I have always been stumped as to why mares’ qualities, good or bad, seem to be considered relatively unimportant in breeding.
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“A sire can only produce as well as his dam” is what I heard many times.
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For far too long, we had an uneducated breeder population in North America that did not understand the importance of the damline. Many, many breeders started with a mare they loved but who for one reason or another may not have been the best candidate for breeding. Other breeders had the philosophy that they could breed any old mare - oh, she is unsound or unridable, so let’s breed her (but don’t worry, the stallion will fix everything). Couple that with the fact that buyers hardly ever asked about a prospect’s dam - and really, sometimes didn’t even care who the sire was. As long as the horse checked the necessary boxes - it was a 16.3h dark bay gelding, it passed a riding test, it passed a PPE, and it was in the right price range - so the deal was made. (This was especially true in the hunter world for a very long time where the general philosophy - as pushed by trainers - was that hunters were made, not born.)
Also, many breeders in NA started with TB mares because they were readily available and usually very, very inexpensive. Some of those crosses worked out pretty well - esp. for hunters and eventers - but the vast majority of them were so-so. It took the Euro registries expanding into NA to really get the breeders here turned around and start understanding the importance of quality mares and strong damlines.
As for figuring out which mares are worthy of breeding without putting them in a performance career - many good breeders send their young mares through performance tests. Some of the breeders I know in Europe will breed a mare early in her 3 y/o year and start her lightly under saddle some months later, do their registry’s mare performance test, then put the mare back in the field. If she is a really nice quality mare with a deep damline, she did well in her MPT, and her first foal is a stunner, the course is set for her to become a career broodmare.
And I echo Arlomine’s comment about ET. I meant to post something about that earlier, so I am glad Arlo brought it up. The advent of ET has been a game changer, as quality mares can both compete and still contribute to the gene pool.
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They absolutely are not, by reputable breeders.
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He’s lovely.
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I am adamant on my mare lines. All my mares were purchased after I saw offspring of theirs. I think the mare line is incredibly important, and while some disagree with my breeding choice on here my mares are the upmost importance in my breeding decisions.
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Thank you…he by Secret, out of Kiriska (Jazz). He is also the most sweetest boy ever.
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EEWWWWW! She sounds like a dreamboat. (Sarcasm) Perhaps the next prospect for NP. (Linking threads…)
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An alter. That is so funny. Look at my years here. Ask the mods. If that is in your head, are you an alter?
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Well please let’s all chat on facebook. I’m completely fine with that.
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Facebook again. I really would like to know the name’s behind th.e comments
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Yes. Really bad idea. Bully mentality. Facebook again.
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Facebook.
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Facebook is a big place… shall we all meet you some place specific?
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What is all this? Is something missing?
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What? I’m lost here.
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I believe it began with this, people hanging around COTH but claiming it’s worthless and no one of any value is still here.
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QFP. 
OMG, seriously??? It is way too early for drinking, but bring on the popcorn!
Well bless your little heart @anon6796898!!!
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That’s not a horse. That’s a carnival side show! 
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Starbucks? They seem to be everywhere.
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