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RE: [RC] [RC] Paso/Arab or Arab Mule - Mel CopelandKat Said:_I_ wouldn't be looking for a famous fino horse, and I would probably steer clear of the son of a famous fino horse as well (since "fino-ness" is very heritable). Yes..fino-ness is very inheritable, when bred with a fino mare. If you really want fino you breed fino with fino. Many of the top fino stallions have produced pleasure gaited pasos. I highly doubt that a big strided arab mare would produce a fino foal. The mare I was considering using is a largo horse not a fino horse. There are horses that are *faster* at a largo, but most all paso fino horses are capable of the gait. Show fino horses are usually only allowed to fino, as the trainers are afraid that other speeds will mess up the gait. FIno and Performance horses can largo-I own a performance mare with a kick@$$ largo but she can collect up and mince her steps when she is asked. This would NOT be the way I would describe a good endurance horse. I think there could be plenty to like about a Paso/Arab cross for endurance, but only if you were to avoid the "fino" aspect of Paso Fino. So if this stallion was bred to be fino and/or has shown successfully as a fino horse, it isn't one that I would choose for such an experiment Actually a fino/performance horse would be exactly the horse to choose for this cross-if you are shooting for an endurance type of horse. Why???? Because it takes alot of stamina and cardiovascular fitness for a horse to fino. It is very taxing and these horses have to be able to keep up this extaordinarily fast gait for long periods of time. I would venture that these fino type horses have some amazing cardiovascular systems.
If I leased a paso mare, I would find one with the strongest gaiting abilities. I would not be so worried about gait modality as I would be strength and consistency of gait. If I wanted to be a totally irresponsible backyard breeder I could breed my 2 year old filly that is gaited to the hilt and had great foundation bloodlines...but then, I am not an irresponsible backyard breeder. I won this breeding-never won anything before, the stallion is very nice and I plan to use it for a result that I want. ....I would give it away to somebody else who was really in to that. Because what is most likely to come out of such a breeding is a show Paso Fino foal (the raising and training etc of which is going to cost you waaaaaaaay more than the amount of any stud fee that you might have been saving up, the stud fee is peanuts compared the the rest of the cost of producing a riding horse by breeding it yourself). Cost is not an object for me to produce what I want in a horse. I am into horses because because I enjoy them. It is my hobby, not my livelyhood. I like raising my own horses because I know what they have been exposed to, habits, and I know that their whole history. Horses that I have gotten from other people have always come with baggage. In my mind raising my own horses will cause less baggage and if they do have any it is my fault. My best trail horse ever was also a fino show horse. He won many fino classes and was a high point horse. He had a great corto and could largo. He preffered to canter and had the most wonderful rocking horse canter I have ever ridden. I am not breeding for show horses, but show horses and their bloodlines can be great trail mounts. The performance mare I have now was a regional high point show horse. She is great on the trails and is a good teacher for my younger horses.
I never intended to breed a paso mule myself, I was just curious about that cross and how folks felt about them. what to do with your "free" breeding (the most economically prudent thing would be to throw it away:)) and b) what stallion--or jack--to breed your mare to, if any (the most economically prudent thing would be to spend your saved up money on a saddle :)). Very good advice and I thought abut going that route. My gut told me to take advantage of this breeding and try this cross. I trust my gut feeling. The questions you have asked so far suggest that you really haven't determined your reasons for breeding other than "I have a mare" and now "I have a free breeding to a stallion." Neither of these is good reasons to breed a foal that is going to grow up to be a horse that will need to be taken care of for a lifetime. No-that is not the case. If I was breeding because "I have a mare" and now "I have a free breeding to a stallion" Lady would have had many babies. I have had this mare for 7 years. She has only had one foal, that was last year and he was carefully planned. My original intent with breeding her next year was to get a "replacement" that would be by the best stallion for her. I had chosen AM Ben Dream. My reasoning for that was mostly because everyone carries on about how nicely bred she is, what great substance she has and that her bloodlines and type need to be perpetuated. Well, I like Arabs fine but I personally would not really be sure what to do with a foal that I have so much money initally invested in. It probably would need to show and do all of the things that I do not enjoy. I need to breed for a horse that I will enjoy. Lady produced a very nice purebred baby and I think that she will produce an excellent crossbred baby. If something happens and I can't keep this baby-I will put it down so that I will not be contributing to the unmarketable horse population. I take feral dogs and cats and have them put down. A horse that I could no longer keep could be treated in the same fashion. I like to ask questions and troll for feedback-the mule thing was purely curiousity and the paso cross is totally serious. I love gathering information. If your reason is, "I have always wanted to raise a baby horse." That is a perfectly good reason (and it's gonna cost you, since raising a horse from a baby is the most expensive horse you could ever own); however, in raising a baby horse, you need to be aware that it is only going to be a baby for a little while after which it will be a horse that needs a home I know the expense of raising my own horse, I have experienced the extremes of it with my Arabian colt. I have spent close to $6,000 dollars on him in vet bills and other expenses. If I had it to do over, I would have still bred Lady to have him. He is a special horse. I am very well aware that they do not stay babies and that is my favorite part. I love watching them grow and mature...analyzing their growth and teaching them new things when they are ready. I know that I am helping them to become sane adults. make sure that the baby you raise grows up to be a horse that SOMEBODY is going to be willing to take care Again, if I don't keep it-it will be put down. Yup-that is me-I guess you have gotten that picture by now :-)If your attitude is, "I am prepared to love it and care for it no matter how it turns out." So much the better, and you can breed whatever you feel like. Judging from most of the Paso Finos I have ridden... However, of all these, only one of them was a show performance/fino I disagree with you there-for the reasons I stated above-and I would like to add that a horse's background and training has a great deal to do with what type of trail horse it is. If you raise it and train it as a trail horse, chances are much better that it will be a good one. No matter what the breed. I think the right arab crossed with the right Paso Fino would make a fine endurance horse. Amen, and I hope to prove you right on this one. Regards, Mel _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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