What direction are YOU heading in with your herd

[christina_ski]

I have been thinking alot lately about what I plan to do with my minis, especially after the loss of my stallion Storm. I love having the foals and training the babies, but hate selling them and with the market how it is just adding to it I feel would be a mistake. I really tried hard to find a "replacement" stallion, but none fit as well as Storm.

So after alot of thought, I decided my main focus with my minis, or any future purchases, is for showing. I love showing. I love training and building a working relationship with each one of my minis, and the grooming/clipping/long hours that come with it. I traded a yearling gelding for a really nice halter/performance stallion (now gelding, Mercedes), bought a SUPER nice 09' filly (yet to be announced

), and am also getting a B size 2yr old colt (to be gelded, also yet to be announced

) who I think will excel in the ring. All my horses will be showing, and have alot of potential to do well on the National level.

I know its a buyers market right now, with many large farms cutting down/dispersing and offering at lower then ever prices so if your wanting to add to your herd now is the time to do it. So what are you looking to add/planning for your mini herd in 2009-2010? I keep telling myself I am done, so have quit looking at the saleboard

I am up to 6, atleast 3 will be showing every show next year. And the others may rotate out to get qualified.

Thought this would be an interesting post to see what all everyone is thinking/planning

Christina

 

[Horse Feathers]

I plan on gelding my so-so stallion and buying a colt with a super bloodline to use for breeding. I will miss 2 breeding years but thats ok.

 

[SHANA]

I have two amazing breeding stallions and my mares will have foals in 2010 if they all caught. I have 9 mares. I'm in a good area to sell minis as Quebec is still relatively new to this breed. I was the first one to own a mini in my area. Though I am set up to keep all the foals until they sell and 99% of the time I sell all foals born. This year I have 2 foals on the ground so far, a gorgeous pinto filly and a gorgeous pinto colt, both sired by a stallion I use to own, Goat Hills One For The Books. I do plan to show in 2010 and if I am able to I plan to show one of my horses at nationals in 2010. Right now I have 2 stallions, a gelding, a 2009 colt, a 2008 filly, a 2009 filly and 9 mares. So 15 in total, then on top of the minis I also have 5 arabians(1 stallion and 4 mares).

 

[Filipowicz Farm]

We cut back on our breeding for next year only expecting 3 foals. We will still show at least one horse. My husband was laid off and just went back to work.We plan to do some things to our home like put on a new roof. We will continue to improve the breed with our breeding program , show and keep the farm up and update our home some.

 

[yankee_minis]

I'm hoping for 4-5 foals next year. Already have 3 confirmed in foal. I'm excited to see what my new stallion produces.

I have a couple yearlings in the wings right now and if I can, I'll show them. I suspect I'll be busy with foaling. And socializing the babies. Not sure if they'll all be sold... I'm hoping for show babies.

 

[~Lisa~]

We are getting back a Double Destiny son we sold a while back- he will be gelded this winter along with our other stallion. Undecided if I am going to use either for breeding on my 2 mares prior to gelding. Selling is to hard on me and Raven of course seems to always take ownership of the stallions and wants to show them

 

[spindleberry]

Mine are just pets. I have a 4yr old gelding and a 15mos old filly.

 

[Miniv]

This is the second year we've decided to not expose all of our mares to stallions........

 

[Irish Hills Farm]

The FIRST biggest change is that I had decided to geld Jinx which I may still do and train him to drive.

The second biggest change will be that I am expected 11 foals next year.

I have 7 mares confirmed in foal so far. Of the 4 yet to be confirmed, I think 2 I'll skip on as they are already starting to show.

I have two foals coming by Little Kings Junior Jinx. He is bred to Little Kings Heir To Glory and Cross Country Penny Lane.

My first foals by Little Kings B T Buck Bandito will arrive in 2010. He is bred to Cross Country Behind Blue Eyes, Crossroads TNT Bomb Shell, and Star Ridge Acres IMA Lily Blue Too.

My first foals by Wall Street Illusion Jazz Singer will also arrive in 2010. He is bred to Buckeye WCF Classical Imagination, Grahams Hula Girl At Heart, and Moderns Hershey Karamello.

I have two foals by Erica's Taker (Cross Country Take My Breath Away). The mares that are in foal to Taker are Erica's Memoirs Of A Geisha and Erica's Shezzz Got Legzzz.

And I possibily have one foal coming by Erica's Big City (Little Kings Big City Buck), he was bred to Cross Country Miss Nosey, who is a full sister to Cross Country Private Terms.

2010 Should be a very exciting year here.

 

[Hosscrazy]

I have gotten out of breeding all together. One of my mares had a dwarf last year, and I decided after much thought that I am out of breeding. I enjoy my minis as companion fur-friends now.

Liz R.

 

[White Socks Miniature]

My main focus is showing... I just love it, I started 2 years ago now and am hooked!

I have my country pleasure driving mare, and my yearling mare that I showed in halter this year.

I have a few little secrets that have yet to be announced...

 

[Kim~Crayonboxminiatures]

My plans for 2010, are no foals, the market is too flooded, and frankly I'm tired of selling, need a break. I plan to enjoy my Minis, spend time training, grooming, and doing all the little things that I never seem to have time for when I have foals around. Will I breed anyone in 2010? Don't know yet, but leaning towards no.

 

[minimomNC]

We have sold most of our mares, only have one left in foal for 2010. I think she will have a wonderful foal next year, she is bred to an outstanding stallion. As for plans for our herd, well its going to the boys. We love showing, so much more than breeding and have found that if you want to show, the best way to get a show horse is buy from a good breeder. That why we get what we want, not wait 10 - 11 months and hope for the best. So we have three colts coming after weaning to show next year. We are also changing directions as to where we are showing. We have always shown AMHA and love it, but next year we have added two more B size shetland colts so we will be showing AMHR only. So with an over yearling gelding, an over yearling colt and an under yearling colt, the boys have it around here.

I will be keeping my coming two year old stallion at home next year, but he will be back in the ring in 2011, good Lord willing that is, but if I still have any mares then I will breed them to him next year. I love everything about him, which is saying something for me that he is in my barn and still a stallion. But if I don't breed him, he will live, not breeding won't kill him (he might not think so, but I know).

 

[HorseMom]

I've bred my stallion, Jay, to my one and only mare, Slippers. Jay is very athletic and Slippers is just an all around awesome mare. Next year I plan on showing in both AMHA and AMHR shows. I'll be taking my stallion and possibly the foal that Slippers has once it's weaned. I'll probably sell the foal, but I am prepared to keep it.

 

[LindaL]

I am just getting back into Minis...again...so will be showing Guiness in 2010 as my Over Jr Stallion. I also have something else up my sleeve, but won' t be announcing anything until after Nationals...lol

I am excited to get back into showing...then in another year or so, we'll "see" if I will be breeding anyone to Guiness...so for now showing is the plan!

 

[Magic]

Though we have 18 breeding-age mares, we bred less than half of them last year, and bred even fewer this spring for next year. I would have considered taking a year off from breeding but this was the first year for me to try out my new buckskin leopard appaloosa stallion. He's just gorgeous, (photos so far just don't do him justice) and I just had to breed him to a few mares.

I'm thinking of selling several horses, and I'd like to get back into showing again.

 

[Southern_Heart]

I'm done with breeding as the market is just to flooded, so selling just to get my herd down so I can show more. So no more breeding for me. I will miss the mare stare and seeing the new foals but....with a flooded market, its not worth it.

Joyce

 

[Miniv]

Right now Larry and I are in a "tug of war". This will be the second year not exposing all of our breeding age mares to a stallion. Yay!

However, if it were up to me, I'd take a year off with ALL.

We are reducing our numbers in BOTH minis and Arenosa because of the economy AND a change in life.

 

[Katiean]

For those of you that say you are going to breed a few mares and geld before the foal crop is here,I urge you to think about it really hard. I had a friend that had a very nice QH stud. He bred a few mares the first year and really liked what he got out of him.He was being shown so he bred for Feb and March foals the nest year hopeing to get fillies again the second year. He got a colt from his mare that year and he had already gelded his stud. He really wished he waited at least another year. The horse was not a troouble maker as a stud and stabled next to mares with no problems. My advice is wait and see before you geld. Anyway as for what I have planed is show some and maybe breed a couple. I am in no hurry for foals anyway.

 

[barnbum]

Add me to the not breeding list. Jazz was gelded last March and I have no regrets. I hate selling and worrying about my mares' well being. I will miss working with foals though. I will keep all seven here unless a perfect, and I do mean perfect buyer happens along. Mazie will be a therapy horse--I'm turning to the community service/therapy direction. Rosie is my dancing partner and we'll start ground driving. Jazz is my ground driver now. Gypsy will start dancing with me once Mazie is weaned. Tucker--I'm not sure yet what his job will be. Kennedy works Whisper in obstacle and jumping, and Chloe, dear Chloe will be a pasture pet and everyone's friend.