Bad Ankles/Raise A Native

[overtake]

When people talk of inbreeding to Raise A Native or Mr. Prospector there is usually comments about "bad ankles". I assume that is referring to tendons since Raise A Native retired with a tendon injury. My only experience with a filly bred 4x5 to Raise A Native is that she is laid up with a tendon sheath problem (but no tear in the tendon) after three good races. Now I wonder what problems others have had. Since Raise A Native ran before there would have been ultrasound available, might he have had the same problem but no way to specifically diagnose it? Are the "bad ankles" problems more general or can they be narrowed down to a more specific weakness?

[Heather T.]

I don't know about Raise A Native, himself, but I've often seen Mr. Ps that toe-out from the ankle on the left. The rotation seems to be in the fetlock joint, not just in the cannon.

[overtake]

Our filly has very good conformation and was 100% sound until coming up with the tendon sheath injury. It seems that there was a weakness there. Raise A Native may not be to blame but it makes us nervous to breed to a Mr. Prospector line again. The mare did have a similar problem but returned to the races and ran 10 races without any more tendon problems.

[louis finochio]

Anytime you in-breed or line-breed you magnify the weak points in those type of matings. Unsoundness is one of the greatest problems which is the result.

When you outcross from the Raise a Native sire line and cross on the dams side, you are breeding away from unsoundness.

Look at the different sire lines that were used as an outcross on the dams side when bred to Raise a Native and you will see the positive results.

Its the hybrid vigor in these types of matings that eliminate the unsoundness in the breed.

By researching Raise a Native's progeny you will find that these outcross's produced an abundance of superior runners.