Size Matters?!?

[PerfectAngel]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Hey, Just wondering if any of y'all know how big a stud you can breed to a 14 hh pony mare. She's built like a QH (no idea what breed though) and she's currently in foal to a 15hh (ish) donkey...this is her first foal (due ANY TIME NOW......*hint hint*) and I was thinking of rebreeding her next year to a paint stud (the sire of my other filly, Angel) but he's 16hh. What do you think?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Edited to add : Sorry all (thx Bluebird) She's in foal to a donkey, she'll have a mule!!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dressagenap]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I know practically nothing about breeding but I think a 2hh difference should be fine.  After all, Shetlands and Appaloosas (er, regular height ones I believe) were bred to create the Pony of the Americas - not to mention countless other examples #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[AQHAgirl]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Might wanna ask a vet...I believe a 2 h difference won't be too bad but considering she's the short one you wouldn't want to create a baby too big to push out..Supposidly a mare's body isn't suppose to create a baby that is too big to birth but I've heard of wide hips and such getting stuck during birth.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Bluebird]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Are you sure she is in foal to a mule?  If I'm not mistaken, mule's are sterile - they are a cross between a horse and a donkey, and they are all normally sterile because of this cross....  Maybe you are confusing a donkey with a mule?  Although I'm not sure I have ever heard of a 15hh donkey.....#ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Thinking/3.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Anyway, you can breed a 14hh mare to any size horse.... Many reining QH's these days are 14-15hh, so she is a very large pony, and should be able to handle any size stud....#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[SPYDER]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#In most normal breedings the mare's own body will determine the size of the foal and will not allow excessive size to mature within the uterus. With rare exceptions this will apply to size differences that may occur between sire and dam. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discus events, small minds discuss people#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[goldendryad]

#ed_op#font style="color: rgb(255, 128, 191); font-style: italic;" size="4"#ed_cl#I
agree, as far as I've ever heard a mare will only grow a baby as big as
she can handle, it will do the rest of it's growing outside mama.#ed_op#img src="richedit/smileys/Teasing/5.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
Our little paint pony mare, is about 13hh and she was bred to a 15.2
morgan stud and had no problems whatsoever giving birth to her colt. He
did his growing later on.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
And get this, a neighbour had their kids pony accidentally bred to a
HUGE percheron stud and she had no problems, but the baby grew to be
HUGE later on. So it can and does happen.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
I have heard of troubles though with studs that throw really long
legged babies or ones with big buts/hips....but that's quite uncommen.
Only ever seen that with one QH stud.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
#ed_op#br#ed_cl#
I'm sure your mare will be fine! If you're still worried, you can ask
about the size of his babies, or try to see some yourself. Also ask
about the sizes of mares he's bred and how they've done birthing his
babies.#ed_op#/font#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#

[stephanie1]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#a040ff#ed_cl#Just a question that is sort of off topic but not really.#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#a040ff#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#a040ff#ed_cl#Why would you breed your horse to a donkey????#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#a040ff#ed_cl#What is a mule good for??????#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face="Comic Sans MS"#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I can't understand why people breed these crazy crosses.  What do you plan to do with the offspring?  Going to use it as a pack horse.....?  Vet bills are the same for a quality breeding as a run of the mill union......#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#When selecting a stallion....you look at your pony mare and look at what you hope to improve and select the sire with those qualities.  Don't just pick the stud of your other horse because he seems nice, or is in the area and you'll maybe get colour....With AI breeding you can select a stallion from afar and have it sent courier.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[PerfectAngel]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Just so y'all know, I DID NOT breed her to a donkey, she was bred when I bought her, and we didn't know...as she was stepping off the trailer at our place, my mom asked the r old owner if there was anything we should knwo and she said that she might be bred to a donkey or a paint. They were both yearlings and it was an accident. I am looking into breeding her to my filly's dad, PQR Im Apollo (reg'd paint) and I have seen his babies (I work for his owner). So far no trouble, but none of his mares are as small as mine, the closest is 14.2 and she's had 3 foals already. But, from what I'm hearing, it should be OK. I'm going to ask the vet to be sure. Thanks all!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Edited to add: I am not totally stupid, so you don't have to tell me what I should look for in a stallion, and that these crazy crosses are useless. They may be useless to you, but many people like mules....just because it's not a $100000 warmblood, doesn't mean it's not a valuable animal.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Patricia]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Well I wish the mare good health and hope she has no complications foaling.  I don't think I would re-breed a two year old.  I was always told to start age around age 3.  That is very hard on such a young horse.  I would definitely discuss that with your vet...breeding such a young horse.  The filly is still growing....and hasn't even gotten out of the baby stage and she is having one.  Good Luck!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[PerfectAngel]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Um...not sure what I said, but the mare that is bred to the donkey is 5 this year and I am not breeding my filly....she's 1 1/2 years.....sorry for any confusion. Also, the mare that has had 3 foals (expecting #4) is 8 years old. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Edited because once again, I can't type#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[stephanie1]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Perfect angle what are you gona do with the mule????#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#People do breed horses and donkeys I would still like to know why and what they would do with that mule???#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I wasnt trying to put you down even if you did breed her to a donkey yourself, as I know some people on the board can be a bit harsh as I have experienced.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Good luck in breeding her after she foals this one.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Particia lot of people breed there horses when they are still young not as young as 1.5 but 2 or 3 Ive seen, at a warmblood farm I used to work at.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[PerfectAngel]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Hi,#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I don't really know what we are going to do with the mule...he/she was a little unplanned. I wasn't insulted by what you had to say Stephanie, but I was a little put off by Patricia's comments about useless animals. I'm sure it'll make a nice trail mule for my mom who doesn't ride much, or we'll sell it. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[SPYDER]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#P A#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#The main thing is that as long as you end up with a healthy foal and mare the rest is not important..#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[PerfectAngel]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Thanks Spyder, that's all I hope for too. (although a mule that looks more like my pony than like a donkey would be nice too!!)#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Kobau]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Stephanie, Mules actually can make nice riding animals. extremelly good solid feet, and very sure footed. With the right mom and dad combo they are often very smart. My uncle has mules, he is a BackCountry Horseman, and does pack trips etc. He uses his Morgans and his mules both as pack, wagon and riding animals.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Patricia, you need to watch what you type because lately you have come across as condescending and rude on here, while you seem to keep the nice personality on other boards. Quit it, if you have nothing polite to say then don't say anything. You may not have meant to be rude, but re-read what you write before you hit send.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#PA  2 hh diff in height usually doesn't make to much difference. My 14.2 morgan was bred to a nice 16-16.1 hh percheron first time and gave us a gorgeous lil baby that grew up to 15.3 and solid.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[PerfectAngel]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Thanks Kobau!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#You're right, Mules do make nice riding animals if they have a good personality, and my mare is the sweetest thing I have ever met. Honestly, I have been riding for 11 years and she is the most patient pony (for being 4 going on 5 and has a leg injury from a fence that wasn't very well looked after, which makes me think she may not have been well looked after) that I know. SO, hopefully the baby will be like her and we will keep it. I've also heard that they make good "guard animals" which would be nice because we hear dogs/wolves/whatever sometimes around my place. Although the horses are in at night, it's still nice to have around...#ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Other/11.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Kobau]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yeah, Mules are great guard animals. I know some people that raise Norweigians and they have a mule with one group and a donkey with the other for guards! they are very very good at their jobs.. and personally i think they are damn cute! heheheh#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[Kobau]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#sorry double post#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[DurhamJumper]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#There was a post on here awhile ago about Mule racing apparently a big sport in the states, could be some money in it.  There are a ton of possibilities to do with a mule, and remember mules are banded from competiting with horses, because mules can jump from a stand still 4-5ft #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#