She is FINALLY here!!!

[Ruth]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Even the disability vs. defect thing still doesn't make me 100% comfortable with the idea of breeding deaf horses. Kind of like certain conformation faults or the corrected limb deformities (like that black Arab mare you mentioned before who was a club and every foal she had was clubby). Doesn't mean the horse will be unhappy or in pain or not useful and loved by someone, but if there's a good chance the disability or defect or fault will be passed on is it a good idea to breed that horse? To me it depends on the chances of it being passed on, and maybe Guelph will be able to help you with that. For another example - I have a 3 yo CSH filly who does not have the world's best temperament. She has a lot of other things going for her. I have decided that if I don't sell her I will breed her once to a stallion that has a reputation for throwing his good temperament. If I get a little carbon copy of her attitude-wise I won't breed her again. I can live with the resulting foal even if it is just like her, but I am not going to make more of them. Now it could be argued convincingly that temperament is more important than hearing, but I'm trying to make myself understood which is difficult with this icky cold and serious lack of sleep I've (not) had in the past few days! That's why I'm sitting on the fence. I'm not convinced it's a bad idea, but I'm not convinced it's a good idea either. More a "it'll be interesting to see how it works out" kind of thing.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[TrueColours]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Ruth - I hear ya! #ed_op#IMG src="/richedit/smileys/cool.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Years ago I had a horse that was pretty darned awfully sickle hocked (bought before I really even KNEW what sickle hocked was and the conformational weakness it was!)#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I had him up for sale and the hunter people said "eew. He's sickle hocked. We dont want him. He wont stand up" and dressage people came to see him and said "Wow! He's sickle hocked - thats great. He will be able to sit under himself more and we wont progress past certain levels with him so he doesnt break down in behind"#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#So - go figure - one disciplines conformational weakness was another's conformational strength ...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I certainly dont view Whatever's deafness as a strength by any means but I also have a hard time viewing it as a weakness either. Its there. We deal with it. We make allowances for it, to a degree, and she gets treated as and reacts like a normal horse in literally 100% of everything we do with her.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Once Whatever gets BAER tested, we will know 100% what we are dealing with, with her. I would also plan on getting all of her foals tested since Guelph is so close and it is so inexpensive to do so and then they could be advertised for sale, with BAER certificate in hand, of being partially deaf, not deaf at all or totally deaf. Full disclosure (as was given to me with Whatever) so that each buyer can make his or her mind up as to whether they choose to purchase that foal with "Eyes Wide Open". Its basically all that I can do - get the necessary tests done and then give full disclosure before any money changes hands ... #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#It may also serve to further the studies done on Splash White's to determine if genetically, deafness is passed on 100% or ??? %     #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[ArabJumper]

#ed_op#div#ed_cl#ArabJumper - there are some really fabulous
deals on horses in both Australia and New Zealand right now. Some
confirmed jumpers and event horses going for a pittance compared to
what they sell for in North America or Europe.#ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl# #ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl#It
was actually REALLY easy to import her. No hidden costs. No surprises.
They kept me updated every step of the way and the fellow in Auckland
emailed me to advise when his job was over and when he was handing
everything over to the staff in Los Angeles, and then they advised when
she arrived, advised of the minor delay in quarantine, and advised when
she was on her way.#ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl#The fellow driving the van was a total
doll and SO good with the horses and he said in all his years of
driving the horses to and from LA for import/export to/from Australia
and NZ, he had NEVER seen anything like Whatever before!#ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl# #ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl#IRT
are also handling the transfer of Jockey Club papers from the
Australian JC to the North American one, looked after getting all of
the necessary forms filled out, photos done, blood pulled, etc.#ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl# #ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl#As
well as being involved in the horses, I have also been in the freight
and logistics business for 30+ years and own my own company and from
both a horse person's perspective as well as a forwarding point of
view, IRT are a totally professional, first class outfit to deal with
from beginning to end.#ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl# #ed_op#/div#ed_cl##ed_op#div#ed_cl#It was virtually stress free (well - except for chewing my nails down to nubs waiting for her to arrive!)   #ed_op#/div#ed_cl#

#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
I watched some races in NZ. I loved how different the TB's were there.
I loves them. I went there to ride some jumpers. I worry about them
adjusting to here. The horse I wanted lived on a 1000acre farm with
tons of pasture. I cant provide a life like that for them. They'd end
up being coooped up in a stall for 14 hours. #ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
Speaking of prices what is the average difference? How much does it cost to get them to the US from NZ??#ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[TrueColours]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Well - I know what it cost to get her from door - Auckland to door - Ontario, Canada which was just over USD $10,000.00, but no idea what it would be to various points in the USA!   #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/classic.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[ArabJumper]

Hmm, I was figuring 15 to be safe. What I should do is move to NZ. Hey,
waite, then I would end shipping my silly A-rabs there. Ahhh.