The Basics of Horse Breeding

Horse breeding is a very rewarding pursuit that can be done as a hobby or a career. Breeding horses involves choosing a stallion and mare to mate for the purposes of producing a foal with particular qualities and characteristics.

The stallion is the sire, and the mare is the dam. The sire and the dam are equally important because the foal inherits 50% genetic material from each of them. Some breeders practice selective breeding, which means choosing particular horses from particular bloodlines for specific purposes. Other breeders may simply mate available horses to produce what are called companion animals that are not going to be raced or shown competitively.

The gestation period of the mare lasts an average of 350 days. The last three months are the most crucial time for the foal as this is when 60% of growth and development happens. As far as when the birth happens depends on the preferences of the breeder. In nature, foals are often born in the springtime. However, breeders who are racing or showing their horses prefer to have their foals born in the winter months, as close to January as possible. This gives them an edge when competing against other horses in their age group. You may have heard the terms colt and filly. While a foal is simply a baby horse, a colt is a young male and a filly is a young female. The term gelding refers to a neutered male horse.

Now that you know some of the terminology, let's discuss the various breeds. There are many different horse breeds in the world and most breeders focus on one or two favorites. The American Quarter Horse is a very popular breed in North America. This horse is a working ranch horse that is suitable for many different purposes. Arabian horses were originally bred for endurance, hardiness, speed and trainability. They were used to travel long distances in unwelcoming conditions. Another popular breed is the Appaloosa, which has a distinctive spotted coat.

If you are new to the world of horse breeding, you will need to learn as much as you can about the subject. Consult with your veterinarian for more information about breeding your horses. You may also want to read some books about breeding as well. There are plenty of helpful titles out there that can help breeders of all experience levels. Here are a few examples you may want to consider for your bookshelf: Modern Horse Breeding: A Guide for Owners by Susan McBane, The Foal is the Goal: A Practical Guide to Horse Breeding by Tena Bastian and The Complete Guide for Horse Business Success by Janet E. English.



Horse Breeding News:
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Webinar series on equine genetics and management - AG Week

Webinar series on equine genetics and management
AG Week
The University of Minnesota is teaming up with Michigan State University's My Horse University to take horse owner knowledge to a new depth. .

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Smart Little Merada Gelding, Turn Back Horse, Sorting
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Implusive Dream An Early Star For August Sale (Virtual Form Guide)
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Mr. Biggs - Tennessee Walking Horse's life ruined by abusive .
Mr. Biggs recently arrived at STAR Ranch Rescue in Waynesville, NC. A beautiful bay Tennessee Walking Horse, Mr. Biggs was trained using cruel and barbaric techniques the result of which is that at the young age of 11, he is in constant ...


Kentucky Horse Council Offers Breeders Incentive to Limit Births - U.S. News & World Report

Kentucky Horse Council Offers Breeders Incentive to Limit Births
U.S. News & World Report
Kentucky is, of course, also a state famous for thoroughbred and walking horse breeding. The Kentucky program should be lauded and expanded nationwide. .

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Lack of lottery terminals has horse breeders running for the hills - Long Island Business News

Lack of lottery terminals has horse breeders running for the hills
Long Island Business News
Eight years after New York approved video lottery terminals for Aqueduct Racetrack, proponents such as thoroughbred horse breeders are .

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News From Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund - ReadMedia (press release)

ReadMedia (press release)

News From Agriculture & NYS Horse Breeding Development Fund
ReadMedia (press release)
The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund (the Fund) is a public benefit corporation established in 1965 by the Laverne Law (Laws .

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Museveni districts breeding tribal wars? - The Independent

Museveni districts breeding tribal wars?
The Independent
People who attended the meeting told The Independent that it was typical horse-trading between President Museveni and the Banyoro leaders, .

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Five days of racing begins Wednesday at Historic Track (Middletown Times Herald-Record)
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Augusta rodeo gets diverse audience (Great Falls Tribune)
Who knew Augusta was a breeding-ground for multi-cultural rodeo fans?..


Paragallo horse abuse case delayed (The Daily Mail)
CATSKILL EUR” The saga of horse breeder Ernest Paragallos animal cruelty case continues. The case, involving the abuse and neglect of 177 thoroughbreds found on Center Brook Farm in Coxsackie, has once more been adjourned and is slated to resume July 27 at the Coxsackie Town Court...


Hunter Valley Volcanic Crater Major Horse Stud Potential (Virtual Form Guide)
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Excerpt: Austin Ratner's 'The Jump Artist' (Forward)
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Pennsylvania statebred bonuses take a trim - Daily Racing Form (registration)

Pennsylvania statebred bonuses take a trim
Daily Racing Form (registration)
But the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association says the state's purses and bonuses still remain a strong draw for breeders and owners of Pennsylvania-breds .

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Boston Police Horses Get New Home (WCVB Boston) | Twitter Chat .
The clip-clop of police horses will be a sound no longer heard on Boston streets...


Grahamstown stud wins top award again - Dispatch Online

Grahamstown stud wins top award again
Dispatch Online
THE Eastern Cape's Pohlands Sport Horse Stud has again scooped one of South Africa's most prestigious horse breeding awards EUR the Duncan Asken Trophy. .

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