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 Veteran
Posts: 178
 
| I recently got a stud that I'm super excited about that I will eventually want to breed a couple of my good mares to. He won't even be two until April, and I plan on taking my time with him to get him good and broke and started correctly. I want to haul him and use him, as he is SUPER smart and I think he has a ton of potential. Anyway, at what age do you all start breeding them (and obviously only a couple the first year or two)? A couple of the mares I run are getting up there in age, and have never had a foal so I'd love to get one out of them by him! |
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| Sound like You already have it all planned. I wouldn't breed him until his training is done. |
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 Bulls Eye
Posts: 6443
 
Location: Oklahoma | I bred mine at 5 for the first time to just 4 mares. He will be breeding hopefully a few more, but I don't advertise him. I have 2 mares I will be breeding to him myself. |
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 Canine Carryout Queen
Location: Oklahoma | If you are seriously wanting to stand him, prove him and be "all in" IMO I would definitely get a few mares bred to him this year. It takes a LOOONNNNG time to get a studs foal crop of age to do anything ... if you wait til your stud is 5-7 before you even breed him ... say in his 2nd season he really proves he has IT and is a tough 1D horse ... he is then 7-9 and you start breeding ... his first foal crop will be 4 and in the arena and hes 11-13 years old. He could be the next BIG sire ... but already 13 years old with 1 foal crop to the arena. JMO. If you are breeding quality mares and hes a quality colt - I dont see why you wouldnt breed a handful of mares. |
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Expert
Posts: 3300
| I bred mine this year at 5... But I haven't been able to do anything with him because of my own financial problems and health issues... If wait untill he knows his job so he has less chance of getting add lol |
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 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | We bred our Sun Frost son to two mares as a two year old---I would highly recommend having him broke and riding before you breed him though. |
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  The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | I think it depends on your MAIN goal for him. If it is to be a performance horse, waiting might be the best. If it is a breeding horse, I wouldn't wait. Nothing worse than having to deal with a stallion for years, only to either not like their foals, OR not GET any foals! (I know someone that hauled and showed a stallion for several years, went to breed him and it turns out he was STERILE. So she spent all that time dealing with a stalion for NOTHING.) Are you planing on only breeding with him via A.I.? |
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Veteran
Posts: 178
| I'm hoping for the best of both worlds. In working with him, he's so smart and he is really making it easy (so far). You show him something and he's got it. His pedigree is impressive and I think he really has a ton of potential that I'm hoping to maximize (but not rush). I have some high quality mares (1d) I am currently running but want some babies out of them soon. I do want to use him as a stallion eventually to outside mares (I've already had people approach me). I am hoping to primarily do AI. I know I'll need to find out how he will ship, but I'm also curious as far as 2 year old year, how many mares would be okay (I'm hoping 3?) Also the same for his 3 year old year, etc. I know it will probably be a see how it goes type of thing, just wondering what other people have had success with. I appreciate the input! |
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 Goat Giver
Posts: 23166
| Semen is viable by 18 months, sometimes earlier. As long as you don't over use one you will not negatively impact fertility. Breed when you want to. If he can't handle breeding and hauling/training at the same time, you may as well learn sooner rather than later. |
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The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | When my guy was a youngster, I bred him to 4 mares when he was 2yo. (All live cover,.) He was bred to 7 mares as a 3yo. (Again, hand bred live cover.) All mares were covered ONE cycle, ALL conceived and had live foals the following year. |
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The Color Specialist
Posts: 7530
Location: Washington. (The DRY side.) | Also wanted to add, that if you are planning on breeding live cover, one of the most important things for the first few times, is a VERY tolerant mare!! |
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