Miniature Horse Bloodlines

[kayla221444]

I am working on starting up my breeding business. I own 2 mares and 1 stallion now. But I think the best thing for me to do is too add some more nice mares (currently having 1 buckskin mare with Komokos and Rowdy breeding, and A red dun mare with buckeroo bloodlines, both with great conformation). I have a so so stallion 27' though he was 1993 AMHA world top 10, with numerous halter points, but has dell teras bloodlines... I hear alot about them, but what are some dell tera acompolishments??? But he is also 18 years old this year.

So to my question, when looking for further broodmares/show mares what are some good bloodlines to get into? I know LTD Magic man is good, rowdy, buckeroo, and Komoks, but can someone help me out with some of their acompolishments or where I can find info on them? And some other great well known miniature lines, so when I am in search for outside stallions to breed to, and my next few mares, I will have a better understanding on what is the demand in bloodlines, so my foals will sell and they will be everything I am looking for in a foal! I think I am on the right track with my mares, and stallion, but dont think either mare fit my stallion good enough to breed to him.

Thanks and apreciate the help that this board gives!

 

[Jill]

I really like Buckeroo breeding. Most of my own favorite horses are Buckeroo bred. In time, I would like to have some more Rowdy, and especially would love another daughter of Cross Country Rowdys Reflection

I feel the Buckeroo and Rowdy lines are pretty prepotent for a look I like in minis.

 

[Becky]

Personally, I don't breed specific bloodlines. Individual quality is more important to me. Conformation is critical here and horses that can pass on their quality and conformation stay in my herd as breeding stock. Breed what you like to look at. There are plenty of poor quality horses even from well known bloodlines. Look at each horse as an individual. Good luck!

 

[disneyhorse]

You know, bloodlines are one of the LAST things I look at when looking for horses to add to my herd... they are in the "color and height" category for me, one of the last things after 1. movement and 2. conformation. I want exceptional movement and conformation in all of my animals.

That said, you cannot completely discount color, height, or bloodlines if you are seriously looking for a horse that has EVERYTHING.

But there are no "good" bloodlines or bloodlines that are better or worse than others. What I personally (doesn't always happen, but what I prefer to have) want in "bloodlines" is for my horse to be a DIRECT son or daughter of a National Champion or preferably National Grand Champion halter or driving horse. That way, the "good" bloodlines are up close, and not a great-grandson of somebody-or-another. Otherwise they really don't mean much as they are so diluted. Also, if the horse is a direct son/daughter, then that "win" that the parent has is more recent in the showring, meaning that the horse is the most "modern type" out there. I hate to say it, but there are SO many horses that are Buckeroo or Dell Tera or whatever... but they aren't all a modern type that will win in the ring!!!

Bloodlines are basically good for marketing, but only if everyone else knows who that horse is.

I wouldn't focus on the bloodlines, honestly. I see so many people buy a horse that "is Buckeroo!" but the horse itself isn't much to speak of. They get blinded by those names on the papers.

Andrea

 

[Lisa Strass]

I agree with Disneyhorse regarding bloodlines. Unless the horse is a daughter/son of a National Champion, the bloodlines get diluted and who knows what kind of quality has been mixed in. Having said that, I do love the Rock E bloodlines.

Rock E is better known in the Classic Shetland world, but is what my program is based on. These horses can and do win at the Congress and National level in halter and driving. Additionally, many sons and daughters of Rock E are producing their own Congress and National Champions.

Here's a link to my ASPC/AMHR National GRAND Champion Stallion son of Rock E:

B&L's Rock E Red Alert

 

[Joanne]

I agree with what has been said. I love a great moving horse that has the refined conformation I am looking for. If they also have a great pedigree that is great. If not, someone did something right along the way that made this horse what I want.

I too have seen great pedigrees for a horse I would never want to own, so the pedigree would not sway me. The horse has to make me stop cold.

Additionally, as until very recently there was not dna parentage qualified pedigrees authentcity of the pedigree has to be taken into account.

Some famous stallions seemed to have outdown themselves in the breeding department. At least on paper

 

[Jill]

I very much agree that the horse comes first. If someone has to tell you why the horse is great (a descendant of _______), it's not that great

However, with so many miniatures to choose from, I've been able to find ones that are physically what I like in conformation, the colors I prefer, and bloodlines I admire.

 

[kaykay]

First I look at the horse in front of me to see if it has the conformation good enough to warrant being bred. But I do research pedigrees and think they are very important.

If you become familiar with pedigrees you can to a certain extent predict what that horse is capable both good and bad. IMO this helps to know who to pair up to breed to get what you want.

One example would be Rhoten's Dandy bloodlines. This bloodline is very predictable/potent for big moving, big hipped horses. But its also known for large coarse heads. So to get the best out of that bloodline you have to research and know what the possibilities are.

I also think its important to be aware and research what lines cross the best with each other. Sometimes there is no need to reinvent the wheel if you see that 2 bloodlines crossed together consistently produce great horses. The rowbuck crosses I think are a good example of that.

Certain bloodlines are known for certain things both good and bad. To me a good breeder needs to know what they are and how to try and bring out the best in that pedigree

I would never turn down a horse with a not popular bloodline if it had the conformation and movement I am looking for but I would also know that that horse is a bit of an unknown in what it can produce.

 

[targetsmom]

I think you can already see that if you ask 20 people, you will get 20 different answers! I would say you are the right track doing research. I recommend Pat Elders books on Outstanding MiniatureHorse Stallions (and Mares): Past and Present. (Available from Small Horse Press). Lots of great information and photos in both. We are just getting into breeding ourselves (not very sucessfully) so take anything I say with a grain of salt. But I can say, if you find a reputable breeder whose horses you like, and they treat you well, that is probably more important than bloodlines. We also looked through a lot of magazines and discovered that we just loved all the progeny we saw of one stallion (FWF Blue Boys Magic Man) so we bought one of his fillies. No regrets there!

I do like to see Buckeroo (or GMB), Rowdy, and/or Blue Boy in the pedigree, but I also don't like to see see "gaps" with lots of horses I never heard of. And of course, the individual must be something I want, not just the pedigree. We make this all the more complicated by confining ourselves to Pintos (any color, any pattern, but eligible for PtHA registration)! I don't put quite as much stock in National Champion as some others might (even though our horses have lots of them in their pedigrees) because (to me) that is just a few judges opinions and they might not necessarily agree with mine. Show records are important, but I might actually prefer the third or fourth place horse....

 

[Leeana]

I agree with everything stated above ..

I really think bloodlines are important, but not as important as conformation, type and like Andrea ..movement! When i look at horses there is no real order i look at them in, i look at the total horse ..a complete package.

The Buckeroo line is probably the most "popular" in minis imo. If you look at a bloodline or horses, you notice that line may carry certain traits that you like. There is no bloodline that is more important or better then the other, bloodlines are what YOU PREFER imo. What do i prefer? Well i like the look of the horses from the BTU (I'ma Boones Little Buckeroo Too) line and have 3 grandsons. I aso like the "Michigan" horses, more of a farm name rather then a bloodline. I'm a big BTU fan, i do like the buckeroo x Rowdy crosses ...that seems to be the big cross. I really like Blue Boy as well.

One of my all time faverite lines ..the Egyptian King lines ..they are right up there with BTU to me.

I could go through specific horses that i like what they produce and their offspring produce ext ext and so on.

In the shetlands i like the Rock E line, Michigan and Royal bloodlines ...

I would suggest you check out the "Outstanding Miniature Horses Past & Present" books ..they have a Stallions (2 volumes i believe?), Outstanding Mares and coming out this summer Outstanding Shetlands of past and present.

 

[Keri]

I sorry, I'm one of those people who look at bloodlines last when I'm purchasing a horse. Great to get good bloodlines for breeding stock, but good bloodlines don't mean a conformationally correct mare and stallion. I see a lot of ads boasting good bloodlines, but when you look at the horse, its not even close to sizing up to the bloodlines it carries.

And with the right breeders, there are. But I see too many buckeroo grandson type horses out there that shouldn't be breeding. And that's just an example.

When my buckskin gelding was a stallion, I had so many people turn away becuase he wasn't buckeroo. He's conformationally correct, great performance horse and he goes back to Boone's Little Prince instead. Way back??? To me, why does a horse have to have that??? So they can sell the foal saying it has buckeroo in it (or some other famous stallion)??? Sorry, venting here.

I would look at the horse first. Lots of good bloodlines out there, but the horse may be an older-quarter horse style. They aren't showing the best right now. So you'll want to find what's winning out there and strive to breed for that style of horse.

 

[kayla221444]

Thank you all so very much for the information, I know I want to go with Refined Arab type miniatures, does anyone have any suggestions on what bloodlines, or horses throw the beautiful arab type miniatures?

 

[Jill]

Well, what one person would think is refined and arab like is something another might find coarse! It's so subjective. What's helped me a lot is to look at the horses of breeders I admire, note how they do at shows, and at what breeding and types of horses are behind the ones I admire

 

[Keri]

Just start shopping around. A lot of those arabian type ones may be ASPR/AMHR registered. I know a few people out my way who are starting to breed them.

Just start looking at websites around you (lil beginnings breeders connect) and go from there.

 

[Buckskin gal]

In having a good breeding program, I do find pedigree to be of importance. Sure, there is good ones and not so good ones within bloodlines but when one sees so many nice ones coming out of certain bloodlines it is proof to me that the bloodline is helping to produce a look that we may be striving for. And of course these are bloodlines that have to have very good conformation and dispositions, for me. I think in choosing mares it is important to look for strong bloodlines of the quality one wants and I don't care for a horse that might have okay conformation but doesn't have anything right behind her that looks decent...I think there are always exceptions but that background so often comes through and we need that if we are to get consistency. Find mares that you like and see if they have the pedigree you want to work with for that consistency. As for bloodlines that I like...well, the off spring of so very much of what Buckeroo has produced has drawn me to that, but I do like other bloodlines for the good they have to offer. I find it very tue that some buy just for certain bllodlines and they can be undesirable for breeding. Know of more than one that advertise bloodlines but the offspring does not stand up to breeding quality. JMHO Mary

 

[Charlotte]

Look at the horse. Then, if the horse is truly outstanding, look at the pedigree. If you are wanting breeding animals look at the siblings (or get/produce of siblings) of the horse you are interested in. Are the siblings as good as your chosen individual? Or is the one you're looking at a fluke?

Show records of sire and dam are great if you know who was training and exhibiting that horse and you know they 'show natural'. If the horses have been heavily modified, then you can't count on them being able to reproduce what made them winners in the ring.

Good luck with your new venture! It sounds like you're on a good track by doing your research!

Charlotte