H&R Article in Progress: "Breeding Today"
I have an article due (overdue, actually) for February's Horse&Rider, on the subject of what's happening today with horse breeding. It's definitely a big onion of a subject--lots of layers to it, that's for sure.
I've been digging into such subjects, for instance, as who's breeding (or not), and why. I've looked at the tumbling registration numbers in various breeds (a trend that's been going on, by the way, in most breeds since 2001, and that's only recently accelerated. Turns out the year 2000 was WAS a watershed year, at least when it comes to high-marks in registration numbers.)
But before anybody jumps up to go "Hooray, breeding NEEDS to go down!," let me add that my research into this topic is revealing complicated consequences that many people just haven't considered.
And need to be prepared for. Why? Because so much of the horse industry rides on breeding-related revenue that a downturn's destined to affect everyone, whether they breed horses or not.
OK, feel free to talk about this amongst yourselves. Cuz I gotta to back to writing the article itself.
Until I get a full wrap on this assignment, I'll keep the specifics to myself. But I'll check back from time to time--just to see what the subject of "Breeding Today" might do to trigger your thoughts.
posted by Juli Thorson @ 11:01 PM
13 comments
13 Comments:
Just my opinion, and I'll admit its not completely thought through, but:
I think it would be a good idea to consider registries enforcing breed standards. Perhaps like some warmbloods do, horses have to pass/qualify to be registered.
Of course AQHA comes to mind immediately, but it would be nice to see in all the major breeds.
There are a HECK of a lot of poorly conformed (mentally AND physically) horses that are registered.
I agree, i think they should go through a similar process like the Warmblood Inspections do. Would be interesting to see what would be allowed and what would be culled. My biggest disappointment is with the Halter Bred Arabians. I love love love Arabians and just wish they would bring the old blood back in.
While I'd certainly like to see the overall number of horses decrease (so fewer become homeless, not because I'm not in love with every one of them!!!), I have concerns.
Like dogs, it seems to me that many of the healthiest, sanest horses may not be "up to breed standards" or registered at all, but "mutts". Genetic diversity is good - essential, in fact, to a species' heartiness. Just look at the horrible extremes that have come from halter classes in many breeds.
Yet horrible, unsellable, unhealthy horses also come from "backyard breeders". I don't know the answer.
Here's another twist in my region - I live in Seattle but board just outside the city on land that only remains in use for horses because the landowner gets tax breaks for keeping the land agricultural (rather than selling it to condo developers). Legislation is pending to remove that tax benefit for boarding facilities, saying, essentially, that because they do not sell an "agricultural product," they should not qualify for the tax break. Under the new codes, many of the landowners (working on thin margins)will be forced to sell, leaving a lot of horses and their owners scrambling for alternatives - move? drive long distances to another area? sell their beloved horses?
So what's the loophole? You guessed it - start breeding horses, whether you're qualified or not. If you produce one foal a year and sell it (even at auction, I believe), you qualify for the tax break. What an excruciating choice to have to make.
Tell me - who does this help? Not the unwanted "tax break" foals. Not the boarders. Not the landowners, and not the communities where neighbors will soon be gazing over condo tracts rather than peaceful pastures.
Urban horseowners get targeted as rich revenue sources, not the real people most of us are - normal, cash-strapped folks trying to balance career, family interests/careers/preferences, and our own passion for horses.
Boy breeding is a hot topic on some of the lists. I choose to not breed my mares. I own three mares and have been told over the years to "have a baby" but I have chosen not to. For one I have only three stalls and three horses, where does that baby go in 4-6 mo? also it is economicaly expensive to breed, nurture a pregnancy, and raise a foal, if you are lucky enough for it to live, and not get hurt. We keep our horses for life, I probably could not sell a youngster that I "chose to make." I have purchased two, two year olds in my horse life, they are still out in my field, one is 20 and one is 9.
I choose to be responsible about not breeding just because I have mares. You see so much, for lack of a better word, crap, being bred it is so sad. If only someone could figure out how to put these hoarders in thier place and stop it, I am not talking about all back yard breeders, I see nothing wrong with breeding a mare one time to get your next forever horse, althought that does not always work out either. The big wealthy breeders are just as guilty of putting crap on the ground as some of the hoarders, in the name of money. Quit breeding horses with hypp, and navicular, or a pretty color, etc. just because that "type" won at one time. "Oh she's navicular, lets get a foal before its to late" I dont care if she has a decent show history you are still passing on bad genetics, and pain and suffering of another animal. I believe it is all done for greed, people think they can breed the best for money, but one persons best is another persons nightmare. I could go on and on but it all comes down to the human want for money.
There are still a lot of nice 2 year olds,or even weaners, out there to start, and they have gotten through the "romantic" baby years and you can see thier conformation and thier mindset, no russian roullet.
Just my opinion, from a backyard mare owner.
This will turn into a domino effect. It has started in the general economy and will emerge in the horse industry. In our own herd we aren't breeding, so there are no stud fees going to a stallion owner. Since we aren't breeding, grain is no longer that important is pretty much off our to buy list. We are feeding a pelleted mineral/vitamin to our younger ones and putting out loose mineral/vitamin mix on occasions out to the older stock. So the local feed store is losing out on the 100 we used to spend monthly. I started ordering wormer and horse supplies over the internet years ago. But I've cut that back to a 1-2 times a year order so that I don't splurge buy.
The only thing we have radically changed is we put a horse into full time training to try to show NRHA in hopes of getting people to realize that we have decent stock and perhaps some buyers so that we can start breeding again.
Just as people aren't buying new cars, people aren't upgrading their pickup trucks/trailer combination's. Means atuo dealers/horse trailer dealers have less money to spend.
Then we get to showing, fewer people hauling to the show and fewer sponsorships because their business has dwindled.
Everyone's success is tied to everyone else and when business goes downhill then it just brings along everyone else.
Not a well written response but enough to get the gist of what's in the future for the horse business.
It's been maintained in my circle that the better bred horse prices are not affected by the current economy. That it's the indiscriminate large scale breeders that are in trouble. It will be interesting to watch the fall out as the economy continues to get tighter.
The group I ride/train with raise, ride and sell horses in the $6500-25,000 range. Two years ago the low end of that spectrum stopped selling. The market seemed OK in the $8000 on up range. This last year none of my peers are selling anything under $15,000. Most have either stopped breeding or have cut back to two or three.
These are well bred, quality horses. They range from Paints to Quarters, Pleasure horses to reiners.
I have personally quit buying, selling or breeding. I'm sitting on what I have and am watching, with nervous interest. I have one horse I know would still sell, another that seems on the cusp and three I'm not sure I could move at all, although they are quite nice.
We have issues on several levels:
1) the high profile stallions, at least in NRHA, are bred to 125+ mares a year, and the gene pool is becoming more restricted, with the potential for increases in hereditable undesired conditions. These breeders can afford to produce large numbers, culling the lesser individuals (historically, at least in some case, sold without papers) and focusing on the several superstars that are produced. The bulk of what is produced becomes expendable commodities. At least that is my opinion. So it's about producing large numbers in pursuit of producing the few outstanding indivduals.
2) To use the just completed NRHA futurity sales as an example, we saw 30+ offspring from one stallion (as the stallion's owner was getting out of the business) and a real bottoming out, with many horses selling for less than the stud fee.
3) The APHA restrictions on color mean that breeding within that organization has become financially ever less viable, as evidenced by the APHA World Show sale, in which it looked like people were dumping their non DR stock, primarily tobis and solids
4) The public is fixated on name brands, but I don't think they do their research--checking breed records as to how many offsprig produced each year, of that total, how many show in breed/specialty associations.
5) What am I doing? Being very careful, selecting stallions that may have lesser produce records but that seem to pass on desirable characteristics on just about any mare, making sure that the stallion owner is committed and isn't overbreeding, checking the records to have a high confidence level that the stallion was not shown/trained with pharmceutical help, and asking as many questions as I can of everyone who might know anything about the horse.
And breeding primarily mares that I know well and have owned throughout their show pen careers: able to mark good scores (72-74), very good minded, easy to ride, and fun to show.
I feel extremely fortunate right now to be riding (and planning to show) the dam of my 2 year old. She was NRHA Top Ten, and is down the aisle from her son. In 4 years as a broodmare, she has forgotten nothing and is a delight to ride. The trainer says that he learns a lot about the colt from watching/riding his mom. They are both, IMHO, wonderful horses and I am honored to be able to own them.
Cathy
What a good question! I just couldn’t resist adding my .02 worth. I saw the question posted over on the thread, and I just knew, ‘Oh boy, the crazies are all going to be crawling out of the woodwork’ to spark a fight and do some name calling (don’tcha just love those groups who insist they’re right and everyone else is too stupid to know the difference???) I’ve never been a breeder- it’s too easy to buy a good horse in lieu of waiting and $$$ to rear a foal (well, that- and my father raised me to believe that if you bred your good performance mare, it would slow her down and ruin her...yeah, okay, don't laugh at me.) That being said, and even in the tough financial crisis we’re facing…I actually considered breeding this next year.
For a while now, I’ve been keeping my eye open for a well- bred (barrel racing bloodlines), good looking, performance proven 1D mare. I found a mare closely related to Sherry Cervi’s ‘Dinero’ and Kristi Peterson’s ‘Bozo’ that almost fit my criteria.
My reasoning for wanting to purchase a hotshot mare to breed? Charmayne James had barrel racing superstar ‘Scamper’ cloned (he was a gelding) and the foal, ‘Clayton’, is just beginning to stand at stud. The idea of owning those legendary genetics (okay, *and* the possibilities of what said foal may be capable of) are beyond my wildest imagination.
Would I sell the foal? Not on your life. Can I guarantee to ever show a profit for business purposes? Who cares, its history in the making. It doesn’t do any good to argue with me that said foal might never be registered (right now, I believe a clone’s offspring are only eligible for a DNA Certificate), or that I ‘should be ashamed of myself for bringing another horse into the world.’ It would be solely to satisfy *my* dreams and ambitions.
I'm not a breeder,(but I play one on TV). I always figured it would be easier and faster to just go out and buy the bloodlines that I wanted to own- since there were a bunch out there. The gelding I own right now is bred pretty well, but by a backyard breeder. Neither of his parents have a show record, but his Grandsire won over $60,000. He has conformation faults, and is not a halter type horse, but he is smart and handy and kind- just the way I want him to be. He will have a show career and he will eventually get points ( or I'll die trying!)
Should you be able to stop all backyard breeders- I'd have to say no. Should Breeders be more regulated- I'd say yes. You can't (and shouldn't) take away anyones right to breed, but you sure can make it a damn sight harder to do.
I haven't been breeding for a few years. Lost the stallion of my dreams and decided not to replace him. My mares all work for a living so they don't have to be baby machines. That has been the bottom line for the mares to carry a foal. Do we love them enough after using them day after day after day to want a foal from them? What I see in 'some' backyard breeders is they buy a cheap mare and decide she needs to carry a foal so they can pay for her expenses. They cross her on a cheap stallion and produce a very cheap foal that now cannot be sold but must be given away. They don't understand feeding, trimming, worming, training but they've seen a horse that sold for $5000 as a foal so they think that is a great idea. As an instructor, I'm seeing clients with cheap horses that are totally wrong for the use they have. The horse doesn't have the ability to do what is wanted at the level they want. Conformation is poor, mental ability is limited, and the horse is blamed. It would be nice if people would think through the breeding.
My mare aborted this year, and I'm actually glad. Mind you, I spent a lot of money breeding her to a high quality stallion that would complement her bloodline and talents. I'm glad because my plan had been to sell the offspring as a show prospect, targeting a specific market in my region of the country. Five years ago I could have asked around $8-10K for the resulting weanling. But that market crashed right after the mare was bred.
Am I wrong for appreciating this part of the silver lining? As for the mare, we're going to help stimulate the local equine economy by going to some open shows.
This topic caught my interest, because as someone trying to be a responsible breeder, this is a dilema that must be faced.
My market (versatile gaited trail horses) has not suffered as badly as some others, but it has been affected.
I'm having no trouble moving well broke, quality individuals, but foals are a different story.
One change I have made is to breed every other year, with the idea that on my limited acreage I won't be faced with unsold horses of all ages. Whatever doesn't sell will be turning two when the next foals are born. This is more manageable to my situation.
Another thing I have done is to start a create-a-foal program, where the foal is sold before the mare is even led to the stallion. Having to wait a year to even see what you have gotten is surely a positive step towards ensuring a responsible and committed home for the foal.
I have also taken steps to assure owners that ANYTHING I sell will be guaranteed a place back with me if for any reason the owner gets in a spot where they cannot keep it, sell it, or even give it away. Not what I "want" to do, but what I feel I "should" do.
In todays tough economy, I feel more than ever that we as breeders must listen to our conscious, even if it costs us financially.
I'm posting what I'm doing in hopes someone else might find one of the ideas to be of use to them.
On a separate breeding related note, I do feel that things go in cycles, and that the good times will return. NOW is a wonderful time to get a great deal on breeding stock that you might not have been able to afford just a couple years ago, even if you choose to not actually reproduce it until things improve.
After reading "Breeding Today" in the February issue, I wanted to add my two cents. We achieved our retirement dream of our own place and put together a small band of mares with the idea of raising several foals each year. Since the legislation passed closing the slaughter houses, we agreed that breeding should be kept to a minimum. And although it broke our hearts to cull our mares and sell the ones that didn't come up to snuff (for far less that they were worth, thank you) we kept only two of the very best. We will only raise two foals a year now and they will be by the best stallion we can afford. There will always be a buyer for a top colt, but it is difficult to go through your herd and tick off the ones that don't make the grade. Hopefully, they will go to good homes. Until something is done about the 100,000 unwanted horses each year by rescinding the slaughter ban, things will not change. I wish it were possible to force the tree huggers who lobbied for this legislation to watch the program "Saving America's Horse". They should have to see what happens at the Mexico slaughter plants, and then tell us how they saved horses from a fate "worse than death."
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