PPL BREEDING PROGRAM POLICIES & PROCEDURES FOR ALL VOLUNTEER BREEDERS October 2005 1
WELCOME TO THE PERSONAL PONIES BREEDING PROGRAM The following policies and procedures apply to all Personal Ponies breeding stock; stallions, broodmares, stallion/broodmare prospects, owned and leased by the Personal Ponies program, as well as all Personal Ponies directors and volunteers. All appropriate/necessary forms associated with the breeding program are contained in this handbook for your use. Current, accurate record keeping is vital to the program. We appreciate your dedication, compliance, attention to detail, kindness and caring. Thank you. 1. Any State Director wishing to recommend a new or existing volunteer, to the breeding program shall notify the National Breeding Director. Information such as name, address, phone#, email address, breeding experience should be included in the initial notification. A Breeding Stock Placement Application will be sent to the interested party, either by the State Director or the National Breeding Director, for completion. The completed application, along with current photos as requested on the application, or copies thereof, are to be sent to the National Breeding Director for review and consideration before breeding stock is considered and/or placed. All interested volunteer breeders will be considered on an individual basis regarding previous breeding experience, resources, need for a PPL breeding farm in that particular location. Input from State Directors regarding a prospective volunteer breeder is encouraged and welcomed. State Directors shall be notified when a decision has been made as to consideration for placement of breeding stock. 2. Volunteers with little or no experience with breeding, management of stallions/broodmares/foals, may be offered a pair of geldings for placement if the State Director so approves this volunteer for placement. After several months, if the State Director is satisfied that all is going well: policies, procedures, record keeping, pony care are as we expect, the interested volunteer breeder has acquired the necessary knowledge and skills for managing a breeding program, a Breeding Stock Placement Application may be offered. 3. Breeders are to record dates stallions are bred to broodmares in a journal and/or a calendar. 2
4. Breeders are to use the In-Hand method of breeding every other day until the mare is no longer interested in the stallion. We DO NOT PASTURE BREED. 5. Breeders are to send completed stallion service reports to Tammy Teter in Michigan at the end of each breeding season. {A stallion service report is contained in this handbook. Tammy Teter s address is listed on the bottom of the form.} 6. Breeders covering mares transported from other PPL breeding farms {outside mares} are to record breeding dates and give a copy of the breeding report to the mare s caregiver. 7. Criteria for breeding outside mares shall be determined by each stallion caregiver {volunteer breeder} and corresponding state director. 8. Tammy Teter, Marianne Alexander and myself, are to also be consulted regarding breeding stallions to outside mares for reason of bloodlines and suitability. 9. Leased broodmares are NOT to be bred until a lease agreement has been signed and received by Tammy Teter in Michigan. ppltregistrar@yahoo.com 10. Breeders are to send completed foal registration forms and photos to Tammy Teter within 30 days of foaling. {A foal registration form is contained in this handbook for your use. Make copies as needed.} 11. Tammy Teter, Marianne Alexander, each breeder/state director, and myself, shall determine future use of all foals. 12. Colts not intended for breeding are to be gelded as soon as both testicles have descended age of which varies from individual to individual. 13. A gelding certificate is to be completed, signed by the vet performing the procedure, and mailed to Tammy Teter. {A gelding certificate form is contained in this handbook for your use. Make copies accordingly.} 14. Colts that have not yet been gelded are not to be placed with inexperienced families. If colts are placed with a current experienced volunteer prior to castration, a gelding agreement MUST be signed stating the volunteer agrees to have the colt{s} gelded as soon as both testicles have descended, and mailed to Tammy Teter. It is preferred that breeders have these colts gelded prior to 3
placement. {A gelding agreement is contained in this handbook for your use. Make copies for future use.} 15. Breeders are to have Avid microchips implanted in all foals prior to placement, whether the foals are to be used in the breeding program or as placement/promotional ponies. 16. Avid microchips are to be obtained from Carol Crowley, arabians@hughes.net. You will receive a microchip verification form which must be signed by the vet implanted the microchip, and returned to Carol Crowley along with photos as requested on the form. 17. All PPL breeding stock should have been implanted with an Avid microchip by April 2004. If breeding stock currently placed in your care has not been implanted with an Avid microchip please contact Carol Crowley straightaway to acquire a microchip and have on hand for implantation during the next vet exam. 18. Leased breeding stock is not required to have PPL Avid microchips. However, Gail Schumann of Schumann s Farm in New Hampshire has requested that Schumann ponies be implanted with the microchips. 19. Accurate record keeping is essential for all breeders and the breeding program. 20.Regular communication between volunteer breeders and directors, including updates on all PPL breeding stock, is important and necessary for record keeping and the success of the breeding program. 21. All breeding stock is required to be examined by a qualified vet at least once each year. A Personal Ponies Health Care form is to be completed, signed by the vet who performed the examination, and the volunteer breeder, and mailed to your State Director with the attachments requested on the health form. Your State Director must receive the completed health form no later than 11/30 of each year so that a State of the State End of Year Report can then be prepared and sent to the national office before years end. Failure to send a completed annual Pony Health Care form may well result in removal of the breeding stock. {A Pony Health Care form is contained in this handbook. Make copies as needed for future use.} 22.All vaccinations and EIA Certificates (coggins testing) are to be KEPT CURRENT. 23.State Directors are to send an annual Breeding Stock/Breeding Program Report to the National Breeding Director, via email, no later 4
than 12/15 of each year. An email requesting specific information will be sent to each State Director in early November of each year. Please know that each volunteer breeder is greatly appreciated. We are a team of volunteers striving to breed healthy, quality, Shetland ponies suitable for future breeding and/or placement with differently able individuals, improving the foals one by one as we go. To be productive and successful it is vital that we work together, set goals, adhere to policies/procedures/guidelines/requests for information. At the beginning of each year, I ask that each of you spend some time reviewing your breeding program as well as the breeding stock placed in your care. Determine which combination of stallion{s} and broodmare{s} are producing the most desirable foals. Review your numbers and the affordability of the breeding stock in your care. Do you need to downsize? Do you prefer to breed the larger Shetland ponies, or the smaller Shetland ponies? If you have some of each, do you wish to concentrate on breeding just one size and have the others relocated? Evaluating your breeding program and breeding stock at the beginning of each new year is vital. You are needed. PPL could not exist without our cherished volunteers. We do not want you to feel overwhelmed with ponies, nor expenses. Evaluating your program and breeding stock will not only assist you with setting goals and acquiring a sense of vision, this process may also prevent burnout. PPL is never intended to become a financial burden, nor a task that is no longer enjoyed. Happy volunteers raise happy ponies! I am always here to assist you, to listen, to discuss/comment/share, to support and encourage, as well as express my appreciation for all you do for the ponies, the differently able individuals to whom we serve, and the Personal Ponies organization. I look forward to working with each volunteer breeder as we move forward together. Thank you. Kay O Conner, National Breeding Director Email KayinLA122@aol.com 5