Re: RC: Re: Endurance Bloodlines

[kmhicks1@juno.com]

"I agree that one SHOULD start young horses for the reason you state, but
my 
point was that the "proof" of performance need not be done with every 
individual in terms of assessing breeding quality, provided it is done
with 
enough so that you have a fairly accurate picture of what a family can
do.  "

This I can agree with wholeheartedly.  I will not breed to a stallion
that is not put under saddle at all, but I will breed to a stallion that
is under saddle, but with no show/racing record.  The proof is in the
get.

As far as the testing of racing is concerned.  I am dubious at this stage
in my life if a racing record really proves anything about a riding
horse.  Yes, it proves the horse can run, but does it prove the horse can
be ridden by a child (important to me), or that the horse would be a
dressage prospect, or a decent hunter, or a Park horse?  No.  Now, does
it prove they might be better endurance horses?  I doubt that very
seriously.  It seems to me that running the distances we ask of them on
American and European tracks is not a good test of a horse's potential
endurance ability.  Yes, it perhaps weeds out some horses with serious
problems that could never hold up to endurance training, but a decent eye
for horses can do that.

Just my 2 cents.

Karen H.
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