This is only my own opinion, but I'd worry about where the horse's
ancestors came from only slightly more than I'd worry about color.
There have been excellent horses (and also some absolutely horrible
ones) from Egyptian backgrounds, Polish backgrounds, all sorts of
domestic lines and plenty that were giveaways, and of every color under
the rainbow. Look for good conformation, good bone and feet, a level
head and good temperament, nice gaits that are comfortable to ride
and really go down the trail (or have promise of doing so), good
management practices on the part of the previous owners/breeders and
hopefully even some training from a kind, consistent and patient
teacher. Then casually ask about whether he's Egyptian or Polish as
you're loading him into your trailer! :->
If at all possible, hook up with an experienced endurance horseperson
that has bred or found good prospects in the past, or possibly contact
one of the people who breed and actually produce good endurance horses.
Robbi Pruitt, Bazy Tankersley, Sandy and Gary Adams, Fire
Mountain, Rushcreek and Hyannis Cattle Company all spring to mind, but
there are alot more out there.
I'd would only be concerned about "lines" as they relate to whether or
not close-up ancestors are themselves proven athletes and/or producers
of proven athletes, (and I mean endurance preferably, or at least racing
or steeplechasing or jumping, not Western Pleasure or halter!). If the
sire was a Nat'l Champion about a billion times and the mare was a 3000
mile horse that finished Tevis five times, and there are a dozen sibs
all starting ROC this year, then I don't particularly care where
great-great grampa got off the boat from. More than a few generations
back, genetic input of one particular horse, no more how dazzling he
was, is so diluted as to be practically nil, unless wonderful horses
repeatedly appear time after time on the pedigree and therefore
contribute much more to the end product (your prospect). Beyond that,
names and lines and families on the pedigree are only really of concern
if you are planning on breeding yourself, ie Robbi Pruitt is a
preservation breeder of some of the old domestic lines (is it KMB,
Robbi?) or Gary and Sandy who breed straight Egyptians.
I was always told you have to ride the horse, not the pedigree, and that
always seemed like good advice to me :-)
Again, this is just my own opinion. Good luck!!!!!
Susan Evans