Are Irish horses the most fun to ride?

[Niamhy]

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but it is really nice to see a positive comment about our neddies (I'm always jumping up on my soapbox when people blame 'coming from ireland' for whatever problem they are encountering with their horse!!!)

So thanks Burtie

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Ditto the above 4WS!!

 

[henryhorn]

I think they carry something of the old Irish Draught lines which gives them an iota of saneness that makes you feel safer.
Our particular bloodline suffered from too much fizz but their jumping ability and braveness (ie no spooking) was never a problem.
My own personal fun horse breed is the Welsh Cob. Forward going, bold jumper and scared of nothing, my retired one is as much fun if you leap on him bareback (or lumber on off a rock in my case) as he was twenty years ago. My own personal dislike funnily enough is the same breed, when they are as much fun as he is they also get very stressed if left tied alone on the yard or to the box at a show. swings and roundabouts as they say..
Some of our ID crosses have been exceptionally quiet, proving some bloodlines such as Happy Ending or Tullough Hero don't produce the same fizzy types.

 

[hati]

Of they are, they are from Ireland

. Just a little biased here

 

[PoppyPony]

Definately!! yes yes yes!

Connies, irish cobs and IDs!!

 

[evsj]

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Always had a soft spot for Irish horses, and my boy is a true irish lad, brought him over from Ireland myself! He is fab, really enjoy riding him, and is very genuine. Definitely have something special about them.

Edited to say... Irish are the most fun horses... however cant beat my old cobby for pure FUN as far as riding goes, but he is a pony, so doesnt count...

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Likewise, I brought my girl over from Ireland too - the best place to buy the best horses. I have had nearly 5 years of vet-free enjoyment too.....until this summer when she managed to twist her hock, knock a splint onto her once perfect foreleg and sprained a tendon on the other one - all in the space of 2 months! It's been an unlucky summer!! But otherwise, Irish = tough as old boots, honest as the day is long and bold as brass.

 

[Agent XXX999]

Um - I was told this and have had 2 ISH – the first I had on trial and threw me off and I ended up strapped to a bed for a week and in hospital for 3 with a neck injury and hypothermia – which resulted in me loosing my bottle and not going near a stables for over a month, let alone riding and the second (which was a replacement for the 1st) was a complete loon, I had a girl that had competed at advanced eventing come to ride her (I thought that it was me) and she reared 28 times in 40 minutes…and it wasn’t me because she is still a blinkin nutter.

However give me a warmblood or tbx and I am well away… just don’t get on with the irish!

 

[seaofdreams]

again I am biased, i love my Irish horses, after Lottie went lame i swore i would never have another Irish horse (because her injury was caused by hunting as a youngster and they had covered it up) and i then had a danish warmblood on loan, then when i decided it was time to have my own again i looked at 6 warmbloods and 1 irish horse, i came home with the irish one and she is fantastic i love her to bits i don't think i could have anything else.

 

[druid]

Yes, yes and yes

 

[Pidge]

definately

from a biased owner of a ISH bred in Ireland

 

[RunToEarth]

I love riding Irish horses, and I have three to my name. Love that certain something about them, they give jumping a little bit of an edge, I used to ride a belg WB, and my god did it jump, but didnt have that irish edge to it, it just...jumped. Like jasper, i adore him, he is the bees knees and he jumps like a stag but he isnt a spot on an irish horse, he just doesnt have that factor Irish hosses do...

 

[Parkranger]

In my opinion yes, but then so are american bred horses!!!

Ooops, perhaps I'm a little bias? x

 

[Mithras]

Nah, sorry, but have to be fair, my mainly Dutch WB is more fun than the ID x TB I had before her. Both were fun horses but the Dutch WB is like a 12.2 pony on longer legs! Jumps anything without spooking, willing, hacks anywhere, will squeeze along narrow paths, go across flooded rivers, jump things she cannot walk over, never kicks or bites and lets you crawl between her legs. Definately something pony like about her despite being my first big (16.1) "proper" horse, and since I started riding her like a pony and leaving the striding to her, very hard to beat against the clock too! She will even wiggle through those metal barrier things set at angles to stop motorbikes going onto paths!

 

[Parkranger]

But a warmblood will never be as fast as an Irish TB.....!

I think that a good Irish TB has all the good aspects of a good warmblood - more bone, more courageous, more fun!

 

[Mithras]

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But a warmblood will never be as fast as an Irish TB.....!

Yes, true, my WB is slow in a straight line BUT very fast round the corners and can spin and turn! With my ID X TB I used to overshoot the turns my WB can make!

 

[Fiona]

Totally biased, but yes.
My three are all sensible but FUN to ride.
My TB mare bounced round her hack this afternoon, because there were cows being moved down the road and she wanted to join in (didn't nap, buck, rear etc - was just bouncy and fun to ride).
Fiona

 

[nicnag]

Definately! Everything I've had has had a bit of Irish in their from my first pony onwards, wouldn't really consider anything else!

 

[Happy Bird]

I have never had an Irish horse until I bought Angel a couple of years ago. I am a complete convert and love her to bits. Irish for me from now onwards !!! Oh and I'm not that biased as I own the ginger warmblood too !! But the ISH knocks spots of him. Also never owned a mare before and she's GREAT

 

[LEC]

The worst horse I ever had was Irish! A TB 15.2 mare who was as tough as they come but a nightmare as so unpredictable. In end she went for polo and was ace at it. My most loved pony was a show pony so he was a mongrel of everything!

 

[S_N]

I haven't read this whole thread, but I think that the main reason for them being high on the list is the shear number of them! Also, it is down to personal preference! Don't think I would ever have one - as in an import!!

 

[MagicMelon]

No, welsh cobs are the most fun!!