Best breed for eventer... and cost.

ClassicG&T

ClassicG&T

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Looking for an eventer for next season. So what are your prefered breeds? Ive been told a WB x TB can make a top notch eventer. But what about ISH?

Also how much do you think would be a reasonable amount to pay for an eventer with experience at BE100ish level and between 5-8 years old. 16hhish.....

Just not quite sure what i'm looking for and how much would be reasonable as ive always just been interested in showing and dressage but want to try eventing next season and haven't got a suitable horse for the job.

Thanks :)
 
I think you find a type you like, temperament, jump, movement and if buying a horse that has done BE 100 a good look at its record, would all be taken into consideration. Breeding I feel would be less important than these factors especially for someone just starting to event.
If you look at the horses on the BE site that have a good record the prices range from about £7000 to £10000 some with real potential to go on, or that the owner thinks will, may be higher, it really depends on your own ambitions.
 
I guess it would depend what level you want to event to. Most breeds could comfortably event at entry level.

At the top levels, I have read that the preference is for 7/8th or 3/4 TB (stayer type) with the rest a cold blood/warm blood infusion. The reason given being that the TB have the speed and staying ability over X country.

I have an ISH - I would have liked to event him, but, busy not riding as much these days. He would cope with the dressage and jumping, he may lack in staying over a X country course/speed. But at initial stages he would be fine.
 
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A tb! Brave, fast and athletic with elegant paces for dressage. Lot of crap out there but find a good one and you cannot beat it for eventing. Most top event horses are full are full TB or 7/8ths or 3/4 bred. We are flooded with them from racing breds and cheap. I wouldn't want to look at any other breed for eventing tbh.
 
i have a tb a warmblood and a 3/4 1/4 id homebred.two year old , the tb is super fast , very carefull and brave cross country , the warmblood is elegant , has super uphill paces and a huge scopey jump , hes also id brave cross country but lacks speed , the 3/4 homebred will hopefully be as good , time will tell
ps forgot to say both are competing be 100 and bsja at 1m10
also we bought the warmblood in june , hes a five year old and had been placed be 100 and he cost £8500
 
I would disagree that a WB x TB would automatically make a top notch event horse!. An be wary of falling into the trap of assuming that ISH is an actual breed as its not. ISH is like KWPN, its a breeding record and the different passports represent how much information there is available on the breeding lines - so a "full" green passport means that the previous 2 generations were also registered. The traditionial ISH was a straight ID x TB but now it could well be a WB x TB. Equally, some of the ID stallions are lighter than others. I had a lovely ISH out of Coevers Diamond Boy. CDB was a lot heavier so in turn my boy looked more ID. Current boy is out of Crannagh Hero but is a lot lot lighter in build. At the lower levels (so upto Novice) a heavier horse that is fit can make the time. When you start playing at intermediate and being serious then it becomes more of a struggle.

If you are looking for an entry horse I would look for one with a proven BE record and check who the rider was. I would steer away from most professionially produced eventers as it can be difficult for an amateur to replicate that. So as a broad eg, I would not look at an eventer that has always been produced by a good male rider. I appreciate there are exceptions but that has been my experience.

There is a real market for horses that can take people out eventing upto Novice safely even if they can't go any further so it can be competitive when hunting!

I would also recommend (if you haven't done so already) that you go to as many events (next season unless you are heading down to Larkhill this weekend!) to go and watch plus seek out good XC clinics to learn how to ride XC properly.

and welcome to the dark side! I had one brief foray into showing which was disastrous and my opinion was not helped by finding that the professionials were horribly rude and arrogant (boxing me in as an example when I was parked properly and then refusing to move). With eventing people I have always found them to be a really friendly bunch (and normally there is someone who has forgotten something and needs to borrow it from a complete stranger...)
 
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Depends what level you aim to do? I personally wouldnt go for a WB x, but then Im not a fan of WB's. If you want to get to a decent level, a pure TB would likely be the best bet. I think an ISH would be good too, just not one of the stockier types.

I'd expect to pay about £5,000 for something with BE100 experience. Saying that, I've got a friends one for sale right now whose got exactly that, 17hh 7yo and she's £4,000. Bargain IMO!

I think you should not focus on the breed. Breeding really doesnt matter IMO, its the horses temperament and how genuine / willing he is which matters. Having had one well bred horse in my time, he had the worst attitude and I ended up selling him! Yet, my current horse was not bred for eventing / SJ etc. at all (Luso x TB, his luso side generally did a little dressage in Portugal and his TB side where American racehorses) - because of his fanatastic temperament and extremely willing nature, he has got me to levels I never thought I'd achieve!
 
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