[quote]I know quite a few breeders who have done the same - retained daughters from valuable mares over years. That is a traditional way to approach breeding.
Yes yes yes.
the best choice was to sell her to another breeder and keep the filly
This issue of selling mares has taken on a life of its own. There is no shame in selling a mare! (I probably shouldn’t single out this quote but it seems like people are feeling as if they should be apologetic or owe us an explanation for selling a mare, and that’s craziness, the whole idea that selling a mare is bad or requires an explanation is craziness.)
proven broodmares who are sold, because a breeder has a replacement filly or has changed breeding directions, can often make quite nice, affordable “starter mares” for the newbie breeder.
Yes.
Of course, I also see the value in culling a mare from a program and using her daughter(s) or siblings (os something else entirely) if that is the best move. One thing we haven’t talked about here is culling. I know Bayhawk is frustrated with the lack of history we have about our marelines in this country, but I think I see even more people who view their mares with rose-colored glasses (not directed towards present company). I would be interested in hearing everyone’s perspective on culling as well (beyone the obvious answers)–but perhaps that is a spin off thread?
This. I’d also add, culling is often misunderstood, there are people who assume culls are throwaways. One person’s cull may be the nicest mare in another person’s broodmare band! A nice mare is a nice mare, her quality doesn’t change because she is sold (or culled.)
Your statement about rose colored glasses also bears repeating. In some ways I’d be more skeptical of a breeder who never sells a mare, than a breeder who admits to selling some mares in order to keep other nicer ones.
Again, I can’t emphasize enough, this idea that “selling mare is bad” or “any mare you’d sell isn’t worthy of breeding” is nonsense. To play the devil’s advocate, you could turn the whole concept around and say that breeders who never sell a mare are barn blind hoarders. (Of course we know this is also nonsense, but seeing it in print helps to make the point of how absurd it is to make sweeping assessments either way based on how many mares a breeder keeps or sells!)
Some can only keep one daughter, some keep more. Numbers don’t spell success or failure. Most breeders in Germany only own a few mares - usually less than 4 if I am remembering right. What matters is intelligently assessing each and every breeding decision and applying what one learns to the next.
Yes.
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I think this summarizes things nicely.
