Horse Breeding: Crossbreds

Horse Breeding

While most people are familiar with many of the pure breeds of horses, there are many interesting crossbreds. Each breed has its own benefits, and it is not unusual for people to try to get the best of both breeds by crossing them. The following are some common crossbreds and their usual characteristics.

Arabian Crosses

Most Arabian crosses are designed to refine the horse, without adding much height. Arabians are known for being highly sensitive and intelligent horses, who can be a bit flighty or silly at times. Most of the breeds they are crossed to tend to be solid citizens who could use a bit more pep. Many Arab crosses make excellent all-round horses who do well for children and for pleasure. Some make excellent dressage horses or hunters, combining the beautiful Arab movement with the solid personality of their crosses.

Some of the most common Arabian crosses include the Morab (Morgan x Arabian), the Quarab (Quarter Horse x Arabian) and the Arapaloosa (Appaloosa x Arabian). Another common Arabian cross is the Anglo Arabian (Thoroughbred x Arabian). Anglo Arabians are unlike the other crosses in that they are highly sensitive, have good height, and are excellent athletes. The cross has been so well established in France, that it became the foundation of their Selle Francais breed. Arabians also cross very well with some pony breeds such as Welsh Ponies.

Thoroughbred Crosses

Thoroughbreds are the most common horses to see crossbred into other breeds. Adding size and refinement, the Thoroughbred is an amazing athlete who generally produces crossbreds with excellent performance potential.

One of the most popular Thoroughbred crosses is the Appendix Quarter horse. Not only are half-breds accepted as Appendix Quarter Horses, a high percentages of Thoroughbred blood is permitted in the registry.

Smaller thoroughbreds are also crossed onto many pony breeds to produce pony-sized offspring with horse-type bodies. This type is highly popular in the hunter ring. Many successful ponies that near the highly desirable 14.2hh size are in fact part Thoroughbred.

Many breeders like to cross Thoroughbreds to draft horses. These crosses are lighter weight than drafts, and are well suited to riding. Many draft crosses become field hunters, but some of the more refined crosses become good performance horses.

Appaloosa Crosses

Appaloosas are hardy horses who are renowned for their unusual coloring. Some breeders like to cross other types of horses to Appaloosas to attempt to get the Appaloosa coloring on a horse while retaining the type of the breed they are crossing to. Arapaloosas are the Arabian x Appaloosa cross mentioned earlier, but other popular crosses include Pintos (Pintaloosa) and Tennessee Walkers (Walkaloosa).
A cross between a Shetland pony and an Appaloosa mare produced the colourful Pony of the Americas, now an established breed.

Gaited Horses

Some people enjoy crossing the highly popular gaited breeds, such as Tennessee Walkers, to other breeds. They try to retain the gait, but gain the size, substance or coloring of the other breed. Some gaited crosses include the National Show Horse (Arabian x Saddlebred) and the Tennuvian (Tennessee Walker x Peruvian Paso).

Other Crossbreds

No matter where you look, you will see other types of crossbred horses. Some are popular enough that breed registries have been formed for them. Others are still rare. While many breeders consider crossbreds to be no different than grade horses, others will defend their crossbred "breed", claiming that it has as much validity as other breeds. Either way, you can find a cross of almost anything if you look hard enough.

Author: Lydia K Kelly

Horse Breeding: The Oldest Horse Breed That Originated In The Age Of Roman Empire

Horse Breeding

The Fell Pony gets its name, FELL, from the Norse word meaning "hill." During the four centuries of Roman occupation on the border between England and Scotland, extra troops -- French, Dutch, German, Polish, Spanish and eastern European cavalrymen -- were brought in to protect Hadrian's Wall which separated the countries and to maintain law and order. Since bones of foreign horses have been found in Northern Britain, its thought that the Fell pony may be a mixture of these horses and local ponies. A cross between foreign horses and the Celtic pony might have produced an animal closer to horse size, but larger animals couldn't have survived in the northern fells without extra food. It's believed that the breed stabilized through natural selection as a pony.

After the Romans withdrew there weren't many roads until the 18th century. Fell ponies were used to transport goods throughout the country. As canals, roadways and train lines were developed in the 18th and 19th centuries, other forms of transport developed and Fell ponies were used for light farm work, carrying mail, sports events, shepherding and or carrying goods to market by cart.

Size and Showing Characteristics

The ponies average 13.1 to 13.2 hands high; the maximum height allowed for a Fell pony is 14 hands. Fells come in black, brown, bay and gray. A star and/or white on or below the hind fetlock is acceptable for showing today. Fell ponies are well groomed for shows, yet untrimmed to emphasize their natural looks.

Most Fells mature late, sometimes not until they're seven years old. In their native country Fell ponies are left to run free until two or three. They're brought in for basic training and turned out again for another year. They're started under saddle around five years old. Today Fell ponies are still used for logging, farming, and shepherding. They have been quite successful in competitive endurance at the Olympic level, LeTrec, jumping and dressage and also excel at competitive and pleasure driving, and therapeutic riding.

Preserving the Fell Breed

Sue Millard of England, talked about the importance of unseen traits of a native pony at a rear equine breed event at the Kentucky Horse Park. "A good example of a native pony should tell us, just by looking at it, what kind of life its ancestors led," Millard said. "A well built body is the first requirement. Good teeth for grazing and a well designed coat that sheds rain. Hoofs that take the wear of rough terrain. You can see all these. But natives ponies have other qualities: an even sensible temperament, hardiness, vigor, self reliance and brains. These qualities are vital to the breed but they are not visible. They're the inner pony, the bits that you only get to know by doing the job and living the life. These invisible characteristics can't be retained without giving the pony a job to do and if possible, allowing it to live and reproduce as its ancestors did and still do."

For more information on the Fell pony, contact the Fell Pony Society and Conservancy of the Americas, 125 Edwards Farm Lane, Dobson, NC 27017. An FPS overseas branch is committed to conserving and promoting the Fell pony as the hill breeders of northern England have done for many centuries.

Author: Phil Wiskell

Horse Breeding: Paint Horse Breed

Horse Breeding

The American paint horse is a stock-type horse that is intelligent and is built for agility and speed and has a "willing" attitude. He is ideal for many different riding needs such as ranch work, showing, pleasure riding, rodeo events and they are wonderful horses for children and beginning riders.

In order for a horse to be registered as a paint he must fit in to three catagories. Tobiano, Overo or Tovero paints.

The Tobiano pattern has an oval or round white spot that extends down the neck and chest. Often in this pattern, the white crosses the horse's back between the tail and withers and the head can either be solid or have a blaze, strip or star. Their legs are usually white below the knees and sometimes the tail will be two colors.

The Overo paint horse can be mostly white or dark. They often have loud white markings on the head such as a "bald face". An overo's markings are usually scattered and irregular and the legs are the same. They can have one or all four legs dark or white, but their tail is usually one color.

The markings of a paint can be so varied that the American Paint Horse Association has made a third category to classify characteristics of both Tobiano and Overo. They call this classification, Tovero.

The American Indian, who coveted the loud and bold patterns came to love the American paint horse and began to pick them out of herds because of their color and performance. The Comanche Indians, who are thought to have been the finest horseman used the paint horse as much as they could as depicted in their early drawings of spotted horses found on buffalo hides. For the Indian, the paint had special magic that would help them defeat their enemies.

The Paint horse has had a variety of names thru the 1800's and later. Paint, Pinto, piebald and skewbald were a few names some used to describe this flashy horse. When an association was first discussed people wanted to keep the stock type build in the breeding of the paint horse. In fact, the only difference in a paint horse and a stock-type horse is the coloring.

There are strict standards by the APHA for confirmation, performance and athletic ability for the registered paint. Also, original traits such as intelligence, a willing disposition and calm temperament are kept in mind in the breeding of these horses.

There is an overabundance of Paint Horse breeders in present day. There are as many colors and patterns as there are horses. No two paints have exactly the same markings and confirmation which makes each and every paint unique and special.

If you have any questions on Horse supplies or Posh Pampered Pets, please call 979-221-7251 or email us at info@poshpamperedpets.com. Our home office is located in Waller, Texas, with warehouses located throughout the United States such as Detroit Michigan (MI), Indianapolis Indiana (IN), Jacksonville Florida (FL), San Francisco California (CA), , Kansas City MO, Miami, Florida (FL), Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (NC), Washington DC, Los Angeles, California (CA), Fayetteville, Arkansas ( AR), San Francisco California (CA), Columbus Ohio (OH).

Author: Janine Carter

Horse Breeding:When Can I Breed Her?

Horse Breeding

So, you have a filly, and want to breed her some day. Or maybe you have an older maiden mare, and want to know if it is okay to give breeding a try. There is lots to consider when deciding when a mare is ready to be bred.

Horses are sexually mature in their yearling year, although it is not unheard of for a filly to cycle before she is a full year old. Generally though, they are about a year and a half old the first time they come in season.

It is fully possible for a yearling to get in foal. If you have your fillies out with colts, it is essential to separate them by a year old. Colts can in fact become fertile as early as eight months old, so a pregnancy can happen far earlier than many owners imagine.

While it is possible to breed a yearling, most agree that it isn't a good idea. Generally a yearling is the equivalent of a 12-14 year old girl. She is reaching sexual maturity, but has no actual maturity of her own. She is far too young to be pregnant and expecting a baby.

A two-year-old is a bit better, but still very young. Two-year-olds are only the equivalent of a 14-16 year old girl, still awfully young to be pregnant. By the time the filly foals, she will be the equivalent of 17. As you probably know from human pregnancies, teenaged mothers are much higher risk than mothers in their 20s. Likewise, there are more risks for a two-year-old filly when in foal, than there would be if she were bred a bit later in life.

By three, a filly is more mature and potentially ready to be bred. While many still feel that it is too early, she is the equivalent of a 16-18 year old, and will have the foal when she is the equivalent of 19. This is still young, but it is out of the danger zone, and she will be mature enough to have a better chance of being a good mother.

The ideal breeding age range for horses is 4-15 years of age. Many mares remain fertile into their 20s. This is because horses do not go through menopause the way that humans do. In fact, there are stories of mares well into their late 20s who were accidentally bred, and had a healthy foal the following year. While this is far from ideal, it is certainly possible.

If a mare has been bred before, it is usually not a problem to breed her later in life. However, a maiden mare is less likely to get in foal as she ages, and many not retain her pregnancy as well as a horse who has foaled before. After a mare reaches 15 years of age, her fertility is at risk. Many breeders will not breed a maiden mare who is over 15.

With good veterinary supervision, there is no good reason not to breed a maiden mare as old as 18. As long as the mare owner is aware of the reduced fertility, and understands that she may not catch at all, usually there is little real risk. Some stallion owners offer special deals to owners of senior mares, not charging the full stud fee until the mare is confirmed in foal, or even until the foal arrives.

If a mare has been bred regularly, she can safely continue to have foals until her mid 20s. As long as the owner carefully maintains her, and understands the increased risks involved in foaling a senior mare, it can be a good choice for the proven broodmare.

No matter the age of the mare, it is essential to carefully monitor your horse's pregnancy and maintain her in good condition. It takes a healthy mare to have a healthy foal.

Author: Lydia K Kelly

Horse Breeding: Horse Breeding Overview

Horse Breeding

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.

Author: Benjamin Wise

Horse Breeding: What is the Cost of Horse Breeding?

Horse Breeding

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.

Horse Breeding: How To Find The Right Horse Breed for You

Horse Breeding

Horses have been one of the most popular domesticated animals for hundreds of years. In the past, before the automobile and the airplane, horses were on of the most commonly used ways of transportation. However today we see horses primarily used for hobby riding and racing while one very few use them as actual transportation.

Horses were not just owned by a geographically small group of people but by people from all over the world. Horses have not been used for the same kind of labor all around the world and that, together with the different climates, resulted into many different types of breeds. There is however only three main categories in which all horses can be grouped: Pony, Light and Heavy classes. If you don’t know anything at all about horse breeds then this will be a good place to start.

Besides these three main categories you will find that horses can be grouped into a much larger amount of sub categories. To name a few examples you will find sub groups such as Warmbloods, Gaited horses and Draft horses. But in order not to confuse you if you are new at this will stick to just the three main categories I mentioned earlier.

When I now go into the three different types of horses I hope to give you a better idea of what kind of horse will suit your situation and you will know what type will be good for children to ride, what will be an all family horse for riding, what you need if you want a racing horse and last but not least what type of horse will assist you the best if you need a working horse.

The Pony Category

A pony is a very popular horse and one of the best know and also one of the smallest is the Shetland pony. Because of its minimal size this is a great horse for children. Shetland ponies are normally peaceful and calm animals and because of that they are great with children. Unfortunately it can become feisty occasionally and it is recommended that children are always supervised by adults.

If you have teenagers or fast growing younger children you might want to go for the Connemara pony instead. The pony is a bit larger than the Shetland and this together with the Welsh pony (somewhat larger than the Shetland pony) will be perfect for young children.

The Light Horse Category

If you don’t know that much about horses you might make the mistake of believing that a miniature horse and a pony is the same thing but they’re not. The Miniature horse doesn’t share the same characteristics as the pony but I won’t go into all the specific details here. You will often find miniature horses around children and disabled humans.

The most commonly known horse is an Arabian and it actually falls into the category of light horses. The characteristics of the Arabian horse are that it is sweet, graceful and very loving but it is also extremely fast and very attractive. There really isn’t anything negative to say about the Arabian because what more could you want from a horse? Because of its speed and endurance it is often used for racing.

The Heavy Category

In the heavy category there are only two types of horses. One is called the battle horse and the other is called a draft horse. Battle horses were normally used in warlike situations and were trained to be a part of battle.

The draft horse on the other hand was trained to work on farms pulling wagons and carts. You can call them the typical work horse.

You might have heard about the Clydesdale horse and it is probably one of the most popular draft horses there is. Not only will you find it very attractive but it has also been bread to work hard, while maintaining its friendly nature and therefore it’s also a good horse for riding.

Other popular draft horses are the Belgian, the Shire and the Suffolk Punch horses.

To mention one of the horses used for war the Lipizzaner is probably the one that were used most often. But the horse breeds that I have mentioned above is just a very few of the many different types and breeds there are.

I hope to have given you some inspiration as to what category horse you are looking for but I would also encourage you to meet with any horse you are thinking of purchasing. Interaction will the horse is what really counts and you and your family needs to visit the potential new horse before you can make a good decision.

If you want to know more about horses and horse breeds you can come visit us at HorseTrailerUniverse.com where you will find everything from different types of horse breeds to information about buying a used horse trailer. You will also find information about horse nutrition and health.

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Horse Breeding: Knowing Different Horse Breeds

Horse Breeding

There are well over a hundred different horse breeds in the world, and it may be impossible to get to know every single of them. But, if you are a true horse-lover, you may already know a vast number of them and are still keen to know more.

Humans and Horses

To understand horse breeds, it is important to first understand how the relationship between humans and horses began. Believe it or not, horses first became valuable to humans because they produced milk and could be eaten. Later on, however, humans realised that horses were strong and fast and began to use them to carry or draw loads and as a mode of transportation.

Nowadays, specific horses are bred for specific purposes. They are no longer just used to do labors. Rather, they are more often kept for sports or leisure riding.

Horse Breeding

In order for the new-born horses to carry certain traits, breeders usually need to select specific male and female horses with the desired characteristics to mate. With the success of purposeful breeding, more horses are now bred in planned ways to meet specific needs. A widely known example is the racing horses. In fact, there are different registries around the world that document the various horse breeds.

To know about the different horse breeds is probably a hard mission for an average person, but a true horse-lover can usually tell a lot of the breeds. This is especially true for someone who is fond of horse racing or simply would like to get himself a horse. Often, knowing the breed of your horse would tell you what the horse is capable of doing and whether its price is truly justified.

Classification of Horses

Although there are many horse breeds, horses are generally placed under three main groups - pony, light, and heavy horses.

Most of us would probably already be familiar with ponies. These are definitely the smallest of horses. Some would even not consider them horses at all. Even so, ponies can be as hardy as other horses. Some breeds can carry adult riders and pull heavy loads. Because of their size and mild nature, ponies are often kept as pets by children. Examples of pony breeds are the Shetland and Welsh ponies.

Light horses are also strong like ponies but they are definitely taller, faster and have a sleeker look. Most light horses are used for riding and racing. In some cases, breeds of this kind also help with cattle rounding and carriage pulling. Examples of light horse breeds are Arabian, Thoroughbred, Appaloosa, Quarter Horse, Morgan and Standardbred.

Some horses belong to the heavy group. In the past, these horses were used for war. They were also used for carrying and pulling heavy loads. Heavy horses are therefore ideal for farm work. They are large but have well-formed, powerful muscles, shoulders and legs. Heavy horse breeds include Shire, Clydesdale, Percheron and Lipizzaner.

With the many different horse breeds, there is definitely a horse for every horse lover. Do remember though that horse breeds that belong to the same group may also have different traits of their own.

We have just discussed the basics of different horse breeds. If you are interested, you can explore more from our online guide about horse breeding. You may also like to check out our complete online horse guide for just any horse-related topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Powell

Horse Breeding: Breeding With Your Mare

Horse Breeding

Horse Breeding is not as simple as it used to be, leaving it up to nature. For centuries man has chosen to breed selectively and in order to do so, he has developed several techniques to improve and ensure the success.

Breeding with your mare can be a simple endeavor or a technical one; it depends on your individual role. A horse breeder has countless duties and I will only condense a few in order to help explain the covering process to you.

As an owner of a mare your responsibilities and duties do not have to be very involved and complicated. Stud farms are built and developed specifically for breeding purposes. Once you have chosen a stallion you arrange with the stud farm what the specifics are.

You can either stable your mare at the farm where the stallion resides; you can transport your mare to the stallion on the day of cover and take her home the same day; or if artificial insemination is your choice your mare can stay where she is and the semen is shipped to you.

Live cover is when the stallion mounts the mare and covers the mare. The staff will prepare the mare by washing her vulva (private parts), bandage her tail and possibly give her a tranquilizer. Once she is ready to be covered they may hobble her, a restraint used to prevent the stallion from being kicked.

The stallion is lead by a skilled handler to the mare and covering takes place. The mare will be returned to a field or stable after covering, some studs may inject her with a hormone that will have her ovulate soon after covering. The stallion will cover the mare once.

If the mare is staying at the stud she will be teased in the following days to observe that she is in dioestrus - no longer in season. Depending on the studs routine and way of doing things, the mare may be covered by the stallion again during her season.

A veterinarian will palpate and scan the mare in about 15 days from her covering. If the mare is not staying at the stud farm it is important that you schedule this appointment with your veterinarian to see whether she took and is in foal. If she is not in foal she will need to be covered again in her next cycle.

With artificial insemination the stallion will mount a mare or a phantom mare and ejaculate into a tube. The semen is then stored at the correct temperature and can be inserted into the mare at the most optimal time of her reproductive cycle. The mare can stay at the stud or never set foot on the stud and come into contact with a stallion.

When you select to have a foal via artificial insemination it is very important to ask the breeder some questions as to the fertility of the stallion's semen. Some sperm just simply do not travel well, you do not want to pay for the semen and receive a shipment that has no live sperm to inseminate.

Once your mare is in foal, there is still a long road ahead; she carries the foal for 12 months. She will have veterinarian exams to check that the foal is growing up until 90 days; thereafter it is a waiting game.

Horse Guide.

Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about breeding with your mare. Learn about Horse riding safety.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benjamin_Wise

Horse Breeding: Becoming a Equine Breeding Manager

Horse Breeding

For many horse loving individuals that grew up around horses and trained horses seem to find that breeding is only a natural progression for them. What many people do not realize, however, is that becoming a breeder or breeding manager takes a lot of man-hours, a lot of capital and a lot of dedication.

Most businesses will inevitably be in the red their first few years in business. In fact, the IRS has a rule that as long as you make a profit for 2 out of 5 years you are doing well. They have made a special rule for horse breeders. If you are able to make a profit 2 out of 7 years you are doing pretty well. Horse breeding involves a significant amount of money to invest as well as time. This career should not be pursued lightly, but with a lot of thought out planning.

A breeding operation can be as simple as a single stallion farm with a few mares. Some breeders do this in addition to their hobby farm horse training business. Those who are completely committed to breeding, do not have a lot of time for anything else. This job is not for an amateur. You must have horse knowledge, excellent handling skills to handle excited stallions and grumpy mares as well as be knowledgeable about the actual breeding practices, lab work, sales, marketing and business management – accounting most of all.

A degree in equine reproduction, equine science or agribusiness is extremely helpful. You may also consider taking courses in AI and semen collection, because more and more breeders are moving in this direction. Mare owners want to be able to breed their mares to the best stallions without having to haul there. In fact, many breeding barns wait day and night for the phone call to collect the stallion and get the semen on the next flight to wherever the ovulating mare is. Some farms do all artificial insemination because it is so risky to do live cover with multi-thousand dollar horses.

The average breeding manager is on call 70 to 90 hours per week. They may have 120 mares that need to be palpated, inseminated, palpated some more and so on until they begin to show signs of parturition. Then begins the long hours of foal watch day in and day out until the foals hit the ground.

Aside from all the stress, however, you do get to be a part of the creation of some of the most beautiful creatures on earth. This is often enough reward for breeding managers.

To contribute your expertise on equine breeding or other equine related topics, please stop by and visit our wonderful equine community at http://www.horsechitchat.com/equineforums

Where we always leave the barn door open on purpose for new friends.

Ron Petracek is the current article director for a rapidly growing equine social network community.He was raised in southern Idaho with a beautiful jet black morgan as his adventure companion, and the snake river within a easy ride. horses and the outdoors are a solid part of his life. For more great information and FREE equine classifieds! Everything from horses to trailers & tack please visit. http://www.EquineMiniMart.com

If you would like to help others learn more about horses than stop by our beautiful and friendly equine forum http://www.horsechitchat.com

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Horse Breeding: Horses - Breeds, A To Z

Horse Breeding

A horse is a horse of course of course. Right? Well, not exactly. There are more breeds of horses than Carter has liver pills. We're just going to touch on a few examples here, otherwise we're going to need a book about 2000 pages long.

For example, and we'll just start with the letter A, there is the Australian Stock Horse. This is one of those horses that arose from selective breeding due to the demands of the environment. The history of this breed actually began in 1788. When the first breed of horses was brought to Eastern Australia by the First Fleet. These horses were of mixed English Thoroughbred and Spanish stock and they were hardy enough horses that they were a perfect choice for the cavalry.

Moving along to the letter B, we have the Basotho Pony. This horse is found only in Lesotho, which is in South Africa. The horse is used almost exclusively for riding. The breed itself was developed sometime after 1825 from the Cape Horse. By the start of the 20th century this breed almost completely disappeared due to exporting of the horses and cross breeding with Arab and Thoroughbred horses. Fortunately, during the later part of the 20th century, a society was formed to revive the breed.

One of the most famous breed of horses starting with the letter C is the Clydesdale. This horse was developed in a district of Scotland. It is a heavy draft horse breed. The breed itself was developed by farmers in Lanarkshire, which is the old name for Clydesdale. This horse was mainly bred to meet the agricultural needs of farmers. The Clydesdale is a real work horse. Make no mistake about that.

The letter D gives us the Dartmoor Pony. This horse is one of nine breeds that are specific to the British Isles. This particular breed comes from a barren moorland called Dartmoor, which is located in Devon, England. These are very old horses which go all the way back to the reign of King Henry I. Today, Dartmoor Ponies are found all over Great Britain as well as countries like France, Sweden and Germany.

Moving along to the letter E, we have the Eriskay Pony. This particular pony is the only surviving variety of the Hebridean pony. It is found on the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland. Today this particular breed of pony is almost extinct. Recent DNA testing of these animals show that they are of very ancient origin. These horses are mostly used for transportation and common chores such as pulling carts and even taking children to school.

And in case you are wondering, yes there are breeds of horses that begin with the letter Z. One of them is the Zaniskari Pony, which is found in Northern India. This particular breed is what is called a riding and pack breed.

Yes, there are more breeds of horse than you can possibly imagine. If you're interested in doing more research on these animals you can do so by going to http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/horses/Horses-w.htm. You'll have enough to read to keep you busy for many years to come.

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Horse Breeding: Horse Racing Injuries and Horse Slaughter - Prevention Through Breeding Control

Horse Breeding

I have been aware of horse slaughter since I was a kid. It was a well known fact Thoroughbred ex-race horses that came through the barn had one shot to make it in the hunter/jumper ring (as riding horses). If a horse didn't stay at the barn, we knew the horse would end up back at dealers, and dealer returns meant the horse was going to slaughter.

As a child, horse slaughter was simply a fact. Now, it's almost a necessity. I don't agree with slaughtering horses, nor do I want any horse to end up at a slaughterhouse, but our society produces far too many unwanted horses.

I receive emails on a weekly basis from several different horse industry and horse welfare news streams. Every time I read one of these legislative "updates", I wonder: When is horse slaughter legislation going to start with the cause of unwanted horses?

Though anti horse slaughter groups have successfully shut down horse slaughterhouses in America, horse breeding has only increased. If horses at auction don't wind up at slaughter, where are all the "unwanted" horses going to go? As with the millions of unwanted dogs and cats who are euthanased every year, it would be nice if we could say unwanted horses are "humanely destroyed." But, horses are just not that easy to put down. Besides being big, difficult to transport, to house, and to feed, horses cost several hundred dollars to put down. For "humane" treatment, horses need not only feed, water, and vaccinations, but also farrier care and often special nutritional, veterinary, and stabling.

When is horse slaughter legislation going to start with the cause of unwanted horses?

Horses end up at auction if they can't be sold privately, can't be cared for, or are (simply) unwanted. If a horse owner sends an "unwanted" horse to auction and the horse doesn't sell, what happens to the horse? If the previous owner can't or won't care for the horse, who will?

It's the same with the overpopulation of dogs and cats. It's better to have a humane society take an unwanted pet and euthanize it than have a pet return to a home where it isn't wanted or cannot be cared for. But again, horses are extremely difficult and expensive to care for. Some say re-homing unwanted horses is not a big deal since the total number of American horses slaughtered per year "only" equals about 1% of the total American horse population. Based on current horse populations (about 9 million in the US), 90,000 "homeless" horses is still a lot of horses. With hay prices up, gas prices up, and affordable land becoming more scarce, most horse people in any part of the country will tell you; "you can't even give 'em away these days."

Some anti-slaughter activists like to claim horse "kill buyers" are outbidding nice families in search of a pet. Really? If a "nice family" is only willing to spend $100, maybe a $150 on a horse, will they be willing to spent another $150 on vaccines once the vet comes out? What about hoof care every six weeks? Hay, grain, shavings? Proper fencing? Does the nice family have money set aside for emergency transport and thousands of dollars worth of colic surgery? Kill buyers, yes, may be out bidding families (occasionally), but this does not mean the family has means to care for the long term health of the horse.

To minimize horse slaughter and unwanted horses, we need a better plan.

Currently, there are no horse slaughterhouses operating in the United States. Despite anti-slaughter group efforts, American horse slaughterhouses have been successfully shut down, but now horses are just sent over the border to Mexico and Canada where the treatment and killing of animals is even less humane than under American standards.

In many ways, the U.S. slaughter ban has already hurt horse welfare.

For reference, American slaughterhouses used retractable pneumatic bolts to render horses unconscious (in theory) before slitting their throats. However, in Mexico, it's common practice to stab horses in the back repeatedly until their spinal cord is severed.

In many ways, the U.S. horse slaughter ban has already hurt horse welfare. Now, anti-slaughter groups are attempting to ban horses exported for slaughter altogether. Despite the fact this new law could be easily circumvented by horse "kill dealers" simply labeling horses transported across the border as "for riding" instead of "for slaughter", we need to first think about minimizing the unwanted horse population before tackling the issue of horse slaughter.

Lets look at some facts:

- According to the USDA, 45,000 horses went to slaughter in Mexico in 2007, and another 26,000 went to Canada (total, 71,000+).

- According to the Jockey Club, 56,000 Thoroughbred mares were bred in 2007.

- According to the Thoroughbred Times, Thoroughbred race horses averaged 25 starts per life in 1950; by 1994, the average Thoroughbred ran just 14 races.

What does this mean? More Thoroughbreds running less races equals more waste. Due to over breeding of the Thoroughbred, not only does the Thoroughbred Times conclude Thoroughbred races horses are less sound than 60 years ago , but also, they are less used.

Moreover, why have we not had a Triple Crown winner in Thoroughbred horse racing since Affirmed in 1978? Could it be that the only requirements for breeding a Thoroughbred horse are a papered mare and money for a stud fee?

I imagine, even in 1978, horse breeding and racing wasn't an incredibly easy or cheap "hobby". Then, not every backyard horse owner could afford a.) a papered Thoroughbred mare, or b.) a 500 mile haul to the stallion. Today, cheap, seedy racetracks are numerous and vastly outnumber the celebrity packed racing events profiled on T.V. It is perceived as "easy" now for anyone to think they can breed the next Kentucky Derby winner. For $250, someone can pick up a lame and unproven (and possibly even unraced) Thoroughbred mare and breed her to an equally lame or unproven Thoroughbred stallion for as little as $300. Boom! For less than a beater car, you too can own the next derby champ!

Wrong.

Of course, many Thoroughbreds going for meat are actually well bred, expensive horses. Some may have stud fees of $500,000 or more. By and large, racehorses don't retire to green pasture if they don't win. They mostly go to auction. Even when trainers try their best to find a new owner and a new job for the horse, Thoroughbreds off-the-track are not just for anyone. Most of them need experienced handlers and trainers.

With the 2008 Kentucky Derby ready to hit the starting gate on May 3rd, what is the average American going to see of the racing industry? Horses worth millions of dollars? Shiny, lucky horses cared for better than most people?

I wish happenings at an average American Thoroughbred Racetrack were televised. Horses running at tracks not called Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, or Pimlico don't have the luxury of being considered anything but expendable or replaceable. And besides, with reality TV all the rage, is there anything more cut throat [pun intended] than watching broke down horses running in races that are paying out $500 with the losers highly unlike to get another chance?

The large majority of horses who will not see the glamorous camera lenses pointed at them (beside closed circuit monitoring) are only bred to be good for a year or two. These "modern" Thoroughbreds, the ones at your average, dirty, shady, tracks, aren't bred to run the Kentucky Derby; they are bred to MAYBE, MAYBE win their owners and investors a couple thousand dollars. The main purpose of the average Thoroughbred is to honor the owner with the distinction of owning a racehorse. Thoroughbreds, by their nature, are bred to be hot, a trait which does not to serve them well outside of running. They are no longer bred with long lines, or big strides even. They are bred to run and move flat, fast, and that's it. Outside of the few races they MIGHT run, Thoroughbred racehorses serve limited purpose.

Interestingly enough, even Kentucky Derby winners aren't safe from slaughter. With the 2002 slaying of 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand at a Japanese slaughterhouse, the horse racing industry has proven time and time again it does not even value it's most prize assets.

Thusly, even well bred but only "medium" caliber racehorses, such as those bought and sold at the Keeneland Auction for an average of $100K, may not ever win, even at a small racetrack. With the hopes of "cleaning up" at the ghetto tracks, these "Kentucky" bred horses still are without value unless the winnings come in early and frequently.

The main purpose today's "modern" Thoroughbred is to honor the owner with the distinction of owning a racehorse.

Luckily, there is a good chance a Kentucky bred Thoroughbred horse could posses some very nice athletic attributes that could result in a nice hunter/jumper, dressage, or eventing home. Still, the original breeders, owners, and trainers of racehorses are generally unconcerned with where the horses end up. The racing industry wipes their hands clean of losers without regard for the welfare of the horses. Slaughter, new career, loving home - who cares! Whatever gets them off the training and boarding bill, its fine by the racehorse owner.

As an American horse community, we need to start looking at a way to fund "unwanted" horses that are considered "garbage" with either euthanasia, or when applicable, retraining programs. Or more importantly, let's limit racehorse breeding to owners and trainers who only commit their funds to providing for a horse throughout the duration of its life, regardless of its winnings. If the racing community had to fork over money for the lifetime care of its horses, the unwanted horse population would dry up.

The horse industry needs a plan, a good plan, to help lower unwanted horse numbers. Stopping horse slaughter is only going to be beneficial once we stop having too many horses. In order to stop horse slaughter, the Humane Society of the United States should do one of two things:

1.) Provide the shelters and means necessary to retrain or humanely euthanize unwanted, unadaptable horses
2.) Take giant steps forward to limit the breeding of all horses, not just racing Thoroughbreds

In addition, the HSUS should go after the racing community for some money to start covering the humane destruction or lifetime care of the horses it produces. Now that the Kentucky Derby is underway, why don't some of these trainers, owners, breeders, and jockeys making BIG money in horse racing industry give some money back, to the horses themselves?

If the racing community had to fork over money for the lifetime care of its horses, the unwanted horse population would dry up.

Let's stop breeding low quality Thoroughbreds, shut down the seedy racetracks, and start a rehab and retraining humane society that can help with these unwanted horses either through re-homing (realistically), or humane euthanasia.

And frankly, lets stop breeding low quality horses of any kind. The Thoroughbred racing industry is not solely to blame for horse slaughter or unwanted horses altogether. However, Thoroughbred horse racing is the highest grossing and highest profile entity of the horse world. For naysayers of horse slaughter, Thoroughbred racing is an easy target because of its money, power, and fan base, but there is no better time than to call out an institution on it's dirty little secrets than when shone national media spotlight (rest assured, if Premarin horses ended up with global coverage on the Oxygen network, we'd be all over that too).

Please, lets organize a cause with a better, more logical, long-term answer for unwanted horses than taking on American horse slaughter. Though the last three horse slaughter plants were shut down in 2007, bottom of the market horse welfare has not increased. Once we gain control over the source of the unwanted horses, only then will we produce effective measures against combating horse slaughter.

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Horse Breeding: Horse Breeders - How to Promote Your Business on the Internet

Horse Breeding

The horse breeding industry is highly competitive. Breeders need to be not only the best at what they do, but also first at successfully marketing themselves to potential buyers. And though the number of horse buyers is growing moderately, the customer base isn't massive, so you need to be on top of all facets of your advertising marketing - especially online.

Advertising online is probably the best way of making contact with potential horse buyers, competitors and enthusiasts in a fast, easy and convenient way. A few clicks of your mouse could put you in contact with all the right people, post videos of your horses online, scan your race or division awards, and even get your horses listed on popular online horse auctions.

In fact, online advertising is becoming more popular than any other means of advertising. Because your customer base is so specialized, they're likely to be searching for you online, so why aren't you there? Keep reading to learn where you need to be in order to build your horse breeding brand online today.

Online Profiles

With the accessibility of the Internet today, buyers are turning to the Internet to browse for potential horses or parents. Websites like FindAPetOnline.com or Horsecity.com give you a chance to advertise your horses, post a profile advertising your breeding business, throw up video of your horses in action and, of course, interact directly with potential customers.

Having your own space on established websites dedicated to breeding horses not only gives you an instant web presence, but does so in a "neighborhood" that's horse specific.

Online Classifieds

Advertising through online classifieds, either on a pet-specific site like Find a Pet Online or more generic classifieds' sites are a great way for you to tell people about your horses. Buyers usually check the classifieds when looking for particular horse breeds, so be specific in your listings and always includes lots of photos along with a link to your online profile.

Basically, when it comes to online advertising, the more information the better. Include tidbits like the horse's name, registration data, parentage, description of the horse's habits, health, personality, shows participated in and prizes won if applicable, and the price of the horse. Finally, remember to include all your contact information.

Community Review Sites

Community reviews and online rating systems are becoming increasingly popular. Community reviews help you to attract more customers, particularly if a satisfied buyer leaves good reviews about you. Prospective buyers will look at your ratings and good feedback as a signal that you are an honest and commendable horse breeder.

Social Networking

The potential customers available through the Internet are seemingly limitless. Signing up in the social networking websites is one of the easiest ways to get your horses advertised online as well as get linked up with other industry professionals and critical contacts. While sites like Facebook or MySpace offer a more casual networking environment, sites like LinkedIn are targeted specifically towards professional and business networking.

Advertising online will give your horse breeding business that extra push - opening you up to a literal global marketplace. Remember, online advertising gives you the ability to expand your base of suppliers and customers not only within your locality, but all over the world.

CS Swarens is the president of Find a Pet Online. 800 998-7065

For additional information on dogs, cats, birds, horses, and exotic pets visit the internet's pet resource including pet classifieds at http://www.findapetonline.com

Research over 430 pet breed profiles http://www.findapetonline.com/breeds.html

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Horse Breeding: Horse Racing Luck Starts in the Breeding Shed and on the Farm

Horse Breeding

For many horse racing fans and handicappers the world of thoroughbred breeding is a murky land of wealthy owners, eccentric breeders, and great sires and dams. Most of the information about this starting point of horse racing comes from the short articles in the form and newsletters they receive or the tear jerking human interest stories we get once a year from the major networks who carry the Triple Crown races.

The truth of the matter is that horse breeding and racing is a business and as such, it is done for profit. The people who control the business, or at least steer it, are the ones who pay big money for stud fees and who buy the weanlings and yearlings. While the horseplayers support the racing industry with their bets, wealthy owners support the industry with their fees. For many owners, race horse ownership is an expensive hobby that doesn't pay for itself. The money they spend every year helps the breeders to know how to plan their own breeding programs.

Sometimes the breeder makes a great move and spots a fantastic foal that he or she keeps for his or her own racing interests. But often the breeder will spot a standout foal and still let it go to auction. The reasoning is that the foal will boost the stallion's prestige and in turn his stud fees. It is good luck to have a foal go on to win a grade 1 race because that is the most prestigious mark of a great sire.

When Da'Tara won the Belmont, many people wondered if the breeders, WinStar Farm's Bill Casner and Ken Troutt, who had sold the colt for $100,000 regretted letting the grade 1 winner go. Of course it would have been fun to stand in the winner's circle at Belmont Park as the owners of the Tiznow colt that wired the field at 38-1, but the owners understand that breeding is a business and in order to promote Tiznow as a stallion, the foals must make it to the sales ring. That is good business for their farm and good for the industry.

While some people may think it unlucky that they also sold Da'Tara's dam before her offspring won the final leg of the Triple Crown, the owners philosophically point out that they also sold Funny Cide and he went on to win the Kentucky Derby. Selling horses is what they do and that is the thoroughbred breeding business. The luck isn't in whether or not you sell a great horse, its whether or not your stallions produce great horses for you to sell. As for the stallion Tiznow, it appears he is their lucky charm and he is still in their barn.

The most consistent horse racing systems have to have the basics and a handicapper must understand the basics. I have been around horse racing for 50 years including as an owner. Without the basics the rest is not going to do any good. If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/truecb.html and get the truth.

Bill Peterson is a former horse race owner and professional handicapper. He comes from a horse race handicapping family and as he puts it, "Horse Racing is in my blood." To see all Bill's horse racing material go to http://williewins.homestead.com/handicappingstore.html, Bill's handicapping store.

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