OK then. Who SHOULD be allowed to breed horses? Debate.

[Enfys]

I haven't put this in Breeding because there have been recent comments and discussions about irresponsible breeding, and breeders, in NL. So, I wondered what people have got to say about it.

Voice your opinions, or have your rant here rather than biting your tongue in Breeding.

Are you an "Irresponsible Tom, Dick or Harry" that breeds now and then?
Or one that believes horse breeding should be regulated? (Somehow

)
Is the one horse owner irresponsible for breeding that horse?

I am, presumably, an ITDoH as I do breed.

 

[shadowboy]

I would like to think my little one would be good enough to breed from one day- but will take his balls away if hes deemed not good enough. But i cant see the issue if you breed a foal for yourself from your own mare if you value the qualities your mare has and want them in younger model.

 

[Jbrogan]

I breed from my 3 mares, some people make think as I am not a "stud" I shouldn't breed. So far I have bred 6 foals, The first one is now winning 4 yr dressage classes, one of the filllys was bought by a top sj in france and the other 4 are still with us. They are all extremely beautiful and well but together. So am I a ITDoH or someone who breeds quality horses but not as their main occupation?

 

[lovecharles]

i think responsible breeding is okay. a good quality mare to a good stallion, with the intention of breeding a horse with certain attributes.

however, putting a mare who can no longer be ridden to a cheap stallion just to give her a job - i think that's irresponsible and there's no point bringing more horses with little talent/quality into the world.

 

[daisybe33]

I think breeding from a mare/stallion with good qualities but no bloodlines as such is fine

I think breeding from a horse with bad confirmation/ behavioral traits that you don't want just to give them a job as they are unsuitable for anything else is probably not.

I think however the main issue is the handling of the foal once its here to make it into a well handled and productive horse with a future rather than one of the many who get past from pillar to post because they've had a crap chance!

 

[Eira]

I wish I was irresponsible enough to breed from Sol

I would so love to keep a 'piece' of Sol so when she's gone she's not really gone (if that makes sense atall!)

But I'm not stupid enough to do so , too many risks for her and for a potential foal !!

 

[scribble]

We breed sports horses very occasionaly. I dont see who you could regulate it apart from through the breed societies or those such as sport horse society. this would then only allow mares who have been graded to be bred with graded stallions rather than just breeding from cute horsey because it might be nice for her to have a foal and using the stallion down the road because he is cheap. I also dont agree with people who breed every year from the same mare irrespective of the need to breed. We use stallions whose traits compliment those of the mare and improve stock. we currently hve all horses we hve bred out competing on the national circuits.

 

[brighteyes]

I have absolutely no idea but will watch with interest because the flooded market and surfeit of rubbish with only one destiny is simply horrible.

I don't really care as long as every equine gets properly looked after and a humane, timely end for whatever reason.

Some things are bred with good intention and simply turn out wrong for many reasons. Someone needs to take responsibilty for that life. And it's time people did.

 

[glitterfuzz]

I think only proven horses should be bred from rather than breeding from horses that are too badly behaved to be ridden or ones that are unsound (excluding those which may have been proven but had an accident resulting in unsoundness!)

I dont suppose it matters who breeds the horse, its what happens with it once its left its mother that makes a difference.

 

[H's mum]

I'm going to add something to the fire here...

I've read the comments about breeding from bloodlines etc - and not breeding from unknown parentage (as you don't know what you're going to get)... Well... how about the rather well bred (too closely bred?) warmbloods for instance which are totally mad as hatters, far too much "horse" for the average rider (whom aspire to these beautiful "big" movers but who can't sit to the blooming things) is this not the same kind of thing?

I agree with whoever said that they breed nice normal sound/good conformation horses for everyday riders - well done you - there's a market there for you!

(I would like to say that those that breed from horses with illness/unknown soundness or degenerative issues shouldn't do so as this isn't fair on the foal or the future of that horse).

Kate x

 

[Passtheshampoo]

I have bred 2 purebred ID filly foals. Both were out of my graded RID mare and were by a graded RID stallion. Both fillies have also graded RID themselves so I consider that to be responsible breeding and a benefit to a rare breed. My other mare is an ISH hunter (unreg) and I have put her to a reg Conny stallion who complimented the mare (foal due Sat). This was to give her something to do and to mainly to stop me from riding again too soon after a major back op. Am I now classed as an irresponsible breeder??? Hopefully the foal should make a decent sports horse and will be reg as P/B Connemara. I actually think that we won't see as many poor quality foals next year as those who are breeding out of poor quality stock are no longer getting silly money for cr*p animals and this will hopefully put them off. Having said that whilstever people continue to buy cheap, poor quality unreg youngstock they will keep being bred.

 

[TinselRider]

[ QUOTE ]
I think only proven horses should be bred from rather than breeding from horses that are too badly behaved to be ridden or ones that are unsound (excluding those which may have been proven but had an accident resulting in unsoundness!)
.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree

 

[Honeypots]

I guess the responsible thing to do is to breed a horse/pony that has the best chance possible to have a useful life which would include good conformation/temperment and a responsible seller who will do their best to find the horse a suitable job/home/future.

 

[Fizzimyst]

QR

I think anyone should be allowed to breed horses so long as they are willing to take responsibility for that horse for the rest of its life.

That is, if the foal should not sell, they are in a position to keep that horse for the rest of its life. Be willing to have that horse back at any point in its life to prevent it going to auction or ended up neglected from going to pillar to post. And of course, do their homework in the first place not to breed something that looks like a car crash or from parents riddled with poor conformation or disease.

I bred my boy from my mare. I still own them both. I have no intention of selling either. I wouldnt breed on a big scale and have no intention of breeding ever again. I have nothing against people breeding for a hobby, a bussiness or because they want a foal for whatever reason, what I dont like is seeing foals and youngstock that dont sell going for pennies and wondering what the hell sort of future the majority of them have.

xx

 

[Nic74]

I bred from my mare because I wanted to, end of. I picked a very nice registered stallion from Country Farm Stud and I now have a gorgeous 3 year old sports horse. He has a fantastic temperament and a really fun personality, his feet aren't quite right (slightly odd) but that is never going to matter to him or me.

If my mare wasn't lame now (permanently) I would breed again but don't feel she should have to cope with the weight of a foal growing inside her, although the vet assured me she would be fine.

 

[lauraandjack]

I would say less of who should be allowed to breed and more of WHAT should be allowed to breed.

Not necessarily purebred pedigree horses, but good quality, good tempered, sound ones.

I think the rant is mainly against people who think, 'well I've got this mare, I can't ride her any more because she's chronically lame/ bad tempered/ difficult to ride, I'll have a foal from her' without really thinking it through. For instance, if it was a gelding would they really be that gutted about not being able to breed it.

 

[lilym]

I suppose that it makes me irresponsible then!!!!! I have bred my sec c mare, with the aim of ending up with a very nice quality PC pony. At the end of the day not everyone wants super duper world beating warmbloods or sports horses, and some of these horses are definatley for pro riders, and not the average PC/RC person.
There will always be a market for sound, good tempered horses that are suitable for the every day rider.
At the other end of the scale I have seen sights on so called "studs" that are disgusting! Foals just churned out from sub standard mares and rounded up and taken to the sales.....they are not wormed, handled or used to hard feed, this limits their chances of a good home somewhat.....
Personally i will be selling/loaning my mare at weaning - she will be a super winter project, but is too small for me, then i will either sell foalie to right home or overwinter and show a few times.....

 

[Booboos]

Horses need to be good for a purpose otherwise they are far too expensive to keep and end up getting passed from one crap home to another. That purpose can be whatever the market is looking for from safe, fun hacks, to super-duper competition horses. Breeders should only breed from horses that they hope will produce foals to fill these purposes. Breeding from an animal with temperament, confirmation or health issues is likely to reproduce the same problems and mean that the horse is not fit for purpose.

 

[xspiralx]

I think the most important thing in breeding is to make sure the foal is being bred for a specific purpose, and will actually suit the market it is being bred for.

At the end of the day, not everyone wants a talented competition horse, so I don't think its always necessary to only breed for high quality sports horses. However I do firmly believe that any mare should only be used for breeding if she is free from any hereditary faults, has decent conformation and a decent temperament - and bred to a decent quality stallion.

I think if someone is not aiming for the high end competition market, then it is extremely important to ensure that the foal that is being produced will be suitable for specific job - if its not likely to be super talented, then I think temperament and trainability is absolutely vital so that it will be an attractive prospect for the PC/RC market.

There are a lot of unwanted horses already, so I strongly disagree with anyone having a foal "just because." Circumstances can change and you can't always guarantee a home for life, so I don't think anyone should be breeding unless whatever is being produced is of good overall quality.

 

[Ravenwood]

Haven't times changed! I am currently reading a selection of books about breeding and one is them is really quite old and in its introduction it talks about why to breed from your mare. Reasons include if she can't be ridden or has to have time off for an injury - why not breed from her?. Lol

Fast forward to this century and I have just brought my mare back from stud. This is my first time breeding (although not the mares) and she is an unregistered TB x ID which I have put to a Connemara - why? Because I want to breed my next horse. I am confident that my mare is well put together and had she not had a rather "chequered" past she would have achieved well even if it was only at Riding Club level, as it is she is my perfect hack and hunter

.

I have chosen a Connie, to bring a bit of hardiness into the next one and because I am huge fan of the breed. The stud agreed with me that (all going well and fingers crossed) we should indeed produce a fantastic youngster.

So, in my case, I am breeding just for me and for keeps, however, should unforeseen circumstances rear their ugly head and I end up having to sell the horse in the future, I am confident that it will be a good allrounder to suit a Riding Club home. I am not breeding a World Superstar - and lets face it there must be a very small percentage of owners who want or could afford to own such a horse.

A nicely bred, mild tempered, good all rounder is surely has the best hope of going through life in good hands. I don't believe there is any possible way that that could be regulated.

We are dictated to enough in this country as it is!!

 

[lilym]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the most important thing in breeding is to make sure the foal is being bred for a specific purpose, and will actually suit the market it is being bred for.

At the end of the day, not everyone wants a talented competition horse, so I don't think its always necessary to only breed for high quality sports horses. However I do firmly believe that any mare should only be used for breeding if she is free from any hereditary faults, has decent conformation and a decent temperament - and bred to a decent quality stallion.

I think if someone is not aiming for the high end competition market, then it is extremely important to ensure that the foal that is being produced will be suitable for specific job - if its not likely to be super talented, then I think temperament and trainability is absolutely vital so that it will be an attractive prospect for the PC/RC market.

There are a lot of unwanted horses already, so I strongly disagree with anyone having a foal "just because." Circumstances can change and you can't always guarantee a home for life, so I don't think anyone should be breeding unless whatever is being produced is of good overall quality.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree with spiral.......I put alot of thought into putting lily in foal, she has a super temprement and no serious defects, and the stallion was a really lovely cheeky wee man too (sadly passed away due to colic

) Hopefully i will end up with a super pony that will be a true family friend, and those there is most definatley a market for.
I am not doing it for money!! I would be mad to think i would make a profit!! But I'm doing it for satisfaction - satisfaction being that i have produced *hopefully* a super little pony that will bring years of pleasure - I have produced these ponies form 6 month old foals bought from the sales, but never from conception, it's always lovely to hear how they are getting on in their new homes.

 

[Tnavas]

People who have horses/ponys with good conformation, straight action and brilliant temperements.

I breed from my Clydesdale mare who has all the above - I spend a long time chosing the stallion for her that will complement her. So far I have lovely youngsters from her.

At one time in the UK I remember that all stallions HAD to be registered - then they dropped that.

KNowing the bloodlines doesn't guarantee you a perfect foal. In fact I'm going off the warmbloods because they have now got too much TB in them.

 

[Silverspring]

I think the breeding of all animals needs to be regulated (not just horses!) there are too many unwanted everything in rescue shelters around the world. I think breeding should be by license only and the offspring should all be neautered before being sold on.

Anyone trying to attain a license would have to pass a test to show they were fully capable of looking after the animal while in foal/pup etc. They would have to demonstarte they understood breeding and behavioural traits and the risk of passing on heriditary disease/confo faults.

I'm not saying it would be easy to do, actually I think it would be impossible but it would at least cut down the number of cowboys thinking that just cos a horse they bought as a 7/8/9 year old is a total star (not knowing that it was a difficult little bugger to back/handle etc but someone with a ton of knowledge and experience was there to keep it on track) it's as easy as popping a foal out the other end and producing another little star.

Oh and clearly if the UK was the only country that did this they would have to halt all importing of horse unless the horse could be proven to have been breed carefully...so that would rule out all the crap from Franch meat farms I would imagine.

 

[abracadabra]

i used to come on here years ago under a different name (forgotten password etc so new acc.) and was planning to put my good mare in foal...
i went into the breeding forum to do some research, ask for info on various things, thinking i would get some valuable advice but actually i got flamed for not being a breeder/stud and having the temerity to think about breeding...
put me off asking for advice again, which is a pity because there are so many people in there with so much experience

 

[PapaFrita]

VERY good question. I don't believe in 'licensing' breeding; there are plenty of studs producing inferior stock and lots of private individuals (I think your foals are lovely and I think mine is pretty OK too) producing lovely youngstock. I don't have a problem with breeding from unpapered stock, as long as the horses in question have good temperaments and conformation, but I think far too many people breed indiscriminately; they think how sweet it would be to have a foal around, they imagine they can make a fast buck from breeding, they want a foal from a much-loved mare regardless of health/soundness issues... or simply hey; mare has a uterus, let's use it. There is an essential lack of objectivity and a total lack of awareness of what the market is like at the moment; there is STACKS of nice, reasonably priced stock for sale at the moment. What chance does an untrained, poorly conformed horse with no breeding stand?