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PeachyGurl · Apr 6, 2019 5:23 PM

This summer I outgrew my 13.1 mare. I'm only 5'3, but I have a long torso, and she's visibly showing discomfort when I ride her. I have another horse and I've been advancing with him, but He's a little older, and he's been learning much slower than she did. My two horses are both POA x AQHA 's. The mare is registered, the gelding outgrew the registry. I do eventing, and my mare has the athleticism, willingness, and trainability to continue in it. The issue is, she's small. My gelding has an amazing scope, is 15 hands, better ring manners, and is much calmer than she is. He's slower, but he's got a very thoroughbred-y build. My mare is very talented, but I hate seeing her talent go to waste, as I cannot ride her. My mare is small but is a very good producer. She ALWAYS throws color and she's a bay roan blanket appy. And she's a great mum.

To simplify my situation, I have 4 pathways. I'm going off to seek higher education in a few years, and I need to pick one pathway because I can't take them both.
#1: Sell my mare, and use the money to buy a new horse
#2: Continue using my gelding, and see how it goes
#3: Breed my mare, and train the foal
#4: Sell the foal, and use the money for a new horse

If I were to breed her, What kind of stud do you suggest I breed to her? For me, anything 16 hands+, and registered, is really all.

Alohomora · Apr 6, 2019 11:08 PM

Your mare sounds like she is highly marketable, so if you’re not fitting on her comfortably, I would definitely encourage selling her to someone else. Like you said, don’t let her talents go to waste. Safe, sound, small eventing horses are always in demand for Pony Clubbers, etc.

#3 and #4: If you actually want to end up with a net GAIN of money, I would take these off the table. Responsibly breeding, training, and selling a single foal is not going to be monetarily profitable. Each hour you spend planning or working on this breeding is an hour lost in the saddle. Add in the risk of losing the mare, foal, or both, and you could be facing much more than just a financial loss.

PeachyGurl · Apr 7, 2019 1:22 AM

When you put it that way, that seems like the obvious choice :)) There's actually a lot of pony clubbers in the area, so maybe I'll lease her out first. She's a bit of a spitfire, but what pony isn't?

Alohomora · Apr 7, 2019 6:59 AM

It never hurts to get perspective from a fresh set of eyes! I call those fiesty horses “learning opportunities” ; ) I learned so much from riding ponies with their own opinions. Also, have you SEEN some of those tiny humans stick a spunky pony? Their legs are velcro!

I think a lease is very smart. She can have a job that keeps her busy and be bringing in some income, you can focus your time on your gelding and/or another horse, and you still have control over her care and where she ends up. Leases are also appealing to parents who may not be ready to all-out buy an equine.

Since she has already reproduced, if you really find a great match for her some day, you always have the option of breeding her in the future.

PeachyGurl · Apr 7, 2019 8:04 PM

Also very true! Thank you for the advice!

S00ner0rLater · Apr 7, 2019 8:25 PM

Personally, if you'd like to have a bigger horse you are better off selling your mare. If you were to breed her to a bigger stallion you're asking for complications. My sister's mare had a filly three years ago, the mare is 14 hh, and she was bred to a 15.1hh stud. The mare had few complications but thankfully had a great recovery. So in conclusion, I think you should sell her and get a different horse. Your gelding sounds like a great horse, but he doesn't seem like a good fit for what you want to do.

PeachyGurl · Apr 7, 2019 8:37 PM

Yeah. That little mare taught me how to ride, and she's super close to my heart. I'm not ready to let go quite yet, so I might just lease her out, or give her the eventing/pony club barn up the road. She's a great teacher!

S00ner0rLater · Apr 8, 2019 8:22 PM

That would be awesome! I think leasing out would another great option.

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