Would you breed from this mare?

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-Sj-

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Hey all,

Recently got another pony for my little one. She really wasn't what we were looking for. After buying a pony from the RS that went back and alot of back and forth with the dealer/owner we decided hang it.... we're not getting our £££ back so just take the best out of a bad bunch
She was at a riding school, abit neglected, large worm burden and had dentist out to her this week and he said teeth were so bad they were bulging! She's 12 and she is a lovely pony, very quiet, will let you do anything to her she just doesn't bother but she really is a plod along, and in our opinion a step back from the pony we had just sold.
We're moving off livery next year to our own land so we have decided we are just going to keep her and get daughter another pony in the spring and they might keep each other company.

Now.... a good friend of mine had suggested as she really is a lovely girl to take a foal from her. This is the good bit..... when she went to the riding school in 2009 she was issued a passport from SSH, it has no details of her breeding ect.... just her name and age and dob. I was told by the dealer/owner that she brought her over from ireland and she reg with this stud book. Dentist confirmed her age.

Sorry for the long post but my question is this..... would you breed from this mare or would it be deemed irresponsible of me? Abit like breeding a mongrel dog? I was very shocked that she suggested it as her family breed nice horses but as she said it wouldn't be for ££ gains but as she said might produce a nice pony for daughter further down the line as she really does have a fantasitc nature.
 
Nope, there are far far too many horses being bred at the moment. Why would you want to breed from her? It would probably be cheaper to buy another pony with the stud fees, vet fees etc etc etc. It's not a cheap option.
 
Yes, you're right. I feel like this about dogs ect so was very taken aback by the suggestion to start with and then I was thinking... aw she is a nice little thing. But you're right for sure.
We just wanted to keep her as a little plodder for our daughters cousin when we move and after seeing the change in her since we got her I couldn't move her on to another home.
 
I would not breed, I would sell in the spring, if she is a safe steady ride, lovely natured and you get her healthy again she should be able to find a really nice home being useful for many years, you may even find that once she is fit she is more what your daughter needs.

If you do not want to sell, keep her and find a rider to come and enjoy her.
 
Yes, you are also right. I just had fuzzy fluffy feelings about how cutes foal would be for a moment.
Just needed a forum slap to bring me back to planet earth.
She is already doing so much better and a lovely shine to her coat with good worming and getting the goodness from her food now. Will see how things stand in the spring, she is far to lovely to be a non-ridden companion.
 
I would only breed at the moment if I had a definite plan- e.g I have plenty of land, enough money for extra feed and veterinary fees, and had a plan for the foal, i.e producing an event horse, and I had the experience to back it and bring it on, or could afford to send it away.
Bearing in mind you can't sell the mare, the likelihood of you being able to sell the foal is slim, so I would only breed if I could guarantee the first 6/7 years of the foal.
 
Unless you have a cast iron market, or a job, for any foal that you are contemplating producing, DO NOT breed. It is irresponsible to do so, and if you require another pony it is FAR cheaper to go and buy one than to attempt to produce one by breeding.
 
No. There's any number of foals available for peanuts that with the right handling will make cracking kids ponies. You could buy several foals just for the cost of a vet visit to confirm yours is in foal, let alone what you could get for the cost of breeding your own.
 
Oh no way. Only have to look at the already over flooded Market and sell rings where some foals are lucky to make a couple of £. Only person who would want u to breed is the meatman they will always buy for a few £. Market is dire and only getting worse. Please don't
 
No.

When I started breeding (first one is 4 next time), hay was £10 per bale, well bred youngsters were going for 3 or 4K.

It's totally different now. I'm left with one each at 1, 2, 3 (this time). Beautifully bred but practically worthless. None of interest to me. I'll be lucky to get £2K at 4 years once broken.

Unless you are breeding to keep, or are breeding at the top end (as I have now chosen to do) then you are basically throwing your money away.
 
I certainly wouldn't be breeding to make money.

It purely would be for ourselves, but then the question would be... once you've had one foal you're back to the "what would I do with this little mare"
I have answered my own question really.
 
We're moving off livery next year to our own land so we have decided we are just going to keep her and get daughter another pony in the spring and they might keep each other company.
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It sounds like the pony will have a job as a companion anyway. If she's very safe, it shouldn't be too hard to find a sharer/rider for her. :)
 
It may just be one foal, but there are already more horses than homes in this country, and if everyone with a mare just breeds one foal, that adds up to a lot of extra horses. And there still won't be any homes for them!
 
No don't breed from her. Her being a sweet mare just isn't reason enough - so many foalies out there and you would just be adding to the number who will eventually need a home!
 
I wouldn't.

I bred 2 out of my very special mare and they are both brilliant but if I was ever to work out what it has cost me to create them and care for them up until this point (one is 4 and the other is 2) I would probably have a heart attack and then cry!!

Just having a sweet mare isn't enough. Save the money up and buy something you really want instead :)
 
-Sj- said:
I certainly wouldn't be breeding to make money.

It purely would be for ourselves, but then the question would be... once you've had one foal you're back to the "what would I do with this little mare"
I have answered my own question really.
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You wouldn't just be asking that, you would be asking what do I do with this foal... You would have it and sell it for pennies, or you would have it and have to back it... Then decide whether that was suitable for your family or if after four years of hard work it too was not appropriate and therefore you are back at square one.

Don't do it op, too much uncertainty and potential heartache, see what the spring brings x
 
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