origins of the breed

[Linny]

Obviously there was input from other stallions as all those mares that were bred to the foundation sires had sires of their own. The point is that after a very few generations those 3 sires had managed to wrest such a position of superiority over all other running horse stallions that other sirelines simply fell away.

What occurred was the confluence of three stallions at about the same time in about the same place who not only were so influential but whose blood crossed so well (the ultimate nicking combinations) as to establish a breed. Consider what might have happened (not not happened, I guess) if the Eclipse/Matchem cross had been an utter flop or if sons of Eclipse bred to Herod mares had typically produced wobblers.