Why is stallion searching so hard!

[Britt]

I’m tentatively on the hunt for the PERFECT stallion for a future breeding (by future, I mean several years in the future… at least 3+ years in the future).

I have a whole list, thanks to a friend, of potential stallions, and while I really, really like some of them, I just don’t know… My friend is wanting for us to find a stud together, so we can get a multiple mare breeding discount, but we have such different ‘ideals’ for our breed. We can agree, with ease, that certain studs are very, very nice, but she likes ‘type 1’ and I like ‘type 2’, etc…

Add to the fact that she is wanting color, conformation and personality first… I am wanting conformation, personality, then color would just be a bonus.

Our mares are even very different… Neither of us are wanting to breed right now, both of us are wanting to wait several years… her because she wants to show her mare and get her registered (Racking, possibly Walking), and me because my filly is too young yet, unbroke, and unproven in anything, and I want to see how she is undersaddle, with some sort of record, and have her registered (double reg. Racking and Walking) before breeding… but hey, we can dream and look at studs, right?

Her mare is cremello (she won’t consider breeding to something that isn’t homozygous for spots), big (15-2 hands, maybe) fairly thickset with a bit thicker neck that ties down lower (she’s said she wants a thinner, better neck), and big hip, which she wants to keep.

My girl is black (I’ll admit, I’d prefer a stud that isn’t black, bay or chestnut…), smaller (14-1 hands right now and growing, but she prolly won’t make it to 15 hands), slenderer built with a very nice neck, neckset and shoulder angle (though her throatlatch is a little thick), and a long croup and lowset tail (which I’d like to ‘fix’ with the right stud).

Her mare is trotty. My girl is pacey.

We have both agreed that the stud The Buck Starts Here is gorgeous… the only downside, he has no spots. I also love, love, love Causwood’s Go Go Boy, but she doesn’t… etc, etc…

We’ve about come to the conclusion that I’m All Jacked Up or Bandit’s Gold Allante is going to be our best bet, if we do decide to breed both our mares to the same stud in the future.

Why, oh why does stud shopping, even for a possible breeding in the far future, have to be so cotton-picking hard! Prolly by the time comes to breed, in the future, neither of us will even want to anymore, lol.

Sorry, just a rant, lol.

[JB]

Walk away from trying to find something that suits you both. The fact that she’s so eager to get a multi-mare discount is a red flag. Besides, I’m pretty sure that typically only refers to multiple mares owned by the same person. Maybe she assumes it would apply if it was a shipment to the same address? Maybe there are some out there like that.

I’d be careful with Bandit - he’s got fairly mismatched front feet.

I like I’m All Jacked Up a lot better. His topline is nicer, his foals are nicer. I’m seeing a lot frame-like markings, so if he’s not tested, make sure the mares are negative. If they aren’t, then make sure the stallion is.

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

Honestly, while it’s good to do your research you don’t even know if you will still be talking about the same horses in three years. I also agree with JB–I wouldn’t try to find a stud for those different types of mares and agree that multi-mare discounts are for the same owner.

You’re making it harder than it needs to be!

[TKR]

When your mares are mature and going under saddle, have someone knowledgeable about the breed evaluate them very honestly. Someone who doesn’t have a stallion season to sell you or a mare to sell to you – someone unbiased but knows the breed and ask him or her if your mare(s) are good breeding prospects. Not every mare is. If your mare is pacing and trotting - that could be a problem. This is not my breed, but I think it’s universally a good idea to do the above if you are new to breeding. They might also offer some stallion suggestions. Learn from what is said. The stud fee should not be in the forefront of your stallion considerations. Good luck!
Pennyg

[flyracing]

[QUOTE=TKR;8048109]
If your mare is pacing and trotting - that could be a problem. This is not my breed, but I think it’s universally a good idea to do the above if you are new to breeding. They might also offer some stallion suggestions. Learn from what is said. The stud fee should not be in the forefront of your stallion considerations. Good luck!
Pennyg[/QUOTE]

The mares are gaited, so pacing and trotting are not problems. The OP really needs to listen to your advice that saving 10 or so percent on the stud fee to settle on a stallion is not looking at the big picture. Two totally different mares should not have the same stud. They need a complementary stud of similar type and predictable results for the best chance at a nice foal.

[KateKat]

Def don’t try and do the same stud with the only reason being your friend wants to try and get a multiple mare discount! That sounds like a bad idea all around.

Honestly, there are so many studs out there. So many. Find something you like that fits with your mare and go from there. In my dealings with most stallion owners, they’ve been great and oftentimes when you book early, they do offer some discounts.