Re: Endurance Bloodlines

[XXDU78A@prodigy.com (MS LOUISE D BURTON)]

It may not be so much "bloodlines" that you are looking for, but
characteristics that make a good endurance horse.   Some I look for:
1.  Short back.  Definitely some bloodlines, particularly FERZON, have long
backs.
2.  Heart(rate):  This seems to be genetic.  My Babson/Ruminaja stallion
has an incredible low heartrate and excellent recoveries.  Repurchased his
7 year old obese daughter who hadn't been ridden in four years.  My
daughter took her on a 7 mile moderate trot.  When she returned I expected
her heartrate to be 22.  It was 12!  Her heartbeat even sounds like her daddy's!
3.  Smoothnesss of gait.  High steppers, "park" horse types don't do so
well..waste energy.
4.  Fast walkers.  I have found this not to have any "passing-on" at all,
rather more dependent on where they were raised as youngsters.
5.  Straight legs.  Definitely genetic.  Some(should I say many :> ) Polish
lines tend to be pigeon toed.  I used to think this was a big fault until I
raced a slightly pigeon toed (yes pure Polish) horse and he was
fantastic...never hit himself ever.  Some older Crabbet lines tend to be
splay footed, a trait I've found much worse than the former.
6.  Backs.  Definitely.  The Babsons and most Russians I've seen have wide
flat backs.  A lot of other Egyptian horses are more narrow backed, as were
some of the old Crabbet.
Of course this is a gross oversimplification, but if you see enough of one
line, you can get a slight stereotype.  One of the most significant breed
differences I have ever seen are two farms in the same town (I think) of
Egyptian horses.  One is Ansata and the other is a Babson farm owned by
Walter S.  Basically I think a breeder likes the same type of horse, and if
their farm is big enough and old enough, their horses will all have the
same look....whether it be a state stud in Russia or Poland or Egypt or an
American farm.

I've always agreed to the saying  Crabbet for conformation, Egyptian for
pretty, and Polish for athlete!
(That makes Russians perfect, of course :> )
Love to hear others comments....

Louise Burton & Fa Al Badi+/
Firedance Farms Endurance Arabians
OK