Getting "into" breeding: Who, when, why?

[anon55755751]

There are some very small (e.g. max 2 foals per year), but very reputable and well-respected (wb) breeders I know of, and I’m wondering, essentially, how people decide to commit to something like this, that requires a lot of knowledge and skill to do well, build a client base, and reputation for excellence in their breed and the disciplines they breed for. Passion, maybe, is the answer, but specifically, how does one decide to pull the trigger to go from “not a breeder” to setting up shop, sourcing quality broodmares, getting established in the breed community, etc?

Also, I would like to know if there is value added to the horse community by individuals getting into breeding at such a small scale, for possibly a niche market - like contributing to preservation of a rarer breed, like Lippizans or Akhal-Tekes. Assume said person would only breed at all if they knew they would be able to produce quality animals for sport - not talking international quality, but built for soundness and athleticism, good-minded and trainable, bred to improve on the mare, pointed towards performance homes, etc.

[ElementFarm]

So, I guess I’m kind of what you’re talking about… I consider myself more of a ‘hobby breeder’ than a capital B ‘breeder’. Not to be confused with backyard breeder, which has negative connotations, I think, regarding quality.

I wanted to breed for a few reasons: I grew up at a barn that bred welsh ponies, and I always loved working with the young ones. I also have expensive taste, and can’t afford a 4 or 5yo of the quality I want. So I always wanted to ‘make my own’ as it were, but while boarding, it just wasn’t financially logical. When we bought our forever farm, breeding became possible. I had 2x foals in 2016, 1x in 2017. I tried once for 2018, but the mare didn’t take, and then twice for 2019 but neither mare took. I’m expecting one next spring. And will breed that mare again, and perhaps one more. So between 0-2 foals/year.

I hate it when people breed a mediocre mare to a stallion-of-the-month. For me, I think the mare needs to be a proven competitor herself, and her bloodlines, conformation, temperament, and talent are all paramount. I was lucky that my two performance hunters already had those traits. So when I decided to breed, I already had quality, though maiden, broodmares available to me. Subsequent horse purchases have all been selected for those criteria, since now I know I want to keep doing this. --therefore, even if a new horse is young, green, etc, I’ve researched her bloodlines and evaluated her conformation and athleticism before purchasing her, with a specific eye towards being a broodmare after her performance career.

I guess I’m a commercial breeder ‘failure’ since I haven’t sold anyone yet. From my first crop, one had a very rough start, necessitating several weeks in the ICU and lots and lots of special care following. I don’t think we can ever sell her now. The other is the only foal from my amazing, retired AO heart-horse. Despite 4 years of trying, that colt is the only one we got. So he’s a keeper. The now 2017 colt will get started undersaddle the fall of his 3yo year, and then marketed. The one I’m expecting next year will likely be listed for sale as a foal/weanling. If it doesn’t sell, I’ll likely keep till it’s 4 and started, and market it then. Next spring I’m breeding one mare to a stallion I’ve loved for several years now, so that result, assuming all goes well, will be a keeper. Everything I’m breeding is something I’d want for myself (AO hunters, but ammie friendly and easy enough to start myself and keep at home) While that is theoretically something most buyers want, and therefore marketable, it also makes it harder to think about selling them. I also don’t have great connections, so I’m using stallions well known for get performing successfully at the upper levels. I know I need enough name-recognition to compensate for the fact that my farm has none.

So, I have a wonderful coach who is fairly well connected, and I’m hoping she’ll put the word out when one of mine comes on the market. The farms who stand the stallions I’ve used, all have a page for offspring for sale by clients, and I’ll use those too. The AHS (the registry my foals are registered with) has classifieds as well. I think today, ads need to be very professional looking to attract buyers, especially if you’re not a big-name-breeding farm. So to appeal to buyers, I’ll make sure my horses are professionally photographed, impeccably turned out, and shown at all three gaits at liberty, as well as demonstrate what level of training/handling they have, in their ads. Other than that, I don’t know what works best–I’ll have to see.

I would think a niche or rare breed might have more success, since buyers will be expecting to buy from far away, and there aren’t a lot of places where they can go that have lots of choices. I think ANY and EVERY foal should be registered, and not some sort of boutique crossbred, but an established breed, with known standards. Obviously, breeding for soundness and athleticism should be every breeder’s goal, prioritized over color or hair. Sadly, that’s not the case.

[exvet]

I was who you are referring to, at least I think so. I got in to welsh cobs a few decades ago. I had already had a stint as a reproductive veterinarian; and grew up on a dairy farm that also at one time hosted a few morgans for breeding. I had a background and a comfort level with the concept. For a myriad of reasons I fell in love with and became addicted to Welsh cobs. Because of limited finances it took me a long time of research, traveling, experimentation to be quite frank as well as blood, sweat and tears to establish my breeding program on a small scale. To add to that I backed, trained and campaigned mine with the help of my children to some degree. Quite frankly it was divorce that brought it all down crashing around me; but, I was able to keep one of my fourth generation for riding and showing. He’s 5 now and getting ready to show second level at a recognized dressage show in a couple of weeks. Passion is definitely what drove me. I took time and effort to meet and learn from several breeders I came to know and trust. My goal was to develop section D welsh cobs for sport. They had to be something that I wanted to compete and enjoy. I’m not a professional trainer or rider; but, I’ve got many years in the saddle as well a decent education. I didn’t produce the numbers some did but I believe what I put on the ground met my goals in every way. Would I do it again? In a heart beat if my life were in the right place.