Horse breeding
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Horse breeding is the process of using selective breeding to produce additional individuals of a given phenotype, that is, continuing a breed. Alternatively, a breeder could, using individuals of differing phenotypes, create a new breed, with specific characteristics.
Beyond phenotype (appearance and conformation) of horses, breeders aspire to improve physical performance abilities. This has led to the development of families or bloodlines within breeds that are specialists for excelling in specific events.
An example of this is horses that are bred to excel in a performance event called "Cutting", or separating a cow from a herd and frustrating the cow's strong instinct to rejoin the herd. This event favors horses that are highly trainable, eg - have an ability to learn from repetitive stimuli, that conformationally have short cannons and low hocks to facilitate quick stops and low turns, are muscular and athletic and commonly somewhat short in stature, and who demonstrate an attitude of dominating a cow, known as "cowsense."
Another example would be horses that are bred to excel in an event called "Hunter Under Saddle," "English Pleasure," or "Hunter On The Flat." This event favors animals that are tall and leggy, who are able to trot and canter smoothly and efficiently while giving the equestrian a comfortable ride.
The male parent of a horse is commonly known as the sire and the female parent as the dam. The quality of the sire is regarded as more important then the quality of the mare in many circles. However, both are equally important, as each gives 50% of the genes. It may even be said that the mare is more important, as the foal often learns habits from its dam when young.
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