HGG Community Forums

Lioness83 · Nov 17, 2019 9:01 PM

I've got a few questions for DP breeders. Since I'm trying to decide to either cull or reorganize my barns.
1. Do you focus on 1 color specifically like choc pal or does it matter?
2. Do you try to keep liver chestnut to liver chestnut or do you cross colors?
3. Is color of importance?

Thanks for the help. It's much appreciated.

Couldunot · Nov 17, 2019 9:11 PM

It depends on how many DPs you have I suppose. I only have about 20, but I don't cross my colors together unless I know what the color combo might lead too. I find it easier to breed for one specific color, or a DP based horse with a certain gene. I really like DP with S+ so I've really been trying to strive for that. And does color matter? For me, no. I'm currently trying to fuse my Ice, Nexus, and DP lines all together. So I'm just trying to get the gene more than the color :))

All in all, it just depends on what you have and what you'd like to have. And fusing lines (as long as they're even) always comes out with pleasant surprises :)

LEAcres · Nov 17, 2019 9:13 PM

1. I breed for Livers, Chocolate Palomino, hom DP Bay/Silver Bays

2. I keep colors to themselves unless there's a cross I want to accomplish

3. For my programs, color is important but quality comes first

kgstable · Nov 17, 2019 9:14 PM

It really just depends on what you want to breed for! I breed for DP in buckskins, blacks, and bays on my other account but on this account, I breed more variety of colors for DP, however, DP only effects red pigment so it's easier to see in bays, livers, and chocolate palominos.

Some livers if you cross them together might not always give you a liver! So if you strictly want livers I'd start with two Hom DP liver foundations and work from there. But to me, it's always fun experimenting and having the thrill of getting a surprise!

Color is only important if you want it to be! If you want to breed for a specific color then yes, it would be important for you. Just like I said earlier, my other account is strictly Blacks, Bays, and Buckskins that are at least hom Sooty so, therefore, any other color wouldn't be useful to me.

If you really want to dive into DP, there's a really good thread out there that's a good guide I'll go find it and link it below. But all in all, have fun breeding! You can always narrow down your lines later down the line!

Edit: Here's the link I was talking about, it's a super great read if you're interested in learning more about DP! https://www.huntandjump.com/forum/discussion/36387/the-dp-codex#Item_38

Lioness83 · Nov 18, 2019 6:41 AM

Thanks all. It's nice to get others thoughts.

paradoxphoenix · Nov 18, 2019 8:33 AM

In my Appy line, it’s DP on everything.
In my Pinto line, it’s DP on everything with special consideration for livers and chocolate palomino Pearl.
My Gulstra Plume line has a lot of DP but no focus on it.

Quality is most important but I’ll geld or spay anything that doesn’t have a colour I want.

bluchrystals · Nov 18, 2019 9:26 AM

I keep my DP bays separate, but only because that's my snowflake line. My chocolates and livers are bred together just because :D

Lioness83 · Nov 18, 2019 10:51 AM

Thanks Paradox and Blue. I've only got a few bays and buckskin but I've been keeping them separate. I've than that ive been mixing them for quality or a specific gene like I'm a sucker for sabino and flaxen on a black liver but frame on a liver red dun. I'm weird. Lol. Thanks for your input :)

PersianPenName · Nov 18, 2019 1:31 PM

I breed for hom DP livers, and am just starting a hom DP silver bay line (jealous of bambi! lol). I've also noticed that what I think is DP is making my silver blacks much browner, so I'm considering starting a line for that, just to see what comes of it, or seeing if it makes a difference in my chinchilla lines.

Taliesin · Nov 18, 2019 1:55 PM

I put DP on a lot of things, but I keep them separate because of other reasons. Like, I want my watercolors to have as much silver, S+ and DP as possible, but I don't want chestnuts in there, just bays and browns. So I don't really cross them with my livers. And I don't cross them with my mushrooms, even though they have a lot of the same genes, because I don't want to dilute out that recessive mushroom gene. I will probably use some of my liver foundation mares for mushrooms though. My livers and chocolate palis are all one line.

Lioness83 · Nov 18, 2019 7:00 PM

@Persian I have 1 silver black mare that is het DP & hm sooty and she does look super dark chocolate. Honestly I love it, she is so pretty.
@Taliesin I don't really have much specific gene wise other than previous mentioned but I'm always up for learning and looking at pretty babies. My struggle will be my liver red duns. I only have 7, all from my own stud and all are stallions over 4 seasons. What's the odds on that? Lol. Thanks guys :)