Breeding those "Rescue Horses"

[mininik]

Due to a recent discussion I know there are some here who feel any rescue "SHOULD NOT BE BRED." My opinion is that it all depends on QUALITY. (Would you really geld say, Alvadar's Double Destiny, if he turned up at your barn as a rescue?)

 

[Jill]

I also think it depends on the quality but the the next question is who decides? I'm really NOT impressed with most rescues groups (and rescued a mare years ago from a suposed rescue group).

Who should decide which horses are breeding quality? A lot of people have a different opinion than I do of breeding quality. No horse is so good it MUST reproduce. No stallion is too good to geld when it usually gives them a much nicer life.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

There is NO stallion too good to geld.

Having said that, if it were a private "rescue" it would be entirely up to the purchaser.

If it came through a Rescue, registered etc, then Yes it should be gelded.

There was a case over here not long ago where around 20 Shelties- blue blooded and Champions alike, were seized by the RSPCA- all were neutered before rehoming as that is policy.

 

[kaykay]

Years ago in Illinois there was a huge rescue that took place from a miniature farm I believe by the humane society. They immediately gelded all the stallions. One was an amha national champion but I cant remember the name. I think it was hemlock brooks something. Maybe Ginia will come post the name. People were shocked that he was gelded. But the miniature industry survived fine without him.

I know when cmhr was created we took a vote and it was a landslide that everyone wanted all stallions and colts gelded. they also voted no breeding on the mares.

Of course mares are much harder because there is no inexpensive really safe way to spay them.

There is no stallion that gelding him would hurt the miniature industry.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

Is this true there is NO stallion that gelding would hurt the industry I was surprised to hear this. I can think of some who have contributed greatly to the mini industry that I do believe would have hurt the industry if they had never produced a foal. Buckeroo comes to mind but also others.I do think there are those out there that it would surely hurt the industry if they were gelded not most but there are individuals that are good enough that gelding them would surely impact the industry. Are you saying that now there are so many champion quality stallions out there now that gelding those special ones would make no difference.

 

[Marty]

Lets keep in mind that gelding a horse is not torture!

I agree that when coming thru a rescue stallions should be gelded and mares should not be bred. Don't forget that some of the mares already come to the rescue in pregnant condition in the first place. But I do think that papers should be given with the rescue horses whenever possible for show purposes just to help enable them to open up an extra door for their future.

When doing a private rescue which many people do on their own, that is totally their business what they do.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Would I want Double Destiny if he was thru a rescue and gelded YEP you bet

Do I think buckeroo is a great stallion and was way ahead of his time- of course I do. Do I think if he never exsisted or was gelded before anyone knew who he was the breed woudl have gone on yep.

There would have been someone else who was bred, promoted and marketed.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

The word "industry" keeps popping up in this sort of discussion. In any industry, supply and demand generally rule. The rarer the item, the greater its value. Right now I don't see miniature horses as being rare.

Just talked to a man at a parade yesterday who made a point of telling me he bought 2 starving mares at a sale the night before. He can't wait to feed them up and put them in with the "stud" he also bought at the auction. Yes, it is the purchaser's option to geld or not, but when a horse can sire foals for 20 years or more, who can say where he will end up down the line. I totally agree with the rescue group's policy of gelding.

The only criteria this man had about the stallion's quality was whether he could reproduce. I'll bet he is the average miniature horse owner.

Marsha

 

[misfitminis]

In my opinion if you are receiving government money to run a rescue it should be a crime to breed. Seems like a free ride on taxpayers to me. It is a great way for people to argue against funding rescues. However if you rescue a horse on your own what you do with your own horse and money is your own business.

 

[Mona]

Yes, I feel it shouldn't matter WHICH horse it is, if it comes into a reg'd rescue organization it should be gelded. On the other hand, and as an example, if it is a "personal" rescue, such as a person goes to a sale and finds a horse in very poor condition, and takes it home as a "rescue" to get it out of that situation, I feel it is then up to that buyer to do with as they please.

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I totally agree with you Mona. There were those that said that any stallion should be gelded and my comment was addressed to that statement not about the rescue end of things. I still cant believe that ALL stallions should be gelded no matter what the quality and that the miniature horse community would be exactly the same as it is today. Actually the more I think about it if every stallion born was gelded then that would surely help the numbers because through attrition soon there would be no abundance of miniatures with no stallions to breed with eventually say in 30 years if ALL stallions were gelded there would be no mares bred and no new foals.

 

[Buckskin gal]

You sure make sense to me!

Take for instance Buckeroo. We would be missing a whole lot of truly wonderful minis if he waould have been gelded. There was not another like him to replace what he produced.there were plenty of others who did produce other wonderful horses but I would hate to see the mini world without what Buckeroo produced.

Mary

I totally agree with you Mona. There were those that said that any stallion should be gelded and my comment was addressed to that statement not about the rescue end of things. I still cant believe that ALL stallions should be gelded no matter what the quality and that the miniature horse community would be exactly the same as it is today. Actually the more I think about it if every stallion born was gelded then that would surely help the numbers because through attrition soon there would be no abundance of miniatures with no stallions to breed with eventually say in 30 years if ALL stallions were gelded there would be no mares bred and no new foals.

 

[MInx]

The word "industry" keeps popping up in this sort of discussion. In any industry, supply and demand generally rule. The rarer the item, the greater its value. Right now I don't see miniature horses as being rare.

Just talked to a man at a parade yesterday who made a point of telling me he bought 2 starving mares at a sale the night before. He can't wait to feed them up and put them in with the "stud" he also bought at the auction. Yes, it is the purchaser's option to geld or not, but when a horse can sire foals for 20 years or more, who can say where he will end up down the line. I totally agree with the rescue group's policy of gelding.

The only criteria this man had about the stallion's quality was whether he could reproduce. I'll bet he is the average miniature horse owner.

Marsha

Exactly!

Maxine

 

[kaykay]

this topic is getting a little confusing to me lol.

I never said every stallion born should be gelded. Obviously that would not work. I thought the question was should a stallion that is taken into a rescue be gelded to which my answer is yes. Now if a person rescues a horse and they are not a formal organization then they can do whatever they want. But rescue organziations are held to a higher standard.

I also think Buckeroo added alot to miniature horses but I also think if he wasnt born that there would have been another stallion that would have added alot also. Keep in mind that at the time Buckeroo was born this particular bloodline had a lot of horses out in the breeding pool. (gold melody boy, jandts breeding like buckeroo) Another thing to consider that is often overlooked are the mares that contributed to the Buckeroo crosses. IMO a huge reason why Buckeroo has been such a success is because the Eberths studied, researched etc to find the best crosses to Buckeroo and the best outcross stallions to cross on Buckeroo daughters etc.

Kay

 

[mininik]

Marsha, Maxine, etc... many are missing the point here. This post is not about average or poor quality horses, this is about exceptional horses who fall through the cracks. If it helps, let's narrow it down some and only consider those horses who are National Champions who have produced National Champions, Miniature or otherwise. Obviously if you adopt a horse from a rescue on a non-breeding contract it should be honored, but I still don't see why some think ALL horses (read: exceptional horses) should be sterilized due to circumstances after rehabilitation.

 

[Mona]

Well, I don't know if my point is being missed or if you are agreeing, but what I meant, was yes, if Buckeroo himself ended up in an organized, registered, non-profit rescue organization, then yes, I DO feel that he SHOULD be gelded, no matter who he is. A rescue should have rules set, and should not bend or break those rules, regardless of who the latest rescue in is. BUT, if Buckeroo was "rescued" in severely poor condition from a person, a sale or whatever other way, then yes, I would keep him whole!

 

[Miniv]

I agree with Mona...........It should be like our Shelters for dogs and cats.........the stallion should be gelded. The mare sold with out papers and as a pet. A private rescue done by an individual is another story because it's a free country.

MA

 

[Sandee]

I should probably not hop in the Hot water here but I disagree. If all the resuce horse were to be sold without papers, then a lot of them would end up in the same sad situation - with people that don't have enough to spend on them or don't consider them "valuable" enough to spend money for vets. I know that I have no room for a horse that can't be shown and just has to stand around and "decorate" the pasture. I insist that any horse than I own be productive ---meaning it can either be driven in parades; big and safe enough for children to ride; or quality to be shown.

I don't have much use for "pet" cats, dogs or any other animal that doesn't have a "job". I think animals like people have to have a purpose to their life.

Ok, fire away.

 

[midnight star stables]

Geld.

 

[midnight star stables]

Oh I also strongly disagree with taking papers away!!! I think there should be some sort of "Non-Breeding" papers for pet mares and geldings.... Sothat they can still show and what not. Papers are a horses' history and identity. They shouldn't lose that.