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Ktarpey · Apr 16, 2022 9:11 AM

I know I've started bootstrap discussions before and they've helped me hugely in pushing my program in a better direction. So I'm interested in getting some more input for how to go forward.

I've started to think about refining my program. I have two pastures of mares now, one that I breed to one of my original studs from @pestilenttempest and one that I breed to a "second generation" stud, one of my colts that tested AGA his sire. I have been shifting some of the lower PT mares down to my second pasture as I go, and I now run all foals through breeding advice instead of just colts. Starting to see higher PT babies as well as more that pass, and that's super exciting! Especially considering that I didn't have a full pasture bonus this season (again).

The yearlings and 2 year olds that I have that based BA are sitting in my nursery barn waiting to grow up, so today I spent almost a week's worth of show income running them all through comparison testing, and I have quite a few that tested AGA or SUP to their sires and dams. No SUP colts at the moment but several fillies.

So my question is in two parts.

First: my pastures are filling up. How do you select mares to cull from your breeding program? Not all of them show an AFPT and I'm not sure how to get that to show, so I need a reliable way to refine breeding stock.

Second: I'm only comparison testing against parents at the moment, and a few fillies have been comparison tested against a mare that I have that has won several awards. How do you select the best benchmark mare/stud without spending millions narrowing it down?

The help I've recieved from everyone so far, both in giving me breeding stock and also in giving me advice, has been amazing! I love learning from you guys and I wanted to thank you all for the help you've given in the past and also thank you in advance for helping with this new chapter!

pestilenttempest · Apr 16, 2022 3:10 PM

I separated my mares into tiers. So I took my highest mare at the time and marked it as hbm. Now I have T1 and T2. T2 is aga breeding cap.

T3 for me is 5% above breeding cap, my t4 a are double boosted and 10% above breeding cap.

If you want I’d be happy to sell you a T2/breeding cap mare you can test your mares against.

Honestly it’s just a matter of a naming system that works for you. T2 is easy for me to put on the name line.

Ktarpey · Apr 16, 2022 4:19 PM

I'd love to have a mare to test against! Even a spayed mare would do the trick :)

But I'm a little confused too because if they're at the breeding cap, how would a foal that I breed be capable of testing against her in a good way? Wouldn't I only know if I've hit the breeding cap?

pestilenttempest · Apr 16, 2022 5:25 PM

https://hj2.huntandjump.com/buddy_chat.php?chatid=1358

I’m going to give you the three non boosted “grades” that I give my horses.

Hbm is the first mare that I know can create breeding cap horses.

T1 is superior to hbm

T2 is at the breeding cap.

Typically I’ve found that as pt goes higher they can go “down” a grade. So I will keep a T1 filly with a higher pt than a T2 to help my bootstrap group in the long run.

They can still fluctuate slightly superior/inferior( 1%) in those grades.

As far as the point…it depends on what your goals are. There is a cap for both paper “grade” and pt score. I only know all of this because I’ve spent the millions narrowing it down. Lmao.

I test all of my horses against the grades (well normally but I’ve been lazy lately oops)

Ktarpey · Apr 17, 2022 6:59 AM

You've always been so wonderful to me, thank you!

Honestly I'm having fun seeing how high I can get PT to go in a horse that passes BA. Color is secondary and more just for fun. But I'd also like to be able to produce some stock that can be competitive in clubs. I know that that will be a few months down the road still since they have to age up and start breeding, but I really want to see some of my homebreds on the leaderboards.

Maybe I need to set a goal to get organized and decide what my goals are :D

So if I'm understanding this right, the HBM mare is who I should test against regularly. If they test SUP to her, then I test against the T1 and if the test SUP to her then I test against T2? If I test against the HBM and they're AGA or worse, do I then test against their own dam, or should I start with the dam?

Wildland Acres · Apr 17, 2022 3:08 PM

what awards did the mare win, if they look like she is probably the best I would start comparing everyone to her and get rid of worse than mares infill one tests superior, and then go on to testing with her as your new benchmark

Ktarpey · Apr 19, 2022 5:44 AM

She has won several, she's gotten first place for top producing, points earned, and highest pt in past years. More recently she's gotten ribbons like 3rd place down to 6th place for points earned and top producing. All have been in the Brindle club which I'm thinking is slightly less competitive. I also have a new mare that's looking promising but she was just given to me last week so I haven't had a chance to see how she places. She has ribbons from the past and was sitting in first for top producing in two different clubs last time I looked.

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