American Breeds (Morgan, Quarter Horse, Standardbred, Appeloosa, etc)


[ QUOTE ]
Have you had any experience of any American breeds? Are they any good?

[/ QUOTE ]


Well yes I do !
grin.gif



Not sure just what you want to do with your horse, but if you are lucky enough to get your hands on a true American Quarter horse You will rarely be sorry!
smile.gif


They can do it all and have a calm bombproof nature to boot!
smile.gif


I have never owned a Morgan, but they are well known for being used as police horses and I hear they are very calm natures and intelligent as well.

I have heard that the Standardbreds are horses to stear clear of, but I think that may be that so many of them are off of the track and need re programming . I have seen many many Amish make them the most disciplined horses on Earth ( not sure I want to know how )
 
Well you can get them so reasonably priced here that importing them may be a reasonable option
A person could prob even make a great profit in doing so? Depending on how much the transport cost is I imagine
 
Jade said it all.

I have a QH and a Paint, you couldn't ask for a horse with a calmer nature, and one of those is a stallion. It does take a little while for UK eyes to get used to the somewhat different conformation though, and huge, beef cow bums. You could feed a family for a year on my mares rump.

Hell of a change going from little arabs to a chunky paint horse though, but I have to say that being able to do a decent hand canter on a loose rein with merely a click of the tongue from a walk, and to go until I ask differently is brilliant. They aren't slow pokes either, just different, very mellow.
 
I have a QH x (3/4 QH) and she is a real gem - you couldnt wish for a saner, nicer kinder person.
ok she has her moments but what mare doesnt!

for temp shes a shining example of the breed
 
Have had a QHxAA & QHxWelsh both had very nice temperments. Back in the 80's I looked at putting my TB mare infoal to a QH & all the stallions I saw were beautifully behaved. The society held their show at Stoneleigh one year & again all the horses I saw were all laid back, but showed a bit of spark when ridden. There seem to be 2 types one lighter used for racing & the other very square almost bulldog in appearance. They dont appear popular outside of reining classes etc, I dont think I have ever seen one eventing, dressage or SH'g at affliliated level. Probably not owned by people wanting to do those types of sport, though some would say they are not built for it.
 
American Quarter Horses are fantastic. They are said to be the calmest horses in the world, yet the can runa quarter mile faster than any other horse. They are very hardy keepers, a friend of mine keeps hers on semi-desert pasture with just supplement hay and they're still fat.
grin.gif
They are very dependable as well.
 
ow ow ow...brill post....Ive got an appaloosa lepoard spotted and a palomino quarter horse. He was bred in france and was brough over....great animals...there are quite a few studs and sellers in the uk...AQHA UK is a good place to look..loads on there...
QH very chilled...he is 5 and nothing disturbs him...appy is great too...massive jump and brill games pony...
pics below :0)
chew.jpg

charly2.jpg

garbluck.jpg
 
Are they any good - what for?

I have a Morgan, he is rather large being 16.00 but he does what I want him to do - showing, dressage, Le Trec. I expect he would hunt if I wanted him to. He does jump, but I don't! He was broken to drive before I had him, although I haven't driven him as I haven't got any stuff or had any experience. He might do Western as well, several Morgans do.


There are around 500 Morgans in the UK. There is one doing very well in driving trials having featured in H & H earlier this year. Morgans have won the Private Driving Championship at the HOYs twice, one single and one pair qualified for the HOYs last year, a Morgan was on a winning team at the Riding Club Novice Eventing Championships a couple of years ago. Some Morgans do BHS eventing, another one was a Grade B show jumper, some are doing dressage. I have a photo of my horse's half brother doing Spanish Walk. Some Morgans do endurance competitions.

There is a difference in blood lines as to temperament and inclination, but generally a Morgan is very happy to play along with whatever their owner wants them to do.

If you seriously want to look for one do research as to temperament of the stallion and mare families and also look for conformation - the quality of animals being bred in the UK is improving and in the early days every mare was put in foal regardless of its conformation faults.

British Morgan Horse Society has several links (and pics of the Championship Show at Hartpury).
 
[ QUOTE ]
Enfys, your paint is lovely :0)

[/ QUOTE ]

Thankyou, I'll tell her!
smile.gif


What breeding is your pally? He IS like a grown up version of Zeus
smile.gif
except cleaner!
DSCN1643.jpg
 
I would say yes as they are bold...although mine is pretty relaxed he likes a good buck when I first try to canter him....lovely animals, this might seem a little sad but he is not like any horse I have known before...he has a real character and really cares about his riders...:)
Ill def have one again...
 
I've got an appaloosa mare. I have had her 18 years. She is very easy to handle but in her day she was a very lively ride!!! Good jumper, turn on nothing, but totally hyper, very forward going and very spooky, but a fab ride!! She has taught me a lot about sitting quietly when riding and to stay on when she spooks!! At 26 she has just retired this week, but still is the first one to set the others off on a hoolie round the field!!

P6120047.jpg
 
My QH is fab to hunt, very calm but bold as well


TBH I dont think they have a 'downside' - if i really had to nitpick I'd say a slightly stubborn/ornery streak - but could just be my mare and her opinion of elem dressage work!
She loves her jumping

*edited to add* the one thing i think is really special about the breed (or the ones i've met) is that however hard you push they never throw their toys out the pram, they'll stop and refuse to play but never a 'tantrum'.
 
Cant see why you cant take one hunting, but I am not sure about their jumping ability. I know someone has said theirs affiliated but they are rare. This is the only stallion I have ever seen jumping
http://www.jmequineservices.co.uk/studcard.pdf

If I was looking to breed something for jumping, I am sorry to say it would not impress me. I like the QH, but I prefer them x'd with a TB. Though our QHxAA was a very nice person, again not impressed with her jumping though she could get round a 2.9" course, it was not an attribute of hers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top