Humans have been breeding horses for thousands of years. Over the centuries, we have refined the breeding process. That means that we have been able to continue the lineage of specific breeds for some time. This is easy to notice in the traits that breeds have. An example of this is a Thoroughbred. The Thoroughbred is actually a specific breed of horse. It’s a breed that’s both strong and fast.
Today, horse breeding is an industry of its own. Therefore, it’s important that trainers have a solid understanding of it. Of course, nothing about genetics is easy. But let’s make a complex subject that much easier to understand.
It Starts With Blood
A common aspect of horse breed genetics is the total amount of genetics in the blood. This is the preferred way of measuring overall blood percentage. This also relates to how closely related the animal is to a specific ancestor.
Any horse part of a pedigree receives a percentage. To understand this, think of the ancestor we are talking about. This is the animal that won all the races and trophies. This specific ancestor is what is most important to genetics. And it’s also why people spend large amounts of money for breeding opportunities. Additionally, this is why breeders know the blood percentage.
If the original animal is the parent, the offspring will have 50% of those genetics. This means that offspring with closer genetic relations are more valuable. To compare this, think of a seventh generation descendent. This animal will have less than 1% of the genetics. Which is why a seventh generation descendent will be less valuable.
Estimations
It’s worth keeping in mind that there are no accuracies here. This means that breeders don’t rely on absolute numbers. Estimates are better when it comes to horse genetics. This is because of the mutations and other changes that occur in DNA. A common change is a genetic recombination. And because this happens, genes are not passed along in their perfect state.
There is important genetic material in the blood, but it’s not a replica of the ancestor. This means that there’s a gamble when it comes to genetics. A great example of this is games found at an online casino, such as a Canada casino online game like slots or blackjack. Here, everything is all about specific percentages and potential outcomes.
The Main Types Of Crosses
The following include some of the main types of horse breeding crosses:
- Outcross: Here, two unrelated individuals of the same species are crossed together.
- Line crossing: Two specific families of note are crossed together. This can lead to a strong offspring with positive traits from both lineages.
- Crossbreeding: Two different breeds cross with one another. This popular type of breeding is practised widely.
Ultimately, breeders want a healthy horse with strong genetics. This is why using these specific languages is important. We can see this when adding new genes to a family. It almost always leads to a faster and stranger horse down the line.
