I've decided to retire from breeding.......

[Fred]

[QUOTE=Molly Malone;6433151]
I am honored to say that Clint has provided me with an endless sounding board and advice for the past 4 years. Being able to talk to someone who knows the financial and emotional cost of breeding has been something that I have treasured and for which I cannot express my gratitude.

I also have to give a shout out to Kathy St Martin who has never been to busy to answer my questions.[/QUOTE]

Nicely said MM. :yes:

It really does help to have someone who understands the financial and emotional cost of breeding, and who also respects and understands why you do it.

[eurofoal]

I walked through the portal 2 years ago

Well, I can understand the pain and disappointment of making such a change. Ladies, horses are our lifestyle, and the change is difficult.

I built my life around my breeding farm… 25 years ago I moved from Newport Beach,CA to remote country acreage, and became a true country girl! I married my hay man (that was 20 years ago) and loved the life style, the horses, and yes, even the work and the smell! It’s truly a labor of love.

I NEARLY quit breeding after the “summer of death” in 2001-- but, instead, refocused on frozen semen and jumped in again for another decade. I juggled my family and work with my passion for breeding. We breeders, like most farmers, are a tenacious bunch that just keep on keeping on.

But, one more promising foal met a horrific demise (broke a leg in the night); and a couple more promising young riding horses were sold at a huge financial loss; and I hung up my breeding shingle for good. That was 2 years ago (yes, that’s why you don’t see me posting in the forums anymore).

But, there is light at the end of the tunnel!!! As sad as I was to feel that I was throwing in the towel, I am enjoying the changes: I have two FEI horses that I actually RIDE! I ride them everyday and they don’t even buck me off!!! I have more free time-- like 4 hours a day more. I have TONS more money (did I really spend THAT much every month on horses for decades without blinking an eye???) and no longer feel like I’m robbing my kids college money for my horse habit. I’m not on the emotional roller coaster of begging buyers to see the strong points of wonderful and under priced horses. I’m not perpetually looking for someone to hire/ride/etc all the horses that I need help with. I can finish my horse chores in about 10 minutes! A load of hay lasts a long long time!

So, like you folks, I’m not sorry for the choices I made many moons ago, but I am really enjoying the shift that my life has taken with so much less horsey responsibility.

I also want to say that many of you, Sonesta, Down Yonder, Home Again, Yankee Lawyer, Misita, Can’t Rem… Oakstable, Marydell, Velvet, Fred, EquineReproduction, and many other Cothers… have been wonderful support for me over many years. Thank you!

[Fred]

Thank you for sharing that eurofoal. I’m glad to hear that the transition worked out well for you.

I think the writing has been on the wall for me for some time now, I have just been unwilling/unable to read it.

[camohn]

So sorry to see a number of the established breeders planning their exits. The economy the past few years can’t have helped for sure. I have not bred any of my mares on purpose in 3 years…did have 2 foals last year from when the mares broke their pasture gate in 2010 and Mr. Studly had some fun. In the past year I have sold most of my “collected stock” from the years they were not selling and am down to 2 horses for sale now with recent inquiries picking up on them too…so I am looking at breeding mares in 2013 for the first time in quite a while. I am in my 40’s so hopefully have a few years left yet…but already have a number of bum joints from years of accidents…some equine realted and some not. Some things like the broken ankles were just from stupid things like falling on an icy driveway.

[magicteetango]

As someone who has just started breeding, I would really love a mentor. I always worry I am pestering breeders with my questions, but I always want to know everything. I just bred my mare Casey Darling to Concerto Gross and cannot wait to check for a black dot on the 20th. My plans were four years in the making, and I cannot wait to see it come to fruition.

However, my goal is to be a small breeder of very high quality specializing in event horses. I know it is a tough market, but a niche one as well. I feel I already have that one great mare to start with, and I have another in the wings potentially. I would love a more experienced breeder to bounce ideas off of, and get advice from. I hope all the retired breeders stay active in their communities, and hope there are more of us starting out with high quality horses to follow in their foot steps.

PS… anyone who WANTS to be a sounding board, please PM! I really would love that, all the research in the world only gets you so far IMO.