When we evaluate a pedigree for inclusion in our breeding program we have our own system of determining what is foundation and what is not. We do not include horses just because they lack Thoroughbred blood or have a small pre-determined percentage of it. Over the many years we've been breeding foundation QH's, we have discovered that having no TB blood does not mean the horse in question is going to have the bone, muscle, conformation, working ability, intelligence and level-headedness of the old foundation Quarter Horse. Quite the contrary, we have seen that only allowing horses with little or no TB blood does not insure you will get the foundation type QH. There are many horses out there registered as foundation Quarter Horses that do not have the bone, muscle, conformation, etc. that they should, nor do they produce it.
Bottom line is that if you are selective in which TB lines you allow and couple them with the "old" foundation bloodlines as they did many years ago you will get the bone, muscle, conformation, etc. that you are looking for. However, it is important to make sure that the "old" lines are up close. What we mean by this, is that they are no farther back than grandsire/granddam or if they are, then they appear numerous times in generations no farther back than the 5th generation - preferrably closer. Believe it or not, our way is much more strict than the foundation registries available today. As an example, our palomino Quarter Horse stallion, Teeps Price of Gold, is registered with the FQHA as 96.875% foundation but by our grading he is 76%. How can this be good you ask? Well, by him being registered with the FQHA at 96.875% we meet the market demands and by being graded 76% by us he meets our demands. We have found that by a horse receiving a grade from us of 60% or better it will ALWAYS produce the bone, muscle, conformation, etc. of the foundation Quarter Horse.
The allowing of TB blood to an extent is probably a new concept for some of you and that is understandable due to the fact that the influx of too much TB blood has taken away the "true" Quarter Horse type in many instances. But, please consider these two points and you will have a better understanding of where we are coming from: Three Bars, one of the most influential QH sires was a TB and we have yet to become aware of one of his QH offspring that didn't look and perform like a "real" QH, the second point is that the first foundation sire of the QH was Janus, a TB.
Being selective, that's the key, and that's what we are, here, at Sunset Valley Farm.
Some of the old foundation bloodlines we have are Midnight, Peter McCue, Joe Hancock, Wimpy, Macanudo, Joe Reed, Midnight Jr., King, Little Richard, Solis, Billy The Tough, Roan Hancock, Blackburn, Bert, Yellow Jacket and Peppy to name a few. Along with the old foundation bloodlines, our horses also have many of the great speed and performance sires in their pedigrees. Some of these sires are Rebel Cause, Bob's Folly, Leo, King, Revenue, Top Deck, Moon Deck, Joe Reed II, Barred, Hard Twist, Depth Charge, Jet Lark, Moon Lark, Easy Jet, Top Moon, Cowboy, Three Bars, Pacific Bailey, Bar Money, Waggoner, Showdown, Babe Mac C, Tonto Bars Gill and many more. We strive to keep the bloodlines that matter, both old foundation, speed and performance, up close, to ensure our production of superb performance animals.
Some of the girls frolicking with their
babies
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