steve critchley

Male

Torrington Alberta

Canada

Comment Wall:

  • Hawk Hill

    Steve,

    I got a message from you through my email. We bred Canadian horses for 9 years and currently are taking a break from breeding until their is a correction in the horse market. We have downsized our herd from a peak of 17 to our current number of 4.

    You stated that you are planning to breed your mare AI to a stallion in Quebec. Our foals were about 50% conceived by AI and 50% by natural cover. We had no difference in our success rate with either. We also have a stallion collection station on site so collected and shipped semen so are very familiar with collection, testing and insemination.

    I don't know if you are planning to breed right now or are waiting until next spring. Your chances of success breeding right now are greatly reduced.

    I rarely come onto this site but if you want to contact me privately through my email I would be more than happy to attempt to answer any questions that you have.

    Laurie
    Hawk Hill Farm
    info@hawkhillfarm.ca
    hawkhillfarm.ca
  • Linda White

    Re: your message. Welcome to the world of Canadian Horses folks. I bought my first Canadian 10 years ago in Quebec and I've owned two more since. Best breed on the planet! I won't give out any advice since I'm no expert on anything, but the CHHAPS group in B.C. would likely be a good group for you to get to know, and are you on the Canadian Horse list? Lots of long-time owners and breeders are on that list and often breeding/bloodline topics are discussed.
    If you get the opportunity to buy Gladys Mackey Beattie's book, The Canadian Horse, grab it. (ISBN 0-9685473-0-3) She's put together a history, plus pictures, of the breed and lots of info on the bloodlines and the breeders. It was awesome for me to see a photo of Lou because my mare, who decends from Lou, is shockingly similar to that stallion. I think you'd like the book.
    Have fun with those horses!
    Linda White
  • Hawk Hill

    I am sure you got a very good background from Olds and good for you for going that route. The college has a good reputation. So many people that we have dealt with over the years go in blind and we have spent a great deal of time educating them. I am sorry that your mare resorbed. I certainly included AI in our breeding program because it added so many more excellent stallions to our breeding program and reduced stress for the mares and chance of disease transmission. I bred dairy cattle for years and it was exclusively AI so it was an obvious transition for our horse breeding program. Like I said we had 10 foals, 50% of which were AI conceived and we ran about 85% first cycle live foal on the ground.
    Good luck next breeding season.