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I’m not sufficiently knowledgeable about genetics to comment on the inbreeding/soundness issue. But I think its a shame that the Coolmore obsession with Northern Dancer line stallions combined with the trends for massive books have meant that stallions with different backgrounds have not been given a fair crack of the whip.
The Byerley Turk line looks very vulnerable to extinction now. From memory it’s dependent on Notnowcato, Namid, Sleeping Indian, Indian Rocket and maybe a few other minor sires.
I’m not sufficiently knowledgeable about genetics to comment on the inbreeding/soundness issue. But I think its a shame that the Coolmore obsession with Northern Dancer line stallions combined with the trends for massive books have meant that stallions with different backgrounds have not been given a fair crack of the whip.
The Byerley Turk line looks very vulnerable to extinction now. From memory it’s dependent on Notnowcato, Namid, Sleeping Indian, Indian Rocket and maybe a few other minor sires.
Legal Jousting (in Canada), French Seventyfive (the last active stallion from the Ambiorix line, doing pretty well in Oklahoma), Eastern Memories (son of Don’t Forget Me, standing in Texas), and Final Row (also in Texas) are keeping it alive on this side of the Atlantic. Triple Twist died just this August, he was from the Bonne Nuit line. Conquering Elk may or may not still be alive, he was/is the last tail-male descendent of Lexington.
The Cutter Bill line of Quarter Horses is also descended from the Byerley Turk and it is still going strong.
All it takes is one successful sire to bring it back, though. Were it not for In Reality carrying on the Man O’War male line, the Godolphin Arabian line might as well be extinct too.
Two excellent posts, Miss Woodford.
Conquering Elk is quite a find, I’d no idea that there were any thoroughbred tail-male descendants of Lexington around, thought it’d died out decades ago.
Anyway, getting back to the original topic, I’m not at all sure that more inbreeding to Northern Dancer and other Phalaris line stallions is that important a factor in the supposed fragility of the modern throughbred. You could argue that the decline of the Tourbillon and Blandford male lines has actually
improved
limb soundness in the breed, Blandford had terrible forelegs and Tourbillon terrible hindlegs.
Perhaps more important factors are:
a. The change in the phenotype of the throughbred in the last 50 years or so from a lighter, greyhoundy type to the more blocky, heavily-muscled build we see so often today. Same size limbs, but carrying more weight, and at greater speed, must lead to a greater incidence of breakdowns and fractures. Maybe a greater emphasis on staying races might lead to the thoroughbred becoming less bulky (as well as providing more entertainment for spectators!).
b. The pernicious and routine use of drugs in North America probably puts more stress on a racehorse and the masking effect makes it more difficult for breeders to identify sound stallions and mares.
c. The increased use of magic carpet all-weather gallops doesn’t give horses, particularly youngsters, much chance of getting their legs hardened. How many trainers give their charges roadwork these days?
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