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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
 
| Naturally, in an ideal world we would only breed the BEST bred mares who had the BEST conformation. But lately I've seen a lot of phenominally bred mares, who are lacking in the way they're put together, being bred and bred and bred.
So I'm curious, would you be more inclined to breed one that had a stacked pedigree, but wasn't put together that great... OR would you rather breed a mare who had a fairly mediocre pedigree, but was hard pressed to find a flaw in her conformationally?
And then adding too that, which colt would you be more likely to buy? (assuming the conformation of each mare was passed on)
I'm asking out of sheer curiousity  |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2937
 
Location: North Dakota | If I was debating between two choices, I would choose conformation over pedigree.
....Can't ride the papers!
IMO
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | I personally would pick conformation and attitude over breeding. However, there are so many "pedigree snobs" out there, that you can have the worst put together horse ever seen, but if it has DTF or any other number of big names on the papers, they'll snatch it up. I have a friend who bought a horse and she admitted that it had lots of conformation flaws, but its papers were stacked, so she didn't care. There have also been lots of horses that lack "barrel horse conformation" but can go out and beat everybody.
My current barrel horse is a grade gelding, so I definitely put conformation and ability over pedigree 
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Expert
Posts: 1314
Location: North Central Iowa Land of white frozen grass | When the AQHA got started it was all on confirmation. It should still be that way. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Conformation...is a must. .. but if the mare is bred really nice then I would look high and low to find a stud to help with her problems/lacking in the conformation area. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| BS Hauler - 2016-09-22 12:43 PM When the AQHA got started it was all on confirmation. It should still be that way.
I'm inclined to agree with all of you! I breed-leased a 'ok-ish' bred mare last year, who is built just about as perfect as I could ask for one, and I got the filly of my dreams! That mare is for sale now, and I see a few people passing her by since her pedigree isn't stacked with names.  I thought maybe I was a misfit in thinking that she was worth it! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-22 1:48 PM
Conformation...is a must... but if the mare is bred really nice then I would look high and low to find a stud to help with her problems/lacking in the conformation area. Â
^^^This. So many people become pedigree blind and then we end up with these horse's that look like they were put together by a committee. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | RedHead84 - 2016-09-22 2:27 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-22 1:48 PM Conformation...is a must... but if the mare is bred really nice then I would look high and low to find a stud to help with her problems/lacking in the conformation area. ^^^This. So many people become pedigree blind and then we end up with these horse's that look like they were put together by a committee.
LOL, I'm not into breeding but know what I like to see in a horse.. |
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 Saint Stacey
| A lot of people don't really know what good conformation is. But everyone thinks they are an expert. I've seen a lot of people on BHW gush over horses that I wouldn't touch. Likewise when people ask about flaws, members come out of the woodwork stating how their horse has that flaw and it's the BEST horse EVER so they'd take 10 just like it. Or people justify breeding a mediocre mare because they will "keep the resulting foal forever".
As to the original question. I'd choose neither. I wouldn't breed a great pedigree with mediocre conformation and I wouldn't breed great conformation with a mediocre pedigree. There are too many nice horses out there that ARE the full package. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| I'm going to play devils advocate...Would you take a crooked leged DTF filly or a very well conformed filly by Petes San Jose? They are priced the same and are solid sorrel.
ETA: I agree with ^ Stacey.
Edited by Whiteboy 2016-09-22 2:36 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Whiteboy - 2016-09-22 2:35 PM
I'm going to play devils advocate...Would you take a crooked leged DTF filly or a very well conformed filly by Petes San Jose?  They are priced the same and are solid sorrel.
ETA: I agree with ^ Stacey.
Â
I'd take the correct one hands down. Every time I look at my horses or a horse I subconsciously pick out their flaws and if I have to look at that horse every day a crooked leg is going to drive me nuts. It might as well be painted bright orange with flashing lights lol I think I'm OCD. I can choose not to look at papers. :) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| Whiteboy - 2016-09-22 1:35 PM I'm going to play devils advocate...Would you take a crooked leged DTF filly or a very well conformed filly by Petes San Jose? They are priced the same and are solid sorrel.
ETA: I agree with ^ Stacey.
I appreciate your point of view!
I've fought the crooked legged fight, so I personally would go for the filly I thought would stay sound.
BUT I definitely see where you're coming from. I bred this particular mare once, for a colt to keep, so marketability of the colt was not a factor when I decided I would take the chance on raising one.
And Stacey brings up a good point too, that I didn't think about. Everyone's idea of perfect conformation is different.
ETA: priced the same, anyone would pick the DTF. I definitely don't think a colt that wasn't bred that way, would merrit that price tag.
Edited by rpreast 2016-09-22 2:52 PM
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That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| veintiocho - 2016-09-22 2:42 PM Whiteboy - 2016-09-22 2:35 PM I'm going to play devils advocate...Would you take a crooked leged DTF filly or a very well conformed filly by Petes San Jose? They are priced the same and are solid sorrel.
ETA: I agree with ^ Stacey.
I'd take the correct one hands down. Every time I look at my horses or a horse I subconsciously pick out their flaws and if I have to look at that horse every day a crooked leg is going to drive me nuts. It might as well be painted bright orange with flashing lights lol I think I'm OCD. I can choose not to look at papers. : )
I'd bet you are the exception when it came down to it. Most pick "value" and the value is in the papers. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Confirmation and attitude. I have a now retired gelding that was my daughter's horse. He was OK bred but no big names on his papers. He has outstanding confirmation. When ever we traveled to a big show she received multiple offers and always came home with 5 or 6 business cards in case she ever changed her mind. They did not care that he did not have big names on his papers. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 672
| Whiteboy - 2016-09-22 2:46 PM
veintiocho - 2016-09-22 2:42 PM Whiteboy - 2016-09-22 2:35 PM I'm going to play devils advocate...Would you take a crooked leged DTF filly or a very well conformed filly by Petes San Jose?  They are priced the same and are solid sorrel.
ETA: I agree with ^ Stacey.
 I'd take the correct one hands down. Every time I look at my horses or a horse I subconsciously pick out their flaws and if I have to look at that horse every day a crooked leg is going to drive me nuts. It might as well be painted bright orange with flashing lights lol I think I'm OCD. I can choose not to look at papers. : )
My value is in a working horse that will last after long days and hard work. Example, we have a NICE race bred gelding whose confirmation is bad..heavy front end, light rear, sickle hocked and walks to the inside of his feet. He is very talented and makes up for his short comings, but he is 8 yo and his body is already wearing on his weak points..he was started at 4-5yo and has not been used that hard.. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 889
| Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-22 2:32 PM
RedHead84 - 2016-09-22 2:27 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-22 1:48 PM Conformation...is a must... but if the mare is bred really nice then I would look high and low to find a stud to help with her problems/lacking in the conformation area.  ^^^This. So many people become pedigree blind and then we end up with these horse's that look like they were put together by a committee.
I am not a breeder either. I would just rather go buy. But there are a lot of people who "think" they know what they are doing breeding crappy horses then they wonder why the US still needs slaughter plants. YOU, you're the reason! |
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 Expert
Posts: 3815
Location: The best kept secret in TX | My mare has stacked papers as far as the ranch and rope horse community goes. But her neck ties in low. All the babies I've seen that were out of her each had pretty little heads and a correct neck. Her neck problem is a Joe Hancock thing, I'm okay with it tho.
Edited by IRunOnFaith 2016-09-22 4:46 PM
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | conformation over papers if thats how you have to get down to it... but i wouldn't breed one that didnt have both in their favor. |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Well they aren't worth anything crippled, so conformation must play a role at least to the point of major flaws IMO. i know there are examples out there of crooked legged legends but in my mind that is a major flaw that would be a big soundness gamble down the line - both as a trait passed on and the soundness of the mare to carry foals to comfortably depending on how bad it is.
The minor flaws, if you want to call them that, are personal preference based on what you like.
As far as papers go - my list of what I don't want to see on papers is probably longer than the list of what I feel i must see on papers. |
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 Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | My experience is if someone SEES a horse in person, they may take conformation but if you see one online that is eh, but bred super nice. People are all over that. I still say why choose? There are too many nice horses to pick one or the other. |
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Folks on-line