1 week to find the right TB stallion for my mare! Opinions please.

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I need your help. I am going to AI my 14hh Connermara Mare on my vets advice in 1 week, if we short cycle her, otherwise 2 weeks. I am new to the world of breeding and have many questions!

I am definitely going for AI, which semen is best chilled or frozen?

I am aiming to event the foal myself (my height 5ft1) therefore I'd like it to be ideally no bigger than 15.2hh, slender and appropriate for an amateur to ride.

Does any one know what colours are dominant, my connermara is a grey.

My present list of possible stallions are:
Primitive proposal,
Kings composer
Revolution,
Western Justice,
Mills Law - I love the sound of him however I noted another post reporting he throws big foals.

Any advice and your opinions will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Sara
 
not much to go on.
a photograph of your mare would help so people can see what she looks like and what would suit her in a stallion.
im finding it a bit odd that you are ready to breed in just one week and you havent chosen a sire, though. it took me a year of research and visits to find a suitable one, good luck with your search,
 
Have you done your swabs Cem and Eva bloods? as they will take 10 days if you get them done now many studs will require you to have these tests done, for AI.
 
She doesnt say how long she has been researching stallions for the mare though? Maybe she has been looking for a while and only just narrowed it down to these few which she believes are all a suitable match in some form or another?

Fresh semen is always the favourite way to go and has greater average success rates. If your mare is grey then you have a 50% chance of the foal being grey. I dont short cycle unless at the tail end of the breeding season. Without seeing photos of your mare noone can say what would be a good conformational match.
 
My mare is currently at dalcotes stud and has just been scanned in foal to Kings Composer. It would be worth ringing Angela at the stud if you are interested in him, as she would be able to give you advice and guidance. We've found her so helpful with our mare.
King has a fantastic temprement, and has bred some really good event horses.

Why do you have to breed from the mare on this cycle? Could you not wait until her next cycle so that you can visit the stallions and make an imformed decision?
 
im not sure how long shes been researching, no, but a short list of 5 horses and a week to go before wanting to be breeding her, is unusual to me at least
id have been wanting to establish that the stud can in fact accomodate me at this short a timeframe too
 
Yes it is very tight but she may have already met the stallions and is having difficulty choosing. she does say she is a novice breeder. It is not a situation I would let myself get into and I dont believe in short cycling for not particular reason so on the face of it I agree with your sentiments but for a level field we probably shouldnt suppose things. I am more interested in what the vets advice was to why the mare *should* be bred in the first place? If we suppose then this sounds like a classic case of the OP should look for a foal or youngster which is already on the ground to fulfill her needs.
 
no, i know what you are saying and on the face of it i agree with what you are saying also.
i also am interested as to why the vet advises the mare *should* be bred.

im not really supposing anything just trying to make sense of the post if im honest, as i know the work that goes into choosing a sire takes me, at least, quite a long time of research and deliberation...i just cant imagine having to work to such a tight schedule :)
 
Yes I take a lot of time too matching stallions to my mares. I do have short list stallions for each mare though sitting in the wings in case of disaster and having to make changes at the last minute. If I were to suppose I would say the OP hasnt taken these things into account but just needs a little help in choosing a last minute stallion and has been overtaken by the excitement of breeding her mare. that isnt a road I would ever go down as I am so conservative about what should be bred but as has been seen on H&H it is not the first time and wont be the last time that someone breeds for reasons other than the normal. We still cant help though without more information and photos.
 
If you don't want to risk getting a larger horse, IMO all the stallions you have listed are too big.

You should have a look at Groomsbridge May I standing at Groomsbridge Stud. He is full TB, 15.3hh IIRC although I am sure Sally will correct me if I am wrong. He also throws superb temperaments, all his children are very easy. We bred one last year who has been sold to an amateur to go eventing, and were so pleased with the colt we got that the mare is back in foal to him, due any day now!
 
of your list i think Primitive Proposal will be too big- my PP boy is 17.2hh out of a 16hh mare!

i don't like Revolution much i'm afraid.

Mill Law has had good results with his progeny, but he's not really my type.

i like both Weston Justice and King's Composer but not sure how big they tend to throw- perhaps speak to the stud's and see if they think they are suitable for a 14hh pony?

Groomsbridge stand some lovely smaller tb stallions and i know One More Tiger stock don't tend to be very tall- my OMT 6yro is chunky but only 16hh out of a 16hh mare.
 
Kings Composer for me. Very fertile, lovely short coupled stamp of a TB with excellent feet and temperament. He's only 16.1hh so shouldn't breed anything too huge to a connie. My foal this year is super, and although out of a 15.2hh mare, ( he is a first foal) shouldnt go above 16 hh. The stud are very good at getting mares in foal too, and the local vet and backup are excellent.
 
Revolution, is certainly worth looking at, I have two youngsters by him, the two year old, one the potential event horse breeding class as a yearling at Bramham 2009, and hopefully a third on the way. He suits my mare and definitely adds quality. His four year old son Sir Suave (also entire) has just qualified for the BYEH final on his first outing, winning by 7 pts.
 
I looked at those on your list when choosing a stallion myself earlier this year. For my purposes I chose Kings Composer after going to see him. From your limited info I think he would probably suit a smaller mare also.
Good luck
 
Touchwood said:
If you don't want to risk getting a larger horse, IMO all the stallions you have listed are too big.

You should have a look at Groomsbridge May I standing at Groomsbridge Stud. He is full TB, 15.3hh IIRC although I am sure Sally will correct me if I am wrong. He also throws superb temperaments, all his children are very easy. We bred one last year who has been sold to an amateur to go eventing, and were so pleased with the colt we got that the mare is back in foal to him, due any day now!
Click to expand...

I second the vote for May I. we have a stunning colt by him this year. He is only 15.3hh so shouldn't throw you a massive foal and Sally at the stud is super to deal with. Have a look at there website. His stock are out doing very well. they also have a young TB stalliion there too which may be worth a look
 
 
I have uploaded pictures of daisy through an album on my profile. Please have a look.
Daisy is now 16years old, she had her 1st foal at 5 years. I've had her for 10 years. She is a great allrounder. She came 3rd in the Oli Townend Eventers challenge Final at Aintree, 9th at Riding club National Novice SJ champs 2009 amoungst many other achievements. She can turn on a sixpence but lacks a little speed. Her bests strengths are showjumping and dressage. She is a little dubious when it comes to water jumps. She is very easy/sensible to ride/handle but can occassionally put a buck in if in an excitable mood.
Thankyou for all of your advice I am now looking into May I and Kings Composer.
Please have alook at the pics, any further advice appreciated.
 
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