First Foal: Sell or Keep?

[Philliab]

A little background to my question: after years of dreaming of breeding and foaling my own mare, this weekend my first foal, a little filly, was born. Now originally the plan was to breed the mare and sell the foal, but it's like this foal was custom created for me. She's exactly what I've always wanted, and to top it off, it's like I custom painted her pinto markings on to my taste. So this has to mean that I'm meant to keep her, right? ;)

So my question is: to all COTH breeders out there that aim to sell your foals each year, did you sell or keep your very first foal? What made you decide either way? If you sold them, did you ever regret it?

I'm just curious how many other people out there had/have a hard time parting with their first foal. And if I can't bring myself to sell this little girl, will I ever be able to sell one? :eek:

[Cindy's Warmbloods]

If the foal is an improvement on the mare I would then sell the mare and keep the foal as a "future" broodmare and keep "upgrading" so to speak. But the whole package would have to be there, not just the perfect color which I am sure you know. Granted you can't breed your new filly for 3yrs so you may want to breed your mare a few more times and if she is consistantly outproducing herself she may be worthy of keeping anyways. It is pretty hard to judge by one foal so if you are thinking of keeping this filly just hang on to her for a bit, breed your mare again and assess your filly again in a few years. Worst case scenario if she is not all you dreamed off you can sell her when she is riding age for a lot more money as well as the economy should have picked up by then. So unless you need to keep your numbers down and don't plan on necessarily breeding every year then you need to make a decision based on conformation, movement, breeding, temperament etc of each in the discipline(s) you are striving to breed for and chose the best one based on that.

[amdfarm]

First off, congrats on your filly.

I ended up selling all of my first foal crop, because I breed to sell, not to keep (however this economy has changed things a bit.) I'm lucky in that I keep in touch w/ the owners and am able to follow their new careers, get pics and such. I didn't regret selling them at all. I own my stallion and can always make more. ;) My babies getting out will help promote him.

However, in more recent years I've kept two and will probably hang onto one more (they are 2yo's and one 3yo.) I didn't have any foals last year, but will have more this year.

I think if you have more than one, it gets easier to sell them (read above.) It's never easy, as you can get attached to them, but finding them a good home is a good thing, too.

Good luck in your decision. I'm an enabler and would tell you to keep her, she sounds lovely!! What are the chances of you getting that same package again?

[Philliab]

Thank you both for your quick and helpful responses! Your different views completely sum up the battle going on in my head. I know I need to make my decision based on my future breeding goals, and of course she would have to prove to me that she has the whole package to warrant breeding her down the road, but what if I never get another one like her again. I think I've compromised with myself (and my husband) to at least wait until after her inspection to make a final decision. At least that will buy me more time to come up with a good excuse. :winkgrin:

Please keep the responses coming!

[okggo]

150% depends on the foal...and your goals.

My first foal I will keep for the rest of my life. His dam died when he was 3 months old, he was my first foaling experience, and he stole my heart completely 10 times over. He's a 4 year old gelding now, and he is the best riding horse I could have ever asked for. I love everything about him down to the way he likes to untie my shoe laces, lol. (so...planned to keep, and kept)

We've had 3 more since then.

One the mare came in foal, and while we ended up with a really nice paint with a great personality, I just didn't connect to her like I did him. She's not my type of riding mount, nor would she fit my breeding goals, so she'll be sold. (planned to sell, and will sell)

Two was actually my geldings one and only daughter (gelded after mare was confirmed in foal). I figured this would be a keeper, the mom is great, I adore her dad and I'll never have another of "his." Again, just didn't bond with her like I did him. She is a really nice filly, athletic as all get-out, but more of a hunter type (not my breeding goals), more refined, and I do plan to sell her. I had to answer the question, will I regret selling his only daughter, and the answer for me was, as long as I have HIM, I'll be fine with it. (planned to keep, and will probably sell)

Third, I was planning to sell. This one is going to be a problem for me though, I'm drawn to her like I wasn't the last 2. She is really the total package, and fits my goals so wonderfully. Honestly I'd be surprised if we dont' end up keeping this one. (planned to sell and will probably keep)

My point being, even the ones you PLAN to sell or PLAN to keep, you don't KNOW until they are born and you realize exactly what you've got!

[turningpointequine]

I've been thinking the same thing. This years foal was originally going to be my keeper. Then I decide that if I'm going to be serious about getting my own place up and running I need to think business and sell. Once again my heart strings were pulled (before the little bugger was even born) and I decided if it was a boy I'd keep and a girl I'd sell. To narrow it down even more I decided a week or so before my mare foaled that if it was a bay boy I'd keep and anything else I'd sell. Well, my mare gave me a beautiful bay boy. LOL I think it's a sign. So far he has conformation and personality to die for. I just don't think I can let him go but I know you can't keep them all. (Big sigh) Now I figure we'll see how he does at his inspection and go from there.

[rideagoldenpony]

The good news is, you can always decide to sell her later.

I say -- if she's what you want -- keep her! If later she grows up and you get another foal you like better, or decide she isn't quite your cup of tea, she'll be at least as saleable then, if not more so.

This is something I personally struggle with. It has taken me my *entire* adult life to get to the point where I am right now in my breeding program -- which is producing EXACTLY what I was aiming for. When I have those "just right" foals, I have SUCH a hard time selling. They were just what I was trying for -- I WANTED THAT!!!

But, as my dear husband kindly points out occasionally -- I can't keep all of them. Though really, I'd love to!

If you're talking about one foal, and you have the time and resources, and you LIKE her -- I vote keep her! :)

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

The good news is, you can always decide to sell her later.

If you're talking about one foal, and you have the time and resources, and you LIKE her -- I vote keep her! :)

Pretty much sums up what I was thinking too.

[RiderBreeder]

This is the same thing I am going through!

My first foal, I spent 2 years looking for the perfect mare, and this little foal is perfect... a filly (what I prefer), four socks, blaze, perfectly conformed/straight, and bloodlines/ability to fullfill my riding dreams one day... but she is supposed to be for sale. It will be tough, but I have told myself that I own the mare and can make another one. Will it have the absolutely fabulous pauppy-dog temperament that this one does? Will it take naps on my lap? I don't know, but I have to at least make an attempt to find her the perfect home. With the foal market the way it is there may not be any interest anyway.

Just my two cents.

[Amoroso]

Here are my thoughts:

First, it is 100% based on the foal and what you aim to do with her down the road. If this is your perfect baby, why not keep her? Just because you planned to sell, doesn't mean in any way that you need to keep to that plan! Also, if I might add....breeding is a risky business and you are not guaranteed to get another filly or even another foal from the mare should something happen. I always lean to the side of caution because you can always sell this filly should another come along that you like better.
I'm still waiting for a fillies out of a couple specific mares. Keeping fingers crossed that we don't have an "all colt" year!!

[seramisu]

I know you're not supposed to make decisions based on color, but... if she's got your perfect markings, I have to believe it's meant to be. I bought my mare in part for that reason - I always said, if I could have drawn on the pinto myself I would have made them exactly the same - of course I loved her temperament, conformation and movement as well. But you can never predict pintos, if this one's just what you want then keep her, you may never get another one just like her. As others have said, you can always change your mind and sell her later, but you can't change your mind and keep her later.

[turningpointequine]

In all honesty we should probably count ourselves lucky. We all seem to have been blessed with absolutely wonderful foals that we don't "have" to sell. If they sell, then okay business is good . . . if they don't, then our hearts certainly won't be broken. No harm done if they stick around for us to evaluate as 1-2-3 year olds. :)

[avezan]

My first foal is 18 and grazing in my back yard. In fact, my first three are all there. I definitely bred the first one to keep, so that was an easy decision. The second one I also bred to keep. Those 2 I will never sell. The third one....well, this one I thought I was going to sell. This is the one that's comparable to your position. But she was phenomenal. My best foal yet. I really didn't want to sell her. But I did advertise her half-heartedly. She is 9 years old and I still have her. I had some inquiries on her last week (she is not currently advertised for sale) and I kind of blew them off. I think I would really regret it if I sold her.

I am luckily in a position where I can keep horses relatively cheaply. My own farm, lots of pasture, easy keepers. So after those first three, I decided that if I was going to breed anymore, I would HAVE to make the decision BEFORE the foal was born whether or not I would sell it. Then I would FORCE myself, not to get too attached. Anytime I felt myself getting too attached, I would tell myself again: the only reason you bred this foal was to sell it! Case in point: I bought a nice TB mare because I thought her foals would be very marketable. I bred her to my favoritest stallion. I was going to SELL this foal! The foal was born on my wedding anniversary, the same birthday as foal #2 above (my namesake, avezan), it was a filly, she was bright bay, my favorite color, and she had big beautiful eyes...... sob! I really wanted to keep this one. But where do you draw the line? Sigh. I did sell her (Monday, actually). I had second thoughts as she walked on the trailer. But I feel good about it now. She's in a perfect home.

Anyway, rambling, sorry. Try to make the decision before the foals are born. Should you keep this first foal? yes. ;) Sell the mare and keep the foal. This keeps the status quo on the number of horses and should keep hubby happy. You won't be able to breed again for a while (which will also keep hubby happy) but this foal will have a dual purpose. You can ride her and breed her in the future! Good luck and congrats on your first foal.

[camohn]

If she is exactly what you wanted then keep her. You can sell her later. If you can't afford to keep her and the momma then maybe keep the filly and sell momma. If space/money is not an issue then keep em both and see what the next foal looks like before deciding whom to sell. There is always the "price" issue too where she is "kinda for sale". She is for sale for a top of the line price.....where ya can tell the hubby she is honestly for sale....and if someone is willing to pay Price X for her you can only feel SO bad all the way to the bank.

[Fillyfolly]

My first foal is now 7 and my one and only horse. I bred her to sell her but she turned out to be the perfect horse for me, size-wise, temperament-wise and in ability. I am 5'2" and my mare's sire is Popeye K - if she had inherited his size (she's 15.3-16 HH), I would have sold her as I find it tougher to ride large horses due to my short legs. I sold my second foal who was much "spicier" as I felt her hotter temperament would be too much for me. I have no regrets keeping my first baby - but she turned out to be the right fit for me.

[pony grandma]

I hate to be the enabler to tell you that part of the education in breeding is getting to watch them grow and develop :D . That cute little baby is going to go thru a lot of growthy stages and getting to see the final result helps you learn how to evaluate them. (Need any more convincing???) You also learn foal handling and beginning training skills, you learn nature vs nuture, you'll get to see more clearly what parts come from the mare, what comes from the stallion. Am I right on track yet? You'll get to use that camera you bought, you'll post more frequently on here and share, you'll get to 'see' your dreams come true.

I developed a saying that comes from my age - that wisdom thing that happens. "You won't always get everything that you want in life -- you'll end up getting some things that you didn't know that you wanted."

I did a breed one to sell one deal, and they're both still here. I don't have the time left in life to not do it and enjoy it NOW. If I sold my nice horse, the money would disappear - go back into the home equity loan, probably buy me a better used car (that would end up being the same old car I drive now after a few yrs) and someone else would have my 'nice' horse. Luckily my husband fell in love with the second foal, a filly (my breed-up broodie) and she is daddy's girl in every sense of the term and I don't hear a word about selling her either. Times are tough but I count myself lucky every day. The SO calls me regularly with buyers on hand (it's business, she has to make the contact) but she also tells me it's okay to hang on to them and just enjoy what I've got.

If your heart is singing listen to the music.

[turningpointequine]

I hate to be the enabler to tell you that part of the education in breeding is getting to watch them grow and develop :D . That cute little baby is going to go thru a lot of growthy stages and getting to see the final result helps you learn how to evaluate them. (Need any more convincing???) You also learn foal handling and beginning training skills, you learn nature vs nuture, you'll get to see more clearly what parts come from the mare, what comes from the stallion. Am I right on track yet? You'll get to use that camera you bought, you'll post more frequently on here and share, you'll get to 'see' your dreams come true.

I developed a saying that comes from my age - that wisdom thing that happens. "You won't always get everything that you want in life -- you'll end up getting some things that you didn't know that you wanted."

If your heart is singing listen to the music.

Wow, I don't think I need any more convincing. I'm off now to go lay with my boy as he naps, kiss his cheeks and not be afraid to fall in love.

[Philliab]

Wow! You guys are great enablers! I should have known that COTHers wouldn't talk me into selling the horse of my dreams. :lol: I don't need any more convincing that its OK to fall in love and keep this little girl. There's no need to rush into making a decision, and I'd love to watch her grow up and see what kind of horse she'll become. It's nice to know I'm not the only one who's going or has gone through this. :) Thank you for your honest replies.