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Re: [RC] [RC] Backyard breeders - Kristene Smuts

OK, I too didn't want to jump into this, but nobody has mentioned the one 
reason why *I've* decided to "hobby breed".  Cost.  The rate our good stock is 
being bought by the Arabs, I certainly cannot afford the going prices for a 
good endurance horse in a few year's time.  If we ignore the exchange rate 
(you'd fall over backwards if you did do the conversion!) - we work on a one to 
one rate - then we're looking at having to pay in the region of about 100 000 
for a going horse.  Halve that for an up-and-coming youngster.  So, I thought 
long a hard about breeding for myself and lucked into a very good cross-bred 
mare and am leasing an almost pure Crabbet from Cindy.  The PLAN is, to sell 
the cross breed baby and keep the Crabbet, as the foal would be about 95% or 
more Crabbet - my stallion is 78%.  But that is the plan, and we all know how 
those can change!

I know that a home-bred baby isn't free or even cheap, but it certainly 
wouldn't cost what a total stranger would cost - bearing in mind the recent 
discussion about nutrition for the babies as well!  I did take into account the 
faults of my stallion - loose coupled, long legs - but his good points far 
outweigh those two faults.  He has clean, straight legs, good hooves (my 
farrier keeps saying that he wishes more horses would have hooves like him), 
short back, excellent temperament, huge barrel, very low pulses, takes care of 
himself, breeds big (Egyptian influence) (amongst other things).

So, if all the stars aligned properly at conception, I would have two good 
quality foals by the end of this year.  In the mean time, I have a 27 month old 
colt and a 15 month old colt (both from excellent endurance lines with some 
showing thrown in for good measure) - all of which should see me through for 
the next 20 years!

Just another reason for some people to breed their own future prospects.

Kristene


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