Here is my advice:Stop breeding!!!

[Sylvie Hebert]

Stop breeding those horses you will not be able to keep.
Stop breeding those cheap horses,that you will end up giving away or sell for less than cost or won't be able to even pay stud fees on...
Stop breeding cripples that me and my crew will have to care for and cry when they are put to sleep
Stop for a minute and think:how much it cost,how much time is involved...
Stop for a minute and try to figure out "Where are all those horses you bred in the past"?
Stop....Please Stop....

[dublino]

Must be Santa's letter to Coolmore..........

[springboro]

I took your advice (well, I did it in the spring of this year) and have gotten out of breeding entirely. You are spot on and I have to agree with everything. I'll just ride other people's babies from now on!

[Tappiano]

I think the key is responsible breeding not necessarily stopping. What makes a mare or stallion "good" is subjective and unfortunately that's the root of the problem.

[ArchDandy]

I feel the same way about the dog breeding industry, our city "puts down" 500,000 healthy dogs every year due to lack of adoptive homes. 1 million of them enter our shelter system each year(1/3 of them purebred) and we have the highest kill rate in the country, yet backyard breeders simply do not slow down- even moving their "sale ads" to craigslist even though it is meant to find homes for homeless pets only- maddening that they don't mind other dogs dying to make room for their puppies. I have bred only one mare in my life- with the intention of racing/owning the foal it's entire life. I wouldn't do it any other way, and while my "son" didn't survive his mother's attempt to birth him- his mother will always have a home with me. We are responsible for the lives we bring into this world, be they equine/canine or any other.

[Tappiano]

The UK registry for dogs has taken steps by limiting the number of litters that can be registered per "itch". In the case of dogs they are far more inbred than horses (at least right now) and it's causing a lot of problems so by restricting it they will hopefully force breeders to make better decisions on who to breed their dogs to.

[Linda_d]

Stop breeding those horses you will not be able to keep.
Stop breeding those cheap horses,that you will end up giving away or sell for less than cost or won't be able to even pay stud fees on...
Stop breeding cripples that me and my crew will have to care for and cry when they are put to sleep
Stop for a minute and think:how much it cost,how much time is involved...
Stop for a minute and try to figure out "Where are all those horses you bred in the past"?
Stop....Please Stop....

Kudos, Sylvie. People need to keep hearing this. Of course, when people have horses that aren't good for anything besides breeding because they're crippled or have never been trained, they feel compelled to breed them "to make some money" even if they have no real chance of making money.

FWIW, I've noticed that lots of the Amish in this area, many of whom used to breed a Standardbred or Belgian foal every year or so have virtually stopped. I think I saw one Belgian foal all summer. Of the small time breeding farms in this area, one didn't have a single foal in the pasture this summer. They usually have between 6 and 10.

Ditto on the dog breeders, ArchDandy.

[erins isle]

Sylvie I agree so much, I wish all people were so sensable.

[Crystal]

I'd also like to add Stop Breeding Thoroughbreds just for COLOR!! I think you're just proving they can't run and are meant to be some kids show pony, so dont even JC register them.. sorry just MO.. but really who cares if they have belly spots, blue eyes, dorsal strips, chrome, whatever..

[Georgerz]

I don't think that the majority of Color breeders are doing it for the racetrack (Hippodrome), but for show and sport disciplines, and there are outstanding individuals in those fields.

[Sylvie Hebert]

www.spca-sofla.com

Hey!!! breeders and trainers of those "left to starve after running for you" thoroughbreds COME ON!! show us what you are made of....now is the time...

And let's hear your SOLID arguments for breeding more of them...

When confronted to this,I am ashamed to be a human,how will we ever be able to live it down...

[Sylvie Hebert]

Shamelessly re-posting...

[Sylvie Hebert]

Shamelessly again and
http://www.animallawcoalition.com/horse-slaughter


As the "unwanted" horses are being slaughtered this year, one would think, the "problem" would correct itself but alas, as I write this, the crop of unwanted horses for next year are being prepped by the breeders that produce them, year after year.

[skywatcher]

I don't think that the majority of Color breeders are doing it for the racetrack (Hippodrome), but for show and sport disciplines, and there are outstanding individuals in those fields.

The color producing stallions I see on this forum are conformationally really good looking horses to be sure and I've yet to read any posts from the breeders on here that doesn't sound like they are breeding responsibly.

The problem isn't responsible breeders..it's irresponsible ones. People that stand a fugly critter like this one for example:

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-pets-livest ... Z254063087

or dump their barren broodmares at a killbuyer auction or the weanlings they couldn't sell the year before and they can't be bothered to put some training into them to make them sellable

It's not a simple matter of "STOP BREEDING" and all of a sudden things will get better. The business of breeding keeps people employed and contributes to the economy (vets, feed stores, transportation etc).
Not to mention if all the breeders stopped breeding and selling their foals..how are they going to afford feed for their stallions and mares?

When they can't afford to feed their animals are those who said STOP BREEDING going to take over the responsability? Or just start calling them neglecters and abusers?

[Sylvie Hebert]

http://www.wvmetronews.com/index.cfm?fu ... ryid=43179

go have a look...did i say it enough

"STOP BREEDING"