Cross breeding Gypsy and Friesians to other breeds

[starrunner]

Too bad my interactions with the local Gypsy folks at a horse expo really turned me off. Horses were out of control (more than one year!!).

I think the issue with crossbreeding is that there is often not enough thought about what is being crossbred. Like should be bred to like, or at least similar. How can you avoid a mishmash of parts if you breed an apple rumped (or similar) Gypsy to a level crouped Arabian? Simplifying of course, but still…

[stoicfish]

[QUOTE=happy hollow;7745591]
I see a lot of sarcasm in regards to Gypsy and Friesian crosses. Not a big Friesian fan - I have seen some I really like and some that I don’t much care for but other people have adored. As far as the Gypsy crosses go - I love the Gypsies - Love their disposition, heavy bone, stockiness, hair, and love the fact that they are easy keepers, if by crossing a quality Gypsy with quality mares regardless of breed and get the traits you want, then why bash people for a “cross”? I know probably many people don’t realize it but most breeds did start out with crossbreeding to get the type desired. Quarter Horses don’t even trace back 100 years - their bloodlines include Arabian, Andalusian, TB, Morgan… Morgans were developed in the US as a result of crossbreeding. TBs trace back to Arabians, Paint horses are a fairly new breed with strong QH and TB heritage. Warmbloods are the breeding of a cold blood (drafts) and a hot blood (Arab, TB). Anyway I could go on and on. You all have to admit the Gypsy people did a pretty darn good job at culling bad dispositions! Gypsy Horses are known for their excellent temperments. As a breeder my goal is disposition above all, its the hardest to breed for and what the majority of breeders don’t have as their priority. Next I want a horse with good bone and good feet, without those you have no horse. Next I want a horse with versatility - I may need to work cows one day, go on a quiet trail ride, pack salt to the cows, try my hand at Western Dressage or give a lesson. I Love my Gypsy crosses and have sold prospects for dressage, hunting, trail, extreme cowboy race, mounted shooting, Extreme trail, Bridle horses etc. I think everyone I have sold a horse to is thrilled with the disposition of what we are raising. We work hard to give our babies a great foundation, they are handled from birth, pasture raised, and started using natural horsemanship methods. I have never had one person say my crosses are ugly. I have had some top names in the horse industry comment on the looks and what good movers they are. When people come to buy I hear over and over what are hard decision it is because they are all so nice. I’m not trying to brag, don’t take it the wrong way, but I am defending the crosses - Gypsy crosses, Friesian crosses, Andalusian crosses. Many people can’t afford a purebred or want to bring a bit more to the table. I just saw a stunning bay Friesian X QH stallion that puts both purebred Friesians and purebred QHs to shame! And he’s very athletic! Anyway that is my 2 cents - I’m done.[/QUOTE]

The answer is that many people breed for the wrong reasons and the animals suffer. That is the short version but anyone that is around horses knows the longer version.

This is a sport horse forum so you have the wrong audience to start with. I live in an area with tons of horses, lots of them sweet little grades or QH crosses that would love to be someone’s horse. There is no shortage of nice minded horses if you just want to go for a ride. Or for low level anything. Do we need to import a 15k furry legged cart horse to have a nice minded horse in NA?
Nope.
But if people want to pay that much because it is a fad and a hairy one ----- wonderful.
Give the horse a good home. But I am not going to cheer anyone on for a marketing scheme similar to the alpaca or ostrich, import an “exotic animal” and people pay tons for them until they become common, then the real value is revealed. Gypsy’s are like any other small pleasant horse with no particular job and a limited market. I could go buy a horse like that tomorrow for less than 1k, never mind 15k. Grade horses are fine, there are tons of them already…no need to be a great defender of them, pastures are full of them.
Many just don’t have so much hair…cause we have mud here and balls of ice get stuck in all that hair. Like my poor donkeys… Now there is a great marketing idea. The Gypsy mule, he brays in Gaelic.

[TullyMars]

Thank you Stoicfish. I think these ads were the ones I was seeing. Just IMHO no real plan to improving a breed specifically. Good luck to the breeder. I hope that there is adequate thought to where the breeding plan is concerned. In my area there is no shortage of grade well cared for horses and unfortunately many cannot find homes. Thank you Happy Hollow for your 2 cents.