Ed said (in part) "...Since, for a number of reasons mares are only rarely
spayed, I can see good reason to not sell a mare with papers if you feel she
should not be bred on."
I wonder if our standards for what is breedable should be based more on
what is a very good endurance mare as opposed to what would win in the halter
ring. I ride a registered Arab mare that probably would never place in a
halter class but she has so many good qualities as a riding horse that it is a
shame she may never reproduce. She has great legs, a great body, great
recoveries, and best of all, a great mind. Maybe someday if I ever start
riding another young mare I will try breeding this one - because she is so good
in so many ways.
As to registration papers, I have always felt they should go with the
horse. We were POA breeders for 30 plus years and we always helped new
owners of a registrable POA get their papers. I don't care how many
irresponsible owners were involved in the meantime, that horse does have a
better shot at a good life if the papers are included. But, woe be until
the horse trader that tries passing off an unknown horse with a set of papers of
any horse I have known and that does happen - all too often.
