I know this is a very similar post to the one about the breeding FAQ, but this is kind of different. I also apologize if this belongs in the Question thread but it isn't really a question about the game itself, more like personal preference.

So I'm wondering how to do my "lines" and such. I started out with two pairs, so that's my first generation. I'm on my second generation right now from that line. But I only got two mares from those breedings, not a mare and a stallion. So should I add in a store horse? Wouldn't that defeat the whole "second generation" thing? It makes me wonder what others do in this situation.

I was also wondering about taking horses from my Cherokee lines and adding them in when they are born. But then they'll be different ages, and they're from different lines, and idk what to do.

I have enough horses in my Redwood Originals lines to keep going with those without having to add in from another line or buy from the store. I'm just a little confused on what everyone does with different lines/generations and what not.

Ideally, my breedings match up and I don't have to buy store mates, but more often than not I end up having to do so. I don't think it effects it, but that's my opinion. For example, I had a male from a 5 gen X store and a female from an 10 gen X store gen and I ended up crossing the lines and writing the pup as a 11th gen. Then that pup got a store mate and offspring was listed as 12th gen. If you want a full pedigreed animal then inserting stores isn't good, but if you don't care then it's fine. 

-agrees with what Duckie said-

i always start a store.mate fo my paints...but its personal preference for me to do it that way!

I do what Duckie does. Here's an example of one of my horses though that once in a while the breedings worked out and I have lined x lined instead of lined x store link

If I get perfect pairs from the same line, I'll match them up. If I don't, they will get a store mate. Sometimes I'll get a perfect pair and still give them store mates. It's all up to how you'd like to do it. I go off what generation the offspring is, just as Duckie said.

I match up lineds when possible, but have no problem filling in holes with stores.

I haven't gotten that far yet, but I have 4 pairs right now and I think I'll plan on matching a store up with each of them so that I always have 4 pairs. Maybe when I've been playing for longer, I'll start out with many more pairs and try to have a "full pedigreed" line. Especially if there is a gender picker option from the cash store or something.

I agree with what others have said. I add a store mate if my breedings dont give me pairs (which happens a lot for me!) I still continue to write it as the next highest generation. Then if i get pairs with the next generation, ill pair them and keep going. I have also included different ages in with my lines. I just bred my 17 yr old and 20 yr old tbs together because i wanted to combine their lines. (Of which i got a pair woohoo :D) ive done this quite a few times with various animals. I just keep training the younger pair till they retire so it has appropriate points for the age or reaches a point goal ;)

Thank you everyone for your replies :) I decided to just go ahead and add in two store stallions to the two mares I got from my first generation breeding. Not ideal, I guess, but it's okay.

Perhaps that what I'll start using backups for too. Although my backups seem to sell like hotcakes, it would be useful to save one in case I didn't get the right gender at the final breeding.

Yes! thats why i do backups also. If the final doesnt work out, i can always go back to my backups to try to pair... but im like 1 gender at a time cursed so usually both my breedings will through the same sex haha. Recently ive been getting lucky *knock on wood* :-p