TRAINING & BREEDING QUALITY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORSES
Breeding Philosophy
R2 stands out from the rest in terms of BEST eye for conformation, huge ability and experience in training for CALM, WELL-GAITED individuals, choose VFN (Very Friendly Neighs) to enhance personalities, do our diligence on low inbreeding coefficients and choose the best in part of crossing individuals per best pedigree, Finally we all LOVE pretty animals in our pastures. Using our best judge of the market in its current state we adequately offer any horse to the market that we own. They are supremely chosen per all the categories as the best of the best. Not to mention the best in HEALTH! (CLICK HERE for our health statement)
Our main goal is to promote the breed choosing the best individuals WORLDWIDE!
Starts with conformation ends with a standout horse!
R2 stands out from the rest... here's why
Bringing you quality horses scrupulously selected from Kentucky and surrounding area. Our horses have old foundation lineage that is true to the origins of the breed.
R2 is conveniently located in the upper mid-west, where as most Rockies are located in the heart of Kentucky. When the National need for Rockies is increasing there has to be quality breeders to meet that need! Why travel many miles for your next lifetime partner!
What are our breeding initiatives and goals?
I apply several concepts when it comes to producing foals or buying brood stock:
Bodies
R2 has a specially trained eye for conformation, functionality and biomechanics. Horses that are built for a purpose and built to do it well!
We don’t want our horses breaking down- we look for strong hooves, bones and balanced bodies to take the rider on a lifetime of adventures.
Sound Minds
Choose mares and stallions for calm, friendly personalities
Gentling techniques magnify great personalities! That's why we imprint and train naturally!
We begin gentling foals and turn that early handling into a horse with the brightest future!
Foals are imprinted and taught to lead, trim hooves and load in a trailer in the first months of life.
Gait and Performance
Part of gait is genetics and part training but great gait also results from proper conformation and biomechanics!
Gait is equally important as body and mind - it’s a trifecta, if we find a mare that may not have the best attribute in one category, we find a stallion to overcome that attribute in the same category. Click here for more information on TRAINING.
The best genes for gaiting were passed on from the best foundation stock- we choose the best gaiting lineage. Individuals who gait well will produce the best gaiting offspring. Our mares and stallions are proven to the highest level of performance. The stronger the performance the stronger the gait.
We use cross training- gaiting taken to the next level, all aspects of performance are taken into consideration like an athlete training on their off season. i.e. the better a horse canters, turns, stops, goes -the better the gait is able to develop and the best individuals are chosen to carry on their superior genes.
Did you know that the gait gene can be tested? A horse can carry one copy or two and guarantee passing on the best gait 100% of the time to the next generation. Click here for our thoughts on the best GAITS
Pedigree
At R2 we are very aware how small the Rocky Population is... We are also very careful about inbreeding. We desire old foundation stock but do not line breed to "re-create" that line. This can potentially be harmful to genetic lines and find less desirable traits being compiled. We prefer to find horses or breed horses that have foundation lines that compliment each other. Or we choose foundation lines farther back in lineage that dilutes the risk of inbreeding. It is a careful selection of which foundation sires are in a pedigree and how those resulting parents or grandparents also perform. You will notice that we test a line by riding many siblings of our stock or even knowing/ riding the parents of our stock. R2 does their background research on it all!
Cosmetics
Our stock has to be gorgeous! This encompasses pretty heads to 100% pretty packages. We do not want anything out of place when you look at our horses. We want flow to our horses bodies and want cute expressions.
Color is a fad and the last thing on our radar. The equine market drives this and we offer what is popular to our clients, but not letting the previous requirements out of the mix. Color is not our purpose. Long, flowing, white chocolate manes are not our purpose. They come along when they are ready in the best package possible!
Our horses are stamped with beauty inside and out regardless of color.
You will be proud to own one!
The market
During economic downfall both during the initial creation of the breed and during the last decade, I found it difficult to obtain the best individuals. Many factors are at play. I theorize that location, availability, promotion could be inhibiting many breeders or owners from seeing/ buying the best of the breed.
Today's horses are also genetically limited within the current population. It is unfortunate that the owners and breeders during the great depression culled many great foundation horses. The breed was almost lost.
I often look at photos of the foundation stallions and mares from Sam Tuttle to center myself to what I desire for my herd. Outcrossing to other breeds has affected the RMHA. Outcrossing has positively expanded the gene pool but adversely affected the foundation look and gait. I find that the gene pool I am looking for is too small by singlehandedly searching the web or top breeders with access to the internet.
Some breeders do not advertise and trips to the hills of Kentucky (they literally are without internet and have zero way to expose their fine stock to geographically distant places) are needed to seek out the best horses first hand. I am careful not to inbreed. I calculate inbreeding coefficients to prevent the herd's genes becoming too condensed. I also research genetic disorders such as MCOA/ ASD or PSSM1 (click to learn more) to ensure the foals I produce have the least chance of inheriting a genetic abnormality. Unfortunately data and research for these disorders is extremely limited HOWEVER with my educated opinion and my use of detailed/ specialized vet exams we eliminate the possibility within our herd.
Responsible breeding practices are the responsibility of all rocky owners. R2 encourages education to anyone willing to learn about this Rare and Fantastic breed!