HorseSense 4U » Breeding & Foaling

Tips On Selecting A Breed Of Horse

HorseSense — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 01:32:13 +0000

Selecting a horse breed is a really important part of buying a new horse. There are so many horse breeds that it can be incredibly hard to select the one breed that will fit you and your needs best. I wrote this post as a guide to selecting the perfect horse breed. Once you have completed reading this post you’ll know some of the more important decisions you need to make prior to making your horse breed choice.

The first thing you need to figure out is the things you need from your horse. What are you going to use your new horse for? Is the equine going to be used for racing, for shows, for horse polo, or some thing else entirely. Figuring out what your needs and wants are for your new horse will help give you a starting point for breed selection. Your choice may also be narrowed down considerably. You’ll know that if you want to use your horse for races, that you should not get a Clydesdale horse. You’ll also know that if you’re looking for a horse to do heavy pulling for you, miniature horses should be taken off your potential equine breed list.

You can look at the different character characteristics of particular breeds as soon as your done spelling out the work characteristics you need. While each individual horse will have its own personality, some breeds have a tendency to favor particular traits more than others. For instance, Thoroughbreds are known for their excellent speed and Camargues are known for their calm temperament.

Finally, once you’ve shortened down your breed selection to about 5 or 10 breeds, you’ll need to see whats available to you. The price of a horse can vary depending on which equine breed your shopping for, so part of your decision may be based off of your equine purchasing budget.

You will also have to see which horse breeds are being sold in your area. You might need to start looking in other areas if you can’t find a horse of the breed you want in your area. You can always pay to have your horse transported to your location. Be sure to use an organization that uses safe animal transporting policies so you don’t end up with an injured animal.

Thanks so much for reading this article on choosing a horse breed. Please feel free to link to this page from your blog or website.

Stallions & Mares

Dennis & Karen — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:07:25 +0000

What is the Cost of Horse Breeding?

Author: Benjamin Wise

I do not know what inspired me, but as a young teenager I was quite determined to have a foal. I had a mare and all I had to do was find a stallion and my wish would come true. The sad fact is that no one around me knew any better.

Horse breeding costs, in time, in money, in care, there is always a cost involved. I found two farms in our area that had stallions and both were willing to attempt a cover for free. It would cost me nothing or so I thought.

I took my mare to stay with a stallion in his pasture for a couple of weeks hoping that nature would take care of itself. My mare never became pregnant and lost a riding horse for that time. Young as I was, I just took things in stride, but now that I know better I am quite frustrated with the facts.

Had I have known anything about breeding horses I would of at least spent money to have a veterinarian come and inspect my mare. That way we would have known when she was in season. If you want to breed you really need to spend money.

Your mare needs to be in season that means that her reproductive cycle is at the stage where she is most likely to conceive. You can, if you know what the signs are, watch and chart your mare’s cycle to know when to take her to the stallion. On the other hand if you do not have the knowledge you should have your veterinarian palpate your mare. He will examine her and tell you exactly the day, sometimes the time (morning or afternoon) that she is most receptive. It is money well spent.

The stallion fee is usually the largest sum of money you will part with for breeding. Stallion fees are based upon several factors such as breed, performance and bloodlines. Bloodlines contain genetic history, who the father (sire) and dam (mother) were and their parents, much like our own family tree. A bloodline is preferred when on both the sire and dam’s side there are horses that have performed and excelled in a discipline. Stallion fees are usually paid upfront; it is to your advantage to select a stud that offers live foal guarantees. That way if your mare aborts or if the first cover is not successful, you can take your mare back for another cover at no extra cost.

A good horse breeder will have the veterinarian do several visits to the mare to ensure her health and that of the foal. The cost in my opinion is worth it, for example when a veterinarian detects twins during an examination he will be able to remedy the situation which will better your chances of having a live foal.

When cost is not a concern you could choose to stable your mare at the stud and have the trained staff take on the responsibility. They will keep a record of your mare charting her cycle, veterinarian visits, coverings and care. Once your mare is in foal you would arrange to collect her and take her home. Basic costs of horse breeding include the stallion fee and veterinarian exams for the mare. Other costs to consider are transportation, boarding and veterinarian visits during the pregnancy and after. Once the foal is born you have the cost of his care as well as your mare.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/what-is-the-cost-of-horse-breeding-300239.html

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Breeding & Foaling

Dennis & Karen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:31:07 +0000

Horse Breeding Overview

Author: Benjamin Wise

Nature itself has always had an impact and influence on breeding over the years. In the wild only the strong survived, horses roamed free and were unprotected by man. The stallion (male leader) fought other stallions to protect and maintain his herd. Any weakness threatened his entire lifestyle.

Today man has a major role in breeding, no longer is the need for strength and survival so important. Rather we are able to do selective breeding for traits such as color, breed, conformation and athletic ability.

When horses were first domesticated we either needed them for transportation or as work animals to help on farms. All work was demanding of the horse and man saw what he needed from horses. Certainly no thoroughbred should endure pulling a tank in the snow for weeks on end. A heavy set horse is far better suited for that job. And so began the mixing and mingling of bloodlines and breeds.

As we have progressed in life with conquering new lands so we have taken our trusted steed along for the ride. Horses that travelled to distant lands were bred with the native horse of that land. A new breed evolved and man bred to refine the qualities and characteristics.

Horse breeding is natural, but not all horses are meant to be bred. In order for two to make three we need a stallion (male) and a mare (female) which mate. A mare can only be bred with when she is in season. If the covering (mating) is successful she will give birth to a foal (baby) ten months later.

If you are interested in breeding for what ever personal reason, the best place to begin is with a sound, healthy horse. Generally the stallion owner offers his horses services during the breeding season for a fee. If you want to make money breeding then you certainly need to own a stallion that has good bloodlines, good conformation and temperament. Those three aspects are essential ingredients for breeding. A mare has a little more elbow room in her requirements. This is only because she is going to produce a single foal per year, whereas a stallion is bred to around 40 mares per season with live cover and a lot more when using artificial insemination. The resulting foal is definitely a combination of mare and stallion qualities, the stallion does not have more influence in the gene pool. You do not need a top competing mare in order for you to breed for a foal. Any horse owner with a mare can choose to breed.

With that said I do not mean that any horse owner should choose to breed. If you are interested in breeding become educated in horse breeding first. Talk to people who have bred, visit stud farms and learn about the industry. Horse breeding is a fascinating and wonderful career. If you cannot afford the stud fee for the top horses you could investigate working on the stud farm. There are a number of studs that offer benefits and incentives to staff which can include a free service to a mare.

When deciding to breed your horse, know what kind of horse you would like from the match. Know the rules of the horse breed, some horses will not be accepted into the breed registry without specific traits like color. Always look for a stallion that compliments or improves on the qualities of your mare.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/horse-breeding-overview-300565.html

About the Author: http://www.your-horse-guide.com Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, Horse breeding overview . Learn about Horse riding safety .