Dauntless Project
Meet the unnamed easy keeper project line (I'll offer a name in the future when it hits me). So I have the new name of this project and I've decided to name it after the stallion that proves my theory that although these genes are recessive, there is certainly a gradient at work.
Hence, welcome to the Dauntless Project (see the stallion
here).
Because of Coral Hope and Big White (the stallions I purchased before), I was successfully able to produce a few offspring that correctly carried the easy keeper genes I'm looking for.
I have made a short requirement list to define good easy keeper lines and not-so-good easy keeper lines. They're in two classes from 1 to 5 each (where 5 is the best outcome for easy keeper). Any classing below BE 3 or EK 2 are considered not to carry the strongest genes I'm looking for and are rehomed.
The genes I'm looking for do seem to be to be recessive (as I thought), but they also seem to have different gradients.
As a generally mock-up of the classes: BE (Big Eater) 1 is able to feed themselves entirely on 100% pasture quality. For most horses, this is unremarkable, but if you consider their size (16h and up), it does make an impact.
BE 5 horses can sustain themselves at some level below 45% pasture quality.
EK (Easy Keeper) 1 is able to eat enough of their requirements to fulfill between 100 and 200%.
EK 5 is anywhere above 500% of their daily requirements.
Both of these classes are related to each other, so a horse that classes a BE 5 shouldn't be able to class an EK 1, but there is a little room between the two classes, enough to have a BE 5 and an EK 3. And even enough to cull out those that are just on the borderline, which is why I designed the classes the way I did.
I've posted the pre-foundation studs (those were the two I purchased), so now I can introduce the foundation studs of the project line (no mares survived the cutoff; there were only 3 that had been born anyway). Just to be clear, Big White is the breed-back-to stud to set these recessive genes; all of these foundation studs are grandsons of Coral Hope:
Big Caliber
He was the third horse born to Big White and the first to pass the class cutoff line I have. He's scored a BE 5/EK 5 and although he is one of three that has this highest score, it doesn't mean he'll pass on this high gradient. It just means he has them.
Hopeful White
He was the fifth horse born to Big White and the second to pass the class cutoff line. He's scored a BE 5/EK 3 and does sport some nice patterns across his chestnut-based coat.
Big Blue
He's the sixth horse born and the third to pass. He's the shortest of the acceptable studs at 20.2h and also scored out the lowest at BE 4/EK 2. He just makes the cutoff but sports a very nice extended blanket on agouti base.
Destined For Big Things
He's the eighth horse born and the fourth to pass. He is the full brother of Big Blue and scored out much better than his older brother with a BE 5/EK 5. Again, even with the highest gradient, it doesn't mean he'll pass it on. However, he does sport the highest BE and EK actual score of any of his brothers, offering enlightenment that it's not necessarily the size of the horse that enables the ability to eat more.
Blue White
He's the ninth horse born and the fifth and final to pass (I had a total of about 12 foals from Big White before his death). He is the full brother to both Hopeful White and Big Caliber and sports a score of BE 5/EK 5. He is the shortest of his two full brothers but also has a higher gradient then either of them as well. He follows his father's footsteps and all of his acceptable brothers by offering leopard complex (Lp gene is not on my list for necessary in this project and in fact I think it will be one thing I'll probably breed out, but for now I don't care either way).
I have begun to cross these foundation sires back into the lines that already carry easy keeper genes and for those that pass the class scoring, will be categorized into low GP project and
Not low GP project based on their HGP and Breeder's Report.
Those that are categorized as
Not will be bred preferring smaller sizes and hopefully in the future I'll be able to offer dwarfed easy keeper lines and giant easy keeper lines for public access.
The easy keeper mares and studs will be categorized as: Low GP ---> Lined ---> (or) Cutoff
Check out the first generation foals
here.