Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Breeding pony mare <

From: Alyssa

Hi Jessica,

Thank you so much for horse-sense. This is a wonderful way to give advice to people in so many different areas. I have a friend who wants to breed her pony mare (grade mare - Quarter Horse, Arab, and Morgan cross). The pony has a lovely temperment, is a nice mover, and is currently a school horse. My friend teaches lessons, mainly to children and teenagers, and would like to get another (eventual) lesson horse. She would like a hunter-type pony, that can be shown lower-level dressage and preferably be able to jump small fences as well. Overall, she is breeding for temperment and size. The mare is 14 hands, and she would like a foal that matures between 14.2-15.2. Someone has suggested a Connemara stallion to us. Do Connemaras cross well with grade mares, and how can she locate some nice stallions? Do you have any other suggestions for breeds? Also, should be she be concerned about breeding to a taller stallion and having a foal that is too large for the mare?

Thank you very much for your help. I will be passing on your advice to my friend.

Alyssa

Hi Alyssa! I would agree with the person who suggested a Connemara stallion; Connemaras are wonderful animals and this should be a good cross for your friend's needs. She will need to look at several stallions and talk to their owners.

Tell your friend to get in touch with Marynell Eyles at

American Connemara Pony Society
2630 Hunting Ridge Road
Winchester, VA 22603
telephone (703) 662-5953

She'll be able to get information about Connemaras, and a list of breeders and stallions, and probably all kinds of other help. ;-)

When it comes to the mechanics of breeding and foaling, as long as the stallion isn't more than a hand or two taller than the mare, breeding shouldn't be a problem, and the mare's body will control the size of the foal at birth, so that shouldn't be a problem either. The key, in both cases, is to have well-educated, competent help available, just as you would with ANY breeding and foaling.

There is an excellent book by Caroline Nesbitt, which I recommend to your friend. The title is THE PONY BREEDER'S COMPANION, and the ISBN is 0876059965.

Good luck, and I hope your friend eventually gets a wonderful half-Connemara foal.

Jessica

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