Need help picking a stallion.... (npr)

[DebbieS]

Okay, I'm not getting into the horse-breeding business, but I have 3 aging horses that probably won't be around forever... Princessa being one of them :(

Here is Princessa. She is 1/2 Peruvian Paso, 1/2 QH.
She isn't QUITE this fat anymore...
http://members.mato.com/dsshafto/images/princessa.jpg

She is absolutely lovey, inside and out. Unflappable super sweet trail horse. I decided I would like to have a foal from her (breed next spring) as she is getting older. I've met her last 3 babies (ages 1, 3, 5 - all geldings, all pintos - super dispositions, easy to handle, train, etc).

I've given up trying to find a Peruvian Paso stallion within 400 miles. SO, I found this ranch about 15 minutes away. I've met 2 people with babies from two of the stallions - very happy customers, nice babies (actually one is 4 now).

Here are the 3 candidates.... (the 3 BOTTOM stallions, not the Holsteiners)

http://www.prairiethunder.com/stallionpage.html

[motorgypsy]

Why not breed her to a paso fino stallion. Paso finos and Peruvians are very close in genetic makeup. There are plenty of 15 hand and taller mellow trail types out there. We saw a gorgeous black and white I think Pegasus Esteban son at Nationals. Very tall and a real hunk! I don't even like pintos and I drooled over him. My distant second choice would be a black and white spotted saddle horse to set the gait of the baby. There are also some gorgeous solid black TW stallions used for trail - not show stock but real gaited TW's that would be great also. When you have half Peruvian why not go for the gold - gait plus good looks???? There are also gaited Morgans and gaited Apps. That few spot colt that Rusel got will be a good choice eventually. Bet there are others out there gorgeous and gaited also.

[DebbieS]

Pegasus Esteban is Listo's grandpa - yes, he was a beauty! This horse will be my daughter's horse eventually - needs a MELLOW horse. She is 7, but very timid. That's why I was thinking of a nice, quiet QH (and the prices of these 3 are so reasonable).

Princessa is nicely gaited and so far has passed it on. Up here in QH country, we have NO gaited horses to speak of. I'm not sure about AI. I'm assuming the vet takes care of that. Is it expensive?

[Terry Wallace]

What is your goal? Your mare is not "like type" to any of the three stallions.... that said...here are my pics:

1st choice is PT Desperado, the Blk & Wt paint because I love his bloodlines BEST, and his body type.

2nd choice would be the Versary Boy bred chestnut & white pinto. Versary Boy horses are good working horses, I went to the auction at the ranch where he came from once (In Colorado). They are good horses pretty and athletic.

3rd choice is the cremello, because personally I don't like Two Eyed Jack horses AT ALL. Some of the nastiest dispositions I ever dealt with were on Two-Eyed Jack bred horses... but how far back is Two Eye on the pedigree?

What would I breed a half Peruvian to? A GAITED horse... either Peruvian, Rocky Mtn, Paso Fino, etc.... I would be more interested in a smoother ride than just another mutt "grade" QH... JMO !

[DebbieS]

Terry, I was under the impression that most Paso Fino owners aren't very willing to breed their stallion to a non-paso mare. I didn't even pursue that option..... not sure that I want to pay $1000+ either though.

Basically, my goal is to have a horse for Cheyenne once Princessa passes on or is too old to ride.

Two-eyed Jack is 6th Gen in the Cremello. I have to admit, the black/white is my favorite also.

BUT, if I could find a mellow Paso stallion that would pass on the 'quiet' trait, and not cost an arm and a leg I would certainly consider it. I'm not sure I'm willing to pay $1000 fee for a horse I can't register. The Peruvian's have a Part Blood Registry, which is how Princessa was registered. The only Peruvian Paso stallion around these parts passed away after Princessa's last baby(to him) was born (collic).

Okay - so what about gait? How well does the Peruvian gaited horse cross with the Paso gaited horse? (I mean which gait is dominant?) Princessa really swings out her front feet compared to Listo's piston-type action. BUT, she is super smoothe :smile:

Thanks for your opinions!!

[Linda Y]

I know you may want a baby out of this mare, but the most obvious choice is go buy a grown horse. That way you know EXACTLY what you are getting, don't take a chance with the mare or foal, and don't have to wait for it to get old enough to ride...during which time your daughter may change her mind.
There are far too many good horses out there to choose from to risk all the money it takes to grow a foal to maturity and have it not be what you wanted after all.
JMHO :smile:

[CarolU]

Terry, doesn't Jann have a big gaited pinto stallions? Who does she get those awesome foals from? And thinking about her? Where is she? She didn't make the change to the new BB.

She has Peruvians too.

[Terry Wallace]

Debbie...never assume !! I'm sure there are many Paso Fino stallion owners that would do a breeding for less than $1K.... you just need to make some inquiries.... BUT..If I were you, I'd seek a Peruvian stallion, as Peruvians have a better track record of passing gait than Paso Finos do.

There are some nice Peruvian stallions in Colorado. I'm aquainted with a member of the Peruvian assn. here.... she has a beautiful bay. Why don't you inquire to the two Peruvian associations, for a list of breeders.... and go from there...
Your mare is not built like any of the stallions you are loking at. She is boxey like a Peruvian, built much more like a gaited horse... I'd go with trying to find "like type" with GOOD gait... and go in the direction of getting gait.

After all.. she's already half Peruvian... breeding her to running blood stock horses, AQHA horses, just may throw a wrench in the mix... and you might get a cross bred that looks like two different horses put together.... and rides like a dump truck! JMO.... seen too many of them!

[cowboy ed]

debbie, i agree with terry, and i agree with linda, too. first, IF you really want to breed this mare, breed her to a peruvian stallion. there would be no good reason to breed her to AQHA or APHA.

second, what linda said. if what you want is another horse to ride, buy what you want, ready to ride. it just makes a lot more sense than to try and raise one, and play the wait and see game.

on another note, how is stolie? did you breed her again? cowboy ed

[Tracey]

Carol, are you talking about Jann that had the gaited mustang stallion? She used to post photos of lots of spotted, gaited babies on the old board? I am not sure what happended to her, but she had listed all or most of her horses for sale on the old board classifieds and when I looked at her website (those foals always impressed me!) I saw she had sold the stallion already. Debbie, their is a gaited appy stud horse in the very far nw corner of IA, don't know how far that is from you, but I will try to find the website and post it. There are also twh's around here, western IA, if you go that route.

[DebbieS]

on another note, how is stolie? did you breed her again? cowboy ed

Who's stolie??

Well, last night I searched the web for a couple hours trying to find a Peruvian stallion. Most stud fees START over $1200 up to $4000! Wow! That's spendy.... and they are all at least a day's drive for me.

The reason for breeding Princessa instead of buying another one.... all my animals are fixed. No babies around here since 1990 (except for the human babies)! That's the last time I bred a mare (appy). It's not a habit or anything, just want to try it one time. I know Princessa produces nice calm, sweet, easily trainable babies, whether bred to a QH or a PP. The folks that had her previous to me had her for 11 years and had a foal every other year. 3 of the babies were at their place when I got Princessa. 2 of them were 3/4 PP, one was 3/4 QH.

I can see the point of just buying one.... of the stallions I found online, I don't know anything about them. To spend that kind of $$, I would be disappointed to end up with a too-hot-for-my-daughter kind of horse.

I would really like to breed her to a stallion that is known to produce calm, quiet babies. Although Princessa has those qualities, I can't be sure how dominant the mare's disposition can be - as in passing it along. Since she is 1/2 Peruvian, 1/2 QH - one of the two sounds like the obvious choice. Should I bring another breed into the mix? (i.e. Paso Fino, mustang, appy, etc)

I really do appreciate all your opinions.

[Terry Wallace]

What do you want to spend on a stud fee? Put a figure on it, and I'll see what I can find... I am assuming you want live cover only...correct?

[CarolU]

Ed, different Debbie S...Debbie Selhost is in Florida/Michigan and has Stolie. She also had the beautiful twin fillies out of different mares, and she has MY still a red-dun filly. LOL

Debbie Shafto is in South Dakota and has Listo. (maybe should change user name to Debbie SD for South Dakota...mine U is for Utah)

BTW - I've met both and they are both drop dead gorgeous with beautiful long blonde hair.

Debbies SD, there are many Peruvians in Colorado. Maybe even towards your corner.

[DSDECKERT]

Debbie - I'm with Linda on this one...there are so many proven quality horses out there who need a good home, why bring another uncertain one into the world? There's no guarantee on what you would get - could be a filly, could be a colt, no guarantee of disposition, conformation....just start shopping around until you find THE perfect horse. For stud fee, mare care, weaning, etc. you can invest a nice sum into a good horse for your daughter.

I'd also love to have a baby out of Bianca, but I won't do it for the reasons above (plus health reasons for her with her chronic mastitis).

Just my opinion, that and three bucks will maybe buy you a gallon of gas!

[cowboy ed]

yeah, i got my debbie S's mixed up. not hard to do! thanks for the straightening.