Tagalong, you obviously have no idea what it takes to make a good driving horse. The sport of driving is not meant for the "rest" (those not good enough for halter classes, as you insinuate) it takes a lot of athleticism to be a great driving horse and some of the best world champion halter horses don't have it.
Well - you are wrong and making such obvious (and inaccurate) assumptions about me - and my experience - that I can only smile and shake my head....
... so I'll do my best to forget all those CDE weekends, dressage jobs etc.
Breed the best to the best and drive the rest simply means that if your horse is not a halter specimen - you can still enjoy them and have fun and be successful - why did you choose to see it as a slam? It isn't. I did not
insinuate anything. You only seem to want to find fault...
Your one example of a driving horse who isn't reproducing is not enough to prove the point your trying to make.
It was just an example - I was not trying to
prove anything.
Yeeeeesh.
A top driving horse has just as much a chance to reproduce his driving qualities as a halter horse has at reproducing their halter qualities.
Of course - but that one horse never has - not to his level of success. Just as some halter horses have never produced anything that equals or surpasses them.
The best halter conformation doesnt make the best performance conformation. For example, perfectly straight hind legs is actually a disadvantage in the jumper ring, as the angles of cow hocks gives the horse more of a foundation and better use of its hind end power. Reiners prefer sickle hocked horses because they are better able to get those sliding stops and quick pivots. It works the same way for the various sports involved in miniatures(driving and performance).
Actually - a slightly steep croup is more desireable in jumpers than cow hocks - as countless Warmblood breeders have stated. But then, different breeders look for different things. I was only suggesting that we should try to aim for the best of all qualities in our horses - the all-around type... form to function. Performance and conformation. The perfect horse does not exist... and never will. But we can try to find him. We have been fortunate enough to have horses achieve both halter and driving championships - as have many others. Who knew that was a bad thing to aim for....
And though there will always be ignorant people, there are plenty of experienced people who DO know the difference between cute and quality. Not being a show prospect, doesnt make a horse poor quality.
As I said in previous posts - there are excellent horses out there who will never see a show. But that is not always the case - and a tour around assorted farm websites will show you that. A show prospect does not have to show - but he/she can still be put together in the right way... yep - have to say it again - form to function. Good conformation has a
purpose. It is not just cosmetic.
Breeding shouldn't be for EVERYONE, but it shouldn't just be for those of you who have top show horses either. There is a middle ground. There are experienced, and informed people who dont show, dont have top show horses, and do want to breed. And I think that is a great experience for those people, who can do it with the horses best health and safety interest in mind.
Bolding mine. No one ever said that and yet that is thrown out over and over and over again. One last time... quality counts. And just any old "herd sire" who should have been a gelding and any old badly put together mare should not be bred - for fun... for profit... for pets... for show... for any reason. Start with the odds in your favour - not already against you.
I wish that minis had evaluations the way that other breeds - especially in Eurupe - do. There are very few "middle-ground" and no poor quality breeding stock allowed in the stud books and everyone truly has a goal of bettering the breed... at every level.
And luckily, many of those people are not intimidated and they have their minds of their own, so they will continue to enjoy their horses and their hobby, and breed if they choose, while those who think they are too good for "pet quality" whine about it.
Seriously? Wow. No one was "intimidating" anyone. Where??!!
IMO any perceived "whining" is coming from those who say anyone can breed anything and should do so and Not Just The Elite (whoever they have decided the Elite to be - it certainly is not us) and that the Elite are only in it for $$$$$$$$$$ and no other reason and Don't You Forget It!!
And obviously you do not actually READ any posts but your own in detail - or you would have noted that I and others have said that we have had pet quality horses - very nice ones - even ex-show horses - and found them excellent homes... but never mind.... round and round it goes...
... and everyone will do as they please... and some will keep pointing fingers... and so on and so on...
But when some of us are actually SNEERED at for wanting to better the breed... in all aspects....
I'm sure the elite few have some very nice horses but get off your "high horse" and realize that others may have nice horses too. You don't have the monopoly on them. GEEEZ!!!
I saw no one on any High Horse. And No One said that others did not have nice horses.... oy.
[SIZE=8pt]
My head hurts. [/SIZE]
And who exactly are these Elite Few, anyway??
:
What the heck? People are making too many "assumptions" here. This is turning into a comedy......If you can't bother really reading what someone else has to say then you shouldn't bother posting....especially if you are directing your post at them.
Well said,
Carol.
Mary Lou - you accept PayPal? Great - I'll take a decoder ring for each finger. And toe.
OH!
