Ellen Parker's comments on ESPN: The DNA of a Breakdown

[diomed]

Just my two cents, but if they have to open the stud book (which I certainly hope they don't do), they should use the Barb.

I read somewhere (sorry, can't remember where) that the TB has more characteristics in common with the Barb than with the Arabian.

Yes, the Barb(spanish origin) and also the Turkomene, which unfortunately no longer exists in the same pure form that it once did.
This type of Turk was the common ancestor of both the modern Thoroughbred and Akhal-Teke.
The Barb has a deeper base in the TB gene pool I believe.
Many of the early 'running horses' and galloways were developed from earlier importations of Barbs and Spanish horses.
This is the base I think gave the "speed" to both the Thoroughbred and the Quarterhorse.
I think the later importations of Arabians and Turks added stamina and size(in the case of the Turks, they were said to be very tall horses), and the Godolphin Arabian/Barb, I firmly believe was a Barb and I believe that is why he crossed so well with the native blooded horses..He kept the speed alive in the breed while they were crossing to "slower" horses that added stamina.
Many writers of the day said the English horse was much faster than the imported stallions to begin with.
I liken it to original "quarterhorses" being bred to extend their speed.

[louis finochio]

I favor importing those mares from other countries to use for an outcross to breed back the soundness in our breed. If those mares were of middle distance & stamina families, the would not bring those $$ of a fashion bred. If a breeder was breeding to race only & not sell, he would retain those crossed mares to breed back to his original family, as the outcross would breed a sounder individual.

[Strategic Maneuver]

Thanks Louis.

[xfactor fan]

There are lots of sport horse TB that are jockey club registered. A three day eventer is an amazing animal, dressage, cross country and stadium jumping.
Lots of stamina and soundness in one package.

No need to go outside the breed. But if you did, my vote if for the Turkoman horses.

[valjoe]

I had an old study book about breeding which I gave away as a present long time ago, but just from the top of my head I remember it said the Russians were experimenting trying to create a faster horse somewhere in the early 70s so they crossed Thoroughbred with Akhal-Teke but the results were not very encouraging so they dropped it. Didn’t say anything about soundness …

[soundfast]

Importing mares from other countries is not a solution for breeding sounder horses. One Cool Cat retired with a fracture shuttles to NZ. Other Storm Cat sons going to Australia. There are sires of unsound horses all over the world these days. Someone in South Africa complaining they now have some bleeders when they used to be very rare. There are horses breaking bones and generally breaking down all over the world. A lot of US horses are being exported to many other countries especially now with the dollar being worth less. There are nice sound stallions and mares right here in the USA and Canada. They deserve to be cherished and carefully bred. Say Florida Sandy won his last stakes race at the age of 9 and had 98 starts and retired sound. Not all sound stallions have raced that long and not all are going to produce as good as they are but then some might produce better. Northern Dancer was better than his sire. Some horses imported from other countries have been just as unsound as some bred in the USA. Things are international now Giants Causeaway has Irish bred offspring,etc. US stallions going to South America when our breeding season is over is something that has been going on for years and to other countries also. European stallions are shuttling too.

[Bunty Lawless]

Glad you don't think infusing another breed(slower breed) right now is the answer like the article suggested.
There are still ways to breed soundness with the current gene pool.
I think it will take a number of factors, but it can be done.
A)Environmental(drugs, upbringing, etc)
B)Breed to Race, not to Sell.

And possibly 2 - 3 generations to noticeably turn it around. Patience seems to be the enemy of greed.