What So Bad About Grade Horses?

I've noticed a lot of people on the forum don't "approve" of grade horses because of the ability of their "performance level". I'm curious to why that is, could someone explain a little?
I've seen some threads about potential buys of grades where other users tell the potential buyer that the horse wont go as far as a registered horse, no matter the conformation/training level/ect of the grade horse in question.

I've only owned two registered horses [AQH] and they were/are both amazing and I love them to death. But most of the horses I have owned are grade and they can do just as much, at the same level and [sometimes] better then a registered horse. I also know a lot of grade horses from showing that still perform just as well as the registered "amazingly" bred horses. Guess I'm just a backyard grade horse type of girl.

All my horses have been grade so I've never owned a registered horse
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I have owned over four dozen horses in my life. MOST are $500 or less grade horses. My favorite horse of my life was Sully, best horse in the world, I traded 10 round bales for him when he was four because I unloaded the round bales then the guy decided he had no cash and I told him i'd take that horse (and pointed to sully) in exchange...turned out to be the most capable horse on the ranch. I taught him how to work cattle, cut (competed on him cutting), trail ride, barrell race, rope, check cattle, you name it Sully would do it. I've owned $30,000 horses out of prestige QH lines as well. Most can do everything as well. I think its about the demenour and how you handle the horse that makes the difference. My horses work. I have 500+ head of momma cattle (meaning almost a thousand between calving and sale) on over 1000 acres and they WORK. I ask the same out of my grade horses as I do my $30k horses. Work! I saddle them the same, feed em the same, and when I throw a leg over, it don't matter who i'm on, we got a job to do and we are going to do it. I currently own grade horses and two registered horses that together would pay off my mortgage. I ask and expect the same out of all of them. Theres rarely anything wrong with grade horses, they may not always 'look' as pretty as the top line horses and if you show, I guess that's important, but I use a horse as a horse, just like I use a truck as a truck.

There's nothing wrong with grade horses, and many of them are fantastic athletes.

It's just that some people want to know their animal's bloodlines, and whether or not they're performance bred. You don't know that without a pedigree.

A second and even more important reason is that you can determine what, if any, genetic issues may crop up based on your horse's bloodlines.

Taking on a grade, you're basically buying blind; you have no idea what may be lurking in their genetic make up, and you don't know if they're going to suit the discipline for which you bought them.

All of the horses I've owned have been registered. I like to know what their potential is based on their bloodlines, and have a heads up on any illnesses or conditions to which they might be prone.

I don't buy for 'pretty', I buy for conformation and potential. With a registered horse, I know his potential based on his bloodlines.

So throwing aside the 'snob' idea, it really does make sense to have registered horses with traceable bloodlines due to the reasons I listed.

Paint cowgirl: If you ever are looking for a bit of extra help out on the ranch, let me know!! Would love to get out and working from the back of a horse again!

But just because they're bred for it doesn't mean they're going to be good at it or even like it. Examples: a thoroughbred can bred through the roof with amazing racing blood, but he may just enjoy jumping better and lose races because he doesn't like it. Or a cutting horse that just doesn't really like cows. A warmblood that doesn't like the english world. Do you get where I'm coming from? Just because they're bred for it doesn't mean they'll be good at it.

I get the health problems part of getting a registered horse, but then again most of the diseases [talking about ones like HYPP] are breed associated and grades have a less likely chance of having them. But with other things like blindness and such always have a possibility. But if someone is really worried about that then they could get a pre purchase vet check if they really wanted to. I have yet to buy a grade horse that has health problems [even the ones I buy that are over 200lbs under weight] that could have been seen before hand with knowing the pedigree.

So you're saying if you were to see a grade horse and a registered horse with the same conformation same color same everything, and they were both proven in your desired discipline with the same potential to go higher. Except the registered was $10,000 out of your price range and the grade was only $100 you'd buy the grade?

Nobody said or suggested a "snob" idea.

I haven't seen people saying "grade horses are bad". I've seen them saying "breeding grade horses is bad".

The only problem with showing if you own grade is that you can't participate in breed-specific shows (like AQHA or APHA shows). But say for dressage shows I go to noone really cares if you own a registered horse, a grade, or a mule.

I love my grades. Its the same to me as owning a mixed breed dog from the pound. You never know what you get until you get it and work with it...

It has always worked out for me but I don't compete in anything...well not yet anyways lol

But I guess for ppl who are big into showing and want to get somewhere with it it is necesary to have a nice pedigree registered horse so you know what to base them off of before spending the money

Girls I know that compete in NBHA and MeBHA with they're grades do just as well and better then girls with their AHQs. I would post pictures and videos of them but forum rules say I can't [right?].

I've seen a few on potential buy critiques as well but agree a lot are on breeding.