endurance and bloodlines

["guest@endurance.net" <guest@endurance.net>]

june scheunemann equineent@lakefield.net
Looking for what just works in our sport of endurance is a tough
pursuit..I say that by looking at some past and present endurance
horses and their conformation and their attitude and way of going.
Horses that look like they couldn't do anything sometimes excell
in our sport.  I also think that yes, conformation is a big part
that helps a horse move but, attitude is also very important.  
I always say you can't ride bloodlines (and I admit that I 
prefer some lines over others) but, our sport is relatively new 
and in it's growing stages as far as what lines do well.  Yes,
there are some out there of specific lines doing qutie well but
there are lines out there that haven't really been exposed yet.
My husband and I laugh but, we like to go to show barns and 
look for the ones not doing well in the ring...those are 
usually not flat croup and not always "pretty"  

I guess what I'm saying is that don't rule a horse out just 
on bloodlines alone...and don't rule them out if they have
minor flaw...look at the whole horse no matter what..and 
include personality with conformation...Mike's old endurance
horse looked like a bratwurst with legs and he took many
firsts and BC's.  Red just loved going down the trail and 
an injury in the pasture (slipping on nasty ice) is what 
retired him to a pleasure horse.  

june (in the sunny midwest....and it's dry here ...finally)