Looking for draft (or draft cross) stallion recommendations for a TB mare. The goal for the resulting foal would be an easy going 2nd field type of horse. The mare is that type herself — just looking to add a bit more height and width to her for my husband. Alternatively, anyone know a good draft cross breeder that I could buy from?
I recommend talking to the staff and members of your hunt to see who has something for sale or lease. Breeding your own would mean your mare being out of action for some months and then a long wait for the foal to be old enough to ride and then hunt, IF the foal turns out to have the best qualities of both sire and dam!
Good luck – hunting with your husband sounds like fun!
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I can direct you to some wonderful Cleveland Bay stallions ( I have a gorgeous 6yo half tb half CB who is amazingly talented and his 3/4 sister yearling who is going to be just as delightful.
I can also direct you to some very quality Registered Irish Draught stallions who give equally nice halfbreds of a slightly different type. My suckling filly is 1/2 RID 1/2 tb and I think she’ll be the most scopey.
Email or PM me and I’ll send photos so you can see the different phenotypes.
Breeding is fun! But buying is easier … 😊
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The mare is mostly retired now and has been producing warmblood foals for me. They have her fabulous temperament… I figure if he lets me have this farm and way too many horses for myself, the least I can do is give him the foal he wants.
Hunter’s Rest - I’ll PM you
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Of course, it is easier and cheaper to buy a foal on the ground for all the obvious reasons such as you know what you are buying because you can see it, but at a breeder of foals yourself, you know there is nothing like having a new baby and raising your own homebred - (despite the risks) especially if your mare is known to reproduce her wonderful mind.
The term Draft is pretty wide sweeping, are you thinking of something that’s really heavy, like the Clydesdale build or the Percheron type, or are you looking more at the heavier set breeds like the Irish Draft that are bred more for riding than plowing a field?
How a draught, not a draft? You can get the height and good bone from a stallion that is still, himself, athletic enough to run and jump. I have a full RID (Registered Irish Draught) colt by Bridon Beal Street and he has scope, athleticism and personality for days. I’ll try to figure out how to post a photo of him. He’s 2 now and I’m really enjoying bringing him up. He was 16hh in his 2nd birthday and his dam is only 16.2hh so it looks like Liam throws his height pretty well. The rub is that he’s now deceased so there’s only frozen available. Here’s a link to his page. Just look at that handsome boy!! https://www.lonetreefarm.net/breeding
I’d posted photos of him before if you want to look. I’m in New Mexico, so the background isn’t pretty but that’s just what it looks like here.
I’m breeding to a TB mare and hoping to create a riding horse, not a plow horse. I’m open to anything; just looking for recommendations on sires, not breeds
Just alternate spellings of the same word. “Draught” is the English spelling and “draft” is the American spelling.
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That was supposed to say “how about a Draught”, but evidently I cannot proof read while on mobile. 🙃
It helps to know what type of horse you hope to produce so breed of sire or at least a rough idea does matter because it’s going to effect the end result
If you were wanting a taller, heavier horse and didn’t mind risking big feet and a plainer head then I’ve seen some useful results from things like Clydesdales and Percheron. If you want a horse that’s just got a bit more substance than the TB then you’d be wanting members to look at the Irish Draught (strictly speaking it should be that spelling not ‘Draft’ for that breed!) or a Cleveland Bay. If height and extra weight carrying ability isn’t important then the Welsh D gives a lovely cross with a TB for a great hunting horse
Around here Percheron crosses are the most popular for hunting. Good engines but calm temperaments (although I have one who can be very reactive, but that was probably a nurture vs a nature issue!).
You might want to go for a second generation sire-that is so the foal is 25 percent 'heavy"-- more than that might be too heavy-- plus they can be really hard on paddock fences!
I knew a Percheron cross that was also very reactive and it was explained it came from the “war horse” --knight’s mount --above airs -kick out–bred into them from long ago-- not sure how accurate it was but sure sounds romantic!
I answered on your other thread, but I think Hunter’s Rest will have some good suggestions for you. As much as I like draft crosses, I think you will have better luck finding shipped semen from a stallion with a known performance and production record. For example, I know a couple nice draft stallions near me that produce nice riding horses, but none of them will collect and ship semen, they do live cover only. If you go with a Irish Draught, you will be able to get semen no prob. Alternatively, if you are looking for a breeder, I’d recommend looking at some of the farms in Canada. For example, Twin Valley Ranch often has some really nice young stock for sale, their youngsters always look to be of a very nice sport type.
Percherons are known for being the hottest draft breed. comes with athleticism, but maybe not what your husband wants.
Honestly, I would recommend you doing another lovely WB cross, then selling the foal and buying your DH the horse he wants with the money. temperament is so fickle from generation to generation.
I love the draft cross of PerchxTB. I had a fantastic hunting/eventing mare who was 3/4 TB and 1/4 Perch. I eventually bred her to a Trakehner, getting a 1/8 Perch and 7/8 mixture. Then I bred that mare to a TB and I have a 1/16 Perch and 15/16 mix. Breeding is fun and interesting. The original mare came from the Gettysburg area. I wish I knew exactly where.
