runamuk
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Dec 1, 2002
- Messages
- 2,604
- Reaction score
- 0
I have been thinking about this and the way I see it both registries are leaning towards more and more refined.......I have had this discussion with several well known breeders in the past ........Are we heading down the wrong road? More and more horses are becoming so refined as to look like yearlings even when mature .....I truly wonder if it is so great.......at what point do they become so refined that safe foaling becomes an issue....I know of a couple mares who did well in the ring but have never developed enough body to make it as broodmares the idea of foaling them out is just scary........
Many here comment on the dangers of foaling the short ones........have you considered that the more our horses move toward yearling refinement the more we may be setting up for even more breeding problems? Most here agree that we wouldn't breed yearlings....so why would we intentionally strive towards animals who when mature have that same yearling refinement?
Look at dairy cows they focused so much on MILK that they kinda forgot that to get milk they must have calves and dairy cattle are a pain .....my vet has mentioned on numerous occasions how much he loves long nights pulling calves
.........and there are breeds of sheep that are notorious for prolapsed uteruses and bad mothering....because in the rush to create the fastest growing lamb they kinda neglected the way lambs get here
So in the halter ring are we slowy harming our breed in our rush to "improve" and refine? When are they too refined?
This isn't a slam in any way to anyone.......I am someone who LOVES the ULTRA refined horses I just wonder if that desire is in the long run going to hurt the breed.......
Many here comment on the dangers of foaling the short ones........have you considered that the more our horses move toward yearling refinement the more we may be setting up for even more breeding problems? Most here agree that we wouldn't breed yearlings....so why would we intentionally strive towards animals who when mature have that same yearling refinement?
Look at dairy cows they focused so much on MILK that they kinda forgot that to get milk they must have calves and dairy cattle are a pain .....my vet has mentioned on numerous occasions how much he loves long nights pulling calves



So in the halter ring are we slowy harming our breed in our rush to "improve" and refine? When are they too refined?
This isn't a slam in any way to anyone.......I am someone who LOVES the ULTRA refined horses I just wonder if that desire is in the long run going to hurt the breed.......