Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Sorry guys for the rudeness, have been a bit snowed here.

> > Lynn : A part of why these folks get lots of breeding is that they use 
professional equine photographers to get those gorgeous "pin-up" 
images>>

A friend once sent me a picture of a "stunning" stallion.  I started picking 
the picture apart and then turned my attention to the actual horse.  When we 
were finished, the poor horse looked like a donkey!  I must admit though, those 
pictures are the ones who sell the horse, not his conformation, sadly.  It's 
amazing that every time I bring out my camera, all the horses have to come 
breathe into the lens - I get fish-eye photos of nostrils! ;-))

Beth, you made a good point of how much it would cost to promote a horse.  And 
that, unfortunately, is where a lot of good "no name" horses get lost.  As 
you've all guessed, my hypothetical stallion is real but it was fun to get your 
views.  My boy is certainly not perfect, but he has a high percentage of 
Crabbet in him and he throws tall horses - I saw one colt of his that he bred 
before I got him and his two colts now on the ground are of very good quality.  
One colt is from a Saddlebred mare (my own) and the other from a pure Crabbet 
mare (leased).  Sadly the latter died of African Horse Sickness so her 
wonderful genes will have to live on in her foal.

Now, I'd like to ask another question.  In your collective opinion, what is the 
best age to breed a colt / stallion?  I lean towards 6 years old, but I know 
that the breeding yards like to get those boys busy from as young as 2.  Any 
thoughts?

BTW, I once offered a covering to somebody I thought might actually LOOK at my 
boy, but all the person said was "his jowel is a bit small" (NOT)!  Perhaps she 
couldn't find anything else wrong with him ;-))  The cosmetic faults on him is 
a collapsed ear from ticks as a foal and he had a very bad fungal skin 
infection that left him with bare patches where the boils were, in addition he 
has some blemishes on his legs caused by wire (also before I got him).  He is 
so laid back that he looks like he couldn't rustle up enough energy to notice a 
mare at the best of times!  So, not a "pretty" sight by any means and hardly 
something to be considered when looking for a stunning stallion for your 
amazing offspring ;-))

Oh well, he's a darling and if he gets more whoopie, then I guess it would be a 
bonus!

Kristene
South Africa

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