Basically the title is a yes or no answer, but I would like to create a discussion about using outside lines in a breeding program. Looking at real life, breeders would get a problem if they only stick to their own bloodlines, but here on HP life is different, we are able to get new blood by just purchasing a store horse. It seems that most people do have a pair coupled already from birth/purchase, thus are people more hesitant to use outside lines in general?

So what is your opinion about using outside lines, why do or don’t use outside lines?

If you don’t use outside lines, do you still put your stallion up for private stud?

Personally I haven’t started breeding yet but will be soon. I have as most players decided to start up my own lines. I breed Akhal-Tekes and my oldest store couple is now 17 years – so time is getting close. I believe that I would possibly have two side running lines, my private lines (only horses owned by me) and my public lines (where I have combined my lines with others).

(Sorry if this has been posted on the wrong board)

I use outside lines as long as they don't cross with ones I already have. The longer you have a breed and buy outside lines, and the smaller the breeding comunity, it gets harder to add in outside lines so having stores is nice. I have always offered back ups and more than likely my males and females are all open to public breedings unless they are one of my special babies.

Being the player who really brought up Shelties into the popularity they have now, almost everyone has my bloodlines. If they don't, they want to buy from me and integrate. If there was a totally seperate line, I would breed outside lines if I ever got really back into breeding compared to where I am now. 

I used to put animals out for public breedings, but no one took advantage and I got lazy so I dont do it anymore :P

I always try to incorporate others lines with mine if I can, it just makes it more fun when you have some kind of breeding community to buy lines from and sell into as well (:

I love sharing lines!  All of my lines are open to trading, breeding, leasing, etc!

Using outside lines used to be a problem on other games because of the danger of having them get deleted and break your lines (which happened to me and I can tell you, it's the worst). Since that won't happen on here (which is amazing), using outside lines is a great resource on this game, just like in real life. Having said that though, I think the only outside lines I have are all Duckie's, because the breeds I breed aren't super popular.

♥ remy, brooke, and potter

My lines are a mix of private and public depending on the breed and points. I do look for outside lines of breeds I have but mostly I breed rares so that makes things harder. Typcally, when I use outside lines in a breed I'll have a line that are all animals owned by me and a separate line that I add outside lines in with stores. Not that anything can happen now but before it was to prevent any broken lines and suddenly the whole lot being useless so to speak. Another reason few people do outside breeding regularly is because you see so many times your sold lines just sit and not be trained. It's "better" to just breed your little group and keep all your hard work to yourself.

Nooo - purely because there is such a limited number of highland breeders :( 

Thank you everyone for your kind responses, it does indeed give me something to reflect on :) There is indeed a challenge for those of us who breed a more rare breed when it comes to adding new bloodlines to our own.

I have 2 main lines.

One is of horses all trained by me(in which i use store mates)

The other line consists of other lines

I keep 2 seperate lines just incase players decide to "retire" , yes im aware the horse doesnt disappear, it still just seems incomplete to me...im weird like that!!!

I have 6 sets of line. 

The only one that will be private for awhile is my pbr line.

the other 4 lines are stores which will eventually have backups, but will only add store mates

and then we have the outside line which pretty much has or will have every "old big name" aqh in it. This line also includes an 11th gen aqh which has my old foundation lines in it.

with outside lines you have to be extremely careful about crossing lines. I'll probably from now on only be buying 3 or less generation horses just for my sanity sake. 

It sounds quite logic that if you are only a few breeders or if there never come any new breeders, that it is hard to keep breeding using outside lines as all lines eventually will be sitting in your own as well. I believe this is a challenge of most games.

Line breeding is just something I've never done? And personally don't think I would line breed

If anyone actually bred what I did I'd totally have outside lines, seeing as most of my breeds are founded on backups other people were selling. However, there aren't really enough other people in my breeds to really line swap so I don't even breed backups.

On all of my accounts it says that I'm open to breeding if you message me before my line turns x old, but to date I've gotten a grand total of zero bites.

Link Tree

That does not sound easy Chaotic... I may wonder what are you breeding...

Linebreeding is a funny thing, on games I would never do it, maybe because I got fed up with the massive abuse from Howrse. In reality life is much different, most breeds today contain linebreeding to an extent. Linebreeding are done because you want to obtain and breed on specific traits - this is basically the foundation of all breeds within most animal groups which have been domesticted by humans.

For me personally, I do not use outside lines and I do not put my males up for stud.  But I am also the only breed of Entles for the most part so it makes it hard...

I buy outside lines to mix into mine, but I've never used an outside stud. No one has ever asked to use any of my studs but I don't have them up (I'd allow it). Not really sure why I don't advertise it lol.

Paints since 6-8-14

I do use outside lines, but I also only do so if the breeder is dedicated to the breed. I would never buy a back-up from someone who just bred their first generation, for instance. And I do have private lines that I keep for just myself. :)