Foundation Horses
Leading Money Earning
Working Horse Sires -
Are they Foundation Bred?
(First Published in 2002)
According to EquiStat, a division of Cowboy Publishing Group, the following 15 AQHA registered
sires are the tops in their fields this year based on their offsprings' earnings compiled over the last five years. It must be remembered that the only AQHA "show horses" really worth looking at as possibly
complementing a foundation Quarter Horse breeding program would be in the working horse divisions. It still
takes brains, athletic ability, and trainability to perform the feats of reining, cutting and working cowhorse.
Which is why the foundation Quarter Horse's great stronghold as a show horse is still, to a certain extent
as either a cutter, reiner or working cowhorse. Halter, pleasure, and race horses, generally are anywhere
from 25 - 90% Thoroughbred.
First - You have to look at the foundation percentage on each horse.
Each stallion's official foundation percentage is shown in the chart below. Many of us don't have the
resources that it takes to breed to these sires so remember, if you are planning to breed to a son, allow for that
stallion's dam's pedigree as being half of his total foundation percentage.
Second - Disposition and Correctness. It is hard to put this ahead of breed type, but as a
conscientious breeder you should never forget that you are taking upon yourself the responsibility of deciding how
sound and useful an animal will be for at least 20 years. Your knowledge as a breeder and thoughtfulness in
making ethical breeding decisions will make the difference between an animal that is sane, healthy, and sound
as opposed to a disaster that through no fault of it's own ends up in the "killer pen" at the local auction.
Just because a sire is a World Champion and has foals who have earned millions in futurity purses, there is
no guarantee that he, or his sons, do not possess conformation flaws that will be detrimental to your
breeding program. Or, as happens more frequently, a disposition that only a trainer could love or ride.
Remember that most high dollar competitions involve young horses. Though you may want to breed a Quarter
Horse that is sound and still working at the age of twenty a large group of people who breed strictly for
competition could care less what happens to these horses past the `big money' years.
Third - Breed Type.
Don't use a horse in your breeding program that doesn't look like a Quarter Horse.
It shouldn't look like an Arab or a Thoroughbred. There are large international breed registries that
handle both of those breeds. Size, height, type, disposition, muscling, correctness, secondary sex
characteristics are all part of the type and look of a Foundation Quarter Horse.
 <--- CLICK CHART TO ENLARGE
Fourth - Stick With The New Classics. Poco Bueno, King, Leo, Harlan, Jessie James, etc., need
no introduction. But if you are looking for some new blood, remember that the all-around ability, great
mind, classic conformation and performance ability that it takes to make a great reining horse almost insures that
he will have a high percentage of foundation blood. How appropriate that Reining is the FIRST
Western equine discipline to be included in the Olympic games. Yet, the latest crop of sires do not have
the 100% foundation blood that was common until just a couple of years ago. This is probably a reflection
of the biggest problem with the entire show horse industry. . . performance accolades influenced by
changing style and fashion rather than simply ability.
The NRHA Hall of Fame has inducted 9 Quarter Horse stallions (only counting those with offspring)
since 1988, beginning with Continental King. The average foundation Quarter Horse blood percentage
required for this distinct honor of being named to the NRHA Hall of Fame as a Stallion is 98.26%! With MOST
of these stallions checking in at 100% foundation blood.  <---- CLICK CHART TO ENLARGE
Submenu |
