We are moving our horse operations to Oregon where
we will have more room for our horses.
Sadly, our Triple S Ranch in Montague, CA is for
sale! Click below on the "Horse
Ranch For Sale" button for more information!
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The four cornerstone "goals" of our breeding philosophy emphasize gait, conformation, temperament and beauty. We will give you a little more detail below. Gait. We look for breeding stock that has a strong genetic component for the four-beat gait, without paciness. How do we do this? We have had good luck following a theory that says that gait is the product of three separate, genetically controlled components. The horse can inherit the ability to trot, to pace, as well as to increase the speed of the four beat walk up into the intermediate speed range, which we think of as the "gait" of the gaited horse. The theory also says that the genes for the pace and the trot can cancel each other out somewhat. But it is the strength of the separate "modifier gene" which produces the four beat gait that enables the horse to do this gait at a speed significantly faster than the trail walk. The horse may inherit a strong "modifier gene" for the gait, but if the horse also inherits a strong pace gene and a weak trot gene, for example, the gait may always veer toward the stepping pace. The horse with the trot and pace genes in balanced strength will have a naturally "square", even gait; but it is the speed with which the gait can be performed that indicates how strong the modifier gene is in the individual. The implications of this theory are that if you wish to breed for strength of gait, it is not enough to look for breeding stock with the smooth, evenly-timed gait, you must also look for the ability to perform the gait at a fairly good speed without breaking into a lope or a pace. A horse with a weak gait modifier gene may perform a very nice little square gait if the trot and pace genes are in balance ( the product of a pacey gaited horse and a Quarter Horse, for example). But such a horse will not be able to do the gait very fast, and cannot pass on a strong "gait" gene or genes. It is very, very hard to always breed to keep the trot and pace genes in balance, but if you breed for the strong modifier gene(s), you will always be able to get the horse to gait with proper riding. This is our goal in a nutshell. To begin with horses with the strongest gait modifier genes we can find, as exemplified by the ability, when in condition, to perform the gait at a good show speed without breaking into a lope or pace. Then, we try to keep pace and trot in balance as best we can. We will not breed a pacey horse to a pacey horse. In fact, we are not keen on the pacey horses at all. If anything, our stock tends toward the trotty end of the spectrum. This type of horse is more easily kept in a "square" gait and we have found that these make the best pleasure as well as show animals. Conformation. This one gets a little controversial. Conformation does not affect the ability to gait, but it does very much affect how the gait is performed. The same conformational traits universally recognized as good conformation in any breed apply to Mountain Horses and any gaited horse: Well-angled and "laid back" shoulders, and well-angled stifle and hip joints. Also, straight legs when viewed from the front and rear, without being calf-kneed, sickle hocked, cow hocked or turned out or in at any of the joints or planes of the leg. This will produce maximum efficiency and power of stride, with good, fluid extension of the leg forward and back, beginning from the hip and from the shoulder. This conformation also produces maximum strength, smoothness, stamina and soundness. These conformational principles are reflected in the RMHA Bylaws, which call for the well-angled shoulder (which accompanies the well-angled rear leg), and the stamina and soundness which proper conformation produces. The total effect of good conformation is seen in the quality of the horse's movement. Watch the horse at a fast trail walk, or in a reasonably fast gait, and observe the movement of the rear legs. Watch for a fluid motion of the rear leg starting at the hip and sweeping forward and back rather like a pendulum. A shorter, choppier stride with noticeable hock action or motion, or the legs "falling out" behind, often indicates less than ideal conformation. A horse with somewhat straight shoulders and rear legs ("post-legged"), or with a shorter humerus angled too far underneath the chest, will be restricted in its extension forward and rearward of both front and rear legs. This is less smooth for the rider, and causes the horse to expend more effort in his movement, taking more steps to get where he wants to go, and having to use more muscle power to propel his legs. This lessens the horse's stamina and also can contribute to ultimate unsoundness, with greater wear and tear on vulnerable joints such as the hocks. For our breeding stock, we search for horses with the laid-back shoulder, long upright humerus, and well angled stifles. This is tough! A majority of Mountain horses, as with ANY breed, fall a little short of the ideal in this respect. A word of warning! There is significant controversy among members of the Mountain Horse Associations as to what best exemplifies the proper way of going for our horses. While the horse with the type of sound conformation described above is described and authorized by the RMHA Bylaws, and is the type of horse being currently rewarded in the show ring for having the "good movement" that judges everywhere recognize, the actual description in the RMHA Bylaws of how the gait is performed is a description of a more average type of horse which is not being ridden or conditioned for show. This horse demonstrates a shorter stride with less reach or lift in the front leg. Many people are concerned that often the horses winning in the show ring today deviate too far from the ideal pleasure horse, and this will be detrimental to the pleasure quality of the breeds in the long run. To a great degree, we believe this controversy reflects the effects of the greater degree of training and conditioning that show horses now receive, as opposed to the time when the breed registries and their standards were first started, before the advent of sanctioned show circuits and full time trainers for these horses. However, in our breeding program it is also our goal to produce a horse capable of a good front and rear extension when in show condition, as we believe that this is directly the result of sound conformation. We believe these qualities of athleticism contribute to soundness, smoothness and stamina, which are traits the Mountain Horse, and any good horse, should have. We have also found that when viewed on slow-motion video, most Mountain Horses simply do not have as low a ground clearance in their stride as some believe. Really low ground clearance is not always the most practical for trail riding. Finally, do be aware that you can ride your Mountain Horse in any manner you wish; just because he may be capable of a more extended, showier gait does not mean you have to ask for this level of performance when you are pleasure riding. The well-made horse can happily shorten his stride and lower his step, but the poorly conformed horse cannot do the reverse. And we do not get these horses every time. A well-known trainer in another breed once said that if he consistently bred two world grand champions to each other, he would be lucky if he got a foal of the same caliber as the parents one or two out of ten times. This is nature's way. If you wish to get the best even some of the time, you have to start with the best. We feel we are at the beginning of a long process, which we hope will some day result in all of our breeding stock being of this caliber in all categories! We are still very much in the building stage. Temperament. This one should be easy. Select your breeding stock for good temperament. As Bert says, "The older I get, the more the most important aspect of conformation becomes what is between the ears". But as with all characteristics, different horses have different traits they tend to "throw". We have one mare with a very nice temperament who lets the stallion dictate the personality of the foal every time. After you have several offspring from a horse, you can discover what that horse tends to be "prepotent" for, and you can plan future breeding accordingly. Some horses are so prepotent for a certain characteristic, you can almost count on seeing that trait even into the grandchildren. Both of our stallions have outstanding temperaments. On the ground you would never notice that Choco Dock is a stallion by his behavior. He is quiet, mellow, totally accommodating. Under saddle, he can be either quiet and low-key, or go-ey and showy, depending on the situation and what is asked. Choco Dock tends to be prepotent for certain temperament characteristics in his offspring. They tend to exhibit a lot of personality, coupled with a lot of intelligence. They are self-assured and sensible. They do not tend to be "rushy" or nervous, but have plenty of go under saddle when asked. Iron Man has not yet produced enough colts to determine what he will tend to throw in any department. Iron Man himself has an outstanding temperament and intelligence that are very characteristic of what his sire, Rebel Rock, stamped on all his colts. We are hoping he will also be prepotent in this regard. It is a sort of nonchalant, what-me-worry, confident, anything-you-want-to-do kind of personality. He is laid-back and not nervous or aggressive. Under saddle, Iron Man will give you precisely what you ask him to, and will adjust his performance to the rider. We like that! Beauty. We are suckers for a good-lookin' horse. . . But how do you get it? Again, starting with two attractive horses is important. More than that, look for horses that have well proportioned body types that are not exaggerated in any respect, with attractive heads. It is difficult to offset a significant variance in proportion by breeding to an opposite type-most traits do not "blend" and you often get one or the other, and not in the combination you would want! You will notice we put this category last. Pretty is as pretty does. [California Ranch Operations] [Kentucky Ranch Operations] [Our California Mares] [Our Kentucky Mares] [Sale Horses] [Our Stallions] [Van Bert Farms] [New Foals] [New Acquisitions] [Home]
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