Well, I do think those who are breeding for "what's hot" are also breeding for correctness and have got it all over those breeding for what they could scrunge up. For every one person breeding for what some may see as a trend, there are 10 breeding pet quality x pet quality.
From what I have seen...that is not always the case. I have seen National Champions that I would not touch with a 10 foot pole....and others...in someones back yard...just being Driven...that would knock ones socks off.
All the people I have met in person in NW OR... are very picky about what they breed, as I am. Only have foals every once in awhile. Just because some do not go to the Nationals or breed for what is in right now...doesn't mean they do not have outstanding animals.
My own case...as that is all I can talk about. I have a very nice Jenny...but I just will not breed her to any old Jack. There are a couple of Jacks at stud...but they should be geldings. They would not improve anything on my Jenny. And yes.. my Jenny is nice. So I did not breed her this year.
Only equine on my place is out of the prized Stallion Orri... she is Royally bred Icelandic mare. I had her bred to a 1st Prize Stallion. She just sold....but she and the stallion where high enough quality to put a foal on the ground next year.
It is just silly to say..anyone not going to the Nationals..or breeding what is hot...are just scrounging.
Sigh~~
It takes all types..(and I am not talking about Dwarf's, over or under bites, over at the knees, ewe neck or just very poor conformation.)
What one body type my suit one person...another would call junk. That is not the case. Just because one likes... the super refined .... doesn't mean the say.. Morgan types are junk. One is not better than the other.
What I would like to see in Mini's...and it would take a lot of effort. Is the Icelandic Evals... there is not near as many Icelandics in the US as their are minis. But Miniature horse Evals. There is a conformation section and one for riding. Of course minis for the most part could not do the riding..but something in hand or in cart would be do-able. Once the Evals are done...scores on conformation and riding..in the Icelandic Evals are given. This goes in the Central data base for all to see...is called Worldfengur.
Something like that could be set up for the minis.
I am not barn blind about my animals..any of them. Anyone that knows me well.. knows I can pick them apart like no other. I know what I have.
But I will not... unless there are some bad faults... tell someone that their horse is junk...just because I like a different type. And I think most of what I have read...is people saying one type is better than another. That it not the case.....it is more on the lines what the humans like or don't like and their need to shout it to the world.
It is easier to teach or show someone with kindness.... that something needs to be improved....
Than doing what many do making others feel bad.
I have only once in all of my years seen one mare that I thought..along with many others that was shear prefection in conformation and movement. Was an Andaulsian mare. She was poetry in motion.
But found out...she has the most nasty hard to deal with temperament.....gads..she was scary and no it was not the handler/trainer that cause it. She was like that from birth. To me...while she was an outstanding horse in conformation... she was not breeding qualtiy. The folks that owned her thought different. The two colts she had were so unmanagable...agressive...handled by one of the best trainers I had the pleasure to meet... they ended up putting both of the colts down after someone was hurt very badly.
There is no perfect horse out there... not National..not backyard...and not all backyards are junk.
To me...backyard means.. you breed your animals.. right out your back door...and most do..no matter how big the place.
I am not pointing fingers at anyone. Just talking in general about what I have seen and what has always been important to me. As I have said many times..that is all I can do.
I find it important to geld in any breed of horse....
those who do, are what I call hero's!
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Also many have already said...
~Gelding parties.. ... many Vets will cut the price if they get a number of mini colts or other breeds together in one place.
~Gentle nudges work more often, than in ones face or rudness....to help others to geld.
~Learn as much as you can about all types of mini's...learn what is best to geld or to keep whole.
~Those that have the gift of writting...which is not me... brain storm with your peers ..and write articles about how important it is to geld. Also send Articles about minis and the importance in gelding for the breed, into the main stream magazines where it will reach more readers.. But don'e base it on type...base it on all conformation flaws that show up no matter the type.
This is the last I will even say about this. Gelding is an important matter...no matter the fad, type, whats hot or not, to any one person.