Mendel's Genetics ? Hybridized domesticated horses For thousands of years farmers and herders have been selectively breeding their plants and animals to produce more useful?hybrids?. ? It was somewhat of a hit or miss process since the actual mechanisms governing inheritance were unknown.? Knowledge of these genetic mechanisms finally came as a result of careful laboratory breeding experiments carried out over the last century and a half. ? ? Gregor Mendel???? 1822-1884???