Posted: Saturday, 23 October 2010. Article by Shanna Antrim.

 

Any Australian standing a Warmblood stallion or breeding their mare has a responsibility to the future of the Warmblood breed. Do we as Australian Warmblood breeders follow a code of ethics to promote high standards of conduct and personal integrity? Is this an aligned code of ethics stipulated by the applicable Warmblood association or is it a code of ethics instigated by the breeder or stud itself or are there simply none at all?

 

Is a code of ethics more than a set of rules? Is it a commitment to a high standard of behaviour in owning and breeding Australian Warmbloods? Are the Australian associations' roles only to appraise, classify and register Warmblood horses and is this where we want their involvement to end?

 

Upon investigation, some (not all) Australian associations appear to have reasonable ethical factors in their memorandum. Some associations state that they are committed to breeding the best, but how is this managed, monitored and enforced? Are breeders breeding under the association banner subject to a code of conduct and do they sign to say they will comply with association objectives and values? What happens to them if they do not comply? Does the association even recognise their non-compliance? Are breeders not ambassadors for their association? Are they able to bring disrepute to their association? I think they can, and at times do.

 

Are our associations scared to enforce such rules in fear of losing membership or is enforcing such rules too time consuming or not a priority? Should this be of concern? What about stallions that are breeding underneath no particular association banner? The same could be said for mares. How are they improving Warmblood breeding in Australia and who are they answerable to? Could breeders not aligned with an association be likened to back yard breeders of dogs and cats? Could one argue that assocations in Australia in the past have been poorly managed, therefore, why would one want to align to them anyway?

 

If a stallion or mare has been identifed as not suitable for breeding, whether this be determined by the breeder or a particular studbook, should the stallion be gelded and the mare no longer be bred with? Or, should we find a buyer who is happy to breed with sub standard stock or find an alternative studbook? Do we wish our studbooks to be breeding based, performance driven or a combination of both? What do we as breeders want from ourselves, our associations and fellow breeders and where do we wish to progress in the future?

 

A good example of an influential stallion, albeit a Thoroughbred (with possibly some Australian Stock Horse) and not aligned to the Australian Studbook (ASB) or any Australian Warmblood studbook is Souvenir (Request/Carra Rice/Balmerino xx).

 

"Souvenir may have died thirty years ago, but the Clark family who bred this magnificent horse have never stopped breeding. After a lot of ups and downs and hitting our heads up against a big brick wall in relation to industry breeding attitude and expectations, my father (Howard Clark) and I decided to take a step back from the industry and concentrate on what we loved the most and that was breeding competition horses. So, for the last eight or so years we have concentrated on line breeding our mares to the Souvenir and Brilliant Invader bloodlines whilst letting our earlier crops do the talking. While we may no longer be a working stud like in the old days, you can call us serious hobbyists. ...Souvenir was definitely a Thoroughbred. He was not registered, and "no" it doesn't matter if you believe the people who bred him, what matters at the end of the day is that he was a magnificent stallion, not only for the Clark's and Koyuna Stud but also for the Australian horse industry." By Darren Clark. Source: Eques Forum.

 

Here I have raised many questions with little or no answers and some of these answers are neither right or wrong. Therefore, you may be wondering, what is the term 'ethics' and why is is it so important?

 

I found the dictionary definitions to be quite broad and provide little clarity to this question. Further investigation lead me to the St James Ethics Centre website where they have stated, "It should be obvious that this is an immensely practical question which confronts all of us whenever we have a choice or decision to make. It is also a question that is extremely difficult to avoid. Indeed, the only sure way to escape this question is to be a creature of unthinking habit who goes about life doing things 'because everyone does it' or because 'that's just the way we do things around here' or because 'it seemed like a good idea at the time'. This sort of unthinking custom and practice can be seen as being the enemy of an 'examined life'."

 

This leads me to more questions. As a breeder, stud or mare owner what responsibilities do we have and where do our priorities lie?

 

• Should we have breeding goals and objectives as Warmblood breeders? Should these values align to a recognised association or studbook?
• Should breeders be financial members of an association or studbook that promotes the welfare of Warmblood horses and responsible breeding, including registration of all horses bred by breeders and studs?
• Should all breeders or studs be required to have a registered stud prefix and brand? Should all Australian states align this registration process? If so, who should govern this process?
• Should breeders complete an open book exam or something similar relating to feed and nutrition, stud management, basic genetics, disease control and so forth? Are we knowledgeable in Warmblood breeding or do we have access to the right people who can mentor fellow breeders in reaching their breeding goals? Is this a role of the Warmblood association or studbook?
• Should all breeeding stock be assessed for physical, mental and genetic soundness and not breed from stock deemed inadequate?
• Are we breeding to generate horses for sale or is there a big picture breeding goal? Are Australian breeders ambassadors for the breed and do we put them towards a purpose other than just monetary reward?

 

Herein lies my question - what are we as Australian Warmblood breeders trying to achieve? Is it an increase in wealth? Is it the improvement of Warmblood breeding here in Australia? Does a stallion owner have a responsibility to geld horses which do not 'cut the mustard?' Do mare owners have an obligation to breed to reliable stallions, not using a stallion just because he is 'cheap'?

 

An interesting article regarding the decline of dressage horse breeding, written by Tom Hermans looks at the misguided goals and focus of dressage breeders. Tom Hermans asks many questions as well as a lot of statements. "In my view of the progress of breeding, I think the horses have not gotten better over the last ten years." In this statement, Tom Hermans is referring to dressage horses, as he thinks there has been great improvment in showjumping horses. Tom Hermans thinks that the breeding of dressage horse has been effected by the fact that the strong jump in the breeding of dressage horses has been lost and could therefore not develop. He states that the biggest problem has been caused by the loss of jumping blood in our dressage horses. He states they have a bad back and slow, non-powerful hind legs (he thinks the use of the hind leg is still very important in dressage horses).

 

He thinks the development of the dressage horse has been declining and for the short term, put in reverse. When breeding you think in generations and we are a generation or two before we go back to the dressage horses have the level of fifteen to twenty years ago.

 

We have some very notable horses in dressage, but they are all about ten to fifteen years old and are products of the breeding of some fifteen years ago, when the specialisation of dressage was still in its infancy. I think the horses that are now being born, will never reach the level that the current horses are now showing. Breeders must again pay attention to the points which make a functional dressage horse: the strong back with good connections and a strong use of the hind.

 

The following article was originally printed in Atlantic Horse and Pony, February 1990 and reproduced with kind permission of Equine Reproduction. This article is not to be reproduced without prior permission from Equine Reproduction.

 

 

By Jos Mottershead of Equine Reproduction©.

 

"She's not grown as much as I thought she would." How many times have people in the breeding industry heard this comment voiced of a foal out of a favourite old mare who's "a bit on the small side", but has been bred to a stallion who's "got the size" to "throw a big foal". Comments in this vein, connected with substance, size and structure (the three "s's") are heard all too often.

 

When selecting a stallion to breed to, it is important to consider exactly what type of offspring one is hoping for, and to remember that the mare, in most cases, does play the major role in what the foal will look like. As a consequence, it is hopeless to breed a 14.2 hh mare to a 17.2 hh stallion and expect to be guaranteed a 16.3 hh or 17 hh offspring. In most cases this just won't happen. Now, I realise I've just laid myself open to the exceptions that prove the rule, but that is what they are: exceptions.

 

There are many excellent articles and books written on the subject of selecting a suitable stallion or mare to breed, or the even more specific and fascinating subject of genetics. Your local library or equine vet should be able to assist you in this matter. This is not my aim here; what I wish to indulge in is a brief discussion on the ethics of breeding and its relationship to the equine marketplace.

 

In the past, many poor quality horses have been bred as a result of breeding either sub-standard or unsuitable mares or stallions, or by over breeding to a popular stallion, simply because of his popularity. The faults behind these practices lie at the doorstep of the mare owners, but more so inside the stallion owner's door. It should be the responsibility of the mare owner to select a suitable stallion, but the final word should rest with the stallion owner. There are several reasons behind this; the owner of a proven stallion should have an idea of what that stallion is capable of throwing or improving upon. Not all stallions are equal in this, some being more prepotent than others in specific, or all, areas. A stallion owner should always be conscious of the aim to improve the standard of the stock. In most cases, the stallion owners have more experience within the breeding field. They are the experts. They should turn down a mare who, in their opinion, is unsuitable for their stallion.

 

Now, I hear many stallion owners out there yelling, "... but I can't possibly afford to do that." Consider this, many mare owners (and stallion owners too) are breeding to sell the foal. In many cases, because of there being an excess of poor quality stock available on the market, it becomes impossible to sell the foal for a realistic price. Let's face it, most young stock is sold at a price which barely covers the cost of producing it. In these cases, the mare owner is going to become disillusioned and decide not to breed back, no matter how nice their foal was. Bingo! The stallion owner has lost a stud fee. Penny wise, and pound foolish.

 

Another point worthy of consideration is that if a poor quality mare produces a poor quality filly, then in five or ten years time (if the attitude has not changed), someone is going to decide to breed her. The whole process is repeated, and nothing is improved upon.

 

To mare owners reading this, I ask: Wouldn't you prefer to breed to a stallion whose owner has the aim of producing the best quality foal possible? Wouldn't you prefer a foal that, should you choose to sell, is going to make some money for you? If you approach a stallion owner, and he or she feels that your mare is not suitable, don't be insulted. Use it as a learning experience, ask questions. If your mare is a totally unsuitable candidate for any stallion (yes, they do exist!), then the stallion owner may know of a mare that is available for lease who would suit your needs. I can think of three such mares right now.

 

To stallion owners reading this, I ask: Wouldn't you really prefer to breed quality mares, see your stallion's progeny improve in quality, and have repeat breedings from customers who are satisfied because they sold last years colt at a profit? If a mare is really unsuitable for your stallion, explain to the owners why, and maybe suggest another stallion that may be more suitable. Remember too, that if your customers are getting more money for their progeny, the market will bear an increase in stud fees, so you'll be breeding fewer mares for more return.

 

Equine breeding standards and ethics in Atlantic Canada are, in many cases, far behind those found elsewhere. I don't think anyone could argue with the success that the regulations in Germany have produced. It is important to remember that at one time there were no regulations there, but building upon a solid foundation, Germany has developed to become probably the leading country in equine breeding and marketing. I do not expect to achieve such levels here overnight, but it is important to look at the German success, and see what their solid policies have achieved. If a conscience can be developed here, the whole industry will feel its effect and everyone will profit from the policies.

 

About Jos Mottershead. Jos Mottershead owned and operated Deepwater Farm and later joined forces with Kathy Mann-St.Martin of Mannuscript Farm. Their united beliefs and visions are the basis of Avalon Equine, a full service Warmblood breeding facility which is situated in Wynnewood, South Central Oklahoma in America. Jos is a past president and elected board member of the Canadian Sport Horse Association and still assists them in an advisory capacity. Avalon Equine stand the fully licensed and approved Oldenburg stallion Mannhattan (Finesse/Wendepunkt/Hill Hawk xx), the Selle Français stallion Edelweiss de Bonce (I Love You/Amiral x/Arlequin x) and the Hanoverian stallion L.A. Express (Laskan/Argentan/Antrieb).

 

Jos Mottershead in heavily involved with Equine Reproduction, writing many helpful articles relating to artificial insemination, frozen semen, stallion handling (including phantom mare training), collection methods, transporting semen, equipment and supplies required for semen collection and processing, managing the mare for breeding (including hormonal manipulation and the use of other drugs such as oxytocin) and some articles relative to foals and foaling as well as providing equine reproduction short courses. I have found the Equine Reproduction website to be a wealth of information through their articles, bulletin board and Yahoo! Group.

 

 

 

I came across this blog entry, Ethics of Horse Breeding in my search for information relating to ethics in breeding. Although referencing Arabian breeding, it has relevant statements and ideas that effect equine breeding, no matter the breed. I found this to be an interesting read providing some valid insight into breeding trends, goals and outcomes.

 

The Importance of Mum, an article written by Berni Saunders of Cyberhorse interviews Paulette Evans of Ribbleton Warmbloods which looks at ethics in breeding with Warmblood horses in Australia.

 

When researching breeding ethics I came across the North American Icelandic Horse Breeders Association and Dogs NSW websites. It is refreshing to see such emphasis placed in this area with regards to ethics in owning and breeding animals.