Author Topic: My Horse Ranch/Breeding Program (Read 89758 times)

Lesleyxxx · « **Reply #100 on:** October 24, 2011, 02:03:09 PM »

Beautiful !! What more can I say?

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #101 on:** October 24, 2011, 02:27:26 PM »

His coloring was nice, but when he aged up he had the same wedge-head as his dam; so, I'll keep trying.

Lesleyxxx · « **Reply #102 on:** October 24, 2011, 05:56:38 PM »

Well I did it. Restarted with single sim and 4 Anglo-Arab horses. Cheat 80k simoleons for house, barn, fencing, jumps etc. This time I'm trying without Ambitious trait. I added Green thumb instead. Will see if I can get her raising a small garden as well this time. I haven't made the garden this time, basically I ran out of time [11pm here in UK now and I do have work tomorrow]

Lets see if I can work this better this time

Leto85 · « **Reply #103 on:** October 24, 2011, 07:47:32 PM »

I'm wondering if anyone already have succeeded in breeding one black and one white unicorn together. I like to see if the outcome is grey (it probably will be) and how that one will look.

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #104 on:** October 24, 2011, 07:56:37 PM »

By marylcmarsh at 2011-10-24

Leto85 · « **Reply #105 on:** October 24, 2011, 08:06:19 PM »

Quote from: Metropolis Man on October 21, 2011, 11:06:43 AM

Yeah, exactly. That's what I discovered with my horse article for the guide. The only thing that seems to affect sale price is how many skill levels a horse has in jumping and racing. I guess EA is just trying to keep things as simple as possible. Yes, it would make sense to program in how many wins a horse has into sale price, but they're probably thinking that a horse with a lot of skills is going to win anyway, or at least have a very good chance.

But if your horse is maxed out in International Wins, I mean the skill challenge that comes with it when the horse had win 25 wins that will possitively influence the value of the foals. I don't know if it influences the value of the horse itself as well.

Leto85 · « **Reply #106 on:** October 24, 2011, 08:22:32 PM »

Quote from: Lizzy on October 24, 2011, 12:08:44 PM

I have been so smart to forget that unicorns can't be sold $:-\$
So I have to set them free into the wild to continue breeding...

Does that also count for halfbreed unicorns, mixed with horses?

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #107 on:** October 24, 2011, 08:28:06 PM »

When a stallion or mare has achieved 'Champion Racer' or 'Jumping Star' the value of their foals goes up about 33%. The value of the stallion or mare also goes up appreciably, though I do not know how much because after all the effort achieving those levels no amount would be worth the time and trouble.

Champion Racer = 15 advanced/international racing wins.

Jumping Star = 15 advanced/international show jumping wins.

Please let's not make this a thread for questions about unicorns. I've tried my best to make this a thread for people who are taking the horseman's profession seriously.

____________________
EDIT: MaryMarsh, I appreciate you keeping your topic on topic, but please don't use colored text in posts. Please check the Forum Rules.
Anushka

VampirePlasma · « **Reply #108 on:** October 24, 2011, 08:28:29 PM »

Yes it is. I can't sell neither of my born in game unicorns. It says 'Unicorns won't allow themselfs to be sold like that!' or something similar.

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #109 on:** October 24, 2011, 10:58:01 PM »

In addition to being a Racing Champion, Scenic is now a Jumping Star (15 advanced/international show jumping wins). Previous to becoming a Jumping Star his foals were selling for just over 18K. Havivi is pregnant with his next foal and we shall soon find out if being a double champion has an affect on the price of his foals.

Banksia · « **Reply #110 on:** October 25, 2011, 02:07:25 AM »

Thanks for this serious research into foal profits. Any horse ranch needs foal sales to reach maximum to increase profitability. I will be glad to hear about the results for the sale of this outstandingly pedigreed foal.

MoMoll · « **Reply #111 on:** October 25, 2011, 02:25:53 AM »

Thanks for all the insight into breeding ranches. I'll bee getting Pets nxt week and hat ofinfo now on how to handle the horses.

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #112 on:** October 25, 2011, 03:33:46 AM »

BIG NEWS

Saracen Arabian Farm has nearly doubled in size. The photo, below, shows our original spread, with the new barn and pasture to the left.

By marylcmarsh at 2011-10-25

Our new barn has six stalls and a bunkhouse, which raises our total number of stalls to nine. The following photo shows the new barn.

By marylcmarsh at 2011-10-25

This expansion will make Saracen Arabian Farm the largest horse operation in Appaloosa County.

-----

Technically, this is what I did:

1. Went into Edit Town and bulldozed, then built on the adjacent lot.
2. Converted the lot type from Residential to Horse Ranch (which is a Community Lot).
3. A ranch hand named Charlie Filch moved in.
4. I went back into the game and purchased the property for 52K.
5. I'm in the process of upgrading the lot now to maximize weekly income.

samoht04 · « **Reply #113 on:** October 25, 2011, 04:22:59 AM »

I was wondering, if you send your Male Horse to offer his services, will any offspring be added to the family tree? Or is this not a good place to ask?

@ MaryMarsh, on another Thread they were wondering if there was supposed to be chimes when Horses woohoo in the stables? I didn't know but I thought you might, since you are breeding a whole lotta cool horses.

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #114 on:** October 25, 2011, 04:56:23 AM »

Quote from: samoht04 on October 25, 2011, 04:22:59 AM

I was wondering, if you send your Male Horse to offer his services, will any offspring be added to the family tree? Or is this not a good place to ask?

@ MaryMarsh, on another Thread they were wondering if there was supposed to be chimes when Horses woohoo in the stables? I didn't know but I thought you might, since you are breeding a whole lotta cool horses.

1. About family tree ... I presume it will work like human sims, which is to say yes.

2. Early on I had a mare that did not become pregnant when there were no chimes. Since then I Try for Foal until I hear the chimes.

Leto85 · « **Reply #115 on:** October 25, 2011, 05:58:53 AM »

Quote from: MaryMarsh on October 24, 2011, 08:28:06 PM

Please let's not make this a thread for questions about unicorns. I've tried my best to make this a thread for people who are taking the horseman's profession seriously.

I'm sorry, you're right.
This thread is interesting on it's own already.

simfulicious · « **Reply #116 on:** October 25, 2011, 06:05:12 AM »

I have heard the chimes when trying for foal, but I also got a foal without hearing them. I was just getting ready to try for a foal again when the message popped up saying that she was expecting.

Blackluck · « **Reply #117 on:** October 25, 2011, 09:47:11 AM »

Like many others, I'm finding myself quite enamored with Sims horse ranching

Very impressived with what folks have done.

I have a horse breeding question, if you don't mind: Right now I have just one breeding pair (my Sim is juggling writing wtih ranching, but once I'm done with her writing ltw I'm swapping her over to full time ranching, including mid life crises to change traits. Oddly enough her career is horsewoman, not writer;when I first started I didnt' have any idea what I'd be doing with Pets) I've just had my second foal, and she's a beauty; I'd like to make her my 'standard.' Only thing is, I don't know how this is done. Pretty sure the sire can't breed with his daughter, so does that mean two breeding pairs, i.e. 2 stallions/2 mares?

Two stallions would be a major problem in the real world, but I'm guessing Sim stallions get along better. And wouldn't I have to make the stallion in CAS with similar markings? I'm confuzzled as I'm moving far away from what would be done in real life.

***
As for racing, I've won the advanced races by just using Steady Pace. However I've not found any combination that works yet for Int'l racing: Starting with Take Risks or Go For Broke and/or any combination with Steady pace gets me no better than 2nd (my stallion Sampson is 10/10 racing/jumping with 15+ advanced racing wins and has the lucky mount trait, and my Sim has the 20 advanced races skill achievement.) I'm now waiting to see what happens when I swap in the lucky/equestrian traits to see if that has any impact. (My game is a little odd; my sim hasn't broken a single thing, but it was weeks before I saw any wild horses even with two horses with the friend of the herd LTR.)

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #118 on:** October 25, 2011, 11:36:59 AM »

Welcome to the addiction, Blackluck!

My herd started with one stallion, which I'd created at startup in CAS. My three mares were all adopted and subsequently modified in CAS; so, none of them is related to the other. You cannot breed father to daughter or vice versa. This is the one troubling aspect of Pets; because of the household limit of six pets, it's not really feasible to develop extensive bloodlines without killing off each foregoing generation immediately, and this isn't a viable economic alternative because you would never benefit from the increased value of foals when a sire or dam is a Racing Champion or Jumping Star. I so want this game to be multi-cliented so I can pass my sire's get on to other ranches where they can carry on the bloodline.

As for International wins, I've won many, but I've also lost many; though, for racing, I did find my strategy of Take Risks, followed by Go For Broke was successful well over 50% of races. This strategy did not hold true for Show Jumping and I'm thinking we've all missed a minor, but very important part of training -- the flaming hoop. At some point during jump training we are told that our horse may jump through a flaming hoop (it's actually called something else). I'm going to erect an advanced jump training course on another lot and see if this does not make a significant difference.

Wevee · « **Reply #119 on:** October 25, 2011, 11:41:18 AM »

Quote from: MaryMarsh on October 25, 2011, 11:36:59 AM

As for International wins, I've won many, but I've also lost many; though, for racing, I did find my strategy of Take Risks, followed by Go For Broke was successful well over 50% of races. This strategy did not hold true for Show Jumping and I'm thinking we've all missed a minor, but very important part of training -- the flaming hoop. At some point during jump training we are told that our horse may jump through a flaming hoop (it's actually called something else). I'm going to erect an advanced jump training course on another lot and see if this does not make a significant difference.

Be careful with the flaming hoop and the pyrotechnics jumps as they can set your sim on fire. If you do add them, be sure to have a shower or something on the lot to put yourself out.

MaryMarsh · « **Reply #120 on:** October 25, 2011, 12:08:41 PM »

Thank you, Wevee. As a long-time player, I've learned to never go near fire without an extinguisher handy. I love the extinguishers (bought in Egypt, France, and China -- or via the Buydebug cheat in Buy mode) because they will auto-extinguish your Sim immediatly without you having to do anything.

Lesleyxxx · « **Reply #121 on:** October 25, 2011, 12:40:33 PM »

On a sad note I think I'm going to have to suspend my ranching exploits for a while. I think I need to train myself in handling multiple sims? My second go at horse ranching is actually going worse than the first. I'm fighting with my sim to get her to look after the horses and the ranch instead of just wandering around trying to ride everything. Plus the horses are all racing around increasing their racing skills without a rider.

So I'm going to retire gracefully and go try playing a few of families in Apaloosa [sp?], starting with a family of 2 and gradually working up to many. Developing my ability to handle more sims will hopefully help and allow me to enjoy the challenge instead of just struggling.

I will still be following this thread with interest and I will be back, that's a promise.

slpc04 · « **Reply #122 on:** October 25, 2011, 12:58:57 PM »

Hi Mary,

Any idea how long it takes from training ( Jumping/Racing ) for the horse to become fatigue? Im always plagued with the Pet Fatigue moodlet, sometimes it has a timer on the moodlet, which is about 6 hours and sometimes none, which means I don't know how long the moodlet lasts in which I will reload the game. Please help!

Joria · « **Reply #123 on:** October 25, 2011, 02:04:34 PM »

I've been following this thread for quite awhile now and have some observations, comments and questions:

1. Blogging is all very well and good but what we need for OUR group is not a bunch of separate blogs, which can take quite a bit of time to navigate to and read, but a thread just for you ranchers out there to share your stories, progress and inspirations. Please, Admins! Add a new special area to the "Share Your Stories" section for Pets with a subheading for Horse Ranching.

2. Someone needs to gather up all these words of wisdom Mary has shared and post them in a logically well ordered post with no comments and questions from us, her fans. Just the facts and pictures.

3. Mary you have managed to peak the interest of so many of us, myself included. Thank you so much. I feel like I've had an entire course in horse raising and ranching just from reading this thread!

QUESTIONS: (that not only myself but some newbies might have)

I would like to create a horse, and other pets, in CAS but I have my small family already started. How do I go into CAS, without having to unselect my family, to create a new pet? I don't want to adopt.

I have adopted a black, wild horse who is the loveliest thing. How do I find out what sex it is? It's rather obvious in rl!

How much space do you really need to have a viable ranch?

What if all you want to do is have a couple of horses/unicorns as pets, how much space do you really need for them?

What is the smallest size lot possible for a ranch or just a few horses?

Does a barn HAVE to be two stories high?

I've noticed some barns are open on one side and not totally enclosed. Is this the best way to have a barn for a single horse or two or would an enclosed barn work?

What about foundations under a barn? I would imagine you would have to build on a slope or build a ramp, right?

What is the best flooring for a barn? (Mine is terrain paint dried grass to look like straw bedding)

Do you have to have those post things and a lot of run around room on your property for your horse, or can you just train at the training facility?

Comment: If Pets was more like RL, we could raise a horse like the fabulous Secretariat, (r.i.p.), who held back till the very last minute and then blazed several furlongs ahead to win pretty near every race he ran. I wish the races were viewable and that it wasn't a rabbit hole! There is nothing lovelier than watching a field of horses racing.

Lesleyxxx · « **Reply #124 on:** October 25, 2011, 02:48:02 PM »

I can only answer 2 of your questions so here goes:

Yes an enclosed barn works fine too, so long as you allow a good amount of turning space for the horses. They cannot turn on the spot like sims can. The barn doors I've seen are 2 floor size and will not fit a single floor.

Yes you can have a single floor barn if you want. The way I did was by using the stalls and walling around 3 sides, then manually roofing it [auto roof won't work it]. This actually uses the entrance side of the stalls as the 4th side.

I absolutely agree and vote for a whole thread devoted exclusively for the info on horse ranching, amalgamating all the info MaryMarsh has given us in this thread. There will be a lot of people to learn and lot to enrich their game from reading it.

Author Topic: My Horse Ranch/Breeding Program (Read 89758 times)

VampirePlasma