# breeding sons to mothers



## Josie (Apr 21, 2009)

I was just wondering about breeding a son to a mother. I am against breeding that close, but I know years ago (and maybe today) a lot of folks will breed father to daughter without much problem.

Have never heard much about it the other way. I was asked and wanted your all's opinion. Thanks for any responses.


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## pepperhill (Apr 21, 2009)

I believe it is called line breeding and it is used to strengthen certain positive traits. Of course the converse is also true. If you don't know what you are doing it can strengthen undesireable traits as well.

I have never line bred, but I accidentally bought 3 mares that were bred to their father once. (The first minis I had ever bought. I know better now!




) I had an interesting turn out. One mare turned out to be open, for whatever reason. One mare had a colt with all sorts of problems. He had entropian eyes, was very down in the rear pasturns and had to be splinted for months. He couldn't nurse for over a week, but finally got the hang of it. He was just kind of a mess and only lived to be two years old. The final mare had an outstanding little filly. She is just perfect and continues to win for us even after having 4 or 5 babies.

I think it works the same whether it is father to daughter or mother to son. I guess you just never know how the genes are going to pair up!


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## JWC sr. (Apr 21, 2009)

Pepperhill is exactly right it will intensify the problems and sometimes the attributes of any given line. It is not for the faint of heart. I don't like doing it as the chance for problems is just too great for us. But then again we have a number of good well bred stallions to work with. Second or third generation back normally works out okay where one of the great or great great grandfathers are the same, but for us that is as close as we want it to be.

Good Luck


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## Nathan Luszcz (Apr 21, 2009)

Its the exact same cross of "closeness". Even the mitochondrial DNA will be the exact same (passed by the dam).



I wouldn't do it myself... technically its inbreeding.


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## PMMinis (Apr 22, 2009)

I have seen in some of my horses pedigrees where two horses where bred that had the same father. SO that would be a half sister and half brother. I think I would be nervous though breeding a sire or dam with their own offspring.


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## Marnie (Apr 22, 2009)

Thiis is what I have seen and what I think now. I've seen people do it, always son to mother, in big horses, the out comes I have seen produced some amazingly beautiful results, I never saw problems. But I think with the minis, theirs enough problems already, to do this type of breeding may just be asking for trouble.


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## Cathy_H (Apr 22, 2009)

We bred our palomino Buck Echo son to his mother and got some nice foals. Both parents had great conformation though.


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## rabbitsfizz (Apr 22, 2009)

I did this some years ago, with the same pair each time.

I did it five times in total and got five truly top class animals.

As has been said, you do have to know your bloodlines and be sure of what you want.

You also have to be ultra critical of the stock produced.


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## kaykay (Apr 22, 2009)

Maybe some of the ones posting could post pictures of the offspring? Would be interesting to see.

I have never done it and probably never will

Kay


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## ~Lisa~ (Apr 22, 2009)

I know there is some taboo to linebreeding but it is the quickest way to set type. As long as you know what type you are wanting to set and can look at your horses with a honest eye ... It is done more often then people think


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