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RE: [RC] Breeding Hybrids (was: Spanish Mustangs) - heidi

Actually, if one looks at the European Warmblood breeding programs, they
are pretty much programs of breeding hybrids, and breeding hybrids to
hybrids.  The primary intent is to produce the best working horses (and
hybrids usually make the best working horses) with occasional
individuals within this hybrid population being considered suitable for
breeding and occasionally going back to non-hybrids for breeding stock
as well.


Actually, a great example--for they are continually having to go to outside 
stock...


Producing breeding stock is not the primary focus of these programs;
producing working stock is.  And it has produced some damned fine
working horses (more consistently, in fact, than virtually any
"purebred" program; although I am willing to debate that with respect to
Thoroughbreds:)).  And it has succeeded in producing these damned fine
working horses by using fouth and fifth generation hybrids.


Again, I am not talking about "purebreds" in the sense of a breed registry--I'm 
talking about breeding stock within using types within breeds.  And those 
programs are few and far between--but tend to be VERY consistent in the quality 
of using horses that they produce as well.


I contend that the horse population in general would be much better off
if most breeders focused on producing top quality working horses and
used occasional exceptional individuals for breeding when they come
along.  You really DON'T need very many people focused on exclusively
breeding breeding stock.


"Breeding breeding stock" has the using horse as a primary focus as well.  But 
it has the added focus of making sure that the genotype will reproduce the 
phenotype over the long haul, not just for one stellar generation.  I agree 
that the horse population lacks breeders who have the understanding and vision 
to produce good riding horses--but that is true of those breeding "hybrids" to 
an even larger extent, in my experience, than those who think they are breeding 
breeding stock and really aren't.

Heidi

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