Licence to breed?

[sallyf]

If stallions were graded on there own merits and not who owns or produces them i would have no qualms about sending my stallions for grading.
But when you see some that have passed and others that have failed and then been re presented with a face on the end of them and then passed i dont feel any justification in taking mine.
Most of the ones that are graded TBs for me just dont have good enough conformation.
As someone who only uses TB stallions and is on the lookout for an outcross for one of my mares i havnt yet seen a TB that is graded that i want to use so i will continue what i have done in the past which it is use the best that i can afford that fits the bill in pedigree, conformation and temperament.
Doesnt mean i breed bad horses.
The funny thing is no one quibbles about the likes of the Brendon hill stallions being graded which none are .
People flock to use them with good results and a majority of the Louella stallions these days arnt graded but no one seems to worry about that either.
Primitive proposel is very popular but has never been presented for grading and yet no one questions these stallions do they.

 

[magic104]

Yes, but Louella used to grade all their stallions. I believe there are politics involved, which is a shame. I agree that there are graded stallions that should not be standing, but then that is the fault of the system & the different standards allowed. There does not appear to be a uniform way of looking at the grading system. Brendon hill have a good record with their horses which is all the showcase they need. There is a very good ID stallion local to us, but you wont see him on the ID approved list, again this is down to politics not because the stallion is no good. He has had a lot of success with his offspring.

 

[henryhorn]

For me the proof of the stallion is in what it produces, not someone else's opinion of him. So like you I will quietly carry on doing my own thing. Interesting about the Brendon Hill ones, I didn't know that.
I just wish we'd aquired Chocolate years ago, it doesn't make any difference to us what he's won or done, but it is helping by competing him, suddenly people are approaching us and asking his breeding. Yesterday was so funny, a horse smashed the practice jump and the chap next to me turned and blamed the fact a stallion was working in at the same time. I said but was the stallion misbehaving and he said "No, he's got impeccable manners, but my mare has suddenly come into season and won't concentrate!"
(he didn't know it was our stallion)
Talking of stallions I'd better go and turn ours out, CCJ is still in bed after a hectic day yesterday..

 

[lisaward]

quote

People flock to use them with good results and a majority of the Louella stallions these days arnt graded but no one seems to worry about that either.
Primitive proposel is very popular but has never been presented for grading and yet no one questions these stallions do they.


i must admit i never even noticed this,shows what a good name/reputation does for you,interesting post

 

[sallyf]

Not strictly true Primitive rising ,cool jazz ,perpendicular and sea raven were not graded.
These stallions also had good enough racing records to get virtually automatic grading.
If it is political why have they just graded primitive star in March surely he only need to go for ID sport horse grading.
I agree Brendon have done well but Bens affaere has never even been broken and although they have results if you say that all stallions must be graded then there shouldnt be exceptions just because they have done well.
Both of my stallions stock are young and who is to say that when there stock is ridden they wont be champions along with many others.
They are both equally if not better bred for the job than many of the above named horses.
I agree the system is at fault and call me a cynic but someone tried to lease my small stallion from me.
To get him graded with SHB and stand at stud.
I said no way as he has fractured his back in two places and can no longer be ridden.
Oh dont worry about that he says I WILL get him graded at which point i declined .
I wont mention the persons name on open forum.
So as i say forgive me for being cynical but until they sort themselves out i wont even go there.

 

[madlady]

I think that the current systems in use in the UK are wrong but I don't think we need to go OTT to fix it.

A lot of the registered graded stallions in this country are competition horses and your average 1 horse owner doesn't want a grade A showjumper or a grand prix dressage horse but there should be better controls on the stallions and mares used for breeding 'general purpose' horses.

I own friesians and their studbook is run quite strictly. All youngstock are registered and can then be taken to gradings where they can be graded - if you go to a grading however and your horse doesn't get given a grade it isn't removed from the studbook and any offspring would still count as a friesian but they would be registered in a secondary studbook and given papers of a different colour.

Mares are given a grade which can change as they can be taken back with their offspring and if they regularly produce offspring which get good grades then the mares grade will go up, so quite a fair system really - they are judged on conformation, temperament, trainablilty, willingness to work, movement and if broken on their driving and riding ability.

For the boys it's pretty much the same sort of thing but if they are graded as 'stallion potential' then they are allowed to cover a certain number of mares and they are then graded again on their offspring. If their offspring get good grades then the stallion is taken off restricted breeding and put onto full breeding priveleges so anyone breeding friesians knows how good both parents of a potential foal are from the grading scores.

I think that those sorts of gradings systems are fair and in the interests of the breed, owners and potential owners- I'm not in favour of the grading systems that go in favour of those 'in the right crowd' and just line the pockets of a chosen few.