Coloured horses years ago

B

bubbles145

New User
Joined
5 November 2012
Messages
6
Visit site
Which of the following did you associate with coloured horses 20 years ago and 10 years ago?

Showing
Endurance
Showjumping
Eventing
Dressage
Team Chasing
Driving
Polo
Racing
Other
 
20 and 10 years ago I didn't really think about it but 40 and 30 years ago they were definitely NQOCD.

Before I get leapt on I have chosen to breed myself my own "sensible" middleweight - and deliberately used a homozygous coloured stallion.:D
 
I've always associated coloureds with driving, and traditional cob types which is where they look their best imo.

Personally I don't like to see coloured finer types, but I can admire a good traditional cob.
 
I never really thought of coloured horses being less common when i was growing up, a very good friend who got me into horses always had coloured horses. She was national champion at Windsor Carriage driving trials in 1981 with her 17hh piebald, Indian Tonic
She competed for the next 15 or so years with her 2, Tonic and then a 16hh 7/8ths TB, Shephards Pie.
Ian Stark has pictures in some of his books of him riding Tonic but she team chased, hunted, evented and drove.
She also had another coloured that she backed as a 2 year old that Ian bought from her with the aim of going to the Olympics.
http://www.facebook.com/gillian.fle...a.102350959796055.5630.100000634550294&type=3
The coloured is Pie at the PC national champs about 10 years ago, sorry can't manage to link the pic
 
Shamefully I have to say I thought of them as just gypsey horses or "meat" horses. This was because I lived in the city and my grandad used to drive me out past fields with hundreds of coloured cobs in, they were in a nasty way and he told me they were going for meat.

When I was about 10 I got my own pony and he was coloured and I had a few people look down their nose at me. I worshipped him though and now would kill to have a horse with his markings!
 
We had a coloured 14.2 hh pony,35 yrs ago. He was amazing jumper, hunter type and we went to a show and my sister was told to leave the ring because they didnot allow coloured hunters in the class!!!!! After that we stuck to show jumping and he was excellent. He wasnot even a heavy type with feathers !!
 
I immediately think of Warmbloods (showjumping and dressage), and the terrific post war breeding programme of Traditional Coloured Cobs by the travelling community for driving and hunting, amongst other things.
The household cavalry for their spectacular Drum horses, the first recorded was 200 yrs ago, and although not all are coloured, the majority have tended to be.
 
When I was growing up say 20 + years they were classed as gypsy horses. Anyone that owned one in our riding club got looked down on.
 
JJones said:
When I was growing up say 20 + years they were classed as gypsy horses. Anyone that owned one in our riding club got looked down on.
Click to expand...

Ditto this basically: when I was in Pony Club 35 yrs ago (showing my age) you'd never in a zillion years have dreamt of turning up on a coloured; you might as well have come on a donkey TBH. Coloureds were classed as gypsy horses and only suitable for driving. The thing that everyone wanted was an appaloosa or a palomino, or a grey which was in fashion then.

I always said I'd NEVER ever have a coloured horse; and guess what I've got??? He's a darling, but a nightmare to keep clean, the monkey.

Looking at the field at our opening meet, I didn't see quite so many coloured horses as were out a few years ago though TBH. There were a lot of greys out - perhaps this is just our particular hunt, but I do wonder whether the coloured fashion is turning and grey is turning into the new coloured???

What do people think?
 
back in the 60s, coloureds were either pulling a cart or a barge. The local rag and bone man had a piebald but the coalman was posh-he had a Clydesdale!
 
I had a coloured 26 years ago. I used to hunt him, show jump him and do working hunters.
He excelled on the hunting field, was a mean jumper but in all our years together, he never did well at WH. I put that down to his colour and the snobbery around it.
 
I had 2 coloured horses when i was growing up.. I used to get asked why i was riding a cow!!! they where gorgeous and I always thought they looked like indian horses more than gypsy horses!! lol!! one of them was my horse of a lifetime .. I have no idea if they where looked down upon ..I was just thrilled i was lucky enough to have a horse!! :D
 
i don't remember there being coloured horses only ponies, and they were called piebald or skewbald and considered common.
i still can't understand the fuss over coloureds:confused:
 
I had the pleasure of riding an ex BSJA pony in my youth, about 15 years ago. She was 20 odd then and still competitive. She was gorgeous, skewbald and so cheeky. She had done very well with her owner when she was younger.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top