HGG Community Forums

Not a silly question, just something that's hard to learn without someone telling you.

There are different levels of foundations. There are exceptional, perfect, and "normal" creates.
Exceptional creates are foundations that have an extra boost in breeding and/or showing ability. But, exceptionals are down one era from the current era because of that extra boost.
Perfect creates are non-exceptional rank specials, top notch show or breeding herd helpers, and perfect foundations, all have 100% breeding and/or showing ability.
Normal creates are not guaranteed any showing or breeding ability, and can be anywhere from horrible to perfect in either.
To find good breeders from the current era without having to gamble on normal creates, look at the foundation rescue. The rescue is foundations that were auctioned by other players, and the game picks up the ones with perfect breeding ability. They're only 2500 hbs and most have the majority of their testing completed already.

Breeding bonuses:
Live breeding is the cheapest, but doesn't carry any bonus, so you will have a high rate of foals that won't pass BA.
Any AI breeding-straws or embryos- has a 15 day bonus, so the foals are more likely to pass BA.
Mares held in the pasture for over a month have a 30+ day bonus, which is even better, and is as cheap as live breeding.
The 45+ day bonus was introduced a couple months ago (forgot exactly when). It's when you implant an embryo into a 30+ day pasture mare to use as a surrogate. The pasture mare doesn't contribute any genetic info, unless it's her embryo. I have never had a foal from a 45 day bonus not pass strict breeding advice.

That being said, keep as many spayed and gelded horses as your barns allow, they grow up to make you a lot of hbs down the line, which funds your fun projects!

Hope that helps!

Also, the rescue also sells double star and double gold horses that players auction. It's a good way to get some high pt show horses for cheap. I have also found a couple good stallions that way if you want to bootstrap with your own stallion.

Link to lined rescue: https://mesa.horsegeneticsgame.com/adv_search.php?runsearch=go&status3=1&status_and=or&jump=0&color_lm=ex_like&owner=resc&56=0&57=0&58=0&59=0&60=0&61=0

Link to foundation rescue: https://mesa.horsegeneticsgame.com/adv_search.php?runsearch=go&status2=1&status_and=or&jump=0&color_lm=ex_like&owner=resc&56=0&57=0&58=0&59=0&60=0&61=0

Thank you so much everyone! I will reduce live covers and start pulling straws and such. And I'll continue to breed pairs and see what I can get.