I have a really amazing BLM mare – brilliant and calm
and well put together except a little on the short
side.I like short, but she’s
got proportionally short legs. I bred her to a very nice endurance
arab (with long legs of course!) and we now have a 9
month old colt.I wanted a filly,
but you know how that goes.
Anyhow, he is a very nice looking colt. He got the length of leg from his dad,
and bone size and calm demeanor from his mom.
Now, the problem is that I have 5 mares and this colt. When do I need to start worrying about studdy behavior?At least 2 of the mares cycled all winter and I know he hasn’t
paid any attention so far. I do
have plans to cross fence, but that is still going to be difficult since I don’t
have anyone to put with him and I don’t want to segregate him in a
run.I have 2 mares that will be
bred in July and after they come home, they would be able to be with him, but by
then he will be 13-14 months old.
I haven’t totally decided to geld him and I think if I
do geld him that I would want to wait until he is about 18 months.
So the 2 things I am asking for opinions on are 1) what is
typical (understanding they all vary) for a colt to discover girls and 2) what
are the chances of anyone wanting to breed their mare to a half arab/half
mustang stallion. This does assume
2 things – that his demeanor is always tractable and that I find no
significant conformation flaws.
So far what I am seeing in his development is that he will
have big strong legs, a powerful rear end (not as big as his mom’s
though!), a very nice arab head and really exceptional
behavior. If there is just no logic
to anyone breeding to him (other than myself as 2 of my
mares would potentially work well with him) then I won’t bother with the
issue and get him cut as soon as it becomes logical.The most important plan is that he is to
become my husband’s next endurance horse in a few years.
