To Breed or Not to Breed

I've been struggling with some decisions here on my Arabian horse farm and I just can't make up my mind. Then I found that Anne at smellshorsey is struggling about the same thing. While the circumstances are different, the end result is the same, should I or shouldn't I breed must be on the minds of lots of mare owners this year.

Last year I went through the same quandary. I posted about Breeding Season Decisions for the Small Arabian Horse Breeder I ended up only breeding one mare. I made that decision so late, that the mare isn't even due to foal for another month. If I'm going to breed again this year, I need the foal to be earlier so foaling isn't happening in the middle of show season. That means I need to make a decision soon, if not now.

Last year I planned to breed two of my Scandalous Legacy daughters this year. I had the stallions picked out and I even paid one of the stud fees. I bought it at a stallion service auction for a fraction of the price and paid for it at the time. If I don't use it, I will lose my investment and the futurity nominations that come along with the package. This amounts to a considerable chunk of change.

That breeding is for Scandalous Dare. The mare is nine years old and is still a maiden mare(another good reason to breed). The breeding is to the AQHA stallion, The Mighty Oak. He is a reining champion and is siring great half-Arabian foals. The market for half-Arabian reining prospects is going through the roof. The mare is about as talented as they come. It should be a dream foal.

The second mare I planned to breed is Scandalous Hope. I planned to breed her to the Arabian stallion, Apaladin. He is a English pleasure and halter champion. A beautiful grey horse with lots and lots of heart. They are selling his foals to South Africa for good money. This should also be a dream foal. I have spoken with the owner and she will allow me to breed next year for the same price(even though his stud fee is expected to go up) as I would have paid this year. So I have put this breeding on hold until next year.

Money and the market are at the root of my concern. I haven't sold a horse since last summer. My reserves have never been replenished since the birth of the twins. Worrying about finances makes for stressful times here on this breeding farm.

Since I have already paid the stud fee on the breeding the only outlay I would have would be the fees for shipping semen and the vet. My daughter volunteered to help me pay those. But those expenses are not the only issues with money I am worrying about.

My fear has to do with the market and the economy. Closing the slaughter houses and a number of natural disasters across this country have resulted in a glut of unwanted horses. That really kills the local market.

Normally I don't worry about the local market. I know that that is not my target market. I also know that my target market is still strong. Top quality, trained Arabian show horses are bringing record prices. Not to mention the fact that the population of Arabian horses in this country is aging. Most registered Arabians are twenty years and older. As those horses die off, the market is going to shoot through the roof. Breeders who have managed to hold on to this point will be in good shape.

However, the local market is what I depend on if I get into financial trouble. Normally I can drop a top quality horse on the market at a discount and generate some cash flow. It's not my favorite decision to make but it can keep me out of trouble. In today's market, I wonder if I still have that option.

With the rising price of diesel, now $2.65 a gallon (whoops that's a typo, fuel here is $4.65 a gallon) right down the road from me, I know the prices of everything are going up. I have found a good supplier for my hay but expect to see price hikes. I've also found a source for bulk grain so I've knocked the price I was paying there nearly in half. But again due to fuel prices I expect to see that creep right back up where it was. Feeding 28 horses means those increases add up really fast.

If all these things keep rising, that compromises my show fund. Since showing horses at nationals or Scottsdale is what I need to do to get top prices, not making it to the shows really shoots me in the foot. That is the thing that scares me most. If I don't sell a horse within the next twelve months I will be in a world of hurt, or that's my fear anyway.

Also, due to my injury and illness this winter, I do not have the young stock ready to be shown under saddle this year. That will make it more difficult to get them sold. The odds are I won't sell something until it's in the ring unless Rhythm's arrival on the show scene generates some interest.

If I quit breeding, that is the first step in putting an end to this dream. That's the only thing I am sure of. Do I trust myself and the caliber of horse I've breed and follow the dream? Or do I go with my fear, give up this dream and begin shutting this place down?


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