Cruising vs Clover Hill for eventing lines - thoughts please....

flippa_t

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I'm looking at a few potential eventers and would be interested on people's opinions on the temperaments and trainability of horses with Clover Hill lines and also Cruising, and also Glenmullen / Young Victor if anyone knows of him.

One horse I'm looking at is by Cruising with Flagmount Diamond as damsire (hence King of Diamonds as grand damsire), the other is by Mister Clover, hence has Clover Hill as grandsire. Third horse is by Young Victor from Glenmullen stud which is completely unknown to me.

I'm an amateur so have to fit my passion around a full time job so attitude is as important as capability.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
Don't have a massive amount of experience with either but I knew a King of Diamonds colt (sj) who was absolutely fantastic in teperement and a damn nice horse otherwise as far as I could see. Clover Hill breeding is very popular though, epecialy in mares for some reason. Everything seemed to be by a Foreign stallion out of a Clover Hill mare a couple of years ago.

What are the names of the horses out of interest?
 
All the "true" clover hill horses (bright bay, big bums and ears!) I have come across have been a bit sharp, but fantastic jumpers. They're generally not the flashiest, but good workmanlike horses.

Cruising is known for throwing sharp horses, though I have known a couple, and though 2 were very sharp, they did settle down. The third wasn't at all sharp, just slightly stupid, but talented, and got to 1* with a complete amateur.

Obviously it all depends on which side the breeding is on, and what they are crossed with!!
 
Depends on the horse really. Clover Hill has the TB in his line in addition through Actic Storm but all in all if you are torn between the two I would look at both and make my decision.
 
In my opinion, both are great lines. We have a Cruising and although she can be a bit sharp she is an extremely clever and talanted mare.

Have you thought about looking at Cavalier's too? That's also a great line for eventing / showjumping. They can be a bit quirky but have never met one without buckets of talent!
 
Our late stallion was by Knock Boy, grandsire of Cruising. We have bred daughters by him ex T.B. X mares and in turn put them to various stallions for quite a few years now, and have we hope managed to temper the "don't suffer fools" element out of the offspring. I can recognise a Cruising line horse instantly now, they have a distinct :'"Look" about them I find.
They tend to be a little fizzy if from that bloodline but all without exception possess a bold jump and love it.
We use a Belgian x T B stallion with really good paces, he improves their workmanlike action and his laid back trainable temperament is producing fabulous horses.
We have also got a Cruising mare who will go in foal to him, that I can't wait to see!
This season we also have a King O D mare too, shame they aren't already here so I could compare them better for you! If you want to see what I mean look at Cazcrazeyjonty's vid in picture gallery. Thats a typical of wtat we breed from those bloodlines.
 
On paper I would go with the Cruising/Flagmount Diamond option. Most Cruisings are seriously talented and I am a big Flagmount fan as they are great all round horses with plenty of personality :) My best all round competition horse/hunter was Flagmount/Euphemism - did absolutely everything with him. My best ever horse so far is my Sir Rivie filly out of my KoD mare whose progeny are all over the world (and Nick Skelton has one of them :)) so I am a bit of a Seacrest fan as well (got 2 of them, seriously talented horses) :) Have fun looking :)
 
For temperament and trainability, Clover Hill progeny wins hands down for me. He was never a 'fashionable' eventing sire but his influence is still seen with his daughters, e.g Fernhill Clover Mist (Kiltealy Spring x Clover Hill) and through his stallion sons, Diamond Clover and Clover Brigade (sires of Tankers Town and Cast Away).

All the "true" clover hill horses (bright bay, big bums and ears!) I have come across have been a bit sharp, but fantastic jumpers.

Not really, they came in all colours, some a mealy bay but usually brown, chestnut and quite a few greys as his dam was also grey. Massive hindquarters and ears, definitely but generally, his progeny were very placid and easy to work with. As he became more popular, he covered more and more blood mares = clue to the sharp progeny theory.

Where is this other Clover Hill post? :confused:
 
I have no experience of Clover Hill lines but I know a couple of horses by Cruising. Both are extremely talented but very sharp. One hasn't yet calmed down but the other is starting to really settle now. If you have the ability they are fantastic, but the ones I have met are not to be underestimated.
 
For temperament and trainability, Clover Hill progeny wins hands down for me. He was never a 'fashionable' eventing sire but his influence is still seen with his daughters, e.g Fernhill Clover Mist (Kiltealy Spring x Clover Hill) and through his stallion sons, Diamond Clover and Clover Brigade (sires of Tankers Town and Cast Away).



Not really, they came in all colours, some a mealy bay but usually brown, chestnut and quite a few greys as his dam was also grey. Massive hindquarters and ears, definitely but generally, his progeny were very placid and easy to work with. As he became more popular, he covered more and more blood mares = clue to the sharp progeny theory.

Where is this other Clover Hill post? :confused:

Thanks Hill, that's really interesting! I have only come across a few, and the good ones I have come across have all been described as "true" clover hills by someone who has had a few, but maybe she's just a fan of the bay ones anyway :D
 
clover hill would be my prefered choice. they tend to be well stamped, and the ones i have known have been lovely lovely temperaments with lots and lots of jump.

cruising ones are a bit famous for being tricky.
 
Cruising + Animo = Never again :(

Hi BBH - be interested to hear your experience with this? I have a grandson of Cruising and a friend has a mare with Animo blood lines. Just being nosy but doesn't sound like you had much luck with it? :)
 
... I'm surprised there's even a debate about this? I more surprised I didn't see this thread until now!

If in doubt, google Mr Medicott, Electric Cruise, Mr Cruise Control and Ashdale Cruise Master. Should make for interesting reading
 
Ah, but the devil is in the detail. ;) Look at the OP's criteria:

"I'm an amateur so have to fit my passion around a full time job so attitude is as important as capability".

So not as much about a drinking contest about progeny's ability but each bloodlines temperament traits.
 
Cruising horses tend to be professional's horses, seriously talented but have a lot of personality too ;)

Ideal would probably be a cruising line crossed with a native (IMO a cruising mare with TFB would be perfect!)

Clover horses are nice and brave, but not as flashy as cruising horses :)
 
I have one thats Clover Hill lines. Complete donkey (although would take the pee out of novice!) nice jump, good basic paces (not overly flashy), bit wimpy at times, not got a very fast gallop and hes stupid!
 
Hi Just wondered what you went for in the end as this is arriving quite late after you first were inquiring? its just my beautiful horse has cloverhill blood line coming from Ireland Tipperary as a hunter and is out of mr Clover too.Hes bright bay 16.2 dark points and seems to have the same long neck as Cloverhills picture.I got him for his incredible layed back temperment,and his total soundness. Second to that he has a huge jump and is very bold as well as the fastest horse i have ever riden,& iv riden a few! should have been a steeplechaser but im to old for that now.
 
I have a lovely little mare by Clyde Cruiser,she is an absolute poppet, she has competed upto foxhunter, hunted and is a absolute pleasure to have and has produced a cracking colt for my this year by Cunningdevil z.
 
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