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Friday, April 8, 2016

Breeding For Temperment



Breeding for a particular trait is risky enough in all breeding programs. Breeding for a particular trait instead of breeding for over all type can be devastating to a breed conservation program.

That is specially true when one starts with a very limited gene pool.

That does not mean that random breeding of the foundation herd is always the best way to go. The result can be an even more limited gene pool.

This year I am going to seek to add temperament to two of my crossings. Corn Stalk, shown above being ridden by my niece, is the calmest wild Corolla stallion that I have ever encountered. He became halter trained in a matter of minutes, took a saddle the next day and a rider the day after. He has never shown either aggression or fear to a degree that could cause the slightest concern.

Persa is a nervous Shackleford. She is strong, fast and has tremendous endurance but is very reactive. Zee is a stunning cremello Choctaw who gives the occasional buck. Later in the summer I will breed each mare to Corn Stalk.

The results are not going to disappoint me.

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