Impressive (horse) facts for kids
Impressive
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| Breed | Quarter Horse |
|---|---|
| Discipline | Halter |
| Sire | Lucky Bar |
| Grandsire | Three Bars (TB) |
| Dam | Glamour Bars |
| Maternal grandsire | Lightning Bar |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | April 15, 1969 |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Sorrel |
| Breeder | Perry Cotton |
| Owner | Dean Landers Fennel Brown |
| Honors | |
| Other awards | |
| 1974 AQHA World Champion Open Aged Halter stallion | |
| Last updated on: January 13, 2008. | |
Impressive (born April 15, 1969 – died March 20, 1995) was a very famous American Quarter Horse. He became well-known for his amazing looks and for siring many champion horses. However, he is also famous for being the main source of a genetic condition called hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) in Quarter Horses.
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Impressive: A Famous Quarter Horse
Impressive was a stallion with a unique, muscular body. He was born in 1969 and became a full American Quarter Horse in 1971. His strong build made him perfect for "halter" competitions. In these shows, horses are judged only on their appearance and conformation.
His Show Ring Career
Impressive quickly became a star in the show ring. In 1974, he won the title of World Champion Open Aged Halter Stallion. This was a big deal because he was the first horse to win this award for the AQHA. Even though he only earned 48 halter points in total, his championship win made him very popular.
Impressive was owned by several people during his show career. One of his most famous owners was Dean Landers. Landers also owned other well-known halter stallions. Impressive was once offered for $300,000, but his owner refused to sell him.
A Top Breeding Stallion
After his show career, Impressive became a highly sought-after breeding horse. People wanted his foals because they often inherited his muscular and refined body. At one point, his breeding fee was as high as $25,000, which was a huge amount of money!
Impressive sired a total of 2,250 foals during his lifetime. By 2003, it was estimated that he had more than 55,000 living descendants. This means his genes are in many Quarter Horses today. He is considered one of the top five Quarter Horse sires based on the points his offspring earned in AQHA competitions. One of his most famous sons was Noble Tradition, who won four World Champion titles in halter. Noble Tradition also became a very successful sire himself.
Understanding HYPP: A Genetic Challenge
Even though Impressive was a great horse, he is also known for something less positive. He passed on a serious genetic condition called hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) to many of his descendants. This condition has only been found in horses related to Impressive.
How HYPP Affects Horses
HYPP is a genetic disorder that affects a horse's muscles. Horses with HYPP can have unpredictable attacks where their muscles shake or become weak. In severe cases, these attacks can even be fatal.
HYPP is caused by a dominant gene. This means a horse only needs to inherit one copy of the gene from a parent to have the condition. Horses with one copy of the gene are called "N/H." They will show some symptoms of HYPP. Horses that inherit two copies of the gene, one from each parent, are called "H/H." These horses will always pass the condition to their foals. Research suggests that H/H horses might have more severe symptoms than N/H horses.
AQHA's Rules for HYPP
Because HYPP is a serious problem, the AQHA made new rules to control its spread. Since January 1, 2007, all horses descended from Impressive must be tested for HYPP before they can be registered. Also, any horse born after January 1, 2007, that has two copies of the HYPP gene (H/H) cannot be registered with the AQHA.
Other horse registries, like the American Paint Horse Association and the Appaloosa Horse Club, also accept horses with Quarter Horse bloodlines. However, they do not yet ban horses with HYPP. Many breeders are working hard to get rid of the disease through selective breeding. This means they carefully choose which horses to breed. But some breeders still breed horses with the HYPP gene because they believe it helps create the muscular look that is popular in halter horses. This continues to keep the disease in the breed.
Impressive's Lasting Legacy
Impressive left a huge mark on the Quarter Horse breed. He helped create the modern halter horse look, and his descendants have won many championships. However, his legacy also includes the challenge of managing HYPP. Breeders and associations continue to work on making sure future generations of Quarter Horses are healthy.
