I am not even sure I can agree with a time requirement for ceasing to breed AAs to aas, stallions or mares, unless there books are opened, and maybe not then. Small breeders have invested in stallions and mares. Of their babies, most of the colts are gelded anyway, and a lot of the fillies are sold to non breeders. Let the breeders follow the AA to aa, to the extent possible. They will never produce a vision impaired horse. With open books, more desirable (gait and conformation-wise) horses will be introduced. The problem can breed itself out. But Aa to Aa will continue this problem for longer periods. It would be much easier to justify the AA to aa to someone interested in these horses, than any Aa to Aa.

The uniqueness of the Mountain horses could be diminished in this rush to decertify the stallions and mares that are now, as this breed has become more popular, producing those offspring that are winning converts to this breed.

-- Becky Gage (bgage@neosoft.com), January 03, 1998