Hobby

In the world of horses, breeding is an important issue, and for both show horses and racehorses, the buyer often requests documentation of a horse’s lineage. A breeder needs to know what is acceptable and unacceptable in regards to the breeding of various types and breeds of horses. What are the various rules and expectations regarding horse breeding?

There are several traits you should look for prior to choosing to breed a horse. You should make sure the horses you choose to breed have large feet to be sound and weight-bearing. The front legs should be straight, and a powerful forward movement of the horse should be observed. Don’t breed a horse that tends to walk at an angle.

In the parent stallion, you want a sense of dominance and a clean record of producing offspring that are sound in mind and body, competitive, and easily trained. However, if the record is not whistle clean, or if the stallion is not the best looking of the bunch, you should not necessarily rule him out. In fact, one of these suspects may have strengths that can overwrite any weaknesses that your mare may have.

While you should perhaps narrow down the field of choice based on advertisements, you should never actually pick the stallion to breed based on a photograph and description. Always examine the beast first hand, and pictures can sometimes be deceiving. Also, don’t follow the human rule of “opposites attract”. If you choose a mare with one extreme disposition and a stallion that has an exact opposite personality in hopes of having an offspring that is a happy medium, you will be sorely disappointed.

Always start by working with a reputable breeder, as they have several viable options and can provide you with all the information you require in order to make an informed, well balanced decision.