[equinedriver]

Is anyone else appalled by this ????????????? I mean, I am just speechless. She is only three, and SHE WAS A RESCUE !!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yes, the horse world needs another foal............really badly. I posted this question to the blog and after appearing for about an hour, it was deleted. I guess they don't want to have to answer this question.

[vxf111]

Context?

[Tamara in TN]

Jill who ???


Tamara

[purplnurpl]

Who is Jill?

[pcwertb]

Posted on EN:

http://stonegatefarm-adventuresofjac...-big-news.html

[vxf111]

Don't know the whole context on this... but Jill is a papered TB mare who was rescued and is now owned by a vet, and they bred her at 3 years old. It's not my preferred age to breed, but it's not entirely unheard of either, and had she been a racemare broodie the same thing may have happened. She seems to be in good hands now. She looks healthy, fit, and able to carry a foal. Agreed it's not what I would have done but I guess I lack the total outrage and shock of the OP. Is there more to this story?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Is anyone else appalled by this ????????????? I mean, I am just speechless. She is only three, and SHE WAS A RESCUE !!!!!!!!!!!! Oh yes, the horse world needs another foal............really badly. I posted this question to the blog and after appearing for about an hour, it was deleted. I guess they don't want to have to answer this question.

Not appalled at all. She wasn't really a "rescue"--it was a farm that liquidated. She's pretty well bred in fact (and a fully papered TB) and a nice looking mare. They have her started undersaddle and have been impressed with her...significantly. They think she will be a top event horse and because of that...know that they will not want to stop her competition career to have a foal in her prime breeding years.

It is VERY common to bred 3 year olds that are intending to be competition horses. You don't lose their prime years (and most are more than mature enough to carry a foal)....and yet then if you decide to breed them in later years you are not breeding an older maiden. It also gives you a chance to see what she will produce AND serves to keep you from pushing a nice young horse too soon.

So no....I don't find it appalling at all.

[deltawave]

Sounds like a family of responsible horse owners and breeders (one of whom is a vet) made an educated decision to breed a mare for a purpose.

It's not the mare's fault she was a rescue, nor does it make her unsuitable for breeding.

Are too many foals born? Probably. But I think we could much more easily look elsewhere to irresponsible, clueless backyard breeders rather than bashing a member of the horse community who obviously has the experience and the means to raise a foal.

[Lori B]

I agree that it's dumb, and not the best judgment, in the big picture, particularly if your going to blog about being a Good Doobie and taking on another of the world's unwanted horses. But if they WANT a baby, and have the wherewithall to care for it, no matter what costs are incurred, then I can't really bust on 'em that hard.

That said, no, I sure wouldn't have done it.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

I agree that it's dumb, and not the best judgment, in the big picture, particularly if your going to blog about being a Good Doobie and taking on another of the world's unwanted horses. But if they WANT a baby, and have the wherewithall to care for it, no matter what costs are incurred, then I can't really bust on 'em that hard.

That said, no, I sure wouldn't have done it.

But these were NOT unwanted horses. Yes...they had to be moved quickly but there was a REASON they were all scooped up so fast. These were very nice horses....just disposed of cheaply because of a death in the family....not because they were over produced or crap horses. And I'm certain that this mare will not be the only one of that group that is bred.

Yes...there are lots of unwanted horses in the world. But there are also people who breed with a purpose...and produce nice sport horses. And are responsible. I see no evidence that these are irresponsible breeders. They picked a nice Connemara stallion for what will likely produce a very marketable foal if they decide to sell.

[pony grandma]

Exactly as BFNE said. These were not rescue horses. The doc had top TB race and sport bloodlines. I have two youngsters from his lines and they are terrific for sport. These aren't mutts!!

The mare will have more time to mentally mature for competition. She is physically mature enough to breed. Very common thing to do, it increases the mare's value and future use. I too had to examine the practice and found that it does not stunt their growth. With mares it can actually improve and settle them hormonally some times.

I had to read the blog entry to see who the daddy is. cool. and two babies for pasture fun together. I can understand the decision.

[Oberon13]

I'm actually excited about this! They should get a very nice foal (quality mare/quality stallion), and Jill will still have her strong eventing years ahead of her.

These are not amateurs - these owners know what they're doing in nearly all aspects of horse ownership (one's a vet!). They are well versed in breeding, training, and the sport of eventing (they host their own events at their farm). I'm not worried at all that this is some kind of "backyard breeding barn" gone wrong. There's nothing wrong with purposeful breeding, good decisions, and loving owners.

[SLR]

Um, Jill belongs to a family that includes a large animal veterinarian and a person with a "brief" resume that reads like this:
Jackie is a graduate of Lake Erie College where she majored in Phys Ed and Equestrian studies.*It was while she was teaching at Lake Erie College that she met Dave. An accomplished rider, competing through the CCI** level in eventing and a recipient of the bonze medal in dressage, she is also known for many of the other hats she wears.
Instructor & Trainer
•USEA Certified Instructor Level II
United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) licensed official
•Eventing judge
•Eventing Technical Delegate
•Eventing Course Designer
•Dressage Judge
Positions with the USEA/USEF (former or present)Area VIII Chair
•USEA Board of Governors
•Chair of the USEA organizers Committee
•Area VIII Young Rider Coordinator
•USEF Eventing Technical Committee
•USEA Young Event Horse Committee
•USEA Competitions Committee
Positions with the United States Pony Club (former or present)
•USPC Eventing Committee resourse
•Regional Instructional Coordinator
•Western Reserve Pony Club Instructional Coordinator

I think they might be qualified to make the judgement call about whether to breed her.
Plus "the man in the can" pic made my day

[lcw579]

They picked a nice Connemara stallion for what will likely produce a very marketable foal if they decide to sell.

This. Have to admit my first thought was What a nice cross - that's gonna be a nice baby for a lucky person!

[Lori B]

BFNE, I guess that I'm cynical enough to think that in the current economy, anytime someone is trying to rehome more than about 5 horses at a time in a big hurry, those are unwanted animals. Some are luckier than most, but I don't think they paid anything for them, did they?

Notice I didn't say 'rescue', cuz I am quite ready to agree, these horses were perfectly well cared for and far luckier than most who are part of a fast dispersal.

I don't think it was 'wrong' to do, but I think it was kinda dumb to do it and brag about it. We all know how dire the circumstances are for critters of every type right now. I would think long and hard about breeding anything, even if I was sitting on a giant pile of money. I am prevailed upon to help rehome horses and cats and dogs and whatever pretty much every freaking week, and I am far from the most plugged in animal person around.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

BFNE, I guess that I'm cynical enough to think that in the current economy, anytime someone is trying to rehome more than about 5 horses at a time in a big hurry, those are unwanted animals. Some are luckier than most, but I don't think they paid anything for them, did they?

Notice I didn't say 'rescue', cuz I am quite ready to agree, these horses were perfectly well cared for and far luckier than most who are part of a fast dispersal.

I don't think it was 'wrong' to do, but I think it was kinda dumb to do it and brag about it. We all know how dire the circumstances are for critters of every type right now. I would think long and hard about breeding anything, even if I was sitting on a giant pile of money. I am prevailed upon to help rehome horses and cats and dogs and whatever pretty much every freaking week, and I am far from the most plugged in animal person around.

Yes..but the people that got a great deal on those horses are not the ones re-homing them. They are just the ones who benefited greatly because someone else made a business decision to just give the horses away. The fact that the were gone within a DAY...is telling about what nice horses they were. If they had been crap...even giving them away would have been much harder.



As for the business decision...we all make our own depending on our circumstances. Breeders--like I believe these people are---who are NOT depending on selling the foals....it is a different market. They are breeding to produce a nice sport horse that will probably not be on the market seriously until it is under saddle and competing. So you look more on a 6-10 year business plan. It is a very different out look than most people can do. And you do it mostly out of enjoyment of the process....not profit.

[fooler]

I know the family that took in the Jack and Jill. They host 2 recognized events annually plus Jackie and her son compete. This is a logical, well thought out action. Possibly thinking the foal will be a competition horse for either Jackie or Kyle.

FYI - the August PH has an article about Mary King. Kings Temptress, the mare Mary won Rolex with, is a homebred and was bred at 3. Then backed in the fall of her 4th year. Not an uncommon action with responsible breeders.

The blog notes the prior owner of Jack & Jill passed away. The family had to find homes for the horses as there was no one left to care for them.

[Oberon13]

Plus "the man in the can" pic made my day

All strapped in, safe and sound!

[judybigredpony]

Not appalled at all. She wasn't really a "rescue"--it was a farm that liquidated. She's pretty well bred in fact (and a fully papered TB) and a nice looking mare. They have her started undersaddle and have been impressed with her...significantly. They think she will be a top event horse and because of that...know that they will not want to stop her competition career to have a foal in her prime breeding years.

It is VERY common to bred 3 year olds that are intending to be competition horses. You don't lose their prime years (and most are more than mature enough to carry a foal)....and yet then if you decide to breed them in later years you are not breeding an older maiden. It also gives you a chance to see what she will produce AND serves to keep you from pushing a nice young horse too soon.

So no....I don't find it appalling at all.

You couldn't have said it better......

[pegasusmom]

Um, Jill belongs to a family that includes a large animal veterinarian and a person with a "brief" resume that reads like this:
Jackie is a graduate of Lake Erie College where she majored in Phys Ed and Equestrian studies.*It was while she was teaching at Lake Erie College that she met Dave. An accomplished rider, competing through the CCI** level in eventing and a recipient of the bonze medal in dressage, she is also known for many of the other hats she wears.
Instructor & Trainer
•USEA Certified Instructor Level II
United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) licensed official
•Eventing judge
•Eventing Technical Delegate
•Eventing Course Designer
•Dressage Judge
Positions with the USEA/USEF (former or present)Area VIII Chair
•USEA Board of Governors
•Chair of the USEA organizers Committee
•Area VIII Young Rider Coordinator
•USEF Eventing Technical Committee
•USEA Young Event Horse Committee
•USEA Competitions Committee
Positions with the United States Pony Club (former or present)
•USPC Eventing Committee resourse
•Regional Instructional Coordinator
•Western Reserve Pony Club Instructional Coordinator

I think they might be qualified to make the judgement call about whether to breed her.
Plus "the man in the can" pic made my day

Um, Thank you SLR. Couldn't have said it better myself.

Marjean, you need to put your head between your legs and take a deep breath.