blueeowyn | Whuff - decisions decisions (Reply)

So, went to farm to work with Echo on the line today. Before we started Dede wanted to talk to me. She thinks that we may not be able to get Echo sound enough to work consistently, that we may not be able to have her dependably sound. To the point that she thinks that I should seriously look at buying another horse to ride (and one that would be ridable now, not breed for one that would be ridable in a few years).

Whoof, I was NOT expecting that. I mean on the one hand, Echo's soundness issues are a real problem and I have faced in the past the possibility that she would not be rideable ... or even worse not even be pasture sound (i.e. in pain for the rest of her life and it would be a kindness to put her down). It broke me up then and it breaks me up now. This is my four-hooved baby, the daughter of my fabulous and well loved Dancer. In many many ways she is everything that I hoped for when I bred Dancer. She is gentle, kind, friendly, personable, intelligent, willing, beautiful. She likes people, she likes to work and will work her heart out for you (or in the case of Xpioti, work her legs off for you).

Even with her current issues, she has very VERY good movement. However, can she stay sound in full work? Her right hind doesn't articulate properly ... she doesn't want to flex it as much and gets worried going to the right (which puts more strain on the leg). Watching her today, it was like it was almost catching a bit at the trot.

A decision doesn't need to be made immediately, I have Mr. Mocha to ride for awhile (at least part time) and can continue to work with Echo as long as she is able to do it safely. I also need to be in much better riding shape before horse hunting because a horse that suits me now in my current shape probably won't suit me in a few months when I get back into shape.

As for Ms. Echo, there are a few options.
1) Work her/ride her until she goes lame again and deal with it. However, it is already a thing in the back of my head that I am afraid of doing something that may hurt her.
2) Retire her to be pasture ornament ... feed her goodies and groom her, much like I did with Dancer after she retired. There is an elderly mare (Eve) who may be a good turn-out buddy for Echo and the two could be retired together. Or put Echo out with Pooh when Pooh doesn't have a foal at foot. Eve is older than Echo (~20 to 12).
3) Look into breeding Echo. This is problematic for a number of reasons. If Echo's soundness issues are genetic, it would be highly irresponsible for me to breed her. The OCD she had is definitely genetically linked but supposedly can be greatly mitigated through the mare's diet while in-foal. There is also the cost of getting her registered as a breeding animal. She is branded as a Belgian Warmblood. The farm is focusing on the American Warmblood.

Now, even if I were to get her approved now, does NOT mean she would have to breed now. It is more likely that she would be approved if she is moving as well as possible which would mean before full retirement or breeding.

BWP - One of the stallions we looked at for Dancer is still standing locally (Watchman). We chose Eros because he had some good foals on the ground and Watchman was just starting his breeding career. Membership is $75 and I don't know how much it would cost to do a keuring but probably in the $100-$200 range.

AWR - The breed that the farm is focusing on (their stallion is an American Warmblood Registry horse). Mare registration fee $175, DNA typing $100, reading non AWR dna cases $45, membership $75, Mare grading $100.

That would be just to get Echo approved for breeding. If I actually bred her next year or several years from now the membership & keuring for the foal + stud fees + boarding fees for the foal + extra immunizations for Echo + breeding fees (e.g. AI collection, transport, and insertion).

But if I did that, I would have a chance to continue Dancer's legacy. Dancer was one heck of a nice horse (and I am not the only one who says that).

Wuff.