Re: pedigrees, breeding, etc.

[CMKSAGEHIL@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/4/00 6:19:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, bass@bigsky.net 
writes:

<< I'm afraid you're confusing me, Heidi -- in one post you are saying that if
 we know the ancestors well enough, we will not be surprised with the
 "result".  Then in this post, it is made clear that no matter how well you
 know the ancestors, you DON'T REALLY know what the "result" will be
 (because most all horses are going to have a flawed ancestor SOMEWHERE in
 their pedigree, that can randomly show up, right?).   >>

Shouldn't be confusing at all.  If you know the ancestry well, you know that 
both of the full sisters in the example are possibilities.  What you don't 
"know" is which set of possibilities you will get until you do.  Knowledge 
does not always mean that you know good things will always happen--sometimes 
it also prepares you for the worst.  And it CAN cause you to decide not to do 
the breeding at all, if the good possibilities don't greatly outweigh the bad 
ones.

Heidi