[tweiderh]

Was just thinking... and I have no intention of starting arguments or anything of the sort.. but... I know these days the best bet in breeding and the moral way to do it is to better the breed, try to improve on flaws of good horses with an ultimate goal of a horse produced with great conformation, temperment and ability to perform. Now... what about mustangs? (yes the adoption of mustang stallions sparked this thought in my lil head) I mean... we (meaning humans) hand select and pick and choose horses to make them better or ideal... so because mustangs aren't bred specifically this way or that.. does that mean that the mustang breed is thus created naturally with lesser conformations and temperments (well i mean they ARE wild but you know) ...? But are not as "good" (i'm meaning conformation or breeding wise.. we all know mustangs do make great horses also) because we humans don't have control or a hand in the breeding of them (wild ones?).... because they are left to breed openly in the wild regardless of whether this mare or that mare or stud has proper or good conformation.... It's survival and breeding of the fittest and strongest but, how does that breed the mustang in general as far as conformation and correctness go.... stand up against other breeds that for generations have been bred by humans? maybe it's a silly question but I was thinking about it..

[cminor]

I think it pretty much is survival of the fitest. Of course nature has a way of weeding out the weakest. Poor conformation is gonna lead to break down and not being able to keep up with the herd and thus fall victim to a predator or subcumb to natural causes such as starvation. A good example I can give is a good friend of mine runs a large band of brood mares and foals with a stud year round. (This is who bred and raised my mare). They are not backyard breeders, they have really nicely bred horses, and continually strive to improve their stock. Anyway there was an older mare that had a real bad hematoba (sp), they had it opened but it was just a touch infected in the beginning, the stud would run the mare off, he would not let her near the herd and was being ugly about it. We were there watching them and the owner said he could understand why he was being like that. I told him survival of the fitest, and that she would be an attractant for predators if they were in the wild, and he was like duh, I should have thought of that, anyway he got the trailer and we packed her up to take back to the barn. The mare completely healed, they put her back out and everything went back to normal.

[SC Sonoma]

In my opinion, it was all about survival of the fittest.

For them to survive, they had to be the strongest, fittest, smartest, fastest, etc.

If they had good conformation, then it would reason that they would indeed be all (or most) of the above.

So, I think mustangs probably chose their mates much like we chose for them now .... we try to match good with good ..... so did they.

[PeggySue]

actually Mustangs normally aern't "pretty" to look at most of them I have seen have bad legs and bad confo all around but they NEVER seem to go lame... we made what we want to see doesn't mean it is right or wrong it is pretty... crooked legs are not pretty...

WE arent' really breeding for the fittest best of the best we are breedign for prettiest of the pretty..

even our performance horses we want them pretty..

my mare with the crooked front legs has the best feet and has never taken a lame step...

My mare with that is pretty always seems to have something wrong with her

About three years ago I brougth alittle pinto gelding had the ugliest legs and feet I have ever seen and the lilttle guy was sure footed and sound as all get out .. he is now jumping 3' with a little girl riding him and has never taken a bad step... I am talking toed out in front back legs almost rubbing together UGLY ...

So I really dont' think we honestly Better the breed we try to make them more eye appealing

[PeggySue]

Most mustangs will work a domestic horse into the ground and come out of it sound

[ryu2832]

If you want to study open population breeding go to the mall and walk around. To simplify just look at people from the knees down and judge conformation.

People/horses like what they like, and given no other pressure breed as they will without thought to conformation.

(Yes I am single and I don't have any kids...)

[PeggySue]

Ryu my point is that look at teh mature "wild" horses .. very few of them have straight legs and you will hardly ever see a mustang go lame without human interference

[ryu2832]

Originally Posted by PeggySue

Most mustangs will work a domestic horse into the ground and come out of it sound

Yes, but isn't that just conditioning? Most horses don't know what it is to work hard. I find it's the same with people. I had some city bred help who actually said,"What's wrong with me I feel like I'm dying." They just didn't understand what it felt like to really have to work.

My Thomas who worked as a pack horse in the Colorado mountains out lasts horses I've ridden with eventhough he is heavier, and not ridden as much.

[ryu2832]

Originally Posted by PeggySue

Ryu my point is that look at teh mature "wild" horses .. very few of them have straight legs and you will hardly ever see a mustang go lame without human interference

Again I think part of it is that there's no vet, no owner to patch them up. They s.uck it up and keep with the herd or get picked off.

Most wild prey animals won't show an injury until they absolutely can't hide it anymore.

[PeggySue]

RYU I have ridden with alot of them and I reallly think they are just hardy then our "domestic" horses... maybe it is the conditioning of running wild for so long but it is amazing to watch some of the things they can and will do that "domestic" bred horses won't/can't do ..

And most people that have them don't do every 6 week farrier visit .. one guy we rode with in Shawnee said as long as he leaves his on 24/7 turn out and doesnt' touch feet they stay sound .. when he first got into them he made the as he called it mistake of having farrier come and trim them.. and they kept coming up sore... we mess with nature too much (coming from person who has horse with really messed up hooves )