"The Foundation Starts Here"


          


  See Where We Will be in 2010

   


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The Lab Equipment:
Our lab has been custom picked by us with the recommendations of CSU. We have purchased the best
equipment we can in order to provide the best services in on farm AI and shipped semen. Companies like ARS, Exodus Breeders, and Nasco have been used as suppliers.

We have chosen the Missouri AV for its lightness and ease of use as well as its ability to provide comfort and mare like feeling to the stallion. Each stallion collected has his own AV and Liners. Equipment is sanitized and stored to the recommendations of CSU- the same practices they use in their USDA Certified facility!

We ship all semen in the Equitainer or the EST disposable shipper. We feel quality shipping containers only improve the chances of conception for the mare owner.  All shipments are sent UPS.

We have the ability to run IgG test for antibodies levels of the newborn foal and test colostrum for quality on any mare that is foaled at our facility. This allows us to make sure every foal gets that important boost of antibodies at birth and if they do not have them, we can then contact our veterinarian for help in getting the foal the needed antibodies.
 


 

    

The Teasing Chute:
Teasing Chute - This is designed to allow the mare to move away or into the stallion upon teasing. This way the mare is comfortable and safety is maintained at all times for everyone and every horse. The use of Aussie Tie Rings allow us to safely tie mares while teasing or breeding.


 

 

The Phantom:
Our Phantom was custom made by Stallion Management Services. This phantom allows us to collect stallions from 13.5 hh to 19 hh with safety and quality. Here is what SMS has to say about their design:

CUSTOM CUT PHANTOM BODY- SMS breeding phantom bodies and legs come with a 10 year warranty (warranty does not include cover).  It is built from heavy duty steel, yet is still easily adjustable.   Our cutout on the side provides for easier positioning of the AV.  It helps keep the stallion positioned behind the breeding phantom rather than trying to come around the side to reach the AV.  Without the cutout stallions have a tendency to twist their back to get to the AV on the side of the AV.   Once they are around the side, some stallions just continue up the side until they fall off the front.  If they don't travel up the side, then they are still breeding in an uncomfortable and unbalanced position.  By starting him behind the breeding phantom in a comfortable position he has no reason to travel up the side.  There is also the added touch of another comfort cut at the top of the back end.  It was put there purely for the comfort of the stallion.  After all he is the main customer of the breeding phantom.  

PHANTOM LEGS - The SMS Breeding Phantom is built with two heavy duty steel legs to withstand the most aggressive stallions.  During training stallions have been known to climb completely over a breeding phantom with the entire weight of their body on the breeding phantom all at once.  Have piece of mind knowing your breeding phantom has two sturdy legs under it and two heavy duty, SOLID connecting points to the breeding phantom body.   Our legs don't have any fancy gears or hydraulics to adjust them.   Our legs are the same size square tubing and hitch pins used to tow your trailer.  How could you get any stronger than that?  This makes our phantoms less expensive to make, yet you can still easily change their height and angle.  Our legs are positioned toward the back to properly distribute his weight over BOTH legs.  When the legs are toward the front of the phantom one of the legs ends up in the middle of the phantom.  As the stallions is mounted on one end, the center leg works like a fulcrum (imagine a teeter totter - what happens when weight is applied at one end - the other end goes up)  That puts a lot of lift on that front leg and I've seen them pop right out of the ground, cement and all.   You also don't want the legs so far back that they are in the way of the stallion's hind feet while he is on the phantom. 

PHANTOM PADDING - Our padding has been chosen to provide maximum give and at the same time provide stability.  The outer most padding is 100% waterproof and moisture resistant and stays flexible to -35 degrees.  The inside padding is designed to provide enough "give" so the stallion can comfortably grip the breeding phantom without struggling and without the need for hips.  If the breeding phantom is too hard the stallion's legs can't not "grab" the phantom, which he needs to do to be able to thrust properly.


The Boarding Facilities:
All horses brought to Big Sky Shires & Equine Services is housed in one of our continuous fenced runs. The fence is six rail and six feet tall. Runs measure 72ft X16ft with an 8ftX16ft loafing shed attached. Horses are fed in tire feeders and grain tubs. Water is provided and fresh each day. Each pen is cleaned between horses that come in. Turn out is provided in our round pen or arena as available.

We feed grass hay to all horses coming in. Mare owner may request alfalfa or other feeds at additional cost. Supplements are to be provided by mare owner with instructions for feeding. Mare owner may also provide the entire feed ration with feeding instructions.


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Brett, Leanne & Connley Hoagland

PO Box 95
285 Hwy. 200 South
Glendive, Montana 59330
406.687.3004
Email: bsshires@midrivers.com