What would you do?

Baggybreeches

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Brief and vague.
My mum's lifelong ambition was to breed her very own IDxTB foal having worked in studs and bred horses for many people over the years.
She achieved her ambition 2 years ago when our TB eventer mare produced a fine strapping chestnut colt (we wanted a bay filly but hey!). He has grown into a nice looking fantastic moving young horse who looks like he will be able to do anything.
Colt was gelded last week, and mum was chatting to lady whose stallion we used, who asked mum if she was selling.
Mum's initial response was no, stallion lady then informs mum that she has been contacted by a buyer, looking specifically for what we have, rather a large sum of money was then mentioned and now mum has the quandry.
I know that I am too soft to sell, mum is much more professional and business like, but I just wondered what you would do in this situation.
 
As already said. Also, I'm not the only one that has turned down a good price only to lose the animal to something as silly as an accident in the field. Now, while I know the accident might still have happened if I had sold, the money might have softened the blow somewhat which might sound awful but would be true for a lot of people, not just myself. Being similar to your mother as an ex-groom, I'm practical enough now to not make the same mistake again if it ever comes up; if the home and the price is right, I would always sell now. Enfys said it well the other day on the same subject (she's in the same boat as you) ' a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush'.
 
If you are being offered good money for him I would take it, because you can always breed again. The problem with a gelding is if they become unridable what do you do with them. And as the other poster stated if you have the mare you could always try again & this time may well get the filly.
 
what would you do with him if he wasn't sold?

i would probably sell but having been offered a blank cheque by 3 different people for my 4yro i don't always follow my head!
 
I haven't actually managed to part with a homebred yet, although guessing I am going to have to at some point

I would rather sell before I got too attached rather than later on. Again fillies are the preferred choice for the keepers.

The question is (being devils advocate) if something happened to the mare, would you really regret selling the colt?
 
As ^^^^^^ have said. If mare is still breedable...then sell and put her back in foal!! If the money is decent, especially!!! That way you can follow his progress whilst still being able to breed from mum. PLUS if money is decent enoough you can use some of it to buy something ridable if that is an issue.
 
Yep I's sell too. You can breed hte mare again and as eventrider says if the money is right you can buy something to ride in the meantime. I'd've loved to keep some of mine but economics of the thing means they're better off in your pocket sometimes :(
 
Why did you breed the mare? If it was to produce something nice for you to play with - show, compete later on etc, consider keeping him, or if it was to prove that you could breed something nice, then sell, you'll be proud of him and his progress no matter what, and it may let you breed another......In the current climate, if you've an offer on the table, take it!
 
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