Posts Tagged ‘arabian stallion’

If Paint is a Quarter Horse with excessive white, what is a Quarter Horse? A Quarter Horse is a Thoroughbred outcross. A Thoroughbred is an Arabian outcross.

When the Foundation Registries started up, I was amazed to learn that Poco Bueno was a foundation sire. I thought that he was the great grandson of a foundation sire. Some of the leading Paint sires of our time are Quarter Horses. Painted Robin, Triples Titan are just two that come to mind. In today’s registry, they could be registered as Quarter Horses but not in the Regular Paint registry. Why? They do not have one registered Paint parent.

Appaloosa breeders have the same background. Bright Eyes Brother, Hall of Fame sire is by a Quarter Horse, Billy Maddon, out of a Quarter Horse mare, Plaudette, who produced a Quarter Horse Champion Running Mare, Maddon’s Bright Eyes. Plaudette was by a Thoroughbred, King Plaudit out of a Peter McCue mare.

When the Thoroughbred was first being developed, they were the products of three Arabian stallions. You could not have a Thoroughbred without being able to trace back to one or more of those three stallions. The three were the Byerly Turk, the Godolphin Barb and the Darley Arabian.

The Byerly Turk’s most prominent descendant was Herod. The horse, Matchem, was a grandson of the Barb and the Darley Arabian sired two great horses that went on to out produce themselves, Flying Childers and Barlett’s Childers.

Up to 1940, the Arabian Registry was part of the American Studbook maintained by the American Jockey Club in this country. Which brought up some interesting complexities in later years. Remember that a Thoroughbred produced some of the leading Quarter Horse stallions and mares. There was an Arabian stallion in Colorado who produced Arabians, Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. He had an AHR number and a JC number and so his get were able to be registered in several registries depending on the mare’s breed.

The Saddlebred as we know it now did not exist a century ago. The history of the breed starts in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri. Much of the development was done in Kentucky and so they were known as ‘Kentucky saddle horses’. Most of the earliest registered horses had some Thoroughbred blood crossed on trotting and slow pacing mares.

They were able to walk, trot, canter and they also were capable of racking, doing a running walk or fox trotting or slow pace. I bet you thought that only Tennessee Walkers did that. Those saddle horses that did the running walk are the foundation of today’s Walking Horses.

One of the foundation sires for today’s Standardbred was a Thoroughbred named Messenger. While he did not produce any trotters himself, his son Mambrino produced Abdallah a noted sire of trotters in America. Another sire of trotters was the stallion, Justin Morgan. Justin Morgan is recognized as the founding sire of the Morgan Horse. In some circles, he was also thought to be descended from Thoroughbred breeding.

Today’s foundation breeders are for the most part trying to revert to the past when the horse was used for a variety of jobs. He pulled the plow or delivery wagon all week and on Sundays was the family buggy horse or was at the bush track running against other horses.

The breed registries are starting to realize that most of horses, people own in today’s world, do a multitude of tasks. They are used to work cattle, teach the kids how to ride, barrel race for Mom and rope for Dad and still look good enough to show at halter in the morning and do performance events in the afternoon.

In the market, these horses are still bringing decent prices as compared to the one-event horses where the demand has dropped dramatically. I monitor several sales across the nation and have watched what used to be really hot breeding, sired by leading sires, bring less than the stud fee. If you have training and upkeep added in, you really have a loss that the IRS is going to question at some time about your profit motive if you have one.

As one person put it, you need to get rid of ones that you are just feeding and buy one or two really good ones. If you are breeding because you have mares and a stallion and are selling the results for canner prices, you may want to change your program completely. From a business standpoint, and the IRS’s, that will make more sense than holding on to what you have and trying to make a profit. I have heard all the stories about how the public does not know a good horse when they see one but who else is going to buy the horse. That applies to those horses that are foundation breeding (?) as well as the ones that are not.

When something first gets hot, lots of us get lucky and do really well at first. Then the market becomes more educated and shifts to a more realistic view of things and everything shifts back to normal. At that time, if you have been watching and listening to the buying public, you will have upgraded your program and still be able to break even, in most cases.

I don’t have a problem with foundation breeding because at one time or another in my life with horses, I have bred, trained or sold horses that are considered foundation in today’s world. But as the market shifted, I had a choice, either to make a living or to find new employment.

If you are profit motivated, you will continually be looking for ways to improve your profit margins. If you are a hobbyist, you may not care at first but at some time you will want sell or trade your horse(s) for a different one. One always wants to recoup some of the investment that you have put in the horse and the only way to do that is to have something the public wants to buy.

M. R. Bain has been a horseman all his life and a professional trainer since 1955. He is an owner and breeder and has been employed as a breeding and stable manager. His intent on writing these articles is to educate horse people on how to operate a successful horse business. You may contact him at MRBAIN@msn.com with your questions and comments. Also, look for his upcoming book, The Business of Horses–Creating A Successful Horse Business

Author: Ralph Bain
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Mention horses in California and some people will give you a bit of a strange look. Those who are unfamiliar with California with the exception of wine country in the Napa Valley and major cities like San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, for example, might wonder exactly where people in California would keep their horses. Of course, horses have been kept in California even into the modern age, even by ordinary Californians.

Most famously, Californian Ronald Reagan owned horses and was very fond of going on a ride, whenever he was at home. While the Reagan’s occupied the White House, both Ronald and Nancy were the proud owners of Arabian horses. Ronald Reagan’s horse was a white Arabian stallion named El Alamein, gifted to him in 1981 by the Mexican President, Jorge. Nancy’s horse was a chestnut gelding named Catalina Muzraff.

Just as the Reagan’s had their own working ranch called, Rancho del Cielo, near Santa Barbara, California, to the north and west of Los Angeles, many Californian’s have working ranches and farms in every nook and cranny of the state.

Likewise, those who do their research will find that horses in California don’t just exist on working cattle ranches. At many of the state’s Pacific Coast beaches, it’s possible to enjoy horseback riding on the beach. The same is true for those who are visiting the state’s redwood forests, the Sierra Mountains and various other areas throughout the state.

That doesn’t mean that all of the horses in California are only there for the benefit of those who are working on a cattle ranch or for tourists, plenty of regular folks who live in California also own horses. After all, with a trailer in tow, they too can take their horse and ride along the shore, on trails in the forests, in state parks and even in the Sierras.

Many others look for horses in California because, well, like anywhere else, they have a love of the animal and have the space to keep one. They know that they are able to take long rides in meadows and pastures. They know that their kids can benefit from learning to care for horses (in fact, one program uses horses in California to boost the self-esteem and nurturing abilities of kids and teens who are struggling). Others want to be able to work with horses and train them for rodeo events and other competitions. In some California counties, horse racing is an extremely popular sport.

Therefore, when it comes to horses in California, it’s impossible to say that there is only a single breed that is most common. For those who are involved in racing and training horses for the racetrack, Thoroughbreds are a popular choice. Many choose Arabian horses for their beauty. Paint horses are common. And, of course, when it comes to ranching and rodeo horses in California, the American Quarter Horse is as popular and common as it is in Texas and Nevada.

When looking at horses for sale in California, part of the decision will be made based on why the person is buying a horse, in the first place. Someone who is planning to work their horse on a ranch is not going to look for a Thoroughbred or a warmblood horse; they are going to look at the American Quarter Horse, or possibly a Pinto or Paint horses, because those horses are better suited to the buyers’ needs. Likewise, someone who is looking for horses in California because they intend to train it for dressage are going to look for different horses, than someone who will be racing or simply riding casually.

It’s important to have an understanding of horse breeds and what constitutes a healthy horse when you’re looking at a list of horses for sale. The condition of the horse’s hair, teeth, hearing and eyesight are important. The horse’s hooves should be strong and healthy. The horse should have a solid muscle structure and, those who are looking for horses in California know, the legs of the horse should be straight and free of bumps and scars that could indicate a previous injury. Because not every injury a horse has sustained will be clearly documented or visible, it’s always important to have a horse checked out by a veterinarian before making a purchase.

Despite the way people from across the world may perceive California in their mind’s eye, horses in California are quite popular and provide their owners with a great way to see some of the state’s beautiful landscapes. Choosing a horse is a matter of understanding the reason why you are buying a horse, what breed of horse is best for that purpose, and focusing on finding a horse with the right disposition and temperament to create a long lasting relationship – something that’s true whether you are buying horses in California or somewhere elsewhere.

Author: Philip Wiskell
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Your first horse should give you positive experiences that will carry over into the rest of your life. Your first horse should be safe, have the ability to bond with you (not always possible as we’ll learn later) and be able to do many of the things you want to do with him/her.

Before you venture out to look, think this over well:

“What do I expect to get out of horse ownership?”

In my many years of retraining horses, I have seen too many people buy the wrong horse. These are not animals you should buy because you fall in love with them immediately. Very few people can feel a bond that quickly, and even they make mistakes in their choices. Bonding right away is not the reason one should override other problems the horse may have.

I have only had 2 long-term horses in my life: a big black jumper in my teens and an Arabian stallion. The stallion, Spike, was the greatest horse I have owned to date, but I also know that great horses are made first, and ‘gifted’ to you second. I have trained countless horses with talent and bonding ability, but the previous owners were not able to see this (often through lack of experience, time, training, general ‘horse sense’ ).

Finding the right horse means that you have to answer the above question with honesty and integrity. Another life depends on it.

What Can You Expect From Owning a Horse?

I would not be where I am today without having had them in my life, and I don’t mean the website and the riding experience. Horses supply valuable worldly skills at any age; it’s just gets a little more interesting when you’re older. My patience came from the horse: my gratitude came from the horse: and my compassion came from the horse.

Horses ask us to change the way we think. They need us to speak their language first. The road to learning this new language opens up the creative thinking side of a human, and challenges us to explore deeper within.

Adiva Murphy says it well: “Horses are intensely emotional, intuitive, intelligent beings. They are a true reflection of our deepest soul. Over time I have discovered their extraordinary ability to awaken intuition in humans, and their ability to mirror the authentic feelings people try to hide. This makes horses powerful therapeutic teachers.”

All Parents Should Read This

When I was young, I was trouble looking for a place to happen. I did not fit in at school, as I was too tall, too skinny and too geeky. I would never have made it through school without my horse.

For young people, growing up means learning to find your place in the world, or society. When parents tell me that horses are too expensive, and you see the look on the child’s face, I always ask them “How much does it cost to rehabilitate a kid on drugs, or raise a teen’s baby?” I’m not saying that kids without horses will go that path, but there are more than the obvious things that make horse ownership for youngsters a valuable tool for life.

By the end of grade 10, I was pinning in almost everything I went in, and jumping heights that scared me silly in grade 1. My courage to go places and advance was unstoppable, and I absorbed every detail I could about the horse.

In elementary school, I use to run home as fast as I could, to avoid the rocks the kids threw at me every day after school. I was never invited to play sports, even though I could have whipped just about everyone there. I always sat at the front of the class, as close to the teacher as possible. When I hear of bullying now, the things I endured as a little kid would have locked up many guilty youth today.

But as my horse knowledge grew, and I became stronger from having this highly positive experience in my life, I began to fight back. In grade 10, I found myself surrounded by ‘unpleasant’ girls in the bathroom. I was able to negotiate my way out of it (learning other language skills – the horse) and after taking off my jacket to reveal some rather strong arms, they left me alone, revering me the rest of the school year. It was better than the abuse.

Being a bit of an outcast at school also didn’t matter much as I went through Jr. and Sr. High. My attitude was “Go ahead, bug me all you want, but you can’t ride a horse as well as me.”

At the barn, I was surrounded with kids my age and all sorts of interesting horsey people. I fit in there, and was well respected. I met lots of new friends at the shows, and my memories of youth now are filled with happy tales of great adventure: sleeping in our horse’s stalls overnight at the shows; riding bareback through miles of endless trails; riding my first Rothman’s Grand Prix at the Northwest International and not having any recollection of the entire thing at the end from being so scared (but brave enough to do it).

How Horses Teach Us

Not all kids are like I was. But the point is, the horse taught me that I could excel in something (I was good in school, but back then that was ‘geeky’, so I never tried), gave me hope, showed me another way to communicate, and challenged the anger that could have grown out of proportion inside. My confidence soared, I took on any challenge and learned to nurture and respect all life. The things horses teach us.

Horses often take the place of a best friend, and that was my experience growing up. I cried with my horse, I laughed with my horse, and not once did he ever call me stupid (perhaps in a subtle way, when you ask them to do something and they tell you to ask another way).

Horses are incapable of learning our language. They are herd animals, and ‘precocial’, meaning they are born with the immediate response of being mobile and bonding to the mare. Precocial exists in prey animals, where as predators are born ‘altricial’, where the young are born helpless and bond with the parent(s) later. Horses have very limited verbal dialogue and use body language as their main way of communicating.

This forces humans to change their thinking patterns and physical behaviors around horses (if the human wants to get anywhere with the horse). As humans, we now are asked to bring down our walls and ego, and speak a dialogue that’s transparent and honest.

Find that course in grade school?

What Parents Should Look For

The trick for parents is to be able to judge whether or not horses are a passing fad for the year, or a way of life that the youngster will take with them. Not all young people stick with horses their whole life. In my world about 1 in 10 did. As parents, what you need to feel out is whether you are going to get into this, and have the child find interest in something else ten months down the road, after you have purchased the horse, equipment, lessons, trailer, truck (you get the message). But the child needs to ride in lessons first, for you to be able to judge this.

The best way to proceed is to get lessons at a reputable barn. How do you know a barn is reputable? Find two or three top trainers in the area and ask them. Top trainers and coaches know what and who to avoid. Spend time around a place and get a feel for the instructors. Are they in it for the kids or the paycheck, and with horse people this will stand out plain as day. Teaching youth is a gift and you either want to do it or you have to. The difference between the two is easy to distinguish. Also, do the horses look well fed and happy? Are they turned out daily? Is the facility managed by responsible people who show up? What are the qualifications of the instructors (they should at least have insurance)?

What if you don’t have any lesson barns close by? Many kids get their start by cleaning stalls and working in facilities. These kids are lucky, for they earn the right to be with horses, and usually stick with it long after all the ‘stuff’ is bought. The drawback is that many of them learn by trial and error, and that means broken bones and the odd concussion, and the price the horse will pay in the process. Just go into a horse forum and start reading. You have to feel for some of those horses.

There is nothing that takes the place of lessons and good training from the start. It’s not a sport like hockey where you learn to skate and balance. This sport has a partner: a living, breathing entity whose survival depends solely on the owner/rider. I cannot stress this enough: there are far too many unwanted and abused horses. If you don’t have the ability to keep an animal, do not get into this in the first place. If you have no intention of learning from the start, take up something else. Horses have no place in the ego of mankind, and do not exist solely for our pleasure.

I suggest that your child take lessons on at least 3 horses before you even think of buying one. This allows the child to get a feel of what different horses are like, so that they are better able to judge the right horse for their own when they finally buy one. They should have had enough lessons to become comfortable with each horse, and enough time in to gain confidence.

Your child’s age is another factor. I rode my own pony Dusty at the age of 4, but looking back on it one could have called it child abuse. I was bitten and bucked off daily. I either landed too many times on my head, or this way of life was for me and nothing was getting in the way. I believe a child will know when they want to learn. Size and age does not matter (no younger than 4 please) but it’s even more important that you find the right horse or pony for a younger enthusiast. Dusty may not have been the best example, but was small enough to not scare me during the rough moments (about every two minutes).

Long Term Considerations

Another thing a parent has to consider are restrictions: does the child or YOU have the time to put into this: are you as a parent able to help out: can you afford it: can you go the distance when the child wants to progress with this animal in the future (shows, clinics, lessons)? Horses are time consuming and not for those who like to get out on Sunday. They can really eat up time when they are sick or injured. Your weekends are given over to the horse. Life can change also, leaving Fluffys life with you in the balance.

The commitment to horses is enormous, and buying the animal is often the easy part. Most kids grow out of Fluffy in a few years, and you either end up owning 2 horses or Fluffy gets sold. It’s not always easy to sell horses, taking weeks or months to find the right home. But it’s all part of the experience, and as a child, I learned to absorb the pain of my favorite horses passing on, and being sold.

This is yet another way that horses teach us. Being sheltered from the natural movement of life just means you will have to go through the lesson later. What you resist, persists. I am so grateful I had the chance to understand these things early. I had more time to move through the process.

If all that information helps you, and you’ve now gone through this ‘discovery’ period, it’s time to find the right horse.

The Mature Rider’s Guide to Horse Ownership

Most mature riders have ridden in the past at some point. I commend anyone who takes on this challenge without prior experience. You have my full respect.

As I said above, horses come with a level of responsibility you won’t find in any other sport or pet ownership, so if you glanced through the youth/parent section, go back and read it thoroughly. As adults, we need to evaluate the same things that parents are asked to: time, ability, finances, available stables and long term ownership.

As adults, we have different reasons to own horses than children do. Perhaps it was a dream from youth, or the desire to return to a more natural way of living (farms/land ownership). Horses can add to our years with an enjoyment you won’t understand until you live the experience. There is no money in the world that can buy the enjoyment a good horse can give.

We don’t often buy show horses as adults. We often spend our lives in business, competing for jobs and salaries, fighting our way up the ladder, and the last thing we want from our experience with horses is more of the same. The pleasure horse is more the choice of later years. Unlike children, we usually don’t have to work at a barn or take lessons before we know we want to do this. Adults have pondered the idea for years. Many of us have the income and means to pursue the dream. From here on it’s full steam ahead to find one.

Looking for a horse now requires a bit more time. Quality horses with the level of training to be safe can also cost a bit more, but here’s where the show horse comes in. Older show horses often have good training on them, and have been exposed to many distractions and spooky threats. Often, people move on to newer younger animals, and the old show horse gets the back pasture, or worse, left in isolation. While they may cost a bit more they can become loyal companions and reliable trail buddies.

Always try out a horse you’re interested in at least three or more times. Show up at the horse’s barn unexpectedly and see how the animal lives when you’re not there. Ride the horse in an enclosed area (arena, ring) and out on a trail or roadway. If the owner balks at this, it’s likely the horse is incapable of being safe in these places. Watch others ride the horse. We will cover more of this in future articles in this series.

What’s Next in Horse Purchasing?

As a parent, by now you will have come to a decision about how your child is going to learn. Maybe you have gone through the lesson circuits and the child is ready for ownership.

As an adult, you are hot on the trail of horse hunting, and have found a potential horse or so. Next comes the decision: which horse is going to be an enjoyable experience and lifelong partner?

In the next chapter, we will look at the difference between ponies and horses: pros and cons. Which is right for your child.

Author: April Reeves
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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