[RC] Endurance lines and breeding endurance horses - KimFue
kat wrote: This is also the reason that it isn't necessary to restrict your horse search to those that come from successful endurance lines (especially since most successful endurance horses are geldings and therefore, cannot bred on, this is a big problem, BTW, with respect to linking pedigree to performance in endurance). If Rushcreek is anything to go by, working cow horse is at least as good, if not better selection criteria for bloodstock than winning endurance horse.
But in this case, perhaps working cow horse and successful endurance horse happen to come from the same lines. It doesn't necessarily mean that another Arabian cow horse program would produce the same results. (FYI - to my knowledge only gelding were used as "working cow horses" on the Rushcreek ranch. Mares were strictly used for breeding.)
I think it is important to look at lines and individuals which have produced successful endurance horses. For example let's just look at what Rushcreek Leeann has produced and contributed to endurance. This mare produced 6 foals and was bred to well known the well known endurance stallions Cougar Rock and Sierra Fadwa. Out of the six foals she produced four that by any standards are superior endurance horses.
Cougar's Windy Lu ridden by Marge and Vern Biehl- (RC leeannx Cougar Rock) - born 1984 - 1000 miles - 4 BCs many Top 10s
Here are some of her offspring competing today....
Fire Mt Smoke ridden by Jim Mitchell - (RC leeann x Sierra Fadwa) 4,625 miles going almost 10 years carrying a heavy wt rider
Fire Mt Blaize - ridden by Audrey Scott -(RC Leeann x Sierra Fadwa) - 5 BCs, several wins and Top 10s, 2 100 mile rides including Tevis
Fire Mt Redcloud- ridden by Tracy Carry - (RC leeann x Sierra Fadwa) 61 completions, 5 BC, several wins and Top Tens, Top regional award winner in the PS region.
I think I should mention that Blaize, Redcloud, and Windy Lu are all mares.
I could bore you with other crosses like this that are SPECIFICALLY bred for endurance riding and are producing successful endurance horses. Perhaps Kat is right not to look at individual winners but I think it is crazy not to look within the sport to see what lines and what crosses are making successful endurance horses. There are patterns and there are certain traits that are common to certain lines and families. I don't think that there is ever a guarantee but I certainly think that looking at the performance record of certain lines gives you an idea of what you might get as far as physical characteristics, personality, and certain metabolic traits.
