[Dressage Princess]

The thread on banning backyard breeders got me thinking... Hypothetical scenario here:

Imagine you have a mare/colt/stallion with impeccible conformation, temperament and ability. This horse either is currently winning, or definitely has the potential to win, at it's chosen discipline. However, the horse's breeding is unknown, and thus cannot be registered with any breed association. Would you consider such a horse to be breedable?

If yes, why?
If not, why not?

It's a hard one for me to answer as I personally don't have any affiliation with the breeding industry. However, I think that as long as the horse is quality (which hypothetial example horse is), then there shouldn't be a problem with breeding it. PROVIDED it is paired with something that would complement it, not just thrown with any old thing just because it has the right genitalia.

I can also see the argument that no, this horse should not be bred as he/she is merely a mutt, and there's no telling what's hidden beneath the surface, or in the past. Such a horse, being not purebred, wouldn't be able to refine it's own breed, and would 'contaminate' 'pure' lines. That being said, it could certainly compliment the flaws of chosen mare/stallion and produce a quality foal. Again, if SENSIBLE breeding practises are observed and carried out.

Interested in your thoughts...

[Haas Horse Farm]

Did you read this thread? Breeding Unregistered Mares...

[Friesiangirl]

Nope. I wouldn't. what breed is going to better from this? Well, no breed. Just another horse on the market.

[JKetsche]

I could see how someone would, and I honestly wouldn't be opposed to buying something like that (or the foal, if it's good enough). However, you don't know what genetic defects are lurking in there, you're not bettering a breed, and the foal is less marketable. For that reason, NO.

[doublebarr]

Originally Posted by DressagePrinces

The thread on banning backyard breeders got me thinking... Hypothetical scenario here:

Imagine you have a mare/colt/stallion with impeccible conformation, temperament and ability. This horse either is currently winning, or definitely has the potential to win, at it's chosen discipline. However, the horse's breeding is unknown, and thus cannot be registered with any breed association. Would you consider such a horse to be breedable?

If yes, why?
If not, why not?

It's a hard one for me to answer as I personally don't have any affiliation with the breeding industry. However, I think that as long as the horse is quality (which hypothetial example horse is), then there shouldn't be a problem with breeding it. PROVIDED it is paired with something that would complement it, not just thrown with any old thing just because it has the right genitalia.

I can also see the argument that no, this horse should not be bred as he/she is merely a mutt, and there's no telling what's hidden beneath the surface, or in the past. Such a horse, being not purebred, wouldn't be able to refine it's own breed, and would 'contaminate' 'pure' lines. That being said, it could certainly compliment the flaws of chosen mare/stallion and produce a quality foal. Again, if SENSIBLE breeding practises are observed and carried out.

Interested in your thoughts...

Well, I know for a fact that the AQHA is doing that in your country, and the foals, after a few generations are "fully registerable".

I believe that there are certian disciplines where this can be done to an advantage. The ones I know of would be: Rope horses, ranch horses, Barrel horses, and so in in this venue. You can deffinately know about genetic issues by simply testing your horses before you breed. Now, would I currently do it? Nope. I like my registered horses and being able to look back many years and know WHO they came from and where. But, I can and have seen it done with success.

[Horsefeathers3]

Honestly I myself would do it, PERSONALLY I could care less if my horse is registered or not or carries a pedigree. Also if bred to the right horse, the foal could still be registered with some association like Pinto, etc. If the horse had the conformation, temperment, and potential, I think those are three very good things that it would have to offer its foals.

[Lou3]

It would depend on the purposes of breeding.
For me I would have NO problem whatsoever with breeding an unregistered horse like this for a performance discipline.
But then in the UK we dont prize papers above all else like some disciplines in america seem to. A good horse is a good horse no matter what their breeding. If a horse is a proven champion in a given discipline there is no reason why they should not go on to sire/produce more champions in that discipline.
Papers arent everything.

[Jenje!]

Not me.

[*Anna*]

Not unless the horse was competing at the olympic level and i knew people wanted their babies.

There are loads of horses who match that description- with papers. Unless the horse is truly exceptional, there is absolutly no reason to breed it.

[JKetsche]

Originally Posted by doublebarr

I believe that there are certian disciplines where this can be done to an advantage. The ones I know of would be: Rope horses, ranch horses, Barrel horses, and so in in this venue. You can deffinately know about genetic issues by simply testing your horses before you breed. Now, would I currently do it? Nope. I like my registered horses and being able to look back many years and know WHO they came from and where. But, I can and have seen it done with success.

You can test for certain genetic issues beforehand (such as HYPP), but you cannot test for things like conformation. It's entirely possible for a horse to carry a gene for, say, a straight shoulder, but that for whatever reason it didn't manifest. With quality registries (I'm thinking approval-based), you can minimize the chances of that by breeding that out (breeding only quality stock with quality parents, grandparents, etc). With other registries (such as Jockey Club) you can track the lineage of the horse and at least have a possibility of obtaining information on the lines. You can also trace siblings, progeny, etc. more easily and can see if certain sires produce straight shoulders, certain mares throw bad hips (even if theirs are exceptional), etc. Genetics is a crapshoot at the best of times (breeding generations of quality)--why add that extra variable?

Again, I think they can make excellent performance horses. A classic example is Penny Rowland's eventer Roundabout (Tony). Tony is a former Menonite cart horse of unknown age, breeding, etc. He events at the top levels. Tony is a gelding, but if he were a stallion I still wouldn't breed to him--what if you get a draft throwback or something along those lines? And Tony is a top quality horse! I would BUY him (faster than you can say knife), ride him, compete him, etc. I would not breed him.

Now with ranch horses, where there is no recognized registration but you know the lineage because you bred the sire, the dam, and their sires/dams, then I guess I don't have a problem with it--for true working horses where the qualities are tough to find in registries sometimes.