard as you asked, making them into pretty good show horses! I believed our horses to be "true" QH if you will, not like some you see today that I wouldn't even recognize as the same breed. There was one little mare that we raised and I showed that went on to win quite a bit.. anyone savvy with QH bloodlines would probably recognize her name, however I'm not ready to "out" myself yet.

These days I just groom, and occasionally wander around the pasture on, our very last gelding. He's a red roan that we bred and he served us well. I call him Dozer, and he's almost as bullheaded and old as I am.

For my minis.. I would like to focus on an all-around type. Pretty enough to halter, calm enough to trail, and with the movement for driving.. I know, I'm asking a lot. When(if) I do get a mare, I want one that's proven herself in the show ring already. Preferably driving, preferably roan.

While we're talking about this, I just wanted to say, isn't it just plain old SAD that every breed has types within the type?! I can't get over this. Halter horses have turned into less of best conformation to beef cows on toothpicks! Okay, I won't go on a rant here but that just really bamboozles me.

Another thing I'd like to touch on.. I went to visit a mini farm Saturday, pretty well-known from what I've seen on the internet but I won't name names. I asked if they have ever produced a dwarf and they got real quiet, then said yes, but that they don't like to let people know, they just buried the foals, post it as a miscarriage and move on. Now, that really upset me. I know they have a test for dwarfism now(hallelujah!) so there is NO REASON to produce a dwarf foal ever again except ignorance. However, all the dwarves born before the test, why all the shame? That would be like me being ashamed because my son was mentally challenged(he had down syndrome, died in 2004).

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Thank you all for replying to my thread! Love seeing all these pretty mares!

Maple Hollow, I love your line up. I see we have a similar eye and I wouldn't kick any of those nice mares out of my barn!

HGF, Oh! That varnish roan mare! Be still my beating heart. She is divine, if you ever decide to let her go.. I'd love to be privy to that.

PaintPony, your "Flashi" filly is beautiful. Nice hip, nice shoulder, great balance.

My husband, when I met him, had a ranch and so I was thrust into the horse world! (And I'm very happy I was) We went on to raise working/reined cow horses. We were in the height of our breeding when QHs began to have more distinctive types. Now, we weren't big breeders, having only 2-4 foals a year at very prime. We always focused on functional, level-headed, work minded horses and that didn't change at all when they began to separate into different types. Our horses weren't your new best friend, but they would work all day as long and as hard as you asked, making them into pretty good show horses! I believed our horses to be "true" QH if you will, not like some you see today that I wouldn't even recognize as the same breed. There was one little mare that we raised and I showed that went on to win quite a bit.. anyone savvy with QH bloodlines would probably recognize her name, however I'm not ready to "out" myself yet.

These days I just groom, and occasionally wander around the pasture on, our very last gelding. He's a red roan that we bred and he served us well. I call him Dozer, and he's almost as bullheaded and old as I am.

For my minis.. I would like to focus on an all-around type. Pretty enough to halter, calm enough to trail, and with the movement for driving.. I know, I'm asking a lot. When(if) I do get a mare, I want one that's proven herself in the show ring already. Preferably driving, preferably roan.

While we're talking about this, I just wanted to say, isn't it just plain old SAD that every breed has types within the type?! I can't get over this. Halter horses have turned into less of best conformation to beef cows on toothpicks! Okay, I won't go on a rant here but that just really bamboozles me.

Another thing I'd like to touch on.. I went to visit a mini farm Saturday, pretty well-known from what I've seen on the internet but I won't name names. I asked if they have ever produced a dwarf and they got real quiet, then said yes, but that they don't like to let people know, they just buried the foals, post it as a miscarriage and move on. Now, that really upset me. I know they have a test for dwarfism now(hallelujah!) so there is NO REASON to produce a dwarf foal ever again except ignorance. However, all the dwarves born before the test, why all the shame? That would be like me being ashamed because my son was mentally challenged(he had down syndrome, died in 2004).

Thanks for the compliment on our mares first of all. I really love all of the mares we have right now. We also breed for all around type minis. We want enough muscle and substance to compete plus enough 'type' and showy-ness to halter but also have to have nice movement. Im not picky as to western vs country vs pleasure but must stride out nicely and not be a daisy cutter.

Minis do have LOTS of different types because they were bred primarily for size and to look like their larger counterparts....like drafts, there are minis that are similar, QHs sure there are lots that remind me of the stock type breeds, arabians there are similar, and same with saddlebreds, ect......my point is that minis really shouldnt have one type IMO and that is what makes them perfect for so many people who have different preferences, it would just be nice if the judges would judge based on each horse's type rather than the current fad.

Last thing that I wanted to comment on is that you are going to find that the dwarf stigma is going to be with several farms. Many wont admit to ever having produced a dwarf, others put them down, and some are willing to let them live their lives as long as they can, but the sad fact is that many dwarfs are in so much pain that it is more fair to let them pass over the rainbow bridge. Some of the more minimal ones can live fairly happily longer but seems a lot that I see pictures of just have no spark to their eyes and look pretty miserable. I am testing my stallions first as I can afford to and then will start on mares, might take me a while, but I never want to have to make that decision!