When buying a herd sire?share photos as well

[CheyAut]

Assuming I read it correctly, Keepsake was your dream boy, but you had to sell him, but your friend who lives close has him, correct? Why not just breed to him for now? Don't go looking for a stallion. If you happen to come across one you like much more than Keepsake, then persue buying him. Otherwise, you already have access to the one you love!

 

[wpsellwood]

OMG, we have bought so many stallions and colts to use and I end up gelding them. But finally finally we go our herd sire!! Calvin. We ended up with Calvin, due to a prior purchase his full sister who I just love. Jane was selling out, so we bought him on his mom at 2 weeks old. So my advice is look, look some more. Thats what we did, ended up buying several colts and stallion before ending up with the right one. We also have Double that Im using too. Which is hard as Im showing them and using them for breeding.

 

[kayla221444]

First off, I purchased my herd sire because I liked his conformation, he had a pretty head, Long nice neck, straight legs, and a good bite, had big movement, is a lover and a nice sweet stallion, and was a splash overo on top of his conformation, and once being tested I found he was homozygous for black

. I actually had been interested in him as a young foal at his breeders, Laurel Acres...I had called and he had already been sold. I then lost track of him for 2 years, then happen to come across his picture again on the internet, as a 2 year old and was even more in love with what I saw! Fortunatly he matured right at my perfect size 31". He also carried lines I was hoping to add to my herd, Thunder Hawk, Hawk, NFC Fire & Ice. And most of all we thought about what he would produce when bred to our mares, what his downfalls were (no horse is perfect).

As far as shipping goes, if you can afford it and hes what you want, dont let anything hold you back...I knew looking for my perfect stallion it wouldn't matter to me where he was located, since I was in the market to buy the perfect stallion for me, I was willing to purchase him from all the way across the country, although I lucked out and he was only half way

As far as price goes, buy the best you can AFFORD, I still believe a good horse will bring in a good price, so be willing to pay for the quality you're looking for. You only get what you pay for

ALSO if buying a young stallion, make sure hes exactly what you want conformation wise, since you dont have any GET to see what he produces, make sure he will be a good cross with your mares, just the stallion isn't going to make a foal, the mares have to be equally nice as well. Take your time, and do your home work, dont jump into something your not completly sure of... so heres my guy, Laurel Acres Double Vision

Why I picked him

His Conformation...

His pretty head...

Nice neck, could use some sweating lol...

His Movement...

His sweet nature, loving stallion, yet showy too...

AND ON TOP OF THAT HIS COLOR!!!!!!!!

 

[Tatonkas Dream]

Well in a way I think you already answered your own question – you found your dream stallion, if you are friends with his current owner and he is that close I would see about co-owning him or using him as an outside stallion for your mares as you find them. Even if he’s not publicly open to outside mares see about your friend making an exception and finding out what that entails.

If neither of the above are an option I’d look long and hard at what makes Keepsake your dream stallion. I think one of the great things about minis is how diverse they are – what do you like and what are your long term goals and uses going to be?

From the tiny under 28 to larger A division, B division and then larger B / AMHR/ASPC – I don’t see it as ‘right or wrong’ but we all have our niche we gravitate toward figure that out and then look at confirmation, bloodlines, size, etc, etc, etc.

We all have preferences but start thinking about what your flexible on and what you’re not. What might make you wait to find THE horse that fits all your parameters or the ones that meet enough criteria for you to purchase. I know some folks will wait (which is fine) but one of my mares has nice confirmation, great movement, good bloodlines and produces well. If I could 'wave a magic wand' I'd give her less color (white) with her pinto pattern and she'd have brown eyes vs 1 1/2 blue. For myself the conf, movement and bloodlines trumpted the 'nit-picky' parts of my ideal list.

 

[Genie]

We went to Lil Beginnings, "Breeders Connect".

We looked at farms in Canada and the U.S that were within a 7 or 8 hour drive so we could do the trip ourselves and in one day.

We wanted black and white, homozygeous for tobiano, and under 30 inches.

We were looking for a finer head, along with good conformation, and good temperment.

We also spoke to the previous owners in order to get an idea from someone who no longer owned him.

I have sold stallions that I wish I hadn't and I have sold some that were not the temperment I need at my age.

Meet Kegleys Tommiehawk.

He's everything we wanted and are looking forward to his foals in 2010.

We also met a wonderful breeder in the process.

 

[MBhorses]

wow

what nice herd sires you all have.

Thank you all for your comments.

My friend who owns keepsake is breeding him to my mare fancy pants, so hopefully i will have one of keepsake foals next year.

My friend who owns keepsake is not breeding to outside mares at this time, so only breeding my mare for me( my friend is so sweet)

Keepsake was my friend dream horse as well, so I couldn't take away her dream either. she got him from me to help me out and have her dream come to.

I sure if I wanted to bred some mares to him she would allow it to the right mares.I have only one mare and a 2008 black pinto coming to my house once the house is rebuild.

thanks again,

I pray good Lord willing he will send me another dream herd sire i can afford.

My favorites are pintos and appy, but i still love solids.

Keepsake was my dream appy stud. Piano man was another favorite of mine.

My dream pinto out there is several. I really Love Lotto.Bear branch black pinto.

 

[midnight star stables]

First I decided what *I want*. What is my Dream horse?

For me? A Black Frame Overo with the quality to be a National competitor in Halter and Park Harness.

I have only two mares. A tobiano and a frame. I decided it was best for me to breed to outside stallions to get what *I* want. I sent my overo mare to a champion Park Harness stallion and I'm hoping for the best. My other mare who is much smaller and maiden, was sent to a different stallion who fit her needs.

To me, I think one show make a goal and aim for it. It may take YEARS to get close, but this is what I've done. Out side stallions work for me

Since I do not own either stallion, if you'd like to see pictures, please e-mail me.

Good luck finding Mr. Wright.

 

[minie812]

I have to say that my taste in minis changed from when I first started with them back in 2004. I LOVE pinto and small and am slowly changing over as it is what I prefer. My senior sire is Tinker Toys Fiesta and he is 19 yrs old and I have his grandson that is Bear Branch bloodlines that I love.

I buy what I like and not what is popular. I look for conformation-color and temperment in them also and Fiesta has produced that for me and I am just in awe of the variety of colors he has produced this year. Even though it was a colt year I cannot complain as they are all nice foals. Go slow as there are many minis out there to choose from and Good Luck

 

[Kitty]

My thoughts on this are CONFORMATION FIRST AND FORE MOST. STUDY STUDY STUDY.

I have put alot of thought and time into our herd as have totally revamped the last couple of years and will be revamping for several more. It takes time, time and more time and more money than I want to think about. It is and never will be a money maker and only the rare few will make alot of money.

But I LOVE the Miniature breed and the challenges of trying to produce a perfect horse!!!!

We have a couple of Senior Stallions and a couple of upcoming Junior stallions we have bred and probably another weanling this year we will hold on to he is that incredible.

We bought our Nighthawk son for his incredible front end and he is really refined and produces really refined. Our Prince son and Aloha Henry son both have awesome front ends, are refined and balanced also and between the 3 will compliment each other. And all have different bloodlines. All our horses are under 34 and color does not matter but we seem to have alot of buckskin and now pinto with Treasure.

I have traveled all over the US for outside breeding and am happy that this will probably be my last year. I honestly think it would be easier to just buy a foal from the stallion you like. But I can't complain as I have been lucky and gotten some incredible foals and next year will have even more. And we do all the traveling so the costs isn't as much and I try really hard to help out others that need transport as I understand the costs

Price : Price is what you want it to be. I probably pay more than most but I want the highest quality I can afford and am willing to work alot of overtime for it

And the foals from the outcome are worth it

Good Luck!! They are a great bred aren't they !!!!