>One issue that we are frustrated by is the farm/stallion owner,
whatever, who breeds innumerable otuside mares - who don't show up on THEIR
roles, but in any case can end up being castoffs. One very popular stallion a
few years ago covered over 60 mares before he was 3 and a whopping 212 AS a 3,
coming four year old. OUCH! Hope he didn't produce too many of a couple of
glaring faults that HE had!
This tends to be the aftermath of the "inspection" process known as the
show ring. I dunno if you are thinking of the same horse I am, Sandy, but
in our breed we do have a stallion who was National Champion at halter at age 3
(I think)--which in itself is an "inspection" with a "high rating" by judges who
are approved by the breed association. I personally would not want the
horse on my place as a breeding stallion, but because of the "approval" by the
judges and the subsequent promotion, this horse to date has sired 605 registered
foals. (He is only 8.) The very act of being "approved" (be it by
show wins or by inspections) often causes very faulty stallions to be used far
beyond what they should be, simply due to the fact that his particular extreme
traits are one that a given inspector or judge happens to like. People
tend to flock to horses that someone else deemed worthy, saving themselves the
bother of having to make their own decisions. That's an unfortunate aspect
of human nature.
