Farwell Ya'll to Western Bling In The Ring

Howdy ya’ll. I am very sad to say that our exploration through Western Bling In The Ring is over. What began as a journey through show halters in Western Bling In The Ring: Part I, lead to bridles in Western Bling In The Ring: Part II, which turned into breastcollars in Western Bling In The Ring: Part III, then continued on to saddle pads and blankets in Western Bling In The Ring: Part IV, and finally came to an end with the show saddles in Western Bling In The Ring: Part V. I really hope you all have enjoyed this series as much as I have, and that you may have learned a little more about just how ridiculously expensive it truly is to show a horse if you were unaware of it already, or maybe you are like me and just enjoy looking through all the amazing horse tack websites! Let me know what ya’ll thought of this experience. Later Partner!

Is Your Mama A Mare: Genetic Possibilities

When you think about breeding, one of the first thoughts you may have is "what will the baby look like?". There is actually a way to find out your chances of having a foal of specific color by using a genetic chart. The mare and stallions colors help determine the foals coat color. For example, let's consider a foal that has a parent with an allele of C+(chestnut coloring) and Ccr(Cremello Coloring). The odds are that the baby has a 25% chance of being Chestnut, a 50% chance of being Palomino, and a 25% chance of being Cremello. Cremello coloring usually shows dominance over chestnut, which means that the foal has a greater chance of having lighter color fur opposed to rich, brown fur. A veterinarian can go over dominant colors with you so that you can determine the genetic possibilities of the foal!

**The horse on the left is a Cremello, the horse on the top right is a Chestnut, and the horse on the bottom right is a Palomino

Is Your Mama a Mare: How to Pick Your Stallion

There are quite a few steps you should take before you pick your stallion:

1. Check out your options

• The internet is a great place to start looking for a stud


• Horse Expos often times offer stallion parades

2. Look at the Bloodline

• Depending on what discipline you plan to shoow your future foal in will decide what stallion you choose


• If you want a good western pleasure horse, Zippo Pine Bar is a good option


• If you want a good halter horse, look into the Impressive Bloodine but beware of HYPP

3. Look at the Stallions Success

• A champion stallion can often times produce a champion foal

4. Consider the size of the horse you are wanting to produce

• Tall parents often times produce tall babies


• If you want a good barrel horse, a throughbred stallion may not be your best option

5. Find a Stud that is Close to You

• If your budget is tight, you wont want to pay any extra fees for artificial insemination which has to be done if the semen is shipped to you

6. Consider the Stud Fee

• An expensive stud may seem like the best bet, but remember to save money for future vet fees over the 11 months also

Is Your Mama a Mare?

For many horse owners, the idea of breeding a horse seems magnificent at first. It can seem like such a great idea to produce a perfect baby out of your loving mare. What most people don't realize is that there is a lot of thought that should be put into breeding your mare. There should be a lot of thought put into breeding in general such as what kind of a horse would you like to produce, if you are going to keep the baby or sell the baby, is the mare fit to have a foal and many other things that contribute to bringing a foal into this world.

Over the next 2 weeks I will be publishing posts that are a collaboration of thoughts, ideas and tips that may help you with the decision on weather to breed your horse or not. They will include posts on how to care for your pregnant mare and how to safely deliver a foal. As a horse owner, I believe it is important to be well educated on this topic so you can be assured your mare and foal will make it through the birthing process!

Western Bling In The Ring: Part V

Hey ya’ll! Guess what time it is… Western Bling In The Ring: Part V so get super excited! It is sort of a bitter sweet article though because this will be the final and last portion of the series I have been working on. I am really excited about this one, however, because all the previous pieces of bling in the ring I have told you about (Western Bling In The Ring: Part I- halters, Western Bling In The Ring: Part II- bridles, Western Bling In The Ring: Part III- breastcollars, and Western Bling In The Ring: Part IV- blankets and pads) were all working their way up to the big one. SHOW SADDLES!

The saddle is obviously the largest piece of tack that you must have for showing western pleasure. Saddles, just like everything else we have explored about the extreme tack options available for the show ring, can be completely ridiculous in style, glitz, glamour, and price. If you thought that any of the other pieces of equipment for your horse were expensive… wait until you catch a glimpse of these bad boys! The show saddle is not only the largest part needed for your horse, but it is certainly the most expensive chunk of your expenses as well. The price tag is sure to reflect your personal style and desire for bling as they can come in many different arrays of designs, brands, colors, and even sizes. Money most certainly has no limits for many horsemen out there who would venture to pay the amount of cash you are about to witness! Remember what I said from the very beginning… nothing about showing a horse in the world of western pleasure is ever going to be a cheap purchase.

This Alamo saddle is a very nice and classy show saddle. It has an attractive leather style and color that is finished off with some shiny silver pieces that are eye catching. It is priced at $1,300 and may seem like a lot of money to someone who is unfamiliar with the prices of saddles, but all I have to say is… just you wait!

This is a new brand of saddle that has just hit the market called the Flex 2. The dark black leather is a perfect example of the color variety that is offered when choosing a saddle of your own. The glitzy sterling silver pieces are really accented more due to the contrast of the dark black leather color which I find more eye catching. The price tag is sure to catch your eye also as this particular saddle costs $3,800. This is quite the jump in cash from the first saddle we looked at, but the fun is not going to stop here folks!

This is a Rio Show Saddle that has a medium leather tone that is very common in the show ring. The sterling silver trim that outlines the entire saddle is sure to bring plenty of bling to the ring. Even the basket weave print of the leather is very classy and elegant. I hope the price of $4,299.99 is also found to be classy enough for your style because this pretty little number costs just that. Hold on to your seat ya’ll when I tell you that this is only the AVERAGE price of most show saddles being sold, so let us take a look at what is next.

Even the name of this piece of work is sure to catch your attention as this is a San Simeon Cupertino Show Saddle. The tooling of the leather is a very unique style called morning glory, but I have not quite decided yet whether I approve or dislike? The large plates of sterling silver are found on all eight corners and there are additional pieces covering the back of the seat and the saddle horn. The silver is also given a little more detail than most due to the black tinted horse show shape that really stands out. What stands out even more to me, however, is the crazy price of $4,999.99. Yep, that is right my friend… this piece of tack is rolling in at about five grand! What could possibly top that? Well, we will soon find out.

This Ultra White Circle Y Show Saddle has a very distinctive color of leather that is not seen very often. The leather is also tooled in an uncommon floral prism pattern that really gives the design of the saddle a bit of class. The amount of sterling silver that completes the design of this piece is quite a lot, covering from all eight corners, to the back of the seat, and the saddle horn. While I find this saddle very attractive and well suited for the show ring, I have to wonder what in the world makes it so freakin’ special that it would cost a whopping $6,000?!?! I have absolutely no clue, but if you happen to believe that it is worth that much… go for it bucko!