Breeding highlands

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abbieandfiona

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Im looking into breeding highlands i have two mare already one in foal and the other i plan to put into foal when she is a few years older as she is the last of her bloodline. I have found the perfect colt to buy who is different bloodlines to my girls and plan to get a broodmare next year as well.

I have my own land, a good relationship with my vets and already show county level with my girls and have had interest in one of them asking when i will breed from her. I know the colt will need to pass to be registered with the society so i can breed from him when he is older.

Just wondering what else i should consider, i have the time and land to do it. Next year will be on much better wages as well so finically can afford it.
 
While it is lovely to have your own herd complete with stallion I suppose I would be considering what i would do for future generations as the colt is only potentially going to be good for one generation for you..for subsequent generations you will need to find a different stallion...I appreciate that is only a consideration for the future.

Assuming he is fertile and produces the type you want he could potentially give you 4 or 5 foals from each mare
 
Was planning on getting a licence for him to do AI as not many available who cover this as i realise will only be able to cover one generation for me and there is a market there as i know when i was looking only 10 highlands were registered to cover AI so has potential there maybe?
 
Yep i know found it so hard to find one. Plus where i am is near the AI centre that specialise in this sort of thing and he has great breeding so plan to get him registered as stallion with them. Checked with someone i know who breeds them and they confirmed def worth keeping him entire and they are very fussy about their bloodlines. He is a dun colour as well should reach around 14.1 i plan to show him on the county circuit next year just the local shows Bath and West etc to me so he can get out and see things.
 
Hello Abi,

i think it is good that there are young breeders out there who are looking at the bigger picture. Good luck to you- if the colt does have makings of a potential sire then more breeders of your way of thinking will help to secure the future of endangered breeds.

If he turns out not to be, also please do the right thing.

Good luck
 
I would do thats why they have an inspection your horse has to pass to be registered as a stallion and if it fails you have to have them gelded the society is really strict on these rules.

Plus it annoys me seen adverts for highland broodmares as they are lame, well if they are lame they are not going to cope with the extra weight for a foal.

When i look for a broodmare i will be picky, plus will not over breed from them as well, want them hopefully to be like my other girls and have a chance to do ridden work and enjoy themselves as well.
 
abigail621 said:
Plus it annoys me seen adverts for highland broodmares as they are lame, well if they are lame they are not going to cope with the extra weight for a foal.

.
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well, there is lame...and lame. Emerald has a stifle injury..she is up to light work and field sound, and up to being a brood mare, as long as the cover is AI. I wouldn't expose her to a live cover in case it caused more damage...which is where my interest in AI Highland stallions comes in...
 
Spook said:
Now I am curious. How did Emerald suffer her stifle injury?
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Sorry i dont see your problem do you know anything about the breed whats that about the number thing??? If you go onto the highland society and are a member you will see that there are hardly any AI registered horses on there. So if you are an expert on the breed comment away somehow i think not.

Why go onto peoples posts if you cant be helpful.

Also OP I didnt mean it like that what i meant was lameness from conformation i found a few broodmares for sale where you can see confo issues. Will pm you breeding doenst look related from what i can tell
 
HIGHLAND PONY LICENSED STALLIONS REGISTERED FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION

Dam's Name Name of AI Registered Licensed Stallion reg_no Sire's Name postcode Owner's Surname Owner's Tel No Owner's Address
Heidi of Whitefield Captain Moonlight of Moonshineglen 044/04 Clandon Moriarti Mueller 775 849 7769 1320 Brenda Way, Washoe Valley, Nevada (Nv) 89704, United States of America,
Tower Lucky Charm Tower Clyde 096/04 Torrin of Croila HU15 1HA Stanford 01482 666102 The Chestnuts, 23 Cave Road, Brough, East Yorkshire, HU15 1HA
Coulmore Starshine Circle-H Glen Livit 186/07 Glenbanchor Lewis 89506 Foster 775 475 0231 8700 Red Baron Blud, Reno, Nevada 89506, United States of America, 89506
Moss-side Breagh Moss-side McLaren 199/03 Ruaridh of Mendick EH49 6QE Macpherson Easter Woodside, Linlithgow, West Lothian, EH49 6QE
Elcie of Croila Torrin of Croila 300/99 Cameron's Colin of Knick Tom Wittensee HU15 1HA Stanford 01482 666102 The Chestnuts, 23 Cave Road, Brough, East Yorkshire, HU15 1HA
Whitefield Lady Verona Moss-side Campsie Glen 315/93 Sergeant Major of Whitefield EH36 5PD Darling 01875 833341 Forresters Cottage, Leaston Farm, Humbie, East Lothian, EH36 5PD
Juno of Meggernie Noah of Meggernie 338/05 Ben Ruadh of Meggernie PH15 2PR Meggernie Estate Meggernie Castle, Glen Lyon, Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2PR
Lyncrest's Monique A'bhaisteir of Talisker 347/05 Corriegarth Rhidorroch 95526 Howeth 707 777 3550 32025 State Highway 36, Bridgeville, California, USA, 95526
Salinadene Fyfedene 361/93 Falcon Frost of Sauchrie FK8 3QE McGregor & Miss M Mcgregor 01786 850219 The Baillie, Ballinton, Thornhill, Stirlingshire, FK8 3QE
Morag of Campsie Balmoral Moss 44/91 Highland Chief AB35 5TB Queen 013397 42551 C/O Mr Richard Gledson, The Estates Office, Balmoral, Ballater, Aberdeenshire, AB35 5TB
Lyncrest's Monique Lyncrest's Monarch G062/04 Corriegarth Rhidorroch RM7 8NX Green 16 Elizabeth Close, Collier Row, Romford, Essex, RM7 8NX
Bridie of Forglen Nicoll of Forglen G259/04 Nelson of Caenlochan KA6 5AL Bowyer 01292 521950 Mill Cottage, Enterkine, Annbank, Ayr, KA6 5AL
Juno of Meggernie Dominic of Meggernie G272/06 Ulleam of Croila PH15 2PR Meggernie Estate Meggernie Castle, Glen Lyon, Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2PR
Flute of Whitefield Lochlands Principal Flute 148/04 Callum of Forglen MK17 0BH Miss Debbie Spears 07798 900835 Springfield Farm, Drayton Road, Newton Longville, Buckinghamshire MK17 0BH

This is all thats registered in UK for AI so point proven hardly any out there
 
abigail621 said:
Sorry i dont see your problem do you know anything about the breed whats that about the number thing??? If you go onto the highland society and are a member you will see that there are hardly any AI registered horses on there. So if you are an expert on the breed comment away somehow i think not.

Why go onto peoples posts if you cant be helpful.

Also OP I didnt mean it like that what i meant was lameness from conformation i found a few broodmares for sale where you can see confo issues. Will pm you breeding doenst look related from what i can tell
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I have been breeding Highlands for many years and am a member of the society too....... sorry you think I could not be useful in your quest and the number thing came about as the only way I could delete a post!
 
Maybe try not to come across rude next time then points like really are not helpful and you yourself should know that its very hard to find registered stallions for AI in this country.
 
My question, specifically, would be, why should a mare be served if she cannot stand for a natural service?

Personally, before using a stallion of mine, I would want to know more about the mares stifle injury?.. and exactly how it occured.

And yes, I do know that there are few Highland stallions available by AI
 
Spook said:
Now I am curious. How did Emerald suffer her stifle injury?
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Spook, I think I can identify the very second she did it. After she had Onyx she was coming back into the work the following spring and we were hacking out when she made a sudden unscheduled turn on her quarters through 180 degrees. I got off straight away as I wasn't happy with it and walked her back to the yard but the damage was done....lots of vet investigations later the advice was -she's an excellent broodmare, put her back in foal and see if time will heal it. So I went back to the AI route and bred another part bred by the lovely HTobago (Arab). Emerald improved, was a little short on her near hind but was coping with work this spring...then she tweaked it in the field again...

She is happy in foal and loves having a baby around, so another 18 months off while hopefully she does what she likes doing best.....
 
To return to AI for Highland ponies...I like it, it would give me an opportunity to use a stallion with the breeding I want without having to send the mare miles away for possibly months while she runs with a stallion whose fertility and semen quality may not have been assessed and removes the danger of kicks and field injuries. It means she can be inseminated at home where she runs in a small closed herd, I know the insemination date to the minute so can accurately scan for twins and any other issues.
 
I have owned highlands since the mid 70s and bred since 1985, always having one or two stallions. I have been asked if one of mine would be available for AI but I declined.
Have plenty of visiting mares, and they all run out with the stallion.

As a stallion owner I prefer to actually see the mare, to see if right type etc else you have a worry of someone just wanting to breed from their mare - photos aren't great at showing pigeon toes bad movement etc.
 
holmedown, i can see how the reputation of your stallions would partly stand on the quality of the foals they produce and why you might want to see the mares at first hand (although I imagine sending one away that doesn't match up to your standards could be an interesting experience)

However it is possible that there are very good mares whose owners don't want to send them away some distance and you could be missing out on your stallions contributing to even better foals, potentially.
 
abbieandfiona said:
Maybe try not to come across rude next time then points like really are not helpful and you yourself should know that its very hard to find registered stallions for AI in this country.
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I don't mean to be rude, but which country do you refer to when you say there are few AI stallions?

On the subject of stifle 'injuries' in Highland ponies...there are a great many ponies which exhibit poor conformation which' in my opinion, contribute to lack of hock action which, in turn, leads to stress on the stifles as the animal moves.
 
AengusOg said:
On the subject of stifle 'injuries' in Highland ponies...there are a great many ponies which exhibit poor conformation which' in my opinion, contribute to lack of hock action which, in turn, leads to stress on the stifles as the animal moves.
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That may well be true but since this particular pony was completely sound until she was 15, having been a hack, brood mare and hunting and shown successfully at national level I don't think her conformation is in question.

If it was I wouldn't be so keen to breed from her again.
 
the watcher said:
holmedown, i can see how the reputation of your stallions would partly stand on the quality of the foals they produce and why you might want to see the mares at first hand (although I imagine sending one away that doesn't match up to your standards could be an interesting experience)

However it is possible that there are very good mares whose owners don't want to send them away some distance and you could be missing out on your stallions contributing to even better foals, potentially.
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That question really does beg an answer! Can we have one please?

What does Holmdown do when the accepted mare is transported perhaps several hundred miles to her stallion and turns out to be not to her liking?

Friends of mine transported their two mares 250 miles to a chosen stallion. I don't think they'd have been too impressed if they'd been turned away on arrival but if there is a way to do this politely and legally and without causing upset, it would be interesting to know how!

There are so many plus sides to AI, it is hardly worth discussing. The down side is that not many are skilled in the collection, storage, and transportation of semen which does seem to require a high level of expertise and organisation.
 
Most highland (and native) mares / stallions are shown at some stage during their life and are fine, I was meaning more the the non-purebreds where confirmation would be a major issue, discussions on the phone usually point anything out.
90% of mare owners are breeding something to show / ride etc - it is only the few, and I am sure we are aware of this, that have an older pony that has done them well but not has brilliant confirmation (and I don't mean slight defects), or one just bought from market that they feel sorry for that "would look really sweet with a foal" with no thought as to what cross it will produce and what they will do with the foal when it is born, or what is involved.

Also regarding stiffness / old injury, if it is purely from "wear and tear" I think the OP says this pony had been hunted etc during it's life, then as long as the mare is capable of carrying the extra weight of a foal, then I don't see a problem

I also don't see where "my high standards" are mentioned by me. I just don't want to see a mare with say severe sweetitch , with very bad conformation and permanently lame being bred from ... is that too much to ask?
 
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Well one of my highlands does have sweet itch and is in foal via AI i was open with the breeder and all her family lines there is no sweet itch so me and the vet decided it was fine to go ahead.

If he does pass the standard to be a stallion i would limit the number of mares done via AI to a set amount each year not just sell to any random person.
 
abbieandfiona said:
If he does pass the standard to be a stallion i would limit the number of mares done via AI to a set amount each year not just sell to any random person.
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and that is the sensible thing to do - but how do you decide who is a "random person" which means we have more or less gone back round in a circle about which mares (be it AI or natural) you will have your stallion cover / be AI'd.
 
Dry Rot said:
That question really does beg an answer! Can we have one please?

What does Holmdown do when the accepted mare is transported perhaps several hundred miles to her stallion and turns out to be not to her liking?

Friends of mine transported their two mares 250 miles to a chosen stallion. I don't think they'd have been too impressed if they'd been turned away on arrival but if there is a way to do this politely and legally and without causing upset, it would be interesting to know how!

There are so many plus sides to AI, it is hardly worth discussing. The down side is that not many are skilled in the collection, storage, and transportation of semen which does seem to require a high level of expertise and organisation.
Click to expand...

Does anyone know if Mackenziedene ,I believe in Germany ,offers fresh chilled or frozen semen?
 
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