What makes a good Line?

[Swar]

This whole thing puzzles me So what makes a good line? Ive seen horses advertised as "great lines" and "exclusive lines". They seem to be, with my uneducated eye, to be just a hodge podge of various random horses, some of which have no earnings, less than spectacular stats, crossbred, inbred. So what exactly is a good line anyway?

[Toxin]

It really depends on your definitions.

Exclusive lines can often be ones which have been progressed from foundies to BC+ horses by one/two people who don't release horses to the general public- they don't offer breedings and don't sell horses. Good lines depend on your definition- do you want the best statted, to have tons of winnings, to be completely pure? It really depends on how you view them.

In my opinion....

[BindiCo]

I agree with Toxic.

Although I think the ideal would be a horse not only with a nice amount of winnings, but with great stats, and PURE.

But we all know that rolled horses don't do well at eventing... so then, do we event until a certain amount of money and then roll?? Will it leave enough time to roll the horse to the best stats possible?

I don't think so. Personally.

I think there are the "Fluke" horses, Like Draggys ANNIE who are a great exception to the rule. But they are very far and few.

So to me that means making a choice.

Do I breed for the stats? Or do I breed for the winnings?

To me it makes sense to first breed for the stats...and then down the line when the offspring have high natural stats...THEN breed from there on for the winnings.

But that's just my opinion. And what makes sense to me.

[Jellybeanjoe]

What makes good lines is totally dependant on the individual :3

What people tend to count as being good lines could be as simple as stat maxxed horses all the way back. Others value purebred horses without inbreeding. Others value horses with big winnings.

Every event discipline will have horses that are counted as being part of the most wanted bloodlines (eg. Foxhunting. I've sold breedings/foals for up around 250mill+ mark), whereas Racing will have a totally different set of horses that people will want foals from horses related to them.
Confie is a slightly weird example here though. While it is generally concluded that massive confie winners (those with really low scores, such as Annie), the parents who the winning foal came from can (and have, in Draggy's case I believe) thrown just as good or better foals. A winning line of confies though would be near impossible, for rarely do really lower confy scored horses throw nice low scored foals suitable for eventing :3

Certain breeds are popular for being pure (eg. Quarter horses). To some people, they might be willing to pay millions for certain pures.

So yeah, what makes good lines is totally up to the person who looks at them.

Me for example: I look at stats, winnings and age when I look at FH horses to add to my lines. Older horses with higher stats but lower winnings tend to be passed over, unless I like their parents, while younger horses who haven't quite won much, but seem to be going well I'll look into buying/breeding with them . . .
I couldn't give two hoots about pure horses. They don't mean diddley-squat to me xD

[Shekeira]

I agree with the above.

"Lines" are relative to the folks who walk in the same circles. As Jelly can attest, Foxhunting lines are all about having CCA Citation, Karma Disaster, GPS Carrie Lee, [RP] Hidden Lie ... in them. People want connections to "greatness" if you will ... as great as little bits of data can be.

[Swar]

Ahh well it all seems so darn subjective Ok so if you had a line of pure AQH let's say going back to grandparents, all stat maxed, BC, and with earnings 20m+ would that be considered a good line for AQH? Thanks for all the input too, it's been very helpful, I think lol

[Shekeira]

Ahh well it all seems so darn subjective Ok so if you had a line of pure AQH let's say going back to grandparents, all stat maxed, BC, and with earnings 20m+ would that be considered a good line for AQH? Thanks for all the input too, it's been very helpful, I think lol

I should say so, but I don't walk in the AQH circles. Lines come into play at lot more when you're selling foals or auctioning off breedings.

[BindiCo]

Yes... I believe you have it right.

The IDEAL for the best lines possible on Pure AQHAs would not only be NAMES of other great pure AQHA ( whether money winners or not), but whether your horses are doing what you...and others interested in.

Because of the nature of this game, it is a great challenge!! To have IDEAL horses would mean not only that the horses are Pure, but that they have great names of other Pure AQHAs, great stats, and awesome winnings!

SOOOOO ... it's a matter of whether you want to take the time and the money. Cuz we all know the Pures are Very Expensive! Especially when breeding to others that DO have great stats, or winnings!

Me I admit that I try it all.... but it's not always possible for me. MY main goal with my pures right now is mostly getting stats up to the best possible. My goal is to eventually produce PURE AQHA that will role quad Ph, or higher. ...SO that means most of my horses don't get a chance to event.

However.. sometimes I do event, or have horses evented in my train offs so that I have nice horses that people who are mostly interested in winners, can see. I add them to my breeding program later as a way to try and even it up a little. LOL I"m really into the breeding...., and I'm still TRYING to better my abilities as a trainer/roller. But until then.... I pay others, or use my train offs as ways to get the money winners.

ANYWHO... sorry this rattled on....but that is my thinking on the Pure AQHA on VHR, and what I personally think of an IDEAL virtual AQHA.

Hope it helps some. BUT YES.... it really is whatever you set in your mind. EVERYONE will have differing opinions and ideas ANd that's ok. But I try to work on horses that I feel will be worth peoples money... and do well for them at the same time!

Be well!

[DragonWings]

Annie's ears were burning

IMO good lines are lines that have both winning horses, and horses that are known for producing nice statted foals. Most fo my Drum lines end up half as eventers, and the other half, who may still be nice horses, but dont have the stats I need for eventing, get sent off for maxing and rolling, in hopes that I'll be able to breed them and get eventable foals from.

That's what I look for at least

In reguards to Annie I've been very fortunate to get foals from her that event well in Showmanship classes, even though its not Confy, they're still eventing, and making train off prize monies

[Swar]

Thanks everyone, I think I have a general idea now. So good stats, good earnings, good relatives or some such combination. And for selling purposes, other factors such as purity, breed desirability and maybe rarity of availability of the line? Something like that? I am working on a pure AQH eventing line but it's slow going with all the eventing involved