Can we talk about height matching please?

[DeirdreBarlow]

What are the rules regarding dam and sire heights?

Lets say (for example), that you have a 15.2hh mare.
You want to breed something bigger from her.
What's the tallest stallion you'd consider?

Likewise, you want to breed something smaller from her.
What's the smallest stallion you'd consider?

Now, obviously builds come into it. But for arguments sake, lets say all stallions and mares are of identical build.

What's the deal :) ?

[ambatt]

It is always best not to breed to a stallion more than 2 hands taller than the dam. It is a myth that a mare can limit the size of the foal, and a smaller mare bred to a big stallion can have a terrible time foaling. Breeding for a smaller foal should not be a problem, as long as you consider the type of mare you have and the type of stallion you will use. For example a shetland on a TB would be a disaster, you could the heavy pony head of the Shetland on the thin neck of a TB....

I would say up to 17.2 for the larger stallion..
14 hh for the smaller stallion..

[chev]

I wouldn't even go up two hands for horses of similar build. I'd stick to a hand and a half, preferably less.

But the same works both ways; I wouldn't use a stallion on a mare if the stallion was substantially shorter than teh mare either.

There are plenty of people who will tell you they stuck a 17hh Shire stallion on a 12hh Welsh mare and all turned out well; but I do know first-hand of too many mares and foals lost because the foal was too big to deliver. For my peace of mind, it's not worth the risk.

Two rules; blood on bone (ie use lighter stallions on heavier mares if using a stallion that's bigger than the mare) and don't go more than a hand and a half higher generally.

The closer you match height *and* build, the better chance you have of predictiing what you'll get from teh pairing.

That said, I'm not so bothered about using a tall, fine stallion on a shorter, but heavier mare.

[DeirdreBarlow]

Thanks very much for the info :) .