Part 2 Hobby horse

Irish Hobby and HObby horses

I saw someone mention the Irish Hobby on a facebook page so I thought I would put the whole article on here for anyone interested Part 1

Thermoregulation in horses during winter

EXCERPT:  Basically, they do not need anything more from the human than only to provide keeping conditions that this species is supposed to have by dictate of Nature: freedom of movement 24 hours a day, free access to appropriate food 24 hours a day, herd life, proper hoof care, shelter which it can enter and leave freely. Under human care that respects the horse’s natural needs, and provides it doesn’t make this animal a subject for anthropomorphism through stabling, changing eating habits, blanketing, clipping, shoeing, etc., the domestic horse is able to properly use its amazing natural thermoregulatory abilities exactly the same way as the wild horse.


Thermoregulation in horses during winter

Thoroughbred realities

All information from Deb Bennett PhD's June 2015 Equus article "Promoting the classic thoroughbred" p.65-83. The magazine covers calls it "Restoring the classic thoroughbred."
I am pulling out the most interesting (to me anyway) points of interest and share them here.
This article reinforced my opinion of the state of the American thoroughbred.  Any time I mention that the American thoroughbred has serious soundness issues people are shocked and think I'm a bit crazy. I have cited the cause as breeding for one trait - speed.  Today's thoroughbreds race only a fraction of the number of time a classic thoroughbred and yet are often retired to stud citing soundness issues. I question breeding to a sire that has obvious leg issues.  Using the breeders' mantra, breed the best to the best and cull inferior animals from the herd, this is crazy. After all, a horse that cannot stay sound after a very short career isn't exactly 'the best' now is it? Ah, there's the rub.  He has an active mare list because he is fast. That's the only trait that TB breeders seem to be interested in, and is a big part of "why many track veterinarians lament that we are breeding the legs and feet off these horses".  Dr. Deb has another cause of the deterioration of the thoroughbreds today.  Some high points from the article follow.

'Looking at the high number of "repeats" in many modern Thoroughbred pedigrees, some experts have predicted a kind of genetic implosion due to inbreeding, for it is a known fact that inbreeding "doubles up" not only on assets such as speed but on weaknesses like chronic unsoundness"

"Happily there are still plenty of Thoroughbred stallions and mares who descend from Matchem, Herod and non-Phalaris Eclipse bloodlines.  They are to be found primarily among champion steeplechasers, point-to-point and hunt-cup horses, as well as on the hunter-jumper and sporthorse circuits. Names such as Marco, My Prince, Battleship, Furioso, Melbourne, Gran Kan, Sloopy, Ambiorix, King Tom, Princequillo, The Tetrarch, Ben Brush, Cottage Son, Kingdom, Blenheim, Lexington, Voltigeur and Orange Peel should be given great weight when they appear in a pedigree because they are proven sources of stamina and soundness."

[I would add that you might want to look at the dosage number. The fundamental principle of dosage theory is that the higher the DI and CD, the lower the distance potential of the horse, and conversely, the lower the DI and CD, the higher the distance potential of the horse (for racing purposes ie speed). My brain, without number or science capabilities, has come up with the following interpretation so take it with a grain of salt and read up on dosage for more detailed information. Basically, you would look for horses dosage with at least some points in the Solid and Professional categories for stamina and soundness.]

"I have heard experienced track veterinarians lament the fact that 'we are breeding the legs and feet right off these horses'. I submit that 90 percent of performance-enhancing drug use at the racetrack would disappear if 2-year-olds could not race."

Dr. Bennett also suggests that consideration should be given to opening the TB stud book.  "This would allow an influx of new genes to 'refresh' the breed by multiplying the number of possible allelic combinations."  She recommends that Turkmene horses direct from the Middle East be used because it would "the single best source for refreshment."

"However it is accomplished, means must be found to prevent the extinction of non-Phalaris bloodlines; otherwise the Thoroughbred itself will succumb to the fate of its own ancestor the Hobby, which today exists only within the distaff bloodlines of other breeds."

This article helps me feel vindicated for my opinion about the state of modern thoroughbreds.

What makes a warmblood a warmblood?

From Equine Journal January 2010 page 82

(Hint.... An Irish Draught Sport Horse is but and Irish Draught is not)

 

Conformation of Secretariat

This video is very interesting and it got me thinking that somewhere Dr. Deb Bennett had written about Secretariat. I finally found it and will post it as well (although it is much longer that I like to 'borrow')...

Secretariat vs American Pharoah
 (Sorry for the mess but I didn't have the patience to try and fix it)  :(
The article is from Equus #434 November 2013 pp.42-61

 

Irish Hobbies

Dr. Deb Bennett does it again.  She's doing a series of articles about the origins of different breeds.  She did a 3 part article about the Arabian.  The most interesting thing I learned was that the Bedouin breeders traced their horses using the mare lines. I also am more interested in the mare's bloodlines than the stallion.   EQUUS November 2014 #446 included an article entitled The World's Most Important Horse Breed which turns out to be the Hobby. I'm including the 1st page of the article and then the few pages that mentioned the Irish Hobby.  It is a fascinating article.  (Please excuse if the photos aren't just right I couldn't get the last one to line up)