Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

So - question on this.  Say a colt bred about 3-4 mares during his 2 year
old year - widely spaced.  He bred the same number the following year,
several multiple times as the mares had a hard time settling (doesn't
specifically seem to be him as my friends had many mares with trouble
settling from multiple sires).  Around November of his 3 year old year, he
went to Germany for a show and kicked a wall and broke something in his
foot.  He was casted and stalled for a long time (they took good care of
him).  Now he's 5.  The foot is healed, but when he starts breeding, he
collapses.  They are thinking a pinched nerve or something in his back.  So,
my question (finally <g>), could this back problem he's experiencing now
possibly tie in to the breeding he did at 2?  Maybe he strained something
back then?  Some of those mares were quite a bit taller than him and I heard
some stories of 5-6 of the barn guys grabbing his front legs and pulling him
into place and holding him on the mares. (sounded bizarre to me!)

Rae
Tall C Arabians - Central Region

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Paus" <paus@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Lif Strand" <lif@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Ridecamp" <ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, June 11, 2004 3:40 PM
Subject: Re: [RC] Breeding "No-Names"/Colt breeding age


> I was just at the vet clinic the other day having my
> stallion's semen collected for an AI breeding. As we
> were there, the vet got a call such as this. He
> recommended waiting for the same reason Lif
> mentions... it takes them awhile to reach full semen
> potential.
>
> I'd add another reason. It takes a strong back and
> legs for a stallion to do his job. A 2YO, no matter
> how big he is, still is a baby development wise. He
> has a lot of growing to do. His muscles, ligaments,
> tendons and bones still are immature. You could risk
> permanent injury asking a boy to do a man's job.
>
> That said, I haven't yet had a colt that I've wanted
> to keep a stud. They get gelded in their first year
> becuase, immature or not, pasture accidents do happen!
>
> chris
>
> ---
>
> > > Now, I'd like to ask another question.  In your
> > collective opinion, what
> > > is the best age to breed a colt / stallion?  I lean
> > towards 6 years old,
> > > but I know that the breeding yards like to get
> > those boys busy from as
> > > young as 2.  Any thoughts?
> > If someone is paying for a breeding to a two year
> > old, I hope there's a
> > live foal guarantee, because not all two year olds
> > have viable sperm.  I
> > wouldn't breed a stud till he was older.  Maybe a
> > limited breeding - one
> > mare, maybe two - at four.  But I've been Arabians
> > (Crabbet/Polish), and
> > they seem to get their full hormonal package later
> > than other breeds.  I
> > certainly wouldn't breed a stud very much till I
> > knew what he could
> > actually do.  Beauty is only skin deep, after all!
> >
> > That said, I do leave my colts over a year or 18
> > months with an experienced
> > older mare or two that I wouldn't mind getting a
> > foal or foals out
> > of.  Living with mares teaches a stud good manners
> > right from day one.  My
> > 6 year old stallion lives with a 31 year old mare.
> > He wouldn't dream of
> > saying boo to her unless she invited him to.  She
> > never does!  He's learned!
> >
> > ________________________________
> >     Lif Strand      fasterhorses.com
> >             Quemado NM USA
> ============================================================
> > If you treat an Arab like a Thoroughbred, it will
> > behave like a Quarter
> > horse.
> > ~  Libby Llop
> >
> > ridecamp.net information:
> > http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/
> ============================================================
>
>
> =====
> "A good horse makes short miles," George Eliot
>
> Chris and Star
>
> BayRab Acres
> http://pages.prodigy.net/paus
> ============================================================
> There is something really special about getting to ride all day, and all
> night on your horse. I know that a lot of people like to get finished, and
> get it over with. Yes, it is a lot of work. But, realize that each ride,
> especially a 100 is a really special gift and savor it for all it is
worth.
> ~  Karen Chaton
>
> ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/
>
> ============================================================

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When you ask a Quarter horse for something he says - Sure -  and when you
ask an Arab for something he says  - Why? - 
~  Heidi Smith

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