Picking a gaited stallion

[4horses]

I have a lovely foxtrotter mare I’m considering breeding this spring. Does anyone have any recommendations on a nice gaited stallion in Florida or in the southeast U.S.? I’ve only found one foxtrotter stallion in the state.

I may consider cross breeding her to a spotted saddle horse or Kentucky Mountain horse. I don’t want to cross her to anything that paces and a good canter is a must. She has a wonderful canter and I would like to preserve that if possible.

I’ve also thought of crossing her with a gaited Morgan? But not sure what you could register the foal as? Conformation wise, I think that would be a good cross.

She’s a very sturdy horse- good bone, good legs, great feet. Her head is a little big and could use some refinement, her back is a little long, if I’m really being picky.

She tends to throw height so a smaller stallion is ideal.

I plan on keeping the foal. Even if something unforeseeable happens and I have to sell down the road, anything with a great temperament and training should not be hard to place in a good home.

[Montanas_Girl]

I was born and raised in Walking Horse country (southern middle TN). If I were you, I would stick with the Foxtrotter breed. When you start mixing gaited types, you run the risk of getting a mish-mash of multiple different ways of going, and that usually does not work out well, in my experience. The mechanics of a running walk (TWH/SSH) vs a rack vs a foxtrot vs other types of “non-trotting” gaits are different enough that mixing them is not a predictable breeding practice.

[tabula_rashah]

I agree with @Montanas_Girl , stick with a Foxtrotter esp because it has it own specific gait. And, as much as I like Morgans, I think you might end up with something pretty funky there

[4horses]

Yes, I was hoping someone had some stallion suggestions? But Foxtrotters aren’t that common around here, hence my search for a suitable stallion. I’m a bit worried about shipping semen across the country.

My mare can walk, trot, canter, foxtrot, and rack.

[Willesdon]

Frozen and chilled semen removes the need for stallions to be local to your mare.

[tabula_rashah]

Work with a vet who is knowledgeable about breeding/ AI. Do you have a Select Breeders Services near you? They are great to work with and will pretty much handle everything.

It’s hard to make actual stallion suggestions without confo photos and some video of your mare. For yourself maybe start with a list of your mare’s best traits and what traits did you want to improve on and then find stallions that fit the bill

[4horses]

Yes I understand that, but it is an additional expense and you can’t actually see the stallion if you are shipping from out of state. Then you are relying on videos. I feel like it’s better to actually see/meet the stallion, if possible. Not saying I won’t end up doing that, but I want to explore local options first, if there are any.

[goodhors]

Have you searched any of the Trail Riding sites or magazines? Breed magazines? Websites for Foxtrotters? I would believe you could find plenty of stallions advertised, perhaps in your area.

I would agree on NOT crossbreeding to other breeds. They don’t move like Foxtrotters, gaits could be a mess to get going, maintain in work. This is speaking from a Farrier’s point of view!! Good horses gait as foals, it is their heritage as a breed.

We have bred using excellent stallions, via AI. No local stallions of that quality near us. We evaluated the various stallions on their videos, too far to visit. Very satisfied with the resulting foals who grew up to be excellent horses!

Don’t settle for a lesser stallion when you can find better animals to use AI. If you are keeping the foal, you want the best possible quality to enjoy in the future. Extra insemination expense should be considered as part of getting the best horse horse possible.

[thoroughbred22]

I’m just chiming in late, because the OP mentioned Kentucky Mountain Saddle Horse stallions as possibilities.

I own a KMSH gelding who is the model citizen of his type (it’s a registry, not a true breed). He has a pure gait and a good gallop, canter, and amazing running walk. He’s my heart horse; I got him at his age 2, and he is now 19. His temperament is perfect. He is brave and calm on trail, and vets and farriers have liked him at every point of his life. I would not sell him for a mountain of rubies and diamonds.

That said: I would never, ever, use a KMSH as a desirable sire for a horse who could do anything competitively in the more sporty world. The fact that it’s a registry, and depends on videos of behavior to grant registration, means everything is a little bit more uncertain when it comes to the naming and papers.

My saintly horse would not be a talented jumper, is heavy boned and would not be a cute western dressage horse, is really born to pull a plow, or star in an episode of some western where the horses are crossing water with heavy packs, and a bear shows up.

Just, also, be aware of what breeds and registries mean, and how they differ.