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.