Re: Re Bloodlines

[SandyDSA <SandyDSA@aol.com>]

In a message dated 5/7/98 11:04:39 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
elbarec@icon.co.za writes:

<< 
 These remarks should not be construed as implying that merely because an
Arabian horse is of authentic descent it must needs have excellent
conformation . It would be difficult to find in any present-day Arabian more
deplorable conformation than that possessed by the Ali Pasha Sherif stallion
FEYSUL (to judge by a photograph , which is not always reliable ) , but he has
gained immortality through his several excellent progeny , the best known to
us being the famous RASIM . However , it is a fact that Arabians of "clean"
pedigree , even though they may be most indifferent individuals , usually turn
out to be good producers . This fact was well known to the famous Polish
breeder , Prince Wladyslaw Sanguszko , who , in his treatise published as long
ago as 1850 , refereed to two superb stallions SZUMKA (whose "sire was the son
of an Arab , his mother was an English mare  ") and Zboj (of "absolutely
unknown " descent ) as being complete failures at stud , and went on to say :
" In order to support my opinion with futher evidences , I could denominate
several ugly and small stallions with a bad conformation who have left good
progeny , and only for the reason that they descended from good and noble
parents ".
 ( Incidentally both the aforementioned SZUMKA and ZBOJ appear in SKOWRONEKS
pedigree and the prince's statement about them constitute irrefutable evidence
of SKOWRONEK'S impurity , along with various other sources of reference .)
 
 The real danger of the SKOWRONEK bloodline of course is quite extraordinary
prepotency so that in breeding from even the best conformationed individuals
regards phenotype , the undesirable recessive characteristics inevitable
reappear .
 Breeders of Arabian horses would do well to be guided by the following words
of Miss Jane Llewelyn Ott ( Compiler of the " Blue Arabian Horse Catalog " ),
which constitute one of the great truisms of breeding :
 "Approval on inspection of individuals favors the above-standard animal of
poor breeding over the below standard animal of  good breeding . This is
directly contrary to the best interests of the Breed , for the better bred
animal is a better breeding risk ."
 So much for the value of shows and Championships !
  >>
You know, I think - and tell me if you agree - that a continued discourse on
the purity of lines is innapropriate on this list, since this list is NOT Arab
only but sport related. In addition, I find the slights as well as the
downright insults to horses and their "people" ad nauseum exceptionally rude.
EVEN IF Greg were there when these horses were living and knew them and their
history personally doesn't change the rudeness of the posts.  I have a hunch
that I am not the only one who has heard enough. 

While we are all entitled to our own opinions, being rude and presumptuous AND
off topic (what ahs THIS to do with endurance?) this has gone plenty far
enough.  Sorry to be blunt, but apparently that is the attitude of this
person, so it shouldn't bother him. That is all...
sandy