Posted by Ray Miller on March 29, 2003 at 08:31:28:
In Reply to: Re: breeding with navicular? posted by Rick Burten on March 25, 2003 at 20:09:04:
: : I was wondering what might happen if I breed a mare that has navicular, will the baby get it too?
: Navicular syndrome/disease is neither contageous or heritable. What is heritable is a conformational pre-disposition that may well encourage the onset of the problem.
: That said, please do not take umbrage with what I am about to say. Based on your question, I feel that you are not knowledgeable enough at this time to be breeding horses. You need to spend a lot of time reading, researching, gettinhg a bunch of hands on experience, and learning what the breeding "game" is all about. Not to mention a more indepth study of general equine management. Once you have accomplished this, and it may well take years and years of study and hands on experience, you will be in a better position to determine if indeed you want to breed horses or not, and what it actually entails.
: For now, I would suggest you put your plans to breed you mare on hold.
: Rick
Agree with Rick on his answer. Excellent sound judgement.
I have seen over the years to many mares that were bred just for the sake of breeding and having a foal running around. Someone wanting a carbon copy of the mare or stud, which never happens that they own.
A good book for all to start with is Dr. Nancy Lovings' "Performance and Conformation". It is easy to read and understand. The pictures are excellent.
After reading and keeping this book around, you will then start to understand, what conformation is all about. Then I would read Dr. Marvins Beemans' papers on "Form to Function" and finish up with Dr. H. Clayton and Dr. Back book "Equine Locomotion". After reading this you have laid the foundation to start to learn about conformation of the horse.
Just my thinking.
Ray Miller