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Many people are under the impression that grade horses (those whose parentage is unknown, unidentifiable, or of significantly mixed breeding) are largely to blame for the horse overpopulation issue. The May 2010 issue of The Horse had a letter to the editor that again stated horse overpopulation would be reduced if people stopped breeding grade horses.
Grade horses provide a great pool of genetic variation and generally lack many of the genetic diseases that currently can afflict purebreds. Their lack of papers does not decrease their functionality, with the exception of
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Agree
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
Ellen, your absolutely right about the fact that two problem animals of different breeds don’t make a sound crossbred. However, at the same time, if one of the parents is papered and has a genetic problem and is bred to a grade or already crossbr
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
Agree 100% with Pam. Grade horses are NOT free of genetic disease…you just don’t have a clue which ones to look for! While the purebred horse industry has DEFINITELY erred in selecting FOR some bad traits (small feet in AQHA halter horses
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
I do not breed horses so I will not comment on that aspect of the discussion. I do own two horses. One is a good looking QH with World Champion, Foundation breeding, etc. on both sides. He has multiple joint problems and has cost me a small
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
To Cathy,
Yes quality horses do not end up at auction as often as non-quality horses but auction statistics don’t standardly take into account whether or not that horse has any papers. Most of the time, if an animal has landed in a slaught
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
No one should be breeding as long as the surplus of horses, grade or reg, are being slaughtered, that being said, I would be more apt to get a grade horse and i think the market will too, even in a poor economy for some simple reason, LOWER VET B
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
Just coming across this article. For those of us who value all horses, the grade is the base of american culture. As part native american indian, raised with horses, trained horses for kids camps, I will take a grade horse any day over some
re: In Defense of Grade Horses
Well, I think this is a great article.
The economy is still bad & I don’t have the answers to the breeding / overpopulation / slaughter / rescue issue.
What I do have is my opinion on my personal experience with linebred, paper