Coefficient of inbreeding, often shortened to COI, is one tool breeders can use when studying pedigrees and planning matings.

COI estimates how closely related the sire and dam are through shared ancestors within the number of generations being measured.

 

In Lippitt Morgans, a 10-generation COI can be especially useful because the population is small, closed, and historically concentrated. However, COI should not be treated as a score, a ranking system, or a complete breeding plan.

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COI Is a Tool, Not the Whole Answer

 

A lower COI does not automatically mean a breeding is better. A higher COI does not automatically mean a breeding is wrong. COI tells us something about the concentration of ancestry in a pedigree, but it does not tell us everything we need to know. It does not tell us whether the horse has good structure, good feet, good movement, good temperament, fertility, soundness, breed type, or usefulness.

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It also does not tell us which ancestors are being repeated unless we study the pedigree itself.

For preservation breeding, COI should be used together with the full picture: the individual horses, the families behind them, the traits being preserved, the strengths and weaknesses of the match, and the long-term needs of the population.

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The Average COI Is Context, Not a Target

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When we say the average 10-generation COI for Lippitts is roughly around 15%, that number should be understood as context, not as a perfect target.

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• A breeding below the average is not automatically good.

• A breeding above the average is not automatically bad.

 

The average simply helps breeders understand where a proposed cross falls in relation to the current population.

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A very low COI may look appealing, but if many breeders all use the same lower-COI stallion or the same fashionable outcross within the Lippitt population, the population can still become narrower over time.

A higher COI may reflect a more concentrated pedigree. That may preserve certain family traits, but it also requires careful study. Breeders should understand which ancestors are being doubled, what those horses contributed, and whether the cross supports the long-term health and usefulness of the population.

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COI and Small Population Preservation

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In a small preservation population, the goal is not simply to make every individual pedigree as low-COI as possible.

 

​The larger goal is to preserve options.

 

That means paying attention to:

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• underused sire lines

• mare families

• older or less common branches

• horses that have few descendants

• stallions with limited opportunity

• mares that may only produce a few foals

• repeated use of the same popular individuals

• the long-term genetic direction of the population

 

A breeding that looks good on paper today should also be considered in terms of what it leaves available for the future.

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Looking Beyond the Number

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When evaluating a possible breeding, breeders may want to ask:

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• What is the expected 10-generation COI of the foal?

• Which ancestors are repeated?

• Are the repeated ancestors close up or farther back?

• Does this cross concentrate traits I want to preserve?

• Does this cross also concentrate weaknesses I should avoid?

• Is this sire line well represented or underrepresented?

• Is this mare family common or limited?

• Has this stallion already been used often, or does he represent a less-used branch?

• Does the mating produce a foal that could be useful to the future population?

 

COI is most helpful when it leads to better questions.

 

A Balanced Approach

 

LLP encourages breeders to use COI thoughtfully, but not fearfully.

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The purpose of studying COI is not to discourage breeding or make preservation feel impossible. The purpose is to help breeders make informed choices that protect the future of the full Lippitt Morgan.

Good preservation breeding requires balance. It includes pedigree planning, but it also includes good horsemanship, honest evaluation, soundness, temperament, fertility, usefulness, and a willingness to think beyond one foal or one breeding season.

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COI matters, but it is only one part of responsible Lippitt preservation.

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