HGG Community Forums

Hello! Not a mistake at all, it's the way to go, although you can find some beauties in the public auction too.

My recommendation is to start with mares. When you're ready to breed them you can usually find a stallion at public stud for not too expensive.

There are a few free/cheap tests you should put your horses through: gelding advice if you do make stallions, mare advice, and showing aptitude. These will help you decide whether your horse will be a good breeder. You can also do consistency testing (100 hb), but I personally don't bother. Others may tell you differently on that.

It's best to breed generations evenly: foundation to foundation, 2nd gen to 2nd gen, etc. You'll have way more luck keeping your foals intact.

For showing, it takes a little while to build up a successful show herd, so be patient. Be sure to train your horses every week, and enter them in as many shows as you can, because the more points they accumulate showing, the more bonus money they will make you every week. Show everyone, even your breeding stock.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions!

Abbey Road gave you good advice.

Another way to get good mares to start with is to visit the Foundation Rescue, Owner 13, using the Search Horses page. All of the horses there are perfect foundations. That means that they are as good at both breeding and showing as normal creates can be, and they are perfectly consistent. Their show scores will go up 3 points each time you train them, and their score will be the same both times you show them that week.