Fw: gaited: 50/50 chance

["Amber Applegate" <ldbklmas@uswest.net>]

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Amber,
I 
read Michelle's post before responding and what she wrote is probably very true 
(many variables determine if a horse is gaited and how it is gaited (running 
walk, foxtrot, pace, etc).

As far as the percentages given in your 
message, they do not seem logical or very probably based on my limited knowledge 
of genetics.  Although some gene are passed down to their offspring only 
through the mothers genetics, this does not seem to be what this person is 
saying.  If they were saying that the gait gene is passed via the dam, than 
there would be very little chance of getting a gaited horse from a gaited 
stallion and non-gaited mare.  It sounds like someones personal experience 
on what they get out of their gaited stallions bred to non-gaited mares and/or 
breeding their gaited mare to a non-gaited stallion - it does not sound to me 
like it is based on scientific fact.

I have heard that the gaited gene is 
dominant - if this is true, and the gaited horses only carry 1 gaited gene, then 
you could expect 50% gaited foals out of a gaited stallion and a non-gaited 
mare, 50% gaited foals out of a non-gaited stallion and a gaited mare and 75% 
gaited foals out of a gaited/gaited cross.

Now, if you have a horse that 
has several generations of gaited horses in his/her direct ancestory (sire and 
dam were both gaited) than there is a good possibility that he/she would carry 2 
gaited genes and therefore would produce true (all of his/her offspring would 
have the gaited gene).  Using the premise that the gaited gene is dominant, 
there are probably plenty of homozygous gaited horses out there.  

I 
would say that our percentages (when breeding gaited/gaited) are a lot better 
than 50%, even better than the 75% - close to 100% of the foals are 
gaited.  Not all are really, really well gaited - but I think if you watch 
them long enough you can catch every single one of them doing a foxtrot.  
If you include "pacing" and "running walk" in "gaited" I think most foxtrotter 
breeders would say they get close to 100% gaited horses when breeding a 
foxtrotter to a foxtrotter.  

Also, when breeding the same stallion 
and mare year after year, we have found that certain crosses produce a well 
gaited foal almost every time.    

Judy



  I just received a post on my endurance 
listserver from a woman that has an Arabian Stallion. She has bred him to a FT 
and a TWH. She told me that it was told to her that breeding a gaited to gaited 
will only give you a 50/50 chance of the get being gaited. A gaited stallion to 
a non gaited mare is the same, 50/50 and breeding a gaited mare to non gaited 
Stallion is a 100% shoo in. I find this hard to believe. Would like some input 
to send back to her.
  
amber





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Amber,

I read Michelle's post before responding and what she wrote is probably very true (many variables determine if a horse is gaited and how it is gaited (running walk, foxtrot, pace, etc).

 

As far as the percentages given in your message, they do not seem logical or very probably based on my limited knowledge of genetics.  Although some gene are passed down to their offspring only through the mothers genetics, this does not seem to be what this person is saying.  If they were saying that the gait gene is passed via the dam, than there would be very little chance of getting a gaited horse from a gaited stallion and non-gaited mare.  It sounds like someones personal experience on what they get out of their gaited stallions bred to non-gaited mares and/or breeding their gaited mare to a non-gaited stallion - it does not sound to me like it is based on scientific fact.

 

I have heard that the gaited gene is dominant - if this is true, and the gaited horses only carry 1 gaited gene, then you could expect 50% gaited foals out of a gaited stallion and a non-gaited mare, 50% gaited foals out of a non-gaited stallion and a gaited mare and 75% gaited foals out of a gaited/gaited cross.

 

Now, if you have a horse that has several generations of gaited horses in his/her direct ancestory (sire and dam were both gaited) than there is a good possibility that he/she would carry 2 gaited genes and therefore would produce true (all of his/her offspring would have the gaited gene).  Using the premise that the gaited gene is dominant, there are probably plenty of homozygous gaited horses out there. 

 

I would say that our percentages (when breeding gaited/gaited) are a lot better than 50%, even better than the 75% - close to 100% of the foals are gaited.  Not all are really, really well gaited - but I think if you watch them long enough you can catch every single one of them doing a foxtrot.  If you include "pacing" and "running walk" in "gaited" I think most foxtrotter breeders would say they get close to 100% gaited horses when breeding a foxtrotter to a foxtrotter. 

 

Also, when breeding the same stallion and mare year after year, we have found that certain crosses produce a well gaited foal almost every time.   

 

Judy

 

I just received a post on my endurance listserver from a woman that has an Arabian Stallion. She has bred him to a FT and a TWH. She told me that it was told to her that breeding a gaited to gaited will only give you a 50/50 chance of the get being gaited. A gaited stallion to a non gaited mare is the same, 50/50 and breeding a gaited mare to non gaited Stallion is a 100% shoo in. I find this hard to believe. Would like some input to send back to her.
amber

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