In January, the Equine Journal published a page about the Mangalarga Marchador breed in Bits and Pieces! The photo chosen for the article is Beethoven do Summerwind (La Paz Jivago x Azenha de Maripa). Beethoven is owned by Laurie Klassen in SK Canada. Photo by Judy Wood.
Click on the pdf file below if you’d like to download the page.
We appreciate it when we get press, especially when it’s their idea! We hope their readers loved the article. There is currently only one Marchador in New England. And that Marchador is gelding, Chama-Lustre do Lucero, with Cyndy Falvey in Maine.
In early November, Summerwind requested an ABCCMM inspection and Dr. Kate Barcelos came to the U.S. for a super quick trip. ABCCMM inspectors are licensed veterinarians that receive extensive training from the ABCCMM, the Brazilian Marchador Association.
We were able to arrange with other breeders so that more Marchadors also got to be seen in AZ, TX and FL.
Our inspection day was beautiful and almost 20 Marchador owners and lovers were there to see it for the first time! Asking questions and learning about what the ABCCMM is seeking in the standard of the breed, they were able to understand more about the Marchador gait, conformation and temperament requirements. Great for them, that both a foal inspection and definitive inspections were shown and the branding as well.
Foals are inspected for markings, DNA, and genetic defects (disqualification). Adult Marchadors are inspected and ridden for gait, conformation and temperament. A minimum score is required to pass for stallions, mares and geldings with the stallion score being the highest.
Inspected in AZ were:
Fidalgo do Summerwind – gelding, definitive
Jedi-Knight do Summerwind – foal, provisional
Flying Oaks Abaiba Real for Flying Oaks Ranch, OK – stallion, definitive
Inspected in TX were:
Destiny do Summerwind – mare, definitive
Imperio do Summerwind – foal, provisional
Cassandra do MManor – mare, both provisional and definitive
Eduardo do MManor – foal, on file awaiting sire’s ABCCMM registration.
Summerwind is committed to the quality and diversity of the Marchador breed here and we think the Brazilian inspection process is a great tradition to uphold.
For more information on the ABCCMM inspection process, you can click on this link to read more about it.
The crowd gathering for the inspections. Phyllis Ley, Jack Shriber, John Kelley, USMMA President Jeff Bosley
Foal inspection for Jedi-Knight do Summewind. Elizabeth Sims and D.J. Sims
Fidalgo do Summerwind being presented for inspection. Lynn Kelley and D.J. Sims
D.J. Sims on Fidalgo do Summerwind.
Kate Barcelos on Fidalgo do Summerwind.
After being measured for conformation, Fidalgo was branded with the horseshoe M brand.
Asking questions. The group was from all over AZ and also, OK and Brazil.
Flying Oaks Marchadors, in training in AZ came down for the ABCCMM inspection day.
Ned Leigh, trainer on Flying Oaks Abaiba Real, a MM stallion from OK.
Kate Barcelos riding Flying Oaks Abaiba Real in the ridden part of the test.
Measuring Abaiba Real during the conformation part of the test. Kate Barcelos and Flying Oaks owner and breeder, Rick Schatz
Branding Abaiba Real with the trademark horseshoe M brand. Kate Barcelos
The celebration dinner – From AZ, Jeff Bosley, Michelle Bosly, Sandy Hull, John Kelley, Lynn Kelley, Adrienne C. Scheck, Elizabeth Sims, D.j. Sims, Craig Sims, Luke? Sims, Randy Gassett,, Phyllis Ley, Jack Shriber. From OK, Rick Schatz. From Brazil, Kate Barcelos, Ricardo Xavier
After AZ, Kate flew on to Texas and also Florida on her way back to Brazil. In Texas, she did foal inspections on 2 foals: Imperio do Summerwind and Eduardo do MManor.
Kate Barcelos riding Destiny do Summerwind for the ridden part of the inspection.
Cathy Pierce, owner and Kate Barcelos on Cassandra do MManor being inspected for ABCCMM registration.
“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and lightning bug.” Mark Twain
Adrienne and Gralha
Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt were master horse trainers and communicators. They advocated to “set the horse up for success”, “to let the horse learn it” and “to feel and listen to the horse.” We have found our own master trainer here in Arizona in Ned Leigh of Ned Leigh, Equine Focus. It is with Ned that I learned how important the words we use are in the setting up of this kind of environment.
All of Ned’s work comes with the horse in mind. Knowing that there many be many answers the horse will choose during training. The try is important. The repetition and clarity of the request is what will cause over time for the horse to choose the RIGHT answer, the one you intended. From the horse’s point of view, all the responses are valid. Ned’s words to the trainers are always horse-focused. And what a difference it makes – in your head and in the horse’s head!
Here are 5 examples of the words that help create the mind-set for success.
1. “Help your horse”
What a difference in mindset! This is almost revolutionary – 180 degrees from “you have to win”, “correct your horse”, “make him obey”. If your horse is a partner, a member of the family, you’ll want to help him succeed, not get frustrated because he isn’t getting it as fast as you want.
2. “Your horse is confused”
Related to number 1 above, but what a great way to think of it. Instead of “You (the trainer) are doing it wrong”, again the focus is on the horse. Now you need to learn how to make your request easier or clearer to him. There must be 10 ways to request a backup. Maybe more. Anyone will do as long as both you and your horse understand what is being requested.
3. “Wait. Give the horse a chance to make the decision.”
Let your horse try. Let your horse discover the right answer through the process of elimination. Just keep asking in a consistent and clear manner and reward the right answer. No need to escalate or rush. Take a deep breath and instead, watch him think. You might learn something about how your horse learns.
4. “Watch for the muscle movement to release.”
Timing is everything in the reward for doing the right thing. The earlier the release, the softer the horse. When you ask the horse to move, before the horse actually moves its feet, the muscles respond. If we build our release, the reward on the muscle movement, you are rewarding the correct thought and that speeds up the horse’s understanding.
5. “Use the backup command to establish your boundary”
The horse is a gregarious and social animal. That’s what we want too, someone to love and spend time with. However, establishing a boundary establishes your relationship with the horse with you as the leader. It is the responsibility of the person to control their horse’s approach to the boundary and if they cross into it without permission, it is the person’s fault. The horse should not be punished for the person’s failure to control the boundary.
The backup. Ned, Carmen and Koyote
Often Ned’s teaching is broken down into at least 3 steps. This gives the horse a clear, repeatable pattern. And it helps the trainer become clearer in his/her request and less hurried. The horse is “set up for success”. It will learn the request, the sequence and the right response.
The horse can choose to respond (and that’s the desired response) on the first step. This teaching makes for a soft, willing partner. Isn’t that what we all want?
This is training from the horse’s point of view. This is training for UNDERSTANDING.
Any training with the mindset of MAKING your horse do something is totally NOT what I want for my horses.
If you are using words that don’t describe your thoughts and actions from the horse’s point of view, see if you can change them. See if that makes a difference in yourself and your horse. I’d love to hear back from you.
The partnership. Bossa Nova de Miami and Lynn.
All the photos below in the gallery from the clinics are Mangalarga Marchadors from Summerwind during a Ned Leigh Clinics. All happy horses and happy people! Photo credit to Lynn Kelley, Leticia Ribeiro and Laura Patterson Rosa. Click on any of the gallery photos to make it larger or read the captions!
The partnership. Gaia do Summerwinds and Adrienne.
The partnership. Bossa Nova de Miami and Lynn.
The partnership. Elizabeth and Gralha MUG
The send (1st step, direction) Brisa and DJ.
Ned coaching the forehand pivot. Adrienne and Caboclo.
Sarah coaching Sandy and Wizard.
Lynn and Bossa Nova de Miami, her first Marchador.
The backup. Brisa Libertas and Kristy.
Ned Leigh explaining the concepts and demonstrating to the class.
The partnership. Koyote kisses Laura.
The partnership. Bill and Brasilia do Summerwind
Ned and Izzy. Izzy had the least experience so Ned used her as the demo horse.
The soft kind hands (and eyes) of a horseman.
The test! Backup and put the right hind foot on the cone.
The test. Good girl Azenha!
The backup. Ned, Carmen and Koyote
All the photos are Mangalarga Marchadors from Summerwind during a Ned Leigh Clinics. Photo credit to Lynn Kelley, Leticia Ribeiro and Laura Patterson Rosa. For more information on Ned Leigh Equine Focus or Summerwind Marchadors:
“Contrary to popular belief, horses do not get bored with basic work. If the rider (trainer) request exact responses, paying close attention to detail and quality, neither the horse nor rider will have time to get bored, rather a true sense of accomplishment will be gained.” Erik F. Herbermann.
Frozen semen opens new doors for breeders!Are you ready to enter this new world of breeding?
Many people have not ever used frozen semen in their breeding program and there is a big learning curve. Here at Future Foal @ Summerwind, we began our learning with our Marchador mares and our stallion La Paz Jivago, before entering into importing frozen semen from Brazil.
Here are some of our learnings and answers to common questions we had.For our education, we rely heavily on our breeding vet Dr. Jerry Longworth of Scottsdale Equine Reproductive Center, located in Scottsdale AZ. We also read and subscribe to the educational writings of SBS – Select Breeders Service. Their founder Paul Loomis, froze the first stallion semen for a client in 1981 while at Colorado State University.You might say, SBS wrote the book and thankfully, they are more than happy to share their knowledge online. SBS is in the US, Europe and Australia with more than 3,000 stallions in their database.
Frozen semen– the advantages:
For the stallion owner:
No stress.Collections can be less frequent or timed during the off-season.It might be when your breeding vet is less busy too.Shipping can be done at any time, and stored at the mare’s location until she is ready.
International breeding becomes an option.Frozen semen is the only way to ship internationally. Note:The semen may need to be collected and stored under different rules and regulations based on the country to be allowed to export.
Always available. Even when your stallion is at a show, getting older or even after he has passed on, his frozen semen will be there for your breeding program.
For the mare owner:
No stress.Store the semen at your facility until your mare is ready.No last minute shipments or missed ovulations which can be quite costly.
More selection. International breeding becomes an option.You can now choose from an expanded list of partners for your mare.
No need to keep a stallion.We call frozen semen “stallion in a box”.
How long does frozen semen last?
As long as it is maintained properly in a liquid nitrogen storage tank, the answer should be forever.
Are all stallions suitable for collection and freezing?
Oma de Maripa, herd sire of Agro Maripa, Brazil
No. The stallion must be collected and evaluated for semen quality and motility. If the stallion can be collected and shipped using cooled semen, then most often, the semen can also be frozen.
Don’t wait until the stallion is older before you test him if you want to preserve his genetic material. Typically, the sperm production starts to decline around age 13.
The more sophisticated the breeding vet and facility, the more likely they will have the ability to freeze the semen in different ways to evaluate which extender works best for your stallion.Statistics of sperm count and motility are a good indicator, but in reality, the frozen semen must be tested to prove its reproductive qualities by producing pregnancies.
Are all mares suitable candidates for frozen semen?
No.Of course the first evaluation is to decide if the mare has suitable excellent qualities to consider being bred in the first place.For breeding using frozen semen, choosing mares that are proven to be reproductively solid is the best – a proven broodmare. Often, the mares are cultured to be sure there is no bacteria or infection in the uterus before breeding begins.
As the mare gets older, she is less able to deal with the inflammation and fluid that is part of the frozen semen breeding and success rates decline.The standard cut-off is 16 years of age.
What is the success rate using frozen semen?
Talisma Kafe, pure JB.
Many studies have been done with varying percentages of success. Generally, the pregnancy rates have been quoted to be 30-50% success on one breeding cycle.However, the real number depends on the individual stallion.
Regardless of study or percentage you want to use, fresh semen has the highest percentage success rate.Cooled semen is next, but frozen semen is very close to cooled semen.As the techniques and education continue to improve, frozen semen may end up being just as effective as cooled.
What are the numbers?
30% or more progressively mobile sperm
More than 200 million sperm in the breeding dose
Pregnancy or # of pregnancies achieved using frozen semen from this individual stallion.
Is it more costly to breed using frozen semen?
Arun de Maripa, a mix of Favacho, Tabatinga and Abaiba bloodline. Frozen semen available.
Yes, as compared to cooled semen, it is.The cost of shipping the container is higher.The cost of the insemination process is also higher, with more ultrasounds may be required to get the timing for insemination with frozen semen to be timed correctly with the mare.
As compared to live cover or fresh semen, if you own the stallion, many people consider this breeding to be “free” and 100%, but the stallion may be breeding multiple times to achieve pregnancy and there are costs to keeping a stallion that are not “free”.
The other difference may be the price of the stud fee.Usually the best stallions are the ones frozen, so stud fees can be higher.There is also usually no refund if the mare fails to conceive. Because of that, the mare owner may want to purchase more than one breeding dose if priced per dose, or structure a contract based on pregnancy.
So what are the costs?
Veterinarian fees vary across the country. But, your vet should have a fee schedule so you can add up what the costs will be per breeding for the mare or per collection for the stallion. Here is the fee schedule from our veterinarian.
To be safe, find a veterinarian who specializes in reproduction.Reproduction work is extremely demanding, especially in certain times of the year.They understand the demands of closely-timed breedings and foalings and their operation and staff will be organized to respond to that.They will also have the specialized equipment needed that an all-around vet may not have.
If you are in an area where this is not possible, find a vet who will commit to being on call 24/7 when necessary, do the research and reading on breeding using frozen semen and be willing to call the other breeding vet for help!
What are some of the big differences most people don’t think about?
Ordering the semen to have in storage for your breeding program.The more expensive frozen semen shipping containers are sometimes in high demand.Waiting (as with cooled semen) until your mare is ready could mean that no container is available.Storing semen is relatively inexpensive.Shipping multiple breeding doses can lower the cost of shipping and you get to breed on your schedule.
Timing IS everything using frozen semen. As a result, there are a lot of ultrasounds required to manage the process.Either your breeding vet should have a portable ultrasound if you are breeding at your farm or you will have to think about having your mare stay at a breeding facility to ensure that the timing is right. Keep her there until the 14-day check and then if no pregnancy was achieved, they can start the cycle again.
The after-breeding routine. The mare usually requires additional vet work a day or two after breeding to lessen the inflammation and remove any fluid in the uterus after breeding with frozen semen for the embryo to survive.
One hint, write it down – everything you learn about their individual cycle, the size of the follicle when breeding started, the size of the follicle at ovulation etc. Get to know your mares!
The Mangalarga Marchador mares are like some other older rustic breeds (Friesian is another).Their reproductive cycle is slower and they develop larger follicles that rarely ovulate below 45mm.If your breeding vet is ready to go with a follicle at 35mm, tell him to wait a day, sometimes two.
30 minutes – WEBINAR on frozen semen.
_________________________________________________________________________________Future Foal uses frozen semen for the access to world-class stallions in Brazil. Importing frozen semen from Brazil has been quite the project, one we have worked on for more than five years. Most breeders and vets in Brazil have not frozen their Marchador stallions at all, let alone under the USDA guidelines for exportation. So the importation process, while it appears simple, can be very time-consuming and costly.
We believe in the concept for improving quality and diversity in the emerging Marchador breed here and it will continue to give for generations! Imported frozen semen and the resulting foals will be our legacy. Future Foal currently offer SIX top stallions for breeding and is moving into another new area – frozen embryos. We are – frozen all the way!
Foals bred using our frozen semen: DaVinci do Summerwind (La Paz Jivago), Fidalgo do Summerwind (La Paz JIvago), Gaia do Summerwind (Oma de Maripa), Hawke do Summerwind (Ximoio de Maripa, Hallelujah do Summerwind (La Paz Jivago), Destiny’s Child (Talisma Kafe), Canadian Regente (Talisma Kafe), Jewel do Summerwind (Oma de Maripa)
Are you planning to breed your mare this year? How does one choose the perfect equine partner?
No matter if you are a one-time breeder or a veteran, the goal of every horse breeder is for the next generation to be superior to the preceding one.It’s a daunting challenge!!
Here are our checklists and guidelines for how we select that special stallion.
There are generally a few important areas to consider in evaluating a stallion for breeding that many articles reference:
Conformation
Performance Record
Progeny
Pedigree
Oma de Maripa has foals here in the US and we have more frozen semen to create again.
I add 2 additional criteria in my breeding program: Gait and Temperament.Temperament is sometimes not even considered, but is critically important. While all of the other criteria can be researched or be apparent, this one is not as obvious. We have boarded at stallion collection stations and have seen some stallions who, while beautiful, were very high-strung or displayed other temperament issues.Temperament is one of the main reasons I fell in love with the Mangalarga Marchador.
In all areas, you are looking to see if this stallion has the genetic material to pass on to your foal.
Do you notice that color is not on this list? You may or may not select that unique or flashy colored one, but it should be only after that stallion gets onto your short list of potentials.
Conformation – In Brazil, the ABCCMM inspects all breeding stock for conformation, gait and temperament before they become permanently registered and allowed to breed. We personally believe it is one of the reasons the quality in our Marchador breed is consistently high. But, then you add the passionate breeders, some of whom have been breeding Marchadors for generations! These breeders take these young approved stallions and pick the ones they consider the best. Then, these young Mangalarga Marchador stallions are tested on groups of 10-30 mares and the next year’s foal crop is evaluated. If their progeny are not of sufficient quality or if the stallion does not pass on his desired characteristics, that stallion may never breed again.
In some other breeds, the qualification process is similar.Some warmblood breeds do not officially approve a breeding stallion permanently until their offspring reach performance and evaluation age.
Performance Record – This is pretty self-explanatory. However, if the stallion is young or has not been shown, then you can look at the performance record of close relatives or progeny. They will share some of the same genetic material as the stallion you are considering. Depending on your reason for breeding, performance record may become the prime criteria for selecting your stallion.
While the Mangalarga Marchador is used in many disciplines, in Brazil, the MM Breed Shows are primarily to name a gait champion, a conformation champion and then combined to name an overall champion.
Progeny – For me, progeny is the most accurate measure of selecting a stallion for his genetics.If there is a sufficient number, it is easy to see what he passes on to his foals. If the foals are old enough, you can evaluate their conformation, their performance record and answer the question – are they better than the previous generation?Does this stallion pass on his extraordinary characteristics?
We have some new photos of Beethoven do Summerwind by Judy Wood thanks to Laurie Klassen, his owner in Canada
Evaluating his progeny will answer the question of whether or not the stallion is a genetic outlier – a great individual, but not typical of his family’s gene pool. It may also do just the opposite, show you that this fairly average performance horse only produced big-time winners.
When we bought our original Mangalarga Marchador stallion La Paz Jivago, it was based on his foal crop that we saw in Brazil. The next stallion who replaced him in Brazil had a better show record, but the foal crops were not as good as Jivago’s and the Brazilian breeder was soon searching again for a new herd stallion.
Pedigree –I am a bloodline fanatic; this is like reading a good book for me.Pay close attention to the parents and grandparents. Having a great named horse many generations back is interesting, but not relevant.A great, great grandfather won’t be a predictor of the genes this stallion carries. You can expand this and also look at close relatives like brothers and sisters. Are they all great?Do they carry the same characteristics?There, then is a strong gene pool that might be prepotent.
For breeds with a long history, certain traits are known to exist in certain bloodlines and if you can find that out, it will make your search easier too. Pedigree may become more important if there is not enough data in the other categories such as performance record or progeny, like when considering a younger stallion.
In the Marchador breed, the ELITE Books of the ABCCMM in Brazil were created for this purpose.These are registry books for a very small number of Marchador horses that were National Champions and then who also PRODUCED a number of National Champions. It is a great thing to have in your pedigree – but again, it is more relevant if they are parents or grandparents.While the ELITE books are great, they cannot be the sole source of determining quality. Many horses and bloodlines are not represented there. Some Mangalarga Marchador breeders never show their horses at all, or if they are far away, on the National stage. A huge bloodline, JB is under-represented in the book on a historical basis. Marcha picada classes did not exist within the ABCCMM National competitions until the mid-2000s, so many of these horses never had the option of achieving ELITE status.
Gait – In the Marchador breed, as well as other breeds, the selection of gait is important.There are 2 gaits in our Marchador breed: marcha batida and marcha picada.Breeders normally breed the kind of horse they personally love. Figuring out what type of gait you desire and also the characteristics of the gait that you love whether it be the quality of the gait (lift of the front legs, stride length, balance, athletic), or smoothness (regular beat, 3 feet on the ground more often, not too lateral or too diagonal)
Talisma Kafe
Breeding one gaited horse to another gaited horse does not always result in a better-gaited foal.If you have ridden a gaited horse that paces, you might understand.Pacing can often happen when the breeder allows the gait to become too lateral. Training can improve gait, but genetics set the stage for what you get to work with.
This year, there are new genetic gait studies and research looking for gait genes or DNA tests for gait. These are exciting times!Their research could be a huge help or even a breakthrough for gaited horse breeders.
Temperament
Arun de Maripa with his owner and breeder.
If it’s possible, be sure to ask about the temperament of the stallion and be as specific as you can on the characteristics that are important to you.How does the horse react to something new? How did he handle being started under saddle?What is his behavior with other horses?Does he ever show signs of aggression? What stories or examples can you give to prove his intelligence?
Rating on a scale of 1 to 10 is popular, but I can never tell if we are comparing apple to oranges. What if my definition of 5 is equivalent to your rating of an 8? The questions work better.
Picking the specific stallion to match your mare:
From the small list of potential suitors, you can turn your attention to your mare.
Evaluate her strengths and weaknesses using the same criteria as you did the stallion.If you are not qualified enough to rate her conformation, then you can hire your vet or other knowledgeable horse expert to do it for you.
Some mare owners believe the stallion may solve all her faults.That is certainly never the case. You may have to face the hard truth that your loving mare should not be bred. If you want to have a foal, the mare may still be useful in producing a foal for you if you use her as a surrogate mare to carry an embryo.
Ifyour mare does have areas to improve or that don’t match your taste, now you can go through your short list of preferred stallions and try to select the one that will complement your mare. Do you want a longer neck? Does she need more bone?Better quality of movement?Again, be as specific as possible to narrow down to her perfect match!
At this point, if there is a desired color as well, if all other things are equal, then go ahead and select for color. There are websites that can help predict the percentages of the color outcome of the foal.They can be more accurate if you can send in the DNA for the parents to do a color analysis.
Selection and Pricing
In this modern era with cooled semen and frozen semen shipment, there is no reason why you can’t absolutely breed to a great stallion, wherever he happens to be located.
Money is often mentioned as a main criterion for selecting a stallion. There may be equally good stallions in different price ranges so it is a consideration.But, if in fact, you are extremely restricted in your budget, it is again a red flag that should make you think about moving ahead. Breeding costs alone are often quite high and there is no guarantee that it will work the first time.
Pricing for stud fees and semen can be difficult to compare between stallions.Be sure to add up all of the costs and expenses that you, as the mare owner, are asked to pay. Often, the schedule of expenses is different between breeders.
Contact us for our spreadsheet of planning/estimating breeding costs!
Have fun in your search!
Future Foal “stands” six outstanding Marchador stallions from Brazil in 2015.They are on ice, frozen semen only. We have a few “do Summerwind” stud colts coming up for 2016.
