If you are, have you chosen stallion(s) or do you have a list? Are there any new stallions to have a look at?
Most of us are pretty superstitious and wouldn’t dream of revealing planned matings until we have a heartbeat!
I have 2 of the mares planned for (although one of those is an ET mare that we’ll try for a few different breedings so only definitive on the 1st stallion for her). Still working on the others. I tell myself I’ll have them set by Jan 1st but it’s always subject to change 
I’ve booked one mare to get an early breeding discount, but it’s to a stallion I’ve wanted to use on this particular mare for some time. I’ve also chosen another, but haven’t yet booked as I’m not certain if I’ll do 2 this year or not. It’s an early Christmas present to ME!
I booked my mare’s 2021 “date” back in June, so I’m more than happy to share. Lol. Now, I’m breeding Arabian working western horses, so my goals are a bit different than most here…
SAS Arielle (Al Marah Horatio x AM Daphne Ho by AM Fond Friar):
Will be bred to Major Mac V after her Half Arab (by the same AQHA sire as my phenomenal 2018 palomino filly) is born.
If I were breeding, I’d consider Cleveland Bay stallions FrostyOak Malachi and Arena Maestro. FOM has most of the Clevelands I like in his pedigree; he’s done dressage and supposed to start eventing. Arena Maestro just looks NICE-> https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5881189dd1758e236d92a182/1521639654261-NMUA373NIWXOOA582T14/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kI_7XQOk9tMUWuFwWGs2f0NZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZamWLI2zvYWH8K3-s_4yszcp2ryTI0HqTOaaUohrI8PI7FWZkBp30zEvdaJ_kWl8bRCff7R57Q4wqEqWSkNMUj4KMshLAGzx4R3EDFOm1kBS/Maestrohowco1.jpg?format=750w
Hope the link works, first try on the new board.
I am going to try to breed my AQHA palomino mare to a GP dressage Hanoverian stallion in the spring. Not naming names yet. She has a dream temperament, is a great mover and jumper, and has had a baby before, 75% chance of color (homozygous bay stallion).
Subsequent plan is to use her for an ET for my premium KWPN mare once she has had her own foal, maybe, depending on how this foal goes. I am not very superstitious because so much can go wrong with any horse any day, not even sure they can be jinxed. I love raising foals and developing them. I sold all but these 2 mares this last year, so I am ready to have something in the pipeline.
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How is your filly?"I remember she had arthritis?
The stallion you have chosen has an interesting pedigree. Do you know why the stallion owner said that he will never be shown? I can’t find any information on the website that explains why the stallion has no, and will “never” have a performance record. Is he not sound?
My filly is doing great. Thank you for asking! She’s actually scheduled to start her formal under saddle training on Saturday. The ProStride injections made a huge difference; I’ll be curious to see what her follow-up x-rays look like this summer.
Major Mac V is sound and being used under saddle - he works cattle on the ranch, does public performances (in non-COVID times), and is ridden out in the hills around the Varian ranch. I don’t know why the decision not to show him under saddle was made. I’d guess it has something to do with his very heavy breeding schedule, but that is just a guess. Sheila Varian was a much more accomplished and astute horsewoman and breeder than I could ever hope to be, so I’m going to trust her judgement on this decision.
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I hope your filly will overcome her hock issues. It’s good to hear that her prognosis is better than you previously thought. Didn’t you say that her sire had issues that weren’t disclosed to you or am I confusing your filly with someone else’s?
I’m not sure that I would be as trusting as you are regarding a breeding stallion with no performance record and with his owners saying that he will not have one, but I’m sure the Arabian world has changed since the many decades that have passed since I’ve worked and learned from a very well respected breeder.
Performance was an expectation for breeding stallions among most breeders back then.
Good luck, he is a pretty horse.
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No, my filly’s sire does not have any hock issues (of which I’m aware). Her older full brother is coming 10 and has an extensive show record, including - at last count - over 15 Regional Top 5 or better awards. Her older (maternal) half brother has also been in full-time training with no issues. After extensive research and conversations with lameness specialist vets, the current hypothesis is that her condition is the result of a combination of medications the mare was on during late gestation following a horrific injury (you can sort of see her scar in the photo I posted), confinement as a foal/weanling (she was born and raised in Arizona), and whatever illness it was that made her terrifying ill as a weanling. Or just plain old bad luck, which would be nothing new in my life.
I’m not sure why you’re choosing to be so disparaging regarding Major Mac V. The horse DOES have a performance history, just not in the show ring. And it’s not like his breeder was some unknown, uneducated person - he was bred and raised by one of THE most respected breeders (of any breed/discipline) in the world. Every single broodmare and stallion at Varian is ridden, even though few of them are shown under saddle. How many warmblood programs can say the same?
And performance has not been an expectation for “most” Arabian breeders for decades. Wasn’t it 20+ years ago that the requirement that horses shown in the senior mare & stallion halter classes at US Nationals had to have a (minimal) show or endurance record? Which is why, in breeding for performance horses, I am choosing to use programs with a strong history of performance horses. I’m putting a Varian stallion over an Al Marah mare, for crying out loud! It’s hard to get much more performance-oriented than that.
OP, sorry your thread got sidetracked. 
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Yes, tentative plan - subject to change as I do want to get a couple of A shows done before she has a foal, so if COVID screws up my plans again in 2021 (fingers & toes crossed) then I might push this back to 2022… really hoping not, but - anyways, my young mare will hopefully be bred to Finest, and my back-up if she doesn’t take with Finest is Rotspon. I have 1 dose of each. I am very excited, the foal will be exceptionally stunning!! 
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Beautiful mare! What is her pedigree and how did you decide on Finest (lovely stallion as well).
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@TKR Thank you - she is a registered Saddlebred, believe it or not.
I actually had my heart set on Furstenball, but originally when I went to inquire about buying a dose from my local broker (Rideauwood Farm Semen Imports), I was told Paul S had changed his requirements and I would have to buy minimum two doses… I decided to go with one of his approved sons instead, and I asked Doug (Rideauwood) which stallion son he would recommend as he was very familiar with several and their offspring, and he said Finest was easily his favorite.
I wanted homozygous black, tall and 3 solid gaits with an especially good canter. There’s not much I want to change with my mare except maybe a bit more jump in her canter and some height. That’s it. 
I’ve been back and fourth on 2021 breeding, and may end up just buying one in-utero.
Although I don’t really need another horse.
I plan to breed two. One is in foal now and I’m looking forward to seeing what she produces (maiden Hanoverian by Widmark). I have not yet decided upon a match for her.
I have a coming 5yo homebred by Bliss who is lightly started but needs a bit more time to grow up. I’m seriously thinking of breeding her to Checkmate. I’ve had a serious crush on this stallion for a while now and the offspring I’ve met have been lovely.
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