Difficult Decision?

[Evil_Cookie]

I've posted this in new lounge too, But as you guys know more about breeding and the pro's & con's...

Hi, I'm after some opinions on what I should do with my young mare. I've owned her a year, she's 3 going on 4, I've backed her myself and although we've had one setback after another in terms of injuries and saddles, she's starting to go really nicely for such a small amount of work. She has so much potential and I would say she's the best horse I've owned in a while. However, I'm in my second year of university and I've just been offered a placement for my third year in the USA. I'm still persuing placements in the UK too, but the USA placement is such a rare oppurtunity and I really want to go. It would be from july 2010 to july 2011. So what do I do with my mare? She's the one thing holding me back from wanting to go.
I could loan her out, but the problem would be if I couldn't find someone who rides as well as I like, I'd come back and she'd have loads of bad habits and I'd feel bad about that and have to reschool her to some extent. Or if I found a good rider then I'd come back to an amazing horse, who I had very little to do with, and I bought a youngster so I could put the work in myself, so that would be disapointing. Not to mention that I would have less of a relationship with her as I would have been gone so long.
The other option would be to put her in foal....
Cons: - cost
- having to look after two horses when I get back
- if something happened to her while carrying/giving birth to foal.
- Stunting her growth, she stands at 16.1hh now and has the potential to grow to 17hh, which I would like.
Pro's: -Having a foal from her now before starting to compete her.
- Not having to worry about finding her a rider.
- Having a foal that I could bring on when I finish uni.

I can't think of anymore...
So what do you guys think?
I feel really confused as to what I should do right now.
Crumpets and OJ if you got this far... it is breakfast time and all...

 

[the watcher]

How about another option- turn her away for the year while you are away - her handling can continue and you can pick up the ridden work when you return

 

[Springs]

Sounds like you have already made the decision!

I think it just depends on the costs long term and the commitment to look after the two horses as you move from uni to work.

good luck

 

[Adina]

Take the USA placement. The contacts you make and the differing experiences will be worth the difficulties of leaving horse behind. My daughter took a 3rd year placement in North Carolina. She had a great social life, went white-water rafting and other things she would never have done here, stayed with various people in different US states. On top of this it was a great career move. She went back to US as a postgrad and has recently returned to UK to a research job in London.
Of course Mum (me) looked after horse and found people to help exercise him. But it would have been so much easier if we had just turned him away. It would have made things easier when she decided to go back. Your horse is young and has been started well, an extra year for her to grow up mentally will be good for her.
Take the opportunities life offers, but don't burden yourself with extra responsibilities when you return. And of course GOOD LUCK in the US.

 

[Evil_Cookie]

North Carolina is one of the placement opportunities I have been offered, as well as Virginia and Cincinnati, I'm doing a Biomedical degree, so lab work, however I may go on to do a further post graduate degree afterwards. From the advice I've been getting, turning away might be the best option, however if I do that I'd feel like I'm wasting a year of her working life and would still have to pay considerably, as well as dump my horse on my poor mother again. She looked after her until she came down to uni when I bought a car. I fund the horse myself, and that would have to continue while I was abroad, hence why loaning out would be a good option, is there anyone who would like a 16.1hh companion, lol?

Thankyou for your advice

 

[Alec Swan]

Evil_Cookie,

Don't you dare give up. You will go to America, and that's the end of it!!

Lulu, is entirely right. You will have an experience, which if you go, will last you forever, and if you turn away, you will regret for just about the same amount of time! Trust me on this one. We've all walked away from opportunities, and regretted the decision.

Now then, let us consider what you, or more precisely your filly has to offer. Like you, I would be dubious about loaning her out, as a ridden horse. Is someone else going to put the effort in that you have, knowing that she'll be going home in 12 months? Unlikely.

You could, of course put her in foal, but then upon your return, you will have even more to deal with. Have you considered loaning her out to a stud? The selection of a stud would need to be carefully researched. I would be surprised if any of those stud owners on this forum would be anything other than caring and honest.

Presumably you will have knowledge of how your filly is bred. E/mail those studs on this forum and ask for their advice. Even if it isn't what you want to hear, at least you will have made the effort.

Let us assume that a reliable and reputable stud showed an interest in her. She will be in foal this Spring, she will foal about 12 months later, and the foal will be weaned at about Christmas 2011, when she will come home to you. Producing a foal wont do her any harm. She will be 2 years older and ready for you do do some serious work with, and you will have established the process of breeding to her system.

Right; that's about it. DON'T give up. keep trying, and GO!! I wish you the best of luck.

Alec.

 

[Vickijay]

Hi,

I bred my first foal who was born last summer and although it is a amazing experience (and one that I would not change) it is alot of hard work, more so than I ever realised. Having babies around (I had to buy mine a friend) is super time consuming and still now my baby is just 18months old she takes up a awfull lot of time up and this will only get worse as she grows up!

I dont think I would want my mare to be pregnant and not be there to keep a eye on her (although I am a bit wet!!) On the flip side I would also be reluctant to loan out my precious mare to someone that I dont know or trust so you are in a predicament!

My friend loaned her mare to a nice stud, she was gone from covering to weaning and they stud paid all the costs for the mare. It helped my friend and it let her see what her mare made, I thought it was a bit sad that the baby wasnt hers but the fact she had no costs for her girl for 20months ment it worked for her.

I would def go to the US...

Good luck!!

 

[Serenity087]

Don't breed her!

I am in the position you will be in next year. I've just got back from australia and now have my mare about to pop.

However.

I want to go back to australia. Badly. I can't until I finish off my studies, but I really really want to go back....

except that now I have two horses to sell, not one. And because one will be a foal, I keep thinking of all the landmarks I want to keep it for. And if I do that, I can't afford to return to australia.

You might not consider it now, but when you come back from the US you may well have a plan that involves going back.

I would put you mare out to another rider, so that if you want to return to the US you can sell her easily, and not put her in foal.

Seriously. Having Dorey pregnant is the most frustrating thing ever. I'd go back to australia in july if it wasn't for her!