If The Horseshoe Fits

When you hear the term ‘backyard breeder,’ what comes to mind?  Does this term call up negative connotations, complete with images of unwanted horses that are unmarketable? Or is it a term that you associate with the small breeder – a person who is simply doing things on a smaller scale than the ‘big boys?’ I have read a lot of articles lately that name the backyard breeder as the scourge of the industry, and deride those whom they see as backyard breeders as ruining everything for the rest of us.  Personally, I dislike the term backyard breeder because it is a misnomer and its meaning has been twisted to mean a person who doesn’t know anything about breeding horses.   But aren’t there plenty of people who are proud to say they produce horses that are of good quality on an individual (rather than mass produced) basis?  Some prefer the term ‘homebred,’ but again, I don’t think that term helps anyone make a distinction within the industry. 

I, for one, produce horses at my house, literally in my backyard/pastures, one at a time, with love and care, and with a substantial, lifelong knowledge of conformation, bloodlines, proper feed and care.  My farm is beautiful and safe, but modest and small (just 20 acres). My mares are good-looking, well-put together and have great dispositions; even if they themselves don’t have a show record, I am very critical in my decision to breed them.  I only produce a baby or two every few years, so my total numbers are really low. All of my babies are handled DAILY (which cannot be said for many of the big name farms), and receive excellent training when they come of age.  I breed/raise them to keep them because if something goes wrong (which is a real possibility), I will not, WILL NOT throw an animal away, selling them at the local auction where they are likely to end up with either someone who won’t or can’t treat them well, or being shipped on a long, tortuous journey toward a bolt to the head.  If we do sell one, I do my best to place them well, and am tenacious in following their progress.  Any horse I produce is always welcome back here. 

YET – I am not independently wealthy, nor do I have family money to prop up my horse endeavors.  I do not have a lavish facility.  I don’t advertise in industry magazines.  I don’t show (though plenty of others are showing my horses). I don’t schmooze with the current trainer-du-jour and prefer to keep a low profile.  I don’t follow breeding trends.  Again, I only produce a few horses compared to others within the industry. In other words, I am not a Big Name Breeder.  It would be easy for those with more money than me to look down their nose and throw around the negative connotation of ‘backyard breeder’ in describing what my husband and I do, but wouldn’t our absence from the industry be a bad thing?  We have recently seen many of the BNBs fold under the enormous financial pressure of breeding hundreds of mares per year, promoting stallions and sending tons of young horses to the show pen.  The costs for maintaining their gorgeous facilities are astronomical and the pressure to keep their brand visible at shows and in publications is crushing. 

The era of the BNB is steadily coming to an end.  Things I won’t miss:  Production sales where the culls are sold cheap or sent to slaughter.  Stallions that are over bred because they are owned by so-and so.  The cult of personality that goes along with believing that a famous name equals a great horse, and all the sucking up that attends to that belief.  A shrinking gene pool because one farm can produce hundreds of animals whose pedigrees are incredibly similar.  The list goes on….

Those of us who are conscientious small breeders are the industry equivalent of the middle class, and we are the base, the bedrock, on which the rest of the industry is built.  Most of us will still be here when the BNB are overspent, exhaust their trust funds or grow frustrated by a change in breeding trends that renders their stallion unfashionable.   Breeding out of your ‘backyard’ often means that you try to keep costs in balance with potential gains, you are frugal, have staying power because you don’t have to put on airs, and you are breeding for an animal that YOU like (with well-thought out reasons for being proud of it), not what you think will sell big at the NRHA/NCHA or whatever sales.   I am not trying to demonize the wealthy; it is just that I have been around long enough to have seen big spenders come and go, and watched too many folks get caught up in the aftermath of a breeding program based only on superficial accoutrements. 

I do believe that there are plenty of people out there who should not be breeding horses.  There always has been!  How do we address that element of our industry?  How about using the terms ‘substandard breeder’, and conversely, an ‘industry standard breeder’ to separate the classes of breeders?   While wordier, these terms are certainly more accurate and descriptive of the distinctions we’d like to make. 

A substandard breeder would be a person who breeds without regard to the future of the foal produced.  They can’t afford to feed/care for the animals they already own, and lack the knowledge, capability and/or means to train their animals.  They see Craiglist or similar internet sites as legitimate outlets for their horses – dump them cheaply and without care as to where they end up.  They routinely sell horses for less than $1,000. Their horses’ pedigrees have no recognizable names for several generations back.  They breed solely for color or some other singular trait.  They don’t see the danger in breeding horses ‘so their kids can experience having a baby horse’ or because ‘my horses are my fur babies’ or even because ‘my mare is so sweet.’  They see no need to prove any of the horses they produce, even at local competitions.  They lack even the most basic understanding of conformation, and cannot evaluate their animals objectively.  They won’t accept that some of their stock just isn’t good enough to be bred.  They throw away their horses when they get too old to breed or get injured, and are unmarketable.  And perhaps the worst thing, they don’t see their personal contribution to the over-abundance of unwanted horses on the market by their decision to breed horses that aren’t in demand (and this could also be said for those who breed dogs as well).

An industry standard breeder is, of course, the opposite of all those things, but also, one who embraces a long-term vision for the horse they’d like to produce which is based on study and experience.  I might also say that it requires an incredible amount of character; to take legitimate criticisms of their stock, to be flexible when the market changes and operations must be downsized, to see way down the road and anticipate, realistically, where they are headed, seek the advice of others who are higher in the industry pecking order than themselves, and to stick with it even when things get difficult.  Being a conscientious breeder, of any size, is not a whim or a hobby, and it isn’t for the faint of heart.  It’s OK to be a small breeder, as long as you are doing it with integrity.

So which are you?  No one wants to admit they are substandard.  No one wants to cop to any of the traits of being a bad breeder.  But if you read through the paragraph above that describes a substandard breeder, and can see yourself in even one of those traits, maybe, just maybe, you should ask yourself if you might be one, and are impacting our industry in a negative way. It isn’t an easy thing to admit, but if the horseshoe fits…..The good news is that even if you suspect that you might be doing the wrong things, YOU CAN CHANGE.  You can stop breeding the horses that aren’t good enough.  You can get educated.  You can do right by the animals you have now, as well as the horses you want to have in the future. Be honest with yourself, and remember, if you aren’t prepared to do something right, you shouldn’t do it.  Don’t our horses deserve that?

Witness the Opening of Pandora's Box

The American Quarter Horse Association recently lost itscourt case over cloning, which means that eventually, cloned Quarter Horses may be able to obtain registration papers.  While AQHA makes it’s appeal, most of the membership share a common standpoint of disappointment and disgust on this turn of events.  Only a very small group of people want clones included in the registry, and despite years and years of consistent opposition, they have used vast amounts of money to force cloning upon us.  I can’t help but feel that in the trajectory of history, this decision could mean ruin for our breed.  

I have written previously about all the reasons I believe allowing clones in the registry is wrong; if you’d like to read that, clickhere.

If no one wants clones, then how did we get here?  Money!  It costs an incredible amount to get a cloned foal on the ground, and only in a case where a person stands to make a ton of money is an individual cloned.  Dr. Veneklasen, who has set up an equine reproductive clinic in Texas to do clones, is at the center of the lawsuit – I can bet that his biggest motivator is NOT that he is trying to further the breed, but is instead thinking about how much money he will make once registration legitimizes his practices.  It is, after all, a breach of anti-trust lawsuit.  But what impact will this have on the breed?  What will the 20, 30, 50 year affect be of breeding the same individual horse (or small group of horses), over and over and over?  How will we be able to track those clones when line breeding starts to occur? How will this affect genetic disorders, both the ones that we know of now, and those that have yet to emerge?  Once we go down this road, we will not be able to turn back.  What might seem like a small rule change will have lasting detrimental effects that we can't even begin to understand right now.

I am horrified at the thought of going to a competition, and witnessing clones competing against each other.  How about many multiples of clones competing against each other?  Now, wouldn’t that be fun? We already see the same bloodlines endlessly crossed on each other in the show pen – next, it will be literally the same horse over and over.  Raise your hand if you think this would be a HUGE turn off, for members and for people outside the business that we might want to draw in.  Cloning will remove the glorious ART of breeding, the ability of the studious breeder to blend bloodlines, assess strengths and conformation, taking chances on outcrosses that might produce the next Great One.  Cloning reduces it to creating widgets.  The next widget is just like the one before it.  "'Cause that widget made us lots of money!"

I have seen people write that cloning is like a bloodline that you don’t like; if you don’t like it, you don’t buy it or breed it.  So, if we just ignore it, it will go away?  Oh my, how I wish this were true!  While I do agree that we all should make a conscious decision NOT to feed the cloning beasts in any way, I must disagree that by simply not buying those horses, or breeding to them, that we are doing our best to safeguard the integrity of the breed.   It is the conscientious breeder's responsibility to protect the breed's integrity.  In the same way that it is a knowledgeable observer's duty to step up and do something when they see someone beating their horse behind a barn at a show, it is the astute breeder's duty to step up for the breed in the case of clones, and do what they can to block their being legitimized.  There will always be people who aspire to be a big shot, there will always be people who are only in horses to make a buck, there will always be people who want the newest, latest toy but don’t think twice about discarding it later.   We cannot allow those people to make decisions that will severely impact those of us that breed for a better horse tomorrow (instead of horses that are long dead) and want to be here for the long haul. We have too much to lose. Excellent horse breeding requires a long view, and the long view of clones is one of suspended animation and a shrinking gene pool.  

I am against giving clones papers of any kind.  I know there are people with the theory that by giving clones papers, even in some sort of appendix, we will be able to somehow control the clone producers, and keep them honest.   If a person is of a mind to be dishonest, and, say, switch a clone’s semen for semen from an animal that is the ‘real thing,’ a piece of paper isn’t going to stop them.   Won’t the real thing always be more valuable, and therefore, more profitable than that from a clone, even a clone with papers?  I’d love to think that people would do the honorable thing, but the problem is, I have met too many people in the horse business that would sell their granny up the river if it made them some money! The point is, once cloning starts happening on a larger scale, and is given more legitimacy by allowing registration, we are going to see the cost of producing clones drop, we are going to see more people doing it, and we are going to see more people doing shady things around it.  From what I have heard, it has already started to happen!  This genie is already out of the lamp!

 This at a time when AQHA , NRHA and NCHA are already facing incredible challenges.  AQHA is under scrutiny in their push to keep slaughter as a national option for keeping horse prices higher, even though over 70% of slaughtered horses are Quarter Horses, and polls show that most Americans don’t want slaughter.  Over-breeding is a shameful but commonplace practice within our industry, but AQHA won’t address it because they make money off those registrations, even if the horse is slaughtered before it reaches its three year old year.  NRHA and NCHA have been embroiled in scandal after scandal, many turning into lawsuits and embarrassing spectacles that have shed light on the greed many ‘elite’ members of these associations possess.   Since most of the clones produced so far are performance horses, and not halter or pleasure horses, I can only conclude that this decision will affect reiners and cutters the most.  Which makes sense, since reining and cutting has been the only segment of the entire horse industry that has consistently grown, in both members and prize money available, in the past ten years.   Yes, NRHA and NCHA are performance associations, so they don’t have the responsibility of registration, but the breeding practices of their members are driving the greed behind cloning.  There is so much money at stake, and so much pressure to rise within the ranks, that it is inevitable that some will be willing to do anything to gain status.  

I am of the opinion that allowing the registration of clones will hurt our industry at a time when participation is already starting to wane. Many people are leaving reining and cutting because it seems that an elite few in high places pull the strings, and the cloning case only furthers that perception. We are sacrificing the long term goals and success of everyone involved for the short term gain of a few well-connected individuals. Allowing clones in any capacity is shooting ourselves in the foot.

But don’t think that cloning is just an AQHA problem.  If those who stand to gain from producing clones can force their way in to a member-driven association like AQHA, they surely can do it to other registries.  I am hoping that AQHA continues to fight and that the case is heard by a judge that is familiar with breeding animals.   This is a precedent that affects all horsemen.  May we all thank Judge Mary Lou Robinson for her ability, with the stroke of a pen, to put the horses of the world, and the traditions the make up horse breeding, at risk for a downfall.

 In a recent conversation with another breeder, a metaphor came to me…..that of the difference between mass-produced plastic spoons, and heirloom silver, hand-engraved, spoons.   Which would you rather eat off of?  Which would you rather keep for your kids to use?   Horses that we have bred up to this point, that are a unique combination of sire and dam, whose bloodlines have been carefully developed and crossed , that may be from the only time a mare and stallion were crossed because soon thereafter, one of them died – those horses are the heirloom silver spoons.  The unique, wonderful gift that we can offer future generations of horsemen which will always be useful, and whose value rests on integrity of lineage.  The clones are the plastic spoons; sure, you might be able to eat off one, but it looks like every other spoon, it isn’t as good as the original, and because there are so many just like it, it isn’t worth that much to the next generation.  The only person happy about the plastic spoon is the guy who owns the plastic spoon factory.  The rest of us are just witnesses to the end of an era.

Paying Tribute to Greatness

To be lucky enough to ride and own a truly great horse is a blessing that may only come to a person once in a lifetime.  And if you are even luckier still, you might be able to have that horse its whole life, seeing their kind soul through every stage, from rambunctious youngster to eager partner to seasoned pro to kind and benevolent golden years.  I was that lucky and that blessed.  I owned and rode a beautiful black Half-Arabian/National Show Horse gelding named Jazz Festival +/ from the age of 2 until he died last August, 2012,  at the age of 29.  I'd like to pay tribute to his amazing life and share a bit of him with you.

Many of you know me from my efforts in breeding Quarter Horse reining horses, but I grew up showing Arabians and Half-Arabians, in western, English, sidesaddle, costume, driving and in hand.  At the time that I first met Jazz at Clinton Arabians where he had been bred, he was a gangly, long-legged two yr old, and I was an equally gangly and awkward 14 yr old.  Jazz was sired by the great NSH sire Islamorada, a Bask*son, and out of a lovely Saddlebred mare named Festival Music.  He really wasn't much to look at, at that stage, all legs, a long skinny neck and a very narrow body.  But as soon as I rode him, I KNEW.  By that time, I had ridden my share of English horses, and loved the really forward ones, and was mesmerized by flat-saddle type horses that could really move.  Sitting on him the first time, I was in awe of how his neck came straight up out of his shoulder, how he could sit waaaay back on his haunches and collect up.  And even without shoes on, he had a natural lift that hinted at what he was capable of.  He was so much fun!  And wild too!  He was like riding a rubber 2 x 4!  Better have a velcro seat to stick with him!

 Jazz as a foal, with his dam, Festival Music.

My family and I had been looking for a horse to 'move up' on.  My previous English horse was solid as a rock, but more of a babysitter, and we were ready for more shows and competition.  After riding several prospects at different trainer's barns, I knew Jazz was the one.  We just clicked, and we looked right together.  It wasn't an easy sell on my parents though; first of all, we had never purchased a 'Big' horse before, and second, they weren't at all sure that this string bean of a gelding was everything he was purported to be.  After some convincing, my parents relented, and I can confidently say, there were never any regrets.

 Showing Jazz in a Pro/Am class with Vicki Humphrey.

Jazz Festival and I made our debut at the spring shows in 1986, one of which being the prestigious Buckeye Show in Ohio, where we won our first Championship.  For the next four years I showed him all over the US and Canada, earning countless show championships, regional championships, two National Championships and a Reserve National Championship, in English Pleasure, both in Open with my trainer Vicki Humphrey and in Junior with me, and Pleasure Driving.  In the show ring, he was stunning to look at, gloriously black and shiny, long tail streaming behind, ears up, happy in his element.  This was a horse that LOVED his job, loved to go to shows, loved to be fussed over, loved to hear applause.  He loved applause so much that sometimes we would try to recreate the effect at home, assembling a crowd to cheer him on.  He would positively puff up when he heard whoops and hollers!  He stood about 15.3 or 16 hands, but cheer for him and he became a 17 hand giant!

After I went to college, Jazz started a new career as a Five Gaited horse,which he took to very easily and naturally.  Again, he was dazzling to watch - his rack was brilliant.  He ended up earning another National Championship and another Reserve National Championship with Vicki and with my sister Ashley.  At the end of his show career, Jazz had five National titles, a Legion of Supreme Honor (which is denoted by the +/ after his name), was a top all-time money earner, and was inducted into the National Show Horse Hall of Fame.

I got to show him Five Gaited a couple of times too.  FUN!

When I finished college, I missed my sweet horse and brought him to Arizona, where I lived.  While he was retired from the show ring, you can't just stop riding a horse that loves to be ridden that much.  So he became a lesson horse of the highest order, helping me to teach kids and adults to ride.  He was absolutely the favorite in the barn among the students; he was steady, he was patient, he wasn't scared of anything, and he was so affectionate, like a silly puppy.  He would do things like pull your hat off your head or even try to untie your shoes!  And if you really needed a horsey hug, he would let you wrap your arms fully around his head and hold him as long as you needed to.  Every person who walked into the barn got a nicker from Jazz.

 With one of his beloved students.  Photo by M. Burge.

Over the 27 years that I shared with Jazz, we weathered so many changes, so many victories and disappointments, and so many miles!  One of the biggest changes to our family happened in 2005 and 2007, when my two sons were born.  Jazz loved the boys; he would nuzzle them and gently accept treats from their tiny hands, and became their riding horse when they were big enough to sit up on him.  His gentleness and steadiness made the best kind of impression on them - it helped light the fire of horse-love that I hope will burn in their hearts their whole lives, like it has in mine.  His happy expression when he saw them let me know that he was as happy as they were with the arrangement.

Sadly, horses don't live as long as we do.  Or, they don't live as long as we wish they could.  Last August, Jazz colicked, most likely from a fatty tumor strangulating his intestine, and despite our vet's best efforts, there was nothing that could be done.  We chose to end his suffering at home, where he was happy and calm and near his best friends.  It was one of the worst moments of my life.  I could never describe adequately how sad I was, and still am, at his sudden absence, after spending so many years with him.  But as my wise niece reminds me, "Don't be sad it's over, be grateful it happened."  And I am so grateful.  That beautiful horse taught me so much, and elevated my mind as to what was possible for me.  He taught me to never give up, to believe in myself and face life with your ears up and a twinkle in your eye.  He was a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and will never be forgotten.

The last photo of our sweet Jazz, taken just 2 days before he passed.  That is one happy boy up there on his back!

Getting Back In Rhythm

Hello dear readers! It has been awhile since I have written anything for this blog - too long - and returning to it has been on my mind lately, prodding me and nagging at me to continue writing. It isn't that I don't have things to share, it's just that lately life has been really busy. I believe in the power of habit, and am seeing it at work in my life. I might have so much going on any given week that my daily writing time is eliminated, and before I know it, I am out of the habit of sitting down with a theme/problem/a-ha moment/observation and seeing it through to the end. But it works both ways, and I am reassured that all it takes to get back to it is to build it in to my schedule, pressing myself to keep it up for a few days, and with some perseverance, my writing muscles are back in shape.

Right now, I am writing to you from the middle of a blizzard. This is the second time in a week that we have been in the middle of a bad winter storm, but we are doing fine, and even enjoying it a little! Horse chores are a challenge during weather like this, but we have plenty of hay and shavings for the stalls, and all of our horses are doing fine, including our 35 yr old gelding and our pregnant mare. Being stuck inside for most of the day gives me some opportunity to write (though having the kids home from school makes for a noisy house), and the perfect time for building writing time back into my day.

This is the time of year when I am doing a lot of planning for the breeding season, choosing stallions, working on embryo sales, and preparing for foals. When my plans are finalized, I hope to share my stallion choices with you here. I have been very conservative the past five years and have not had any foals born here at our farm in that time, so the anticipation of the one we are expecting is very exciting! I look forwards to sharing baby pictures with you! We have a new mare too, whose job will be in the broodmare and child-toting career fields. She is a sweet beauty, and we are just over-the-moon in love with her. And there is always something to talk about in the horse industry, isn't there? It's a source of endless enjoyment, inspiration, frustration and agitation!

Well, I am off to spend some time with my sweet kiddos, making hot chocolate and watching a movie. But soon you will be hearing more from me, as I begin my writing workouts and flex my literary muscles. I am looking forward to sharing what comes out of it with you! Until then, take care and enjoy life!

Touching Greatness

I found out today that Commanders Nic has passed from complications from colic, and I am deeply saddened by the news. Commanders Nic (Boomernic x Miss Bam Bam Command) was the seventh highest all time money earner in NRHA history, winning $258,815 in NRHA competition, most notably, taking fourth in the 2002 NRHA Futurity Open Finals, winning reserve at the 2003 NRHA Derby, and coming back to win the Derby in 2004. All these titles were achieved long after I sold him as a foal, but even watching his success from afar was exciting.  He was gorgeous, talented and powerful, in a small but elegant package, and his success created a new path for me and my mare, Bam Bam, for which I am grateful.

I've always thought that this shot really captured how much he looked like his momma!

Commanders Nic was just 15 years old, his oldest offspring are only 6 year olds, and by all accounts, his progeny are chips off the ol' block, showing his physical ability and wonderful mind. He had enormous heart, giving it all in every performance, and I have heard his babies do the same.  It will be great to see how 'the grandkids' do in the future. 

Most breeders are in the business to sell horses, so they may not get to share much in what the horse does after it leaves their possession.  But we hope and dream and worry over them, long after they are gone, and at every mention of their name, we remember them as youngsters, marveling at how they changed and grew.  In celebration of his life, I thought I would share some pictures of him as a foal.  He was Bammie's first baby, and his arrival was so very exciting. As I look back at these pictures, I remember the hopefulness I felt, as we do with every new foal, along with the wonder of "where will you go, and what will you do?"  This one went far.

My condolences to all the members of the Commanders Nic Partnership; thank you for everything you did for him and I wish you luck with his foals in the future.

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

On April 23rd, a lawsuit was filed against the AQHA by one of its members, Jason Abraham, along with two of this member's companies, Abraham & Veneklasen Joint Venture, and Abraham Equine Inc.  The subject of this suit is that the AQHA is violating anti-trust laws by not allowing the registration of clones.  AQHA rule 227 (a) states: Horses produced by any cloning process are not eligible for registration. Cloning is defined as any method by which the genetic material of an unfertilized egg or any embryo is removed and replaced by genetic material taken from another organism, added to/with genetic material from another organism or otherwise modified by any means in order to produce a live foal.

 The subject of cloning has been brought up repeatedly to the AQHA Stud Book Committee as well as the Board of Directors, and each time, it was voted that clones should be banned from registration.  Polls of the membership have also been taken, and the vast majority of members are not in favor of including clones in the registry.  Yet, Dr. Gregg Veneklasen and his cohorts have persisted.  Why?  Because they stand to make a lot of money cloning horses if they can get the stamp of legitimacy that registration papers provide. Anti-trust laws are meant to prohibit anti-competitive behavior (monopolies) and unfair business practices, and are intended to promote competition in the marketplace. Anti-trust laws also help protect both businesses and consumers from unethical practices and actions intended to cause harm. This suit assumes that AQHA must legitimize a practice that its members overwhelmingly do not want to include within its business practices, and could force a change that would only benefit as very, very small number of members.  I would also put forth that the inclusion of clones as registered Quarter Horses is in itself unethical and will cause harm to the breed's integrity.


As of right now, there is no way to discern the DNA of the original horse from that of its cloned copies.  And if a horse has been cloned more than once, there is no way to discern the parentage of the offspring, whether it came from the original, clone 1, clone 2, etc.  There has been talk of the fact that a very small amount of mitochondrial DNA may be present from the donor egg, but at the present time, the standard parentage DNA test that the AQHA uses to verify parentage cannot make these distinctions.  Allowing their registration could mean that if these clones began producing foals year after year, we would end up with hundreds and hundreds of horses that are genetically identical to each other.  How would this affect identification from horse to horse within the clones progeny?

Quarter Horses are already so closely bred that it is hard to find true outcrosses.  Certain lines are used over and over, which dramatically reduces the gene pool and increases the chances of replicating serious genetic abnormalities.  The clones already produced by Veneklasen have some serious genetic defects, and even the ones that don't have not lived up to the original's brilliance under saddle.  Why on God's green earth would we want to shrink the gene pool even more?  Genetic diseases that aren't even around yet could easily pop up with cloning to shrink the gene pool; you may be able to test an embryo for known genetic problems, such as HYPP or GBED, but what about physical deformities, like those that some of the Smart Little Lena clones have?  What about the fact that new genetic diseases can arise when a gene pool is artificially shrunken?  Genetic diversity is the key to producing stronger, healthier horses as well as finding new crosses that work better than those previously used.


I do not buy the argument that the resistance toward cloning is similar to previous resistance toward excessive white or toward embryo transfer, and that once cloning is made legitimate by registration, everyone will get on board with it.  This rule benefits only those who have a LOT of money to clone horses, access to DNA from horses famous enough to make it profitable, and the inclination to relive the past.  Embryo transfer is nothing like cloning.  Each foal produced by ET is a unique individual that is verifiable with DNA testing.  In reference to the excessive white rule, given the fact that AQHA is not a color registry, and that AQHA papers for the foundation horses of the breed were handed out fairly arbitrarily in the old days, it makes sense that some horses that are registered Quarter Horses are going to have genes that produce markings that are wilder than what some deem as typical of an American Quarter Horse.  Both the white rule and the ET rule have enhanced our breed, making it better and more inclusive and more profitable.  I think trying to lump cloning in with these two completely unrelated subjects is a way to slip it into our 'acceptable practices' while patronizing the public.  Do they think that we are all just too stupid to understand the difference between breeding clones and using embryo transfer?


Why not breed FORWARD?  Why not put all that money into developing unique genetics, rather than producing the same thing, over and over and over?  Every living stallion gets their shot to be great; yeah, some stallions have better odds by being born into the right barn, but the horses that are being cloned are horses that are proven, not underdogs with obscure bloodlines that 'might have made it, given different circumstances.'  Smart Little Lena, a horse that has been cloned several times, was undoubtedly a great horse. He earned over $743,000 in the cutting pen, he was one of only three horses to win the cutting triple crown (the Futurity, Super Stakes and the Derby), and sired 550 money earning offspring, who earned over $27,000,000 in the show pen.  He sired many, many great stallions who went on to be great sires themselves.  Aren't his accomplishments enough to be proud of?  Why is it necessary to try create another SLL?  Why?  Greed.  I bet there are plenty of folks who want a piece of that legacy so badly that it doesn't matter to them what the consequences are of cloning him.  It doesn't matter that 2 of the original clones have serious genetic abnormalities, 6 of them are nothing special and only one shows any promise under saddle.  And it doesn't matter what the long term effects of shrinking the gene pool would be as long as they get to make their money now.  The fact that this is an anti-trust suit is an admission that it revolves solely around the claimants desire to make money, not because it is the right thing to do, or because it would benefit the entire membership or the breed itself. 


Nothing is stopping cloned horses from competing in cutting, reining, or rodeo events, but the fact that very few have only proves that these horses are not as good as the original.  And the real money for those that own clones is in breeding them, so why would they tarnish that potential by showing them, and letting people see that they aren't as good as the original?


I understand that this is a free country and there is no law saying that people can't spend truckloads of money cloning their horses.  But they aren't Quarter Horses.  The AQHA is a member driven association, whose most important purpose is to protect and promote the breed.  It has been clearly and emphatically stated that clones are not welcome in the registry.  It is a privilege, not a right, to be a member, as well as to be granted papers for a horse.  There must be standards to which we are all held, and there must be some thinking being done as to what inclusion of clones will mean to the breed, not just in five or ten years, but in twenty or fifty or a hundred years. Cloning crosses a line that most people do not want crossed.  It seems to me that if the AQHA caved in to the lawsuit's demands, they would be violating anti-trust laws for most of their members.  I also think that now that this is a lawsuit, the case will be decided by a judge, and most likely a judge that is not a horse breeder, and doesn't necessarily understand that good horse breeding requires a long view of the future.  It isn't just about a person's right to make money now, it is about what we want our breed to look like down the road, what kind of horses we want our grandkids to ride, and what kind of quality of life we want for those horses. 


If you can't tell, this subject makes me quite angry.  It makes me sick that a very small group is forcing this issue through a lawsuit, forcing AQHA to spend time and money to defend itself over an issue that the majority of the membership does not want to accept. The greed driving this lawsuit to ruin the breed disgusts me.  That said, I do recognize that others have different views, and I'd love to hear them.  I'd love to hear someone give me a reason - other than money - that would convince me that registering clones is a good idea. 

What do you think about registering clones?  What effect do you think it will have on the Quarter Horse breed in the long term?

Cyber-Bullying in the Horse Industry

Something sad happened recently on Facebook.  A very nice woman that I know closed her FB page, saying that she was just sick and tired of all the rumors and mean-spirited comments that get passed around on the social media network.  It made me feel bad, as she is a very sweet and kind person, and I enjoyed seeing her updates.  I can't be certain, but it could be related to a falling out she recently had over the genetic testing debate.  While she would never stoop to point fingers or retaliate with insults, it is clear that she was made to feel bad because of someone's unkind words.  There seems to be a lot of that on FB lately.  While I personally get a lot out of FB - it is a great way to keep up with my widely scattered friends and family - I have seen that many use it as a way to push an agenda or spread rumors, half-truths and outright lies.  There is a certain amount of anonymity to social sites too.  People say things on FB that they would never, ever have the guts to say to someone's face, and the fact that they are separated from their audience emboldens many to be truly horrible to their fellow human beings.  Even if a person isn't commenting anonymously, the fact that they are typing their comment, rather than speaking it face to face, makes it easier for some to unleash insults, disparage someone, or embarrass them.

According to Wikipedia, cyber-bullying is the use of the internet and related technologies to harm other people, in a deliberate, repeated, and hostile manner.  I have seen this in action many times in discussion forums or posted directly to someone's page, whether the subject was abusive training techniques, how well the NRHA is handling the judge tampering scandal, or what should be done about genetic disease.  In fact, I began this blog as a response to being bullied.  That experience made me realize that there are people out there who don't understand that their words have an affect on others, that they have to power to hurt, to smear, and to vilify.  To be sure, some even relish in doing that to others, as if they are lacking any kind of power in their 'real' lives, so they behave like some kind of tyrant on social media sites, just prowling to look for someone to fight with.  Many of them would hide when confronted in person; the person who bullied me has never owned up to it, even though I have seen her face to face several times since then.

The more contentious the issue, the more prevalent the bullying.  The latest hot topic, genetic testing, is no exception.  I have observed cliques of people dog piling someone who asked an innocent or rhetorical question.  I have experienced my own words being misconstrued, and have seen others get the same.  I have heard the complaints of many people wondering why a certain forum was so hostile.  And I have read people's posts that were full of speculation over an 'irresponsible breeder' or a horse that supposedly passed on a deadly gene, even though there was no actual evidence of that.  Hearsay hurts more people than just the subject of the hostility; it creates an atmosphere that doesn't allow dissension or discussion.  It divides rather than unites.  And it can truly hurt people in the horse industry, an industry where a nasty rumor can decimate a stallion's breeding career, cause a trainer to lose customers, instigate lawsuits, keep exhibitors away from competitions and cause hysteria over topics that may not have real bearing in the life of the reader.  Cyber-bullying can create real financial loss for the person targeted, as well as the loss of business relationships, friendships or even intimate relationships.  It is not to be taken lightly.

How does one deal with cyber-bullies?*  First, realize that sometimes there is no point to arguing with someone.  If a person puts their CAPS LOCK ON, and begins to use multiple exclamation points to scream their point at you, they probably aren't in their right mind.  There is no use screaming back at a crazy person.  Second, use only facts to support your argument, rather than throwing back put-downs.  While you may be completely correct in your assessment that you are communicating with a narrow-minded, pontificating jerk, in pointing it out to them, you are just fueling their mean-spirited-ness.  Don't worry, everyone can see them for what they are by their own words.  Let them look that way, and don't stoop to their level.  Say less versus more, and if all else fails, just leave the conversation.  No one will think you are 'chicken,' they will think you are smart for maintaining control.  And if you find that a group you are in is constantly embroiled in arguments, leave the group and seek out a group that fits you better (or start your own).  There are page admins out there who don't bother regulating group member's comments, or actually encourage fighting, because they like the notoriety of being 'controversial.'  If someone continues to harass you on FB, you can block them, so they no longer have access to you, your page, or your comments. And with a click of the mouse, they can be gone from your cyber life - or at least, you won't be able to see each other anymore.

It may be that someone has harassed you to the point of causing a real loss in your life.  You may need to hire an attorney, and document the instances of bullying.  Learn how to do a "screen shot" with which you can take a picture of what is on your computer screen, containing comments within a thread that are directed at you. On my computer, the screen shot button is on the top right of the keyboard.  Having evidence of bullying incidents is crucial for any prosecution to occur.

Moreover, remember that you have a right to your opinion and a right to ask questions.  While some people seem to have a know-it-all air about them, remember that no one is omnipotent, no one is always right, and no one can foretell the future.  Part of a bully's strategy is to get you to believe that you are less than them, and that they are some type of authority, when reality is that everyone has something to contribute to the conversation, no matter what the subject. 

*If you are a minor, and are being bullied online for any reason, tell an adult, and keep telling adults, until someone listens and helps you deal with it.  Please don't despair, and don't take it personally.  As you grow into an adult, you will see that some people just like to dump on others because it takes the focus off themselves.  It has nothing to do with who you are, or your value as a person, and everything to do with what kind of person they are.  I wish you well! :)

Shopping For Nice Genes

Equine genetic disorders. Nothing gets horse people fired up quicker than a debate on genetic testing, and in recent public social media forums, the topic has been a hot one lately. We have been there before; we've seen HERDA in the Poco Bueno's, SCID in Arabians, HYPP in the Impressive's, JEB in draft horses, and others, so we shouldn't be surprised that this topic has come up yet again, with the call going out demanding mandatory testing of all breeding stock. The nasty culprit this time is GBED, as well OLWS, both of which have become more prevalent in recent years.

Genetic mutations that cause disease and/or birth defects have always been around; DNA is no more a perfect system than any other within a living being. What has changed in modern times is the speed at which these flawed mutations can spread. Prior to the development of artificial insemination and embryo transfer, stallions could only breed so many mares, and mares could only produce so many babies. The odds were much lower that a stallion who was a carrier of a disease gene would meet a mare who happened to be a carrier of the same recessive disease gene and produce an affected foal. Of course, veterinary medicine evolved along with these diseases, so that many years ago, vets might not be able to connect all the dots in tracing a genetic defect, but now they have the capability to know without a doubt what is wrong with an affected foal, and trace the origin of the gene. Another factor that has increased our exposure to genetic diseases is that many modern breeders follow trends in which stallions they choose for their mares. If Stallion X has made a ton of money in the show pen, or has sired horses that have, everyone has to breed their mares to him. This dramatically reduces the number of animals in the gene pool, and accelerates the distribution of diseased genes.

These disorders are pretty horrible. If you have ever seen a horse suffering an HYPP seizure, you know what I mean. When a horse has HERDA, their skin and underlying tissues fall off and cause terrible scars. PSSM sentences the horse to a life of chronic pain and the owner to providing the horse with a special diet to control symptoms. Foals with OLWS, GBED and SCID are doomed from birth, and they have no hope for survival or any quality of life. It would seem a foregone conclusion that we want to avoid these scenarios at all costs. Yet they persist. Why?

To find the answer, you have to look at the problem from both the mare owner's side, and the stallion owner's side.

Stallions can produce many more babies than an individual mare can, so a genetic disease is often statistically found faster in a stallion's breeding career than through a mare's, since mares only average a few foals in a lifetime. I think this gives some mare owners a false sense of security. They (wrongly) assume that a stallion owner would know if their stud is a carrier, and they (wrongly) expect that this information would be made public.

I have also heard mare owners state that since she has not produced an affected foal yet, that chances are she won't produce an affected foal next time. This is a fallacy based in ignorance. If you put any two sets of recessive genes into a Punnett square, you will come out with the same odds for every breeding; 25% of the foals will be unaffected, 50% will be carriers, and 25% will be affected foals. Each breeding is statistically independent – each roll of the dice carries the same odds. You could breed two carrier horses to each other twelve times, and you might see 12 unaffected foals, 12 affected foals, or distributions from all three possibilities. If you firmly believe that you will get lucky every time because you got lucky before, I bet the dealers at the craps tables in Vegas love you!

I think many people don't know what resources are available to them for genetic testing, or understand how easy it is to have done. This is fairly new, and since registries and horse associations haven't pushed it – after all, who wants bad publicity – many don't test because it is just too much of a bother to figure out this new-fangled technology and seek out help. However, both the American Quarter Horse Assn.* and the American Paint Horse Assn. have begun to provide kits for people to use, and there are also several private labs that can do the tests quickly. The tests aren't exactly cheap, but certainly compared to the cost of having a dead foal, testing looks pretty inexpensive.

Now, the tricky part....getting stallion owners on the genetic testing bandwagon. I have heard many times that this is a taboo subject, that demanding industry-wide testing will never go over with the heavyweights in the business, and that bringing it up will get you blacklisted from the industry. The source of this resistance is fear. People are naturally afraid of change. Individuals who have reason to believe their stallion is at risk of being a carrier resist that knowledge, fearing the stigma that will be placed on their horse, the loss of income and the smearing of their horses', and their own, reputation. When this fear is put under the hot lights of debate, the result is often a vicious lashing out against the knowledge, and the people responsible to bringing the knowledge to light. Some stallion owners have more to lose than others, and as they say, the bigger they come, the harder they fall.

My response is that the truth always comes out. Stallion owners – wouldn't you rather disclose something like that yourself, where you have control of it and can even spin it in a positive way, since you will look more responsible to the public? Or would it be better to wait, constantly worrying about it, risking the loss, whether it is your foal that dies or a valued customer's, and having the truth get out? What if it is found out that you knew your horse had a problem but you chose not to disclose it, and then are hit with a lawsuit? Won't that have a worse effect on your reputation and your horse's legacy? Willful ignorance makes not only the individual stallion owner look bad, it damages the entire industry. People don't want to be associated with a group that clings so tightly to the all-mighty dollar that they are unable to be ethical.

I do have a couple of caveats to my arguments for genetic testing. I have heard people say “There oughta be a law...” I do not think this is something that should be legislated by the government. The government has no business in horse genetics, and even a registry doesn't have much legal authority over how people breed their horses. Can they strongly encourage it, and make it easier for people to do? Sure, but I doubt they could require it. Since there are only a small percentage of horses out there that are carriers, and only a percentage of them will mate, and then there is only a 25% chance that the pairing will result in an affected foal, it doesn't make financial sense to require it of everyone. And if registries require one disease to be tested for, shouldn't they require all those diseases that can be tested for to also be included? Where would that end? I have to wonder if required testing by a registry would open them up to some type of lawsuit; after all, simply putting a sticker on a horse's papers does not imply that the registry is then responsible for people's breeding decisions. I am sure that there are people out there who will breed to Stallion X anyway because they believe it won't happen to them. It might better serve the public if more effort was put in to education versus legislation and more rules.

I also do not feel comfortable 'outing' any horses out there. It is completely up to the owner to seek out that information and disclose it. Unless I personally pull hairs out of a horse's tail, send it in and see the results, I do not really know what that horse's genetic make-up is and if I make a supposition without knowing for sure, I am committing slander against that horse and owner. We have to understand that in this business, it pays to spread rumors about your competition, and people who point fingers at others often have their own agenda. I don't want to be part of a witch hunt, I am just advocating for better business ethics that lift up our industry, rather than diminish it. If we have widespread, mandatory testing, it may then become a possibility that there would be pressure to ban those animals that test positive as carriers, and I am not sure that is right. First, it would further shrink the size of the gene pool, perhaps making other disorders more prevalent, and second, it would remove some very successful and popular bloodlines from public use, which does not necessarily push our efforts forward. The object is to control the spread and try to prevent affected foals from being born.

The only way things will change with the current attitude toward genetic testing is if it makes more financial sense to test than to not test. If mare owners feel strongly about this subject, then they should test their mares, and they should breed to stallions that test and disclose. And many will do this! If there is an added benefit to all the fighting going on over this subject, it is that more people will find out the facts about genetic disease. It is my hope that mare owners will educate themselves and that stallion owners will see the changes on the horizon, and become more proactive in their planning. Perhaps if we all did this, we could avoid yet another scandal.....

*I have been told that AQHA has started making genetic tests for all possible diseases available, but I could not find anything on their website referring to an expanded test.  Currently, all Quarter Horses seeking registration must be parentage verified through a DNA test, and if the horse is a descendant of the stallion Impressive, the horse must also be tested to establish its HYPP status. 

The Future Awaits....

Breeding horses is a lot like trying to predict the future.  You have to anticipate what the economy will do, what the horse industry is going to do, what bloodlines are going to be most marketable, and be able to satisfy both the need to have stock on hand in the future and the need to keep a balanced budget now.  It takes such a long time between the moment you decide to breed a mare to the point of having a saleable animal from that pairing that it is imperative that breeders be excellent planners and budgeters.

I haven't had any new foals at my farm in several years.  I have sold embryos from my best mare, but I haven't bred any of my other broodmares because I felt that the market was poor, and I couldn't reconcile the amount of money that I would have to put into a baby to get it to sale time with the prices that nice horses were going for.  But I see that things are changing, both for myself and for the industry as a whole.  I see that there is some renewed enthusiasm in performance horse sports, and some indications that our economy is slowly recovering.  It is really a buyer's market, for both horse sales and stud fees, and I see more opportunities for people to invest in performance horses at reasonable prices.  For myself, years of careful orchestration of my mare's embryo career has started to pay off, and I am hoping that I will be able to do some investing of my own this year.  If all goes as we hope, the spring of 2013 will see some foals running around in my pasture.

Never before have these decisions weighed so heavily on me. Predicting the future isn't easy.  All the 'what ifs' are enough to make a person crazy!  So I battle the anxiety by doing my homework, running the numbers, studying the pedigrees, making the phone calls and arming myself with as much information as I can.  And after that, I just close my eyes and envision those pretty babies....and my anxiety turns to excitement!  Yay!  It's breeding season!!

The Colt

Have you had a moment in your life when everything changed?

This past weekend, I migrated, along with the rest of the reining world, to Oklahoma City, to attend the NRHA Futurity.  Those who can't attend still turn their eyes toward reining's figurative capital city, and with webcasts capturing every moment of the action, reiners on all corners of the globe can keep up with what is happening.  They are watching to see their idols, the horses they all want to own, to see who is emerging in the sport, and what bloodlines are doing well, which might affect their breeding and buying decisions.  For trainers, owners and breeders, it is a week of making deals and networking, and of course, checking out all the beautiful horses for sale and at stud.

I was there specifically because a two year old stud colt that I bred was going to be in the Futurity Prospect Sale, and all indications were that he was going to make a really big impression on buyers who would be attending.  The horse's name is Commanders Lil Step (a name I chose :) and he is by Wimpys Little Step and out of my mare, Miss Bam Bam Command.  He is owned by my friend Vaughn Zimmerman, who purchased him from me as an embryo and who had been telling me that this was going to be a great horse since he was a foal.  When Vaughn and I talked about this horse, it has always been "The colt is doing great, the colt is this, the colt is that..." and when I got to Oklahoma City, I said to him, "Ok, I want to know what this horse's barn name is.  I can't just keep calling him the colt!"  Vaughn's reply, "Well, I don't know why not.  That's what everyone else is calling him!"  Indeed.  The Colt's reputation was preceding him with force.  Everywhere I went, people were talking about him.  Some of the very best trainers in the biz tried him and raved. Total strangers came up to me to say that he was the best two year old around.  He was making an impression all right.

I was so excited to see him for the first time and put my hands on him. The Colt is a gorgeous dark sorrel - his coat actually looks maroon - with four white socks and a star, strip and snip. He is pretty-headed and smooth bodied like his momma, but you can see Wimpy's power coming out everywhere.  He is incredibly well-developed for a two year old, and all the credit belongs to Bobby Avila Jr. for the amazing job he did preparing him. Which brings me to another facet of The Colt's appeal - a mastery over the maneuvers that Bobby has imparted on him.  His stops are incredible. His turns are incredible.  His lead changes are incredible. And he is a beautiful mover with a quiet, trainable mind.  He is a great example of what Bobby can do with a horse, and I would be proud to have him throw a leg over any of my babies.

The night before the sale, after coming back to the show grounds after dinner, my friends and I decided to go see The Colt before heading to bed, to 'wish him luck.'  Silly, I know, but that's me - - I love my animals unabashedly, and while I didn't own him, Vaughn always has referred to him as "ours," so I guess I kind of wanted to say good bye too.  After all, I knew that in the morning, he probably wouldn't be Vaughn's anymore, so therefore, he wouldn't really be mine either.  So I went to his stall to say goodnight and goodbye.  I am so glad I did.

The Colt's stall was on the far side of the sale barn, on a quiet aisle facing the far wall; a quiet corner with very little traffic where he could rest.  It was about 10 o'clock at night, so there was no one around as we made our way to see him.  As my friends and I stood there, cooing to The Colt and admiring him through the bars of the stall, I realized that two people were now standing behind us, watching us watching The Colt.  It turned out to be Javier Mendez and Thiago Boechat, who work with Lorenzo Vargas, owner of Xtra Quarter Horses and Wimpy himself.  As we made introductions, I explained my relationship to The Colt, and I was graciously ushered over to Lorenzo to be introduced.  While the interaction was brief, he seemed to be a very friendly man, and the people around him also were warm and friendly.  They immediately asked if I wanted to meet Wimpy, as he was at the showgrounds that evening for a party at the Xtra Quarter Horses' stalls.  Well, heck yeah, I wanted to meet him!!

To meet a legend is a very special thing.  Wimpys Little Step is twelve years old now, and looks to be the picture of health and vigor.  And he was so sweet!  He is personable and gentle, and I think just really wants to be scratched on his sweet spot near his withers.  Everyone around him was so gracious - thank you to the Xtra staff for sharing him with us. 

The next morning, we arrived to join the crowd amassing in the sale arena before the Futurity Prospect Sale.  The sale arena at the State Fair Arena is a relatively small area, and during the sale, it gets just packed with people - every trainer and owner of merit is there, faces you most often see in the industry magazines.  People are speaking different languages, some are doing some last minute promoting, some are trying to arrive at their reserve price and everyone is people watching.  The atmosphere is electric.  So much money is at stake, and everyone is angling to play the game.  I was very nervous - how could you not be? - so it was probably a fortuitous twist of fate that The Colt was hip #3 and so early in the sale.  Better to get in there and get it over with!

When it was The Colt's turn, we stepped inside to watch the bidding.  The auctioneer's voice called out bigger and bigger numbers - I honestly felt faint! When it was over, The Colt was sold for $200,000 to Lorenzo Vargas, Wimpy's owner and the kind man that I had met the night before.  As I stood in the arena with Vaughn, his son Justin, Lorenzo and the Xtra team for a picture, it honestly felt surreal.  A colt I bred was the High Seller at the Prospect Sale!  It was the moment that everything changed.  I wanted to cry, I wanted to jump up and shout.  For my mare, this was a game-changer.  That is what this is all about for me; having the rest of the world recognize what I have known for a long time: that my mare Bam Bam is really special.  And any worry I might of had about The Colt changing hands was erased by having serendipitously met Lorenzo and his fine staff the night before.  The Colt is in excellent hands.

What happens now?  Well, The Colt is on his way toward a stellar career and I ask everyone to say a little prayer for his continued good health and soundness.  Anything can happen in the next year, but I have a feeling that The Colt is going to be a contender next year.

As for Bam Bam, she has a hot date with a gorgeous palomino stud....

Mind If I Vent A Little?

Mondays are typically NOT my favorite day of the week; I usually feel grumpy and can never get enough coffee.  I might be a little bit picky, snippy, or *GASP* bossy on Mondays, at least more so than on other days.  ;) So, in reflection of my Monday mood, I want to vent a little about a pet peeve I have: horses that are "hip high."  This conformational fault is one that I can't abide, and I can't understand why anyone else would either!

To be clear, we are talking about a horse whose point of the hip is higher (sometimes MUCH higher) than the point of its withers, causing the horse to move downhill on its front end.  This trait is often associated with a long back, another fault that bothers me to a high degree.  You must always take into consideration a horse's age when evaluating his hip-to-withers height ratio, as horses grow unevenly, and you can't be completely sure of exactly where they are until the age of four or five.  But don't be blithely dismissive though - many three yr olds are so hip high that it is a real gamble that their front end will be able to catch up.  If they also have a long back, you probably are looking at a permanently hip high horse.  There are a lot of them around.

What is the problem with a hip high horse?  First, they are AWFUL to ride.  They tend to take pounding strides with their front legs, the concussion of which then runs up their leg to you in the saddle, jarring every bone in your body.  At the lope, their overly long hind leg coming up under their body causes an additional 'bump' to you in the saddle.  They are very difficult to collect, since rounding their back can be anything from mildly uncomfortable to downright impossible.  They are often very hard to fit a saddle to; the saddle slides forward, pinching the withers and jabbing the shoulders.  Worst of all, these horses are more prone to injury and pain, from the concussion to their joints, to strained tendons and ligaments to back problems.  A younger horse might be able to get by with this physical limitation, but by the time a hip high horse is aged, they are going to be hurting somewhere.  Being hip high shortens their useful lives.

Where are these horses coming from?  There is no doubt that this conformational fault is present in all breeds, but I sure see it A LOT in the Quarter Horse breed.  I attribute this to several factors.  One, QH cutting horses are bred to get low on a cow - to get down with its elbows in the dirt to look a cow right in the eye.  Having a long back and a high hip is an advantage here.  The problem with that is that those young cutting horses are only actually used on cattle for a few short years.  They may be taken out of training due to injury, or because the cost of training them on cattle outweighs the potential earnings in the show ring. [Keeping a cutter on fresh cattle is expensive, and so cutting training is a big investment in a horse.]  So a young, hip high cutter will inevitably have to transition to a new career, since opportunities to work on actual cattle ranches is also a shrinking percentage.  That career, if they are lucky enough to find a good home, will most likely be as a pleasure horse.

The high hip trait also comes from the infusion of Thoroughbred blood in the QH breed.  Being hip high is an advantage to young racehorses too, and since almost all QHs have some Thoroughbred in them, the trait was passed in this way as well.

Hip high horses might achieve a lot in their young lives in the competitive arena, before injury sets in, and so their name might carry a very high profile in the breeding shed.  This is when people begin to ignore the obvious fault, or even count it as a positive.  Have you ever heard someone brag about how big their horse's rear end is, how they 'have a huge motor back there,' or go so far as to attribute the horse's speed or prowess to the high hip ratio?  While it may be true in the short term, I always add silently in my mind, "Ugh, and I bet he is a pain in the butt to ride...." 

Who wants to ride a horse that is so rough you worry that you will seriously damage your spine?  Who wants to have to pay for bute and injections and cortisone to get your horse just barely rideable?  And will need to be euthanized at an early age because they are so crippled up you can't stand it anymore?  We cannot breed horses for careers that they will only have for less than 25% of their lives!  We have to balance the need to create an animal that can compete as a young horse with one that can have a vital, active, comfortable life beyond the competitive arena.  We need to breed fewer horses that have such a limited shelf life.

And for goodness sake - - we need to breed horses that are comfortable to ride.  Think of your horse's poor trainer's back, would ya?!?

New Week, New Horse

Late last week, I got a new horse in training.   Her name is Candy, and she is a three yr old dark dappled gray Half Arabian/ Quarter Horse filly, and is just as cute as a button.  She is the younger full sibling to two horses that a customer of mine owns; because those two have been doing so well, it was decided that this filly would be a good addition to the family.  They have only had her for a few months, and in that time, she has done little more than get comfortable in her new surroundings and her new herd.  My friend/customer has had family issues that she has had to spend time on this summer, and did not have the time to mess much with her.  Prior to coming to Kansas, Candy lived at the same ranch were she was born in Nebraska;  their common practice is for the mares to foal outside, on the range, with very little human contact until the horses are about ready to be started.  While this flies in the face of the imprinting movement (which I have used on occasion), these horses are quiet, confident, take care of themselves in a herd and are very hardy.  Additionally, they seem savvy and catch on quick to tasks when they are asked to, perhaps because they aren't spoiled as pets.  Now that I have had three from the same ranch in training, I can see that they are quietly respectful of humans, rather than looking at them as a source of food or as a lesser-ranking herd member.

So Candy has come to me as a blank slate.  She ties and leads, but has never had her feet done - her feet are in remarkably good condition, and have worn off from being kept outside all the time.  She is not used to being in a stall for more than an hour, and her new owner would like her to become accustomed to it, since there will be times when she will have to be inside overnight, or longer.  And Candy hasn't been very many new places in her life; while she had hundreds of acres to roam in Nebraska, her very first trailer ride was when she came to Kansas.  Obviously, I have a lot of work to do!  Haha!

The past few days have been dedicated to getting her used to us, our farm and what her schedule is going to be like.  Every morning, after I ride her brother, I take her to the round pen for a short (and so far, sweet) groundwork session.  I am teaching her to lunge, and she is taking to it brilliantly.  She figured out 'whoa' right away, stops and stands quietly while keeping her attention on me, and reverses direction toward the inside naturally, which pleases me to no end! 

After lunging her for a bit, I work on picking up her feet; at first, she tried to bow every time I picked up her fronts, but now is standing perfectly still while I tap on the bottoms of her feet, move them around, and rub her belly.  Her hind feet are going to require some more time, as she wants to swing her butt away from me when I go to pick them up.  After getting her next to the fence to block her, she is better; she will give them to me, but only for a second or two, though today, she seemed more patient with it.  I don't think it will be long and my husband will be able to give her the first trim. 

The last thing I have been working on is getting her to move away from pressure.  While standing at her shoulder, facing her hindquarters, I tap her butt with the end of the lead, and ask her to step away from me, essentially doing a turn-on-the-forehand.  Later, I will move the pressure point from her butt to her side, to replicate leg pressure while mounted, and after that, ask her to move her shoulder so that she is doing a turn-on-the-haunch.  She has been extremely willing with this, a little 'goosey' the first couple of times, but once she figured out what I was asking, and that she would get rubbed and rewarded afterward, she relaxed. 

Not only is this mare following her big brothers' lead in being smart and trainable, she is really nicely put together.  It is no secret that I just love the Arab/Quarter Horse cross; I have ridden a ton of them, and it seems to me that it is a perfect cross if you want a well-made, quiet, smart and pretty horse, and Candy is just that (I will post pictures soon, I promise!).  She has a big, beautiful Quarter Horse rear end, low set tail, lots of bone in her legs, broad hocks and knees, and a short back, while her head and neck are so pretty, she could easily compete with the purebreds in a beauty contest.  Her movement is fantastic too; not quite flat-kneed like a Quarter Horse, but without a lot of excess suspension, like an Arab - a pretty mover, but not overly flashy.  As far as her bloodlines go, she is by an Arab stallion named Rushcreek Kip, a Winraff++ grandson, with Magnat* and Al-Marah Knight (a very desirable name in endurance circles) on the bottom side.  Candy's dam is a QH named Kuda Freckles, a Colonel Freckles granddaughter, with some Leo, King, Skipper W, and Bert mixed in.  Overall, a great combination of working horses that are nice to look at.

I will update you all as to how Candy progresses; I am pretty sure that we will be saddling her soon!