i am wondering when to breed a mare. from the price of horses its nor worth it but if you have a good cow horse and breed her to another good cow horse does it make for a better foal? i thought would be maybe. i lucked upon a real good mare and was wondering if being a good cow horse can be passed down from genetics? any experience with this ?
when to breed
- Thread starter jvicars
- Start date
ETF
Well-known member
I think there is definitely a genetic component, but certainly no guarantee. If you are going to breed look to the foundation Quarter Horses - King, Doc Bar, Two Eyed Jack, etc. - in both the mare and stallion. One of the recent editions of Western Horseman had a list of the top 10 sires of working ranch horses if you want a better list. The other plus is that you can imprint, train, and handle them as they grow up. You never quite know what you're getting when you buy a horse from someone else.
With that said, now is not a good time to be breeding horses. The market out west has collapsed. It's not so bad in Florida right now, but I expect it to get worse. We are in the process of downsizing now.
With that said, now is not a good time to be breeding horses. The market out west has collapsed. It's not so bad in Florida right now, but I expect it to get worse. We are in the process of downsizing now.
pdfangus
Well-known member
Well I am not suprised.
I am getting more sale flyers for horse sales now than I am getting for cattle sales.
I am getting more sale flyers for horse sales now than I am getting for cattle sales.
Wild Cattle
Well-known member
Breed her in the spring, when you grass greens up, and she comes into heat.
Yes genitics are very important in cow horses. If they are not born with cow you can't add it latter.
You can buy a very well breed colt way cheeper than you can raise one, that way you get to buy the conformation that you want, and are not just stuck with what you get.
If you breed your mare this spring it will be 3 years before you will be using the foal. If you buy a nice long yearling now when they are cheep, you will be riding by this fall.
Paul T
Yes genitics are very important in cow horses. If they are not born with cow you can't add it latter.
You can buy a very well breed colt way cheeper than you can raise one, that way you get to buy the conformation that you want, and are not just stuck with what you get.
If you breed your mare this spring it will be 3 years before you will be using the foal. If you buy a nice long yearling now when they are cheep, you will be riding by this fall.
Paul T
