Thought i'd properly introduce my colt BroadRiver Anteres aka 'Tera'
Took some of these photo's of him posing in the field earlier today.
He's 3 this year although he was a late July foal so still got some growing to do, and standing 16.1hh now.
I'm covering the same 2 mares that are infoal to him this year again for next year, but would really like to see more of what he can produce as i still haven't completely decided whether to keep him entire or geld him. So if anyone is still looking to put their mares in foal i'd be more than happy to offer free covering with him and just charge a little grass livery if anyone is interested? He's not licensed yet, but i plan to put him for grading next year either with CHAPS or NTR. He's out of a Tobiano TB x WB mare (Mars) and by QH cremello stallion Moonlight Venture. I'm based in Barnstaple, North Devon.
Here he is... (Alternitavely i'd be happy to loan him for stud for the rest of season)??





This one is of him in his winter woolies as a 2yo...



And finally - If it works - a video of him again in winter wollies at 2yo...

Great action shots and WOW at the video, what wonderful paces. I am sat here like this :O wow!

Ahhhh, THANKS!!
I think he's wonderful, but i always worry in case it's just my rose tinted spectacles!!!

What a gorgeous boy! Its very tempting to send my mare to you (but i haven't got the guts! sorry!) In my opinion it would be silly to geld him. Mars progeny are very well known and there is a market for them. I really do think you have a stunner there, and if I were you, I would advertise him as a standing stallion to limited mares for a small fee - just to see what you get, otherwise it seems a lovely idea but slightly wasted. Be careful you don't get mares that may put your boy down - if you catch my drift!!

Do you think people would pay to send mares to an un-licensed stallion? Do you think i've left it too late in the year? Also do you know what the deal is with insurance if you have mares to cover for money, in case anyone get's damaged etc? I've thought about adverising him, but he's the only colt i've ever had and i just don't really know the form and don't want to do the wrong thing if you know what i mean? Would you think put an ad in the stallions on line type of site? Also how much would you think i should ask? Sorry for the million questions, but if you are / there are any experts / stallion owners that have more experience in these sorts of things than me i'd be really glad of advice?
I'm glad you think i should keep him entire, he's out of a lovely mare, just there are SO many homozygous stallions out there now, and he is neither homo, double dilute or pure breed... he's just a really nice stamp of a horse and has an exceptional temperment so i've never quite had it in me to get the vet to him if you know what i mean!! And his first foal is a real credit to him, he's corrected ever one of the mares weaknesses so i'm a proud mummy at the moment. I'll attatch some pics of his dam, for anyone who hasn't seen on other posts...



And not a great pic, but this is Dad;

And this is 2 cute ones of Tera on his first day!!


and 2 i took today of Fifty, his first foal;


Sure take a lot of pictures don't I !!

Wow can def see the Mars influence on the dam and his first foal. He is lovely, I would keep him entire and try and grade him, if he grades I would stand at stud and if he doesnt I would prob geld. He is a lovely looking boy

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I think that is sensible advice. Put him forward for grading and get the opinion of the experts. There are a lot of nicely bred coloured stallions out there, so there is plenty of competition.
When I pick a heterozygous coloured stallion I always consider the worse case scenario, how easy will it be to sell a bay foal from this stallion. Does the stallion have the pedigree, performance results and progency results to make him worth that gamble, when I could breed that mare to a solid coloured stallion with all that and more and get a solid foal

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www.volatis.co.uk

Yes, that is exactly why i consider gelding him. He is a nice horse and will go on to do a job i'm sure, he has a good enough jump, nice gates and a lovely manner, but he's not bred to be a world beater, and there are no assurances what colors he'll throw so i wonder if he would have a better life as a good riding horse who can go out and about to competition etc with no hassle?
I think i will take him to the CHAPS grading as i've heard that it's the toughest one, and the one where i'm most likely to get a genuine idea of how good he is, which is held next spring. He needs to be presented under saddle though, so i better get on with breaking him!

i wish you luck ....i m in a similar situation to you i have 2 colts i would dearly like to keep entire ( to stand with sombody else as i have niether the experience or the facilities to offer AI servicing myself ), but i ll only keep them entire if they prove themselves "worthy"both now as youngstock in in- hand classes at county level & hopefully i ll find riders to compete them later (Bill i have marked for a dressage career .....where as Springo i feel would event as he has excellent SJ & Dressage bloodlines ). i know my limitations as a true ameuter , so forefilling my dream will be wholey dependant on finding the right expert help ?......like you i m being realistic and am not ruling out gelding ,as Sacha wisely points out there are so many quality stallions out there ,breeders are spoilt for choice ......our results have been respectable both Bill & Springo having achieved good Sports horse championships above top quality youngstock plus so very well respected breeders have shown genuine interest in Bill ( i will enderver to at least breed a filly for myself from Bill .....as he was the only offspring of my late mare ).
your Boy is stunning & has beautiful action & you have proven he trows good stock ......you could get him out & show him in- hand in prep for grading ......Springo went forward for BSPA youngstock evaluations & recieved a RED PREFFERED 1ST PREMIUM which counts as 1% (i know ! .....but every little helps )onto his final mark when he goes for grading with them .You ve got a sensible realistic attitude ......GOOD LUCK !

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life without horses & chocolate just wouldn t be worth living!
sarah x

Thanks Sarah James!
Sounds like you're doing a great job with your two boys, that's really good work if you are beating the plain colored youngstock in the sports classes!! Well done! Do you have some photos?
It's hard not to be sentimental about them isn't it... i love my boy and see him through rose tinted specs, but you're doing exactly the right thing taking them out and about and making sure that they can cut it under expert scrutiny aswell. It is always nice to carry on the bloodlines of favorite horses too.... my best Broodmare Solar (above) is out on breeding loan to Pencarder Stud now (too difficult having her at home with her son entire) and i'm not sure i'f i'll have her back (they totally adore her and her stock and want to buy her) so i feel even more strongly that i'd like to keep a breeding potential from her, but only if he can prove himself worthy. I just hope he does!!

We think you should keep him entire for many reasons, the main one being that you said he corrected everyone of the mare´s faults, that is a better reason than his colour!!

If he is easy to handle, behaves when ridden and around mares, why geld him?

We used to ride French trotter stallion who behaved perfectly when ridden, you wouldn´t believe he was a stallion!!! He used to compete in France and Spain up to 1m40 showjumping and never gave any problems with mares... Once of us have actually been on our mare on heat (and the other one on him) and we went out for a hack (the mare went beside, behind and in front) and no problems. He was alright to lead past mares, just neighed a little a jogged a bit to show off but you if you told him off he would back down.
He only behaved like a stallion when you went with a lunge line and a bridle cos he knew he was going to cover a mare.
On one memorable occasion he there was a show on for 3 days and he was jumping in the mornings and covering 3 mares in the afternoons, and he didn´t give any problems with other mares in the shows. (Maybe cos he was tired!!! )

Another option is AI, if your stallion is difficult to handle, geld him but before you do that collect some semen and have it frozen then if you want progeny out of him you can have it without the hassle of having a stallion.

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life without horses & chocolate just wouldn t be worth living!
sarah x

Thanks for saying such lovely things about my boys ....YES Bill is LP + GREY which may or may not be what your mare is ?
this slide show shows how he greyed out from birth coat pattern to how he is now ....he ll continue to grey until he is either white or flea bitten ....i would expect but all his marking remain in his skin and are clearly visable when he s wet !

http://www.slide.com/r/GpPT1LWs3z8MngNUv2pWZvRDxrnCki-v?previous_view=mscd_embedded_url&view=original

i am very proud of them both consistantly geting placed amongst quality solid sports horses ....i think judges are starting to get more open minded now

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life without horses & chocolate just wouldn t be worth living!
sarah x