Which is preferable, strain preservation or cross strain breeding which increases genetic diversity while still maintaining the purity of the breed? Without the preservation of nearly extinct strains of historic Colonial Spanish Horses there would be no strains to cross.
Both breeding approaches can and should go on at the same time. The first pure Corolla foal born in Texas was born within the last week or two at Karma Farms, the same farm that for many years has given us the very best of Colonial Spanish Horses by crossing what are considered the best horses from different strains.
Our emphasis has always been on strain preservation. However, I cannot argue that strain preservation produces the best horse.
Not after yesterday I can't.
La Primera is pictured above as a yearling. Abigail has done a wonderful job of training this little horse. She is very high percentage Choctaw but carries a great deal of Grand Canyon lineage, along with a few other strains of Colonial Spanish horse.
Yesterday morning was the first time that I have ever ridden her. She, even at this early stage in her overall training as a trail horse, was showing me everything that I want in a horse--calm, smart, alert, great endurance, multiple gaits and extreme comfort to ride.
I rode her again last night and she was even better. After I put a few hundred miles on her strength will go through the roof. She will be a super star.
Her lineage goes back to Karma Farms but she comes from the Simm's family at Lothlarian Farm in Texas.
So we will continue to do both, breeding to prevent the extinction of historic strains of Colonial horses and on occasion, crossing those strains to produce super horses. I am particularly interested in developing southeastern Colonial Spanish horses by crossing Corolla, Shackleford, Choctaw and Marsh Tacky lines.
We have to plan for the long term--but even more importantly, we have to work with the long term in mind.
That is what they have been doing at Karma Farms for years and that is what we will also do.
1 comment:
I've often wondered what characteristics are looked for in horses that considered for breeding across the different bloodlines. Of course I appreciate hybrid vigor and lessening the impact of line and in breeding. One day I'd really like to sit down with one of the Ives ladies and talk nothing but horses and genetics. Debi Cole
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