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Topic: "Adding" ox & xx to breeding programs (Read 797 times)
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Amanya
ata
Preliminary
 Offline
Posts: 96
Life is Choices
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Am curious about how you breeders determine to "add" arabian or thoroughbred to your programs. Looking back over my mare's pedigree, the European breeding seems so contain more of this than the later American breeding. Is it because there were fewer Trakeheners available after WWII? Or did these earlier breeders know something we don't, or is it a European thing?
I checked the ATA site and see very few approved arabian or thoroughbred stallions in the USA.
Somewhere in the past few years, I either read or heard what might be a good ole "Trakehner Myth" that at least every 5 to 7 generations, the lines must be refined."
Thoughts?
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Tamsin
Novice
Offline
Posts: 44
I LOVE Trakehners!
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I don't know why it happened in the past - but the Hanoverians are now very keen on TB blood as well.
As a TB enthusiast, i would say that the best ones can add significant amounts of power combined with athleticism. It can add more "ground-covering" and "through" movement, rather than elevation. The walk and canter can be great because of this. It also usually helps to refine, although some TB lines are known for producing very tall offspring - normally through long legs. The type can suffer, but not necessarily. Remember that TB's are heavily descended from Arabs! They can have flat feet, and not much bone, but what they have is often very "hard" and good quality. But like any horse breed, ther are some dodgy ones out there too!
The main criticism they normally get is that they are "hot" - but it is very animal specific - and you have to remember that any horse trained to race is likely to have been brought up in a very different way, so it is difficult to separate nature from nuture. I have a full TB mare who is the quietest horse I've ever owned! Much quieter than my half TB, half trak mare!!!!
I think the biggest problem is that everyone wants a 1/4 TB - but no-one wants to start with a full TB as half TB's are difficult to sell - several people have told me I'm "crazy to own a TB as a small breeder, and that only big breeders should use TB's as they can take the loss as part of their "service" to the breed"....... 
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fuzzy
Guest
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Yes, the Trak was bebuild post WWII in part through the use of carefully selected TB and Arab horses. These days it's used to refine horses who have begun to revert to the heavy farm type horse. Some of us start with non-Trak mares to lessen the cost of aquiring quality breedig stock to use in our Trak programs, others start with Trak mares and go to stallions like Windfall, who has a significant amount of TB and some Arab blood. It's a matter of economics, taste, and the sport you're wanting to send your youngsters into.
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