>>>> Are Icelandic Horse Evaluations useful? correct? informative? valuable? valid?
Funny that you bring this up the same day I thought to ask about breeding 2008 foals. But, as I said then, I guess 'tis the season... No, they are not useful to me. Not one bit. They don't measure any traits I see as valuable. They encourage training in ways that I don't want my horses encumbered with. They give scores to horses who have had varying degrees of training, and training is not heritable. They give scores regardless of how the saddle fits or where the saddle is placed. A tight saddle, placed very far back will make a horse hollow his back, and thus, make him more likely to do a gait more towards the lateral end of the spectrum. Loin-sitting riders aren't heritable either. They allow toes to be a lot longer than good farriers in my area leave, and long toes can make a pacey horse go more four-beat - but not without wear and tear on his skeleton. They allow bell boots "for protection" - but if a horse interferes so badly as to need protection, shouldn't that be noted on an evaluation score? Bell boots aren't heritable either, but unfortunately, the tendency towards interference often is, so it shouldn't be hidden. After all, they are nominally "breeding evaluations." I wouldn't breed a horse that interferes. On the evaluation tapes I have where I can hear the judges comment, the most common comment was "needs more speed" - when I thought the horses mostly looked too rushed. I don't know anyone who wants that much speed in a trail horse - and I wouldn't want to sell a baby to a yeehaw rider anyway. So, no, the evaluations mean nothing to me as a breeder. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
