> Susan in NV (who has 2 part Icelandics)
I am personally opposed to breeding gaited horses with non gaited with the exception of breeding for mules. Thats just how I feel. I have seen many many horses go for peanuts at auction that are half non gaited and half gaited, it just makes the worst of both!. Unless you are breeding for non gaited of course. But if you have a gaited horse and breed to nongaited then you will most likely end up with a horse that is tormented all its life with devices to produce gait, and tht is morally reprehensible. But I have seen too many slamming around on a pacey or hard trotting horse wearing a tie down, shanked bit, all that, and say it is half walker and they bought it, or produced it, because they thought it would make a QH with a smoother gait. Like endurance people crossing arabs with gait to produce the fiery heart of an arab and smooth gait, what you will most likely get is a maniac that cant gait. Personally I am a breed purist. I think for hybrid vigor you should go for different bloodlines within a breed. True, the gene pool is small with icelandics tho... but I own McCurdys and their gene pool is small also. Only about 600 in the world last I checked. And one of mine is a result of an accidental breeding so that his grandparents are the same on both sides. And he has some weird glitches! He has reactions to shots, and when gelded it was discovered he had an abnormality. He also has a weird intestinal flora thing where he has to regularly have probiotics. But he also has an uncanny natural calm and sweetness. My husband has been trail riding him three years now and he has never been taught to whoa :) I know thats hard to believe but it is true! Ask Liz Graves! But my other mccurdy is half, and he has too much vigor actually. But both are from well gaited parents and both gait exceptionally well. Interestingly my icelandic had abnormalities that showed up when gelded and recently I think Judy posted something about how inbreeding first shows up in certain areas, one of them in the reproduction parts. If your breeding program is to produce non gaited offspring that will go for around 100-200 at auction to a farm in alabama where the owners have no teeth or indoor plumbing or money for hay, then go for it! Has anyone here been to an auction lately?? In my area registered AQHA colts that are the offspring of sire and dam out of WGC lines are going for 100 bucks. Pureblood arabian and paso fino yearlings out of top bloodlines, 1-300. The highest maybe 600 for one that is broke to ride and behaves in the auction ring and isnt starved. You can buy registered gaited horses with WGC granparents on any dirt lot for less than 500. We need to take responsibility here, HELOOOOOO breeders get a GRIP. Registered horses are getting hard to place in good homes. Grade horses are getting neglected, starved and abused. Please please PLEASE think what you are doing when you breed! If you long for the mommy experience breed chickens and eat them like I do! Right now it is popular for people to purchase mutts out of registered parents of different breeds. Labradoodles, peke a poos, yorkie poos go for 200-300 and up. But I got my Ruby from a giveaway cage at the feed store. She is half registered sheltie and half registered Jack Russell. Out of the four puppies she is the only one that found a home. I just think it your name aint justin morgan you dont need to be trying to start a new breed. Janice yipie tie yie yo
