I truly believe that mares are the backbone of any breeding program. My mares must meet a few essential requirements. First and foremost, they need to be good minded, kind and safe. Good mares are the type of horses that can produce babies that will meet my needs. And when I have helpers doing chores (like my granddaughter, Lily) I need to know that we can all enjoy the horses and be safe. 
    Secondly, my mares need to be sound without any genetic problems so we can produce foals that are also sound and healthy. Third, I need show quality genetics, ideally with strong, modern AQHA show bloodlines that aren't common in Alberta, plus I must have colour in each of my mares to increase our chances of producing foals that make the APHA Regular Registry.
    I believe my small herd of mares meets those criteria.