HGG Community Forums

I suppose some folks may have a longer list, but there are two points most people agree on.

One is to make sure the foal is worth keeping by running it through all the free testing at the very least. So gelding advice, mare advice, and showing aptitude test. If a horse doesn't get through those, they are not worth keeping as a breeding animal, no matter how pretty they are. If you have an upgrade, then it's a very good idea to paper any and all stallions. You don't want to keep a stallion that's worse than his sire - breeding down is a bad idea. :)

The second is to match the generations. In other words, if you have a foundation mare - a horse with no ancestors - then most people would prefer to see her bred to a foundation stallion. If your horse has one set of horses on her pedigree, breed them to a horse who also has one set on their pedigree...ect.

This last point is actually a pretty good strategy not just because people like the even looks of the pedigree, but also because you're more likely to be a breeding quality animal out of the cross.