By Judy Wardrope The Choice is Yours
Our sport horse conformation expert gives advice on how to make the best breeding decisions.
we should likely consider is whether to base our breeding decisions on marketability and trends, on performance levels or on developing a herd and the bigger picture. In my opinion, marketability without substance (i.e. performance) is not good for the industry in the long term.
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The Decision Process In order to have a reasonable expectation of producing a quality foal, we need to ask ourselves some serious questions. Who should we breed or not breed? Which mare to which stallion? How much of a stud fee does the mare warrant? What criteria should we use to make our selections? The path to suitable options may resemble a minefield but, with some forethought, research and honest analysis, we may avoid some of the traps, and the resulting foal may be just what we hoped for. Part of the process is deciding the intended
purpose of the foal. Will he or she be retained or be destined for the commercial market? Commercial foals need to meet certain specifications in order to attain higher selling prices. Although commercial appeal may not be part of the equation for the homebred, quality remains important. For many, one of the major factors in the decision
process is finance. Therefore, for those who have this consideration, dollar value is key. We can find some very reasonably priced if not downright cheap mares; however, that does not necessarily mean they provide good dollar value as breeding stock. This same reasoning applies to stallions judged solely by their stud fees. If the mare is to be sent out for breeding, the breeder will need to budget for the costs of transportation, board and vet fees (ultrasound and/ or palpation to determine ovulation or pregnancy) in addition to the stud fee. Even if finances are not as much of an issue, some
of the information provided by research and analysis will be helpful in deciding on short and long-term
reeding season can be exciting, but it also means we must weigh our options and make decisions. One of the first decisions
breeding plans. Is the breeding and production history of the mare known? If we have an in-house stallion, knowing the mare’s breeding history makes the task of getting her pregnant easier and, if the history is not promising, perhaps that will sway the decision in a different direction. If we have chosen to breed using shipped semen (fresh or frozen), knowing the mare’s history of production can save a considerable amount of money. We can either prepare for the needs of that particular mare or eliminate her as a poor candidate for insemination. It would be wonderful if we could all order one dose of semen from our chosen stallion, have the mare inseminated and a few weeks later, pronounced her in foal. But alas, it seldom happens so easily. With the advent of frozen semen and improving
technology, we can breed to any of thousands of stallions who are alive and many who are not. The mind boggles at the possibilities. Sure, the horses we are exposed to on television, on videos, in magazine articles and at the big competitions are wonderful, but imagine the percentage of horses we never see because they just weren’t good enough. The reality is that not all breedings result in the foals we envision, but that doesn’t mean the foals, if bred with an eye to overall quality, are without merit. Many horses didn’t make it in the venue or at the level that was intended but, with the right blood and proper functional conformation, they excelled in another venue or at another level. Numerous criteria can be used alone or in com-
bination to make breeding selections. One school of thought bases breeding plans on the assessment of phenotype (appearance, size, type, temperament and ability). When the mare and the stallion complement each other, a mating may be considered. If one of the parents has a perceived weakness, we can seek a mate with considerable strength in that area to compensate. Have you got a true and honest assessment of the
conformation of mare and stallion? Simply saying the mare is pretty, tall or has some other quality, and the stallion looks big and powerful, are not evaluations on which to base breeding. If, after close scrutiny, we
Warmbloods Today 67
Conformation
Corner
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