Are there any well-known Dressage Horses out there that are not Warmbloods?

What level of dressage are you aiming at? I see a lot of nice other breeds at some levels but I don't know much about top level dressage to comment on those.
 
There are some lovely Spanish horses. There is a Russian rider who does brilliantly with a white Spanish stallion (apologies for the vagueness of the description! I am sure someone will fill in the gaps!).

The other day someone posted pics of a gorgeous black Friesian.

Also some of the WBs are quite cheap if you have an enormous amount of luck! Steph apparently bought Mr President for two thousand pounds off the Yorkshire Post as a failed driving horse, so you never know!
 
There is the Russian ex police horse - Balagur - he came fith at olympics. Supposed to have the best piaffe in the world.
 
Balagur - an Orlov trotter stallion, now sadly retired. He is amazing!

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He was 5th in the Special and 6th in the Kur at the Hong Kong Olympics. :)
 
Not that I ever want to reach the Olympics :eek:

But out on even the smallst competitions, there are so many of them these days... you just wonder whether you could ever win... judges are often biased, too!!!
 
There are a lot of full TB's out there doing well;

Louis Feraud - he was ridden by Michel Assouline, and was competing at Grand Prix, did international etc.

Chase The Ace - he again is a full TB, I used to ride him when he was at the Assouline's yard, and I think he was doing PSG.

I just googled Louis and found a previous thread on HHO;

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=197603
 
Ah I see - well, at lower levels, unaffiliated/unknowledgeable judges do tend to look at how flashy a horse's paces are, but that really shouldn't count - I have seen an expressive warmblood marked higher than an accurate cob just because of the wow factor of his trot, despite the fact he couldn't do circles or bend in the right direction! However, I think the standard of judging is improving now, and judges are beginning to mark more for an accurate test rather than how flashy a horse can move.
 
You totally don't need a "warmblood" to do well at the lower levels. What you need is a well put together, athletic horse with a good brain and three solidly correct paces, and the ability to ride it so that its natural talent is enhanced. Even a smaller moving horse, if the paces are correct, can get 7s and 8s, and with a good brain you are in a good way. the most important thing is that the horse shows an ability and willingness to flex all the joints in its hind leg and to push from behind, even at the working paces. The modern warmblood often finds this easy, hence their popularity for dressage. But lots of ISHs and TB can do this too.

In fact, often a big moving warmblood type horse is a massive disadvantage when it is young and green, especially with a non-professional rider on board with a non-professional riders' seat.
 
One of the most consistent young riders in Scotland, who's name seems to be in H&H every week right now, competes on two highland ponies. It's not grand prix level mind, but she's what I would consider a sucessful amateur.
 
The horse that got me into dressage in the first place was a full ID, he could do flying changes, all the lateral work and extensions.

I seem to remember one of the winners at the winter nationals was a cob x TB, working at medium I think.
 
A Friend of mine competed her Shire x tb at grand prix level he was awesome! Also liked that Friesian that someone posted about the other day!
 
We have a young rider near us (15/16) who wipes the floor at BD with her homebred Welsh cobs so it's certainly doable! I believe she has been very well placed at the Nationals at Novice level and possibly also Elementary by now.
 
can't go wrong with a native,

I think my welshie gets extra marks for just generally looking cute and trying, there is perhaps one local judge who appears to have an inability to judge ponies but apart from that no problems. You do just have to demonstrate to them that their neck is longer than they think it is :)
 
A horse I used to ride did dressage successfully. Mainly placed at unaffiliated novice, but also had a few placings at elementary. Then went off to be a police horse, now he is back as a hunter. He is 18hh of IDxShire!!!

When I rode him I would have never thought he could be so nimble, though he is hard work as he has forgotten a lot of it all now :)
 
NATIVES ALL THE WAY!!!!!!!

Sorry...felt I had to shout that!

Most people know I have a Welsh Cob (The Welsh Cob, as he is known) and we do dressage, we're not world beaters but he is a good fairly flashy mover who will perform an accurate rhythmic test (assuming I don't mess it up ;) )
 
TB's do really well, but if you want something with a little more biuld and sometimes a saner head on it, ISH's are good! Also Cleveland Bays!
Why don't you look at the horses you like the look of first and like the feel of riding them! My mare is very flashy and she is a ISH, but 3/4TB x 1/4ID, so you can mess about with their breeding! :)
 
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