Difference between american horses and ours...

0ldmare

0ldmare

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 September 2004
Messages
7,423
Location
Kent
Visit site
I got back a few days ago from a couple of weeks holiday in the USA and did a few of trail rides/hacks with some friends out there. They are horsey people and have an assortment of horses, ex racers, competition horses, youngsters they have as projects, a couple of ex eventers etc. I rode a number of different horses all of which had fabulous ridden manners - just in a plain old snaffle, didnt pull, light mouthed, trotted until told to canter even in some very inviting country - basically a joy to ride. Just made me think really, what is it that they do thats different to us? One of mine would have been cantering sideways in excitement the whole way, the other would have pulled like a train.

I feel like trading my lot in and getting a shipment of horses from over there!.... particularly one that I really fell in love with.
 
They run from indians, gallop down cliffs and hitch them outside saloons.

hehe as you can see I have no idea but sounds like you had a great time xx
 
I spent a month in Kentucky and came back thinking exactly the same. They are so lightmouthed. It must be the training, they respond to the reigns being laid on their necks, side to side dont they? Very clever!!!!

You dont wanna trade yours in, mean Mummy! They are so cool. Maybe there is an American trainer over here, we need Cowboys!

I was thinking the other day about cross-breeding a TB with Quater horse which is mainly what the ones I rode were. Would be fab!!! Lovely experience, I cant wait to do it again x x x
 
they have a different accent!
tongue.gif
 
the horses have to stop else they'd run for miles and miles...bad for rider and exhausting for horse!

we have gates here so we take it for granted
smile.gif
 
Ditto that, the lady I stayed with in TN could control her paint with a leadrope around his neck.
They seem to 'take' a lot more - I went to a barrel race and some of the riders were really tough - a few horsies I know would have put them in traction.
 
Could be MalteseCat! It is odd tho, one horse had only been off the race track for a month and was still sensible. Toby - I dont think either I or my mad old mare will live long enough to get her into 'sensible' mode!
 
Another thing, each rider had their own saddle. In this case english saddles, not american style ones. The saddle moved with the rider to whatever horse they were riding that day - my lot would have been dialling the McTimoney practice and dreaming of idle days in the field 'recovering' before I had even got on!
 
The americans have a more laid back attitude and have no military BHS background. They don't even keep their horses the same way. Ever wondered why all the horse whisperers seem to be american? They come over here doing it the way they have always done it and we are daft enough to be impressed. Parelli, Monty etc have been clever enough to market it lol. We have a lot to learn from them. At the risk of opening a whole can of worms, I feel that its time we english riders moved onto a better, more laid back system of riding.
 
QR
I saw Mary King do a demo once - she said (and demonstrated) that she teaches all her horses to stop when she pulls on the neckrein. So English horses CAN do it, they just need to be taught.
 
It's the training. I broke and trained my mare the 'american way' and she's really fabulous. Works properly too though, doesn't slop along. She so easy, and just does as she's told, until she's asked to do something else. No niggling to keep her going or slow her down. I don't know anybody else over here who trains like this though.

xxx
 
Hey, perhaps we can convert some of you to western! Check out the Western Equestrian Society (open to all breeds):
www.wes-uk.com
If you can, go along to one of the shows. People are friendly and a good atmosphere.
Oh, and there's always the option to have lots of bling on your tack and clothes.
 
Without wishing to offend, I personally would not want Britain to follow in the footsteps of the Americans where horses are concerned.

They certainly have some advantages over us but there are many things I feel are better over here.

ets In terms of English riding, obviously Western riding is totally different.
 
my QH is like nothing I have known before - he is very young but is so chilled it is unbelieveable.
I worked in the usa for 6 months and worked with QH - they are very laid back and people just seem generally much more chilled out about stuff...horses are used for a working environment alot more so any problems have to resolved otherwise they cant be used....I was taught that the horse has to follow you and listen to you almost like a dog otherwise its not a partnership and could cause problems....

My QH is western trained and its all about your position in the saddle rather than hand movements....when riding english I have to carry my reins very loose as his mouth is very sensitive. I only have to sit back in the saddle slightly and he will stop and look around to see what im up to....
I think it also depends on the owners....people are always saying how laid back my horses are....I dont go a bundle on following lots of rules and just keep it simple - like I was taught in US.....it works really well and my horses are very respectful to my voice commands...works wonders.....ive never looked back and I think im stuck on QH's forever...
 
I think the working cow horses in America are brilliant. Such a shame we don't use them over here.
 
Good to hear! Look forward to seeing you at the shows. Think I'll only be spectating this year as well - horse I was going to show recently had an accident in the field and is on box rest. (They never do anything in the winter do they?!)
 
i know the oppersite a friend came over to stay with us and she said english were not boring but fun to ride (she bit of a lonny one though) she does two star as well! said that ited b more fun to take an english horse xc cuz they make there own mind up unlike their horses
grin.gif
 
Well not America but twice I've been on a ranch holiday to Alberta, Canada

They buy colts & fillies for a few hundred dollars, break & train them or just seem to acquire good trail horses for not very much money at all...

The principles require more trust & i'm not sure that european horses are wired up the same - they're bred for intellegence & talent rather than work ability & obedience - like the use of seat for speed control & direction & the pressure release of mouth contact...
 
Are we talking "english" horses like hunter/jumpers or dressage horses or Western broke horses? This discussion seems to be alternating between the two and there is a difference!
smile.gif

I'm from Canada and never set my butt in a Western saddle so can't say how Western horses compare to those here but comparing the hunter/jumpers I used to ride there compared with the horses in "sunny" Leicestershire, I don't find a difference in the way of going or manners. I do find show hunters here tend to go more in a collected dressage frame than those over the pond though.
 
I really enjoyed reading peoples opinions on this.
I have no idea... could it be the type of feed/lifestyle they experience having an affect on their attitude?
Ie, living out more naturally?
I don't know at all, just a thought.
I'd love to experience different types of horses in different countries.
 
I really dont know what the answer is. They rode 'english' style, reasonably well, but werent top riders - sort of RC level I would say. Just every day riders like you see anywhere in the UK really.
 
Ive ridden a few times in Florida and also noticed how chilled out they were. But then Western riding is all about the horse being relaxed and going along in a very calm way. I personally prefer our horses and way of riding - Ive been to a few shows there too just to watch and its so weird watching them jump. They ride with no contact, just the horses neck long out in front! Id much rather have my horse up in front of me with lots of impulsion. It depends what you want to do I guess.
 
I used to ride horses from the stable in Central Park, and all but one went in a snaffle (and they weren't plods, either, just incredibly well-trained).

I've been to watch the Hamptons Classic a couple of times, and a couple of AA shows in CT. Again, snaffles and minimal gadgetry seemed to be the order of the day. Who knows--maybe the American hosses are all doped up to the eyeballs
tongue.gif


On a side note, I prefer:

The relaxed, devil-may-care attitude of British riders.
The comparable cheapness of horses in the UK.
The far more generous approach to turn-out.
 
oh no thats a bit rubbish then...dope they dont do anything through the winter...well actually I think they may do clinics but thats about it ;0) Hopefully see you out and about at the shows....
laugh.gif
 
Hi Herringbone,
Might be pulling a youngster out of the field lol! A friend has a horse of mine on loan to show, so I can go and watch her. Hoping to go to Hand in Bristol this weekend, then Hartpury in a few weeks.
P.S. Your palomino looks gorgeous
 
You really cannot generalise about "American" (or North American) horse keeping etc - it's a HUGE place with so many regional, climate and social differences that impact on horses. Keeping horse is California is very different than in Virginia which is different again than New York and so on. It also has roughly 5x the number of people spread much more thinly so you see more "pockets" of specific attitudes and practices than you ever see here.

That's not even including different riding styles like Saddle Seat and the various permutations of Western (reining, gaming, breed showing etc etc) and people who do more than one discipline.

Plus, like anywhere there is everything from horrendous riding and care from people who know next to nothing but never get help to horses that live like kings with people who compete at the highest levels.

As far as horses going on a lighter contact, I can say with reasonable certainty now that this IS different in North America. Along with a corresponding GENERAL difference in attitude towards training styles, tack and particularly bitting. (I say general because of course there are people obsessed with bitting in North American but it's not nearly as big a general topic as here.) It's actually becoming a pet subject with me so I won't bore anyone with the details but it's not a fluke or an isolated case. In fact it flumoxes me a bit and I'm finding it the hardest thing to adjust to (although I'm not sure I want to! I like having horses that don't pull!). Mostly it's the result of a different historical "base" in the most common english style approaches, in part because of the very "French Light" and Hungarian tradition in upper level training. The Forward Seat is the basis for The American Jumping Style, which is by far and away still the most commonly taught approach to riding and jumping. (If anyone is actually interested you can PM me and I'll elaborate but I do get the message most people couldn't care less about such academic concerns.:))

For the comment that they have no military tradition - quite the opposite. Until well into the last century the military was the base of much of the training and most of the upper level competing with both European and home-grown trainers. I'd hazard a guess anyone over about 40 would have had in their youth at least one trainer with a military background of some sort.

Some of the western influence is probably on show in the english disciplines as well, but I suspect less than one might think, especially now. I found "english" riding at western breed shows to be quite different than say, the way jumpers are schooled.

I'm also a bit surprised by the turnout comment. There are certainly parts of the US and Canada where climate plays a significant role in turnout conditions but it's not so cut and dried as being "good or bad". I knows lots of horses living out 24/7 in enormous pastures fenced by 4 board with free choice hay and huge shelters - hardly the norm here. Near cities the same pressures are in play here - land is expensive and harder to come by - but otherwise I'd say it's MORE common to have horses out for long periods in large areas there than here. (Dressage horses seem to be the least turned out but I've found that everywhere, to be honest.)

I know this will be an unpopular comment but I have yet to find it "better" or "worse". Some things are very different but horses are generally horses. I think there is a greater difference within the two areas as between them.
 
I can only comment from the places I have lived and seen horse raising and training. All of the places I have lived and ridden in North America have been as you describe Oldmare; good, sensible, quiet and well trained horses. I suspect there are many reasons for this and as said, these are what I have experienced but of course I am totally generalising:

Horses over here generally have a heck of a lot more turnout than horses in England; most horses are turned out 24/7 most of the year round.

Horses are taken in hand at a younger age; in the western scene a lot of horses are very gently started at 2 years old.

Horses are taught manners from Day 1, and bad manners are not tolerated at all, hence they never become issues later.

Horses are expected to do as the rider/handler says, and probably because of the above, this generally happens.

Horses are exposed to a lot more spooky things over here and they are required not to react to these things.

Bits are not a big thing over here, and neither are gadgets. Horses, regardless of whether they are English or western, are ridden on a far looser rein and the riders are generally much more relaxed in comparison to the stiff/boardlike British rider.

Breeding of course makes a big difference too, however I have to say that all of the WB's, Arabs and TBs who live on my farm as just as quiet and easy to work around as any of my QHs. None of them are anything like British raised horses. None of them have hangups and they just get on with the job in hand in a calm manner.

Horse feeding is not as regimented over here as it is in the UK; horses here tend to be fed ad-lib much more than in England, so they don't have to fight over feed.

Horses are taught to tie and stand quietly for as long as the handler wishes, and they do without question, even the young ones.

There is a lot more structure in teaching over here; the horses are not let away with nonsense, and any undesirable behaviour is nipped in the bud immediately so as not to spiral. Bad behaviour is dealt with and not ignored as is so often the case with people in England. Good behaviour is rewarded.

There are a lot of other differences, but I could go on all day and I won't. These are my observations and *disclaimer* are not true of everywhere in NA, but simply what I have seen and experienced in my years of living over here.

I can tell you now though, I would never ever put up with all the nonsense that British horses generally cause, again. It is not necessary and not something that I miss at all!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top