Aliyah Farm
Preservation Breeding of Lippitt Morgans & Morgan Sport Horses
Lippitt Snapshots & Breeding Insights
Observations and data drawn from Lippitt Morgan pedigrees, focused on various aspects of Lippitt lines, breeding patterns, and long-term preservation. The following research is from Lippitt Lineage Database which I am started and now provide to the LMBA.
These snapshots are intended to support thoughtful breeding decisions and a deeper understanding of the Lippitt population.
What This Page Covers
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Mare contribution patterns
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Generation timing
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Maternal line continuity
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Foundation line status
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Genetic diversity & COI considerations
Modern Lippitt maternal influence is concentrated in a limited number of foundation lines.
Lippitt Snapshot — Foundation Mare Line Status
(All Female Lippitts from 1885–2025)
Ongoing observations of maternal line continuity and breeding patterns within the Lippitt Morgan population.
Lost Lines
No continuing female descendants
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EVELYN
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POLLY ROGERS
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NANCY
Fragile Lines
Limited continuation — at risk
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BONNIE JEAN
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BRIDGET
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LUCILLE
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SUSIE
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TRILBY
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EMILY
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HANNAH
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ROSE OF SUTTON
Strong Surviving Lines
Multiple generations continuing
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JENNY WOODBURY
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LIPPITT SALLIE
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LIPPITT TRIXIE
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LUCINNE
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CROYDON MARY
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HIPPOLYTA
What This Means
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Maternal influence is concentrated in fewer lines
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Several foundation lines are already lost
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Many remaining lines are fragile
Genetic Diversity & COI — Breeder Application
Using fragile maternal lines can support genetic diversity—but only with thoughtful pairing.
What Supports Diversity
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Use underrepresented lines
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Balance foundation lines
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Promote fillies to other lippitt breeders
Prioitize
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Fragile-line mares
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Smart stallion pairing
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Reduce overlap
What Does NOT
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Rare mare alone
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Same ancestry
Think in Generatons
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Produce daughters
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Retain daughters
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Expand lines
Diversity and COI are shaped
by pairing decisions across generations
Lippitt Snapshot — Maternal Line Continuity
Mares between 2000–2025, current breeding age
Data from mares producing at least one foal between 2000–2025, focused on how maternal lines continue across generations.
Line Outcomes & Strength Categories
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Immediate Line Loss (Lost Lines): mares producing no daughters
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Delayed Line Loss (Fragile Lines): mares producing daughters that do not continue
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Continuing Lines (Strong Lines): mares with daughters that also produce foals
Line Outcomes
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~27% Immediate Line Loss (no daughters produced)
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*~73% Produced at least one daughter
What This Suggests
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Over 1 in 4 mare lines end immediately due to lack of female offspring
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Producing daughters does not guarantee continuation
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Maternal line survival depends on:
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producing daughters
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those daughters being bred
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Observed Pattern
Line continuity depends on:
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Producing female offspring
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Those daughters being retained and bred
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Repeated production across generations
Lines with multiple daughters are far more likely to persist
Takeaway
Maternal line continuity is shaped not just by breeding—but by producing and continuing daughters across generations.
Lines are most vulnerable when mares produce limited offspring or when daughters are not continued.
Diversity and COI are shaped by pairing decisions across generations—not just individual matings.
Lippitt Population
Limited mare contribution + slow generation timing + fragile line survival = increasing concentration of maternal influence over time.
Lippitt Morgan Snapshot - The Mare Contribution
Lippitt mares producing foals between 2000 and 2025.
(Data considers registered foals. Unregistered foals were not counted)
· Average age at first foal: 7.7 years
· Median age at first foal: 7 years
· Range: 2 – 20 years
· Average foals per mare: 2.3
· Median: 2 foals
· ~39% of mares produced only ONE foal
· ~35% of mares produced 3 or more foals
· Average production span: 3.8 years
What the Data Suggests
· Most mares begin breeding later than may be necessary
· A large portion of mares contribute only one foal
· Overall lifetime production per mare is low
· Breeding careers tend to be short
· A smaller group of mares contributes a large share of offspring
What This Means for the Population
· Each mare contributes her first foal later in life
· Generational turnover is slow
· Fewer generations are produced over time
· Opportunities for genetic progress or preservation take longer to realize
Takeaway
· Mare utilization—not mare numbers—may play a key role in the future of the Lippitt population.
· Shorter time to first foal and longer breeding careers could increase long-term population impact without increasing herd size.
Why This Matters
· In smaller populations, time between generations matters as much as numbers
· Later breeding + short production windows = fewer total contributions over time
