After a few years out of the game, I'm looking to get back in. The horse I had before was just a grade solid paint that I used for work (sale barn/feedlot) and pleasure while I was going to college. He was a stout horse and decent enough for what I used him for.

I'm trying to research bloodlines more now, and here is what type of prospect I'm looking for.

I want to find the German Shepard of horses. What I mean is maybe not the best at any one thing, but 2nd or 3rd best at everything. He'll need cow sense, endurance, good conformation (for all day riding/ work) and decent size. He'll be used for sorting, cutting, driving, roping, trail riding, and general ranch work.

I understand that much of what he will be able to do is what I'll be able train him but I'm wanting to know what bloodlines seem to produce this type of horse over and over again through the years. Is is more of a deal where you just pick a young horse and go to work with training or am I on the right track in looking into the breeding side.

If it helps, I'm in SE Kansas around the fort scott area.

Thanks in advance.

Well there is plenty of good bloodlines out there that I think will satisfy your needs. I have a couple of suggestions that may spark some interest and help you out. I use my horses for various things around the farm, ranch work, cutting, roping, sorting, etc. and of course trail riding.

I have a big gelding that is a Doc Bar X Doc's Hickory cross. He is my best mount, he's a big stout horse about 15.2 hands and probably between 1100-1200lbs. He has a lot of cow sense, and is used mostly for roping and dragging calves. He's got a lot of speed, but can work all day. He really gets excited around cattle and it doesn't take much to get him to understand what I want him to do.

I also have a stud colt that is a Doc O'Lena X Freckles Playboy cross. He is also a pretty good horse, but he lacks size. He's a cutting machine, but as far as ranch work, I think he's just a little too small to handle roping and dragging and other types of ranch work.

My third gelding is another big stout gelding that would be great for ranch work. Though we only use him for pleasure and trail riding, he'd make a great ranch horse with the proper training. He's out of Sonny Dee Bar X Blondy's Dude. He stand about 16 hands and weights about 1350-1400 lbs.

The AQHA website offers lots of great tools for researching breeds. There classified ads have lots of horses for sale and you can filter them by discipline. I'm not sure if you are looking for a horse to work with during the week and go to town and compete on the weekends, but there are many bloodlines that are great. I recently got the opportunity to sit through one of Curt Pate's demonstrations at the Kentucky Cattleman's Convention and had the chance to meet him afterwards. One of the things he said he looks for in a quarter horse is something that doesn't have a lot of cow bred in them so that the animal is more versatile and equipped to handle a wider range of chores. That may be something to think about. Gardiner Quarter Horses provides some great stallions that would probably be suitable for ranch work needs.

Hope this helps you out some!

From what you described, it is pretty much what I have always used horses for. I have always preferred the Hancock lines with crosses to Leo and Three Bars. A cross to one of the more modern day cutting lines helps somewhat but I do not want to see a pedigree with all of the modern day cutting horses such as Doc Bars, Peppys, Freckles, etc. I feel that too much of those lines reduces the size and structure and the horses don't last all day. I also feel that the reduction in size limits the amount of hard work they can endure over a lifetime. Small bones and small feet makes for quicker injuries and unsoundnesses. When it all gets shucked down to the cob, a good horse can come from any bloodline as long as the horse has the ability and the desire to work. A well bred cow horse that doesn't work is like a hunting dog that won't hunt. All the pedigree in the world won't insure it to work.