There are horses that are the best for weekend horse riding, and there are horses that are tried champs of dressage level competition. But whatever a horse may shine at, it may catch your eye and you may therefore make a decision to breed her. Passing on the genes of a talented pony is a very good reason to breed one. Particularly if a particular horse excels in something as precise as dressage, which requires some conformational advantages not seen in every steed. But to cause the most satisfactory results and breed a foal deserving of succeeding, there are a few things that you as the equestrian breeder must consider.

-Why are you breeding the horse? Is it for a specific discipline? Knowing the particular discipline the ensuing foal would specialize in would aid you in finding the perfect mate for the pony you want to breed.

-Does your horse have any conformational weaknesses that his or her mate can complement? Since the foal will be a mix of the genes of both sire and dam, you would not desire both to have the same conformational drawbacks, which will almost guarantee the poor conformational destiny of their young one.

-Is there a perfect mate with a good temperament? Particularly during mating, horses can have acute temperaments. So aside from a good natured mate being easy to handle and work with, but chances are that mate can pass down the temperament to the resulting foal.

-What about prior progeny? This is critical, as previous young are the only real proof you can use to observe as to how well the good things about a mate are passed along to its young. You can check not simply the positive facets of the prior young, but also any congenital defects or inadequacies related with the passing of the genes. You can decide to contact other equestrian breeders along the ancestry of the mate to check up on its gene pool.

-The health of the mate candidate is also quite necessary. All of the signs of good health should be noted from the mate. Too much or too little weight could cause complications in carrying the foal, and complications in the pregnancy could cause ensuing inadequacies in the offspring. The general medical care of the candidate mate should be given attention, not just its health right now. Regular dewormings, vaccinations, and good veterinary care are a must-have. Ask the equestrian responsible for the mate about these things.

-Have mates undergo breeding examinations. Proven mares might need extensive examinations and maiden mares require a vaginal and anal examination.

-Now that everything is set up, go thru your tick list again. Breeding horses isn’t a matter to be regarded lightly. After you’re doubly sure you know what you are getting into (as well as all financial obligations that you will be commiting to), only then can you confidently commit to the breeding.

Careful breeding of horses is the attempt of the equestrian to improve the end result you should be sure you’re doing it right, and for excellent reasons.

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