Differences between warmbloods & thoroughbreds?

[frostyfingers]

Having had TB's for the last 10 years I'm looking at a German Warmblood as a potential hunter. I have zilch knowledge of anything other than TB's and various ponies so would be grateful if someone could list their pro's/con's and differences. I love my TB's but in reality the fragility of the last few is getting to me and much as I love the va va voom I'm not sure how necessary it is for me as I get older. We hunt hilly and deep country so would like to know if they cope with it? I appreciate that every one is different but any info would be useful!

 

[Batgirl]

I have a belgian Wb x (in my signature) and I there is a Wb Stallion on my yard. Stallion is an eventer but struggles to make the time (so the va va voom is not there) but he is great fun, jumps for fun etc Owner hunts him and he LOVES it (stallion and owner).
My boy hates hounds so I don't hunt but hack round the countryside and he copes with great deep muddy ground, hard ground and everything in between. I have never had a days lameness not caused by external injury (like wrapping himself up in fencing!).
If he didn't hate hounds he would be a great hunter!

Can't comment on Tbs never had one.

 

[Casey76]

What about an old fashioned NH TB?

What kind of German WB are you looking at? There are many different registries.

 

[PorkChop]

Very hard to generalise as a Wamblood's breeding and type can differ a huge amount!

By the sounds of it an ID cross TB would be a very useful type for what you are looking for.

Fwiw I would choose a TB over a Warmblood any day of the week

 

[AdorableAlice]

Deep, trappy and steep country = a irish horse or a good welsh D

Perfect footing, no ditches, water or puzzles to fool the horse = a dumbblood.

Just my thoughts and everyone else will disagree.

 

[Always-Riding]

I'd also suggest a good old fashioned TB or Irish (idxtb)

I'm a warm blood lover but I wouldn't necessarily buy one to hunt - mine have always either been wimps or too hot headed to cope.

 

[madlady]

For what you want I'd be more tempted by ID or ID/TB.

There is a horse I've known since she was born - Dam was heavyweight cob, sire was TB - she's made an absolutely stonking hunter. 15.3h jumps houses and will go all day without being as breakable as a TB but also without the WB price tag.

 

[AdorableAlice]

I'm a warm blood lover but I wouldn't necessarily buy one to hunt - mine have always either been wimps or too hot headed to cope.

Phew not on my own then !

I can always remember my riding instructor's words many years ago. I had lost a super ID who was a nice all rounder. He did a nice test and I wanted to continue with the dressage. My instructor - 'remember you need all the help you can get from your horse, that Irish horse you had helped you out of all sorts of problems you put him in. A warmblood does not think, he has to be told, placed and organised, you won't be able to ride one'

At the time I thought, what a cheek, I was competing at medium on the ID but she was right, he did help me out throughout to the extent he would occasionally guess where we were going.

I could not replace him and ultimately bought a SF, who was schooled to the same level, but not a WB. First test I did on him he trotted straight over the boards and out of the arena. I was furious, instructor said 'did you ask him to turn in the corner' no of course I didn't he knows the way to go ! In reality the SF was and still is totally obedient, he had not been asked to turn so he kept going. It was at that point I realised just what I had lost in my ID and how un-obedient other people would have found him.

I do think 'horses for courses' is very relevant and so much has to be factored in when deciding on a perfect partner.

OP, how about a furry feral carthorse ? I can post him and he will be fine on steep slippery slopes, he absails beautifully.

 

[Orangehorse]

I can't see the problem if the said horse is already hunting and you have the chance to try him out, but I too would look for a bit of Irish or Native pony in the mix with a TB. But I wouldn't go out and buy a young Warmblood with the idea of making him into a hunter.

In fact if I wanted to buy a hunter I would go to a dealer of hunters and try it out for a day anyway.

 

[Tnavas]

Once upon a time when the Warmblood was the 'In' horse to own I bought one. It was so boring to ride I sold it and went back to my laugh a minute TB.

There are old fashioned well boned TB's out there with sane personalities and a desire to live a sensible life.

Many of the modern warmbloods have so much TB in them that they could almost be one, they also come with some of the not so desirable traits, need a ton of food, have an obsession with the vet and have stuntman hobbies of fence crashing, shoe pulling and hi speed departures.

But find a sane, sensible TB, and you have fun. Mine Evented Novice level, Open Medium dressage, did Endurance, showed and games. He only saw the vet for his annual vaccinations and lived on the smell of an oily rag.

 

[Merrymoles]

Another one who thinks that if you love TBs, stick with that but find one with a healthy lump of ID in it to bring a bit of toughness to the mix. Mind you, I am biased as I've always wanted a TB/ID - have ended up with a 15.2 Irish cob though...

 

[frostyfingers]

The one I've put a call in about is by Lauriston, out of Mill Laragh (?) and bred by High Offley Stud. In his description it says Irish Sport Horse but as my knowledge is very limited in this area I'm not sure what's what. It's currently hunting. I love my TB, his whizz, unpredictability and general outlook but he's cost and still costing me a fortune with the vet, it seems that every little thing becomes a biggie!

 

[Arniebear]

Probably not quite what you want to hear but my warmblood is plagued with issues he is a superstar to ride, dressage is coming along, jumps like a stag and bold as brass problem is his legs cant cope got him as a 4 yr old by 5 he blew a front tendon, back in work from that (eventing) and he's damaged a hind one now, he's 7 and has spent most of his time with me out of work. I purchased him as my TB had issues and i wanted something better built for the job of eventing so something with a little more bone but apparently that doesnt always help! Im not saying they are all like that of course they arent, all im saying is dont buy a warmblood and magically expect it to be absolutly fine cuz it might not be! I have now purcahsed an ISH in hope he stays sound and can event!

If you want something more hardy for things like hunting/ eventing then i would go irish in some way, an ID/TB or an ISH, all the irish ponies i know are sound still!!!

 

[Lynn11]

I have the best of both, I have a wonderful TB x WB gelding. He loves to hunt, jumps like a stag, isnt the quickest but isnt the slowest. He's fun to ride and still has the quirkiness of a TB but hes got the stubborn Warmblood in him too, if he doesnt like something he plants his feet and has a paddy. However I wouldnt change him for the world, he does everything I want him to, hunt, event, does a nice DR test. He doesnt have the speed of a TB but he tries his hardest and can still go up and down the gears when asked. I was always a TB lover but I love having the best of both and something slightly, ever so slightly more built than a TB, (he got the TB look from his mum!).

 

[wench]

Bear in mind a lot of irish sport horses are basically just warmbloods...

 

[Stockers]

Ha-ha! I've often thought this but I then cross has been diluted over the years. To me an ISH is a 50/50 ID/TB but that dulution also occurs - perhaps to a lesser degree.

Shire or clydie x TB = British Warmblood then?

Sorry OP - off topic. I could never do a warmblood justice - I sat on one once and it needed very precise riding otherwise it wouldn;t do anything. total humiliation on my part.

 

[TGM]

Bear in mind a lot of irish sport horses are basically just warmbloods...

Indeed, the majority you see advertised these days have a big dash of continental blood in them!

 

[paddi22]

I've an ISH with half warmblood breeding and he is just fab. Very serious character, (very little personality) and very serious about his work - but has the clever irish side that just lets you drop the reins and trust he can get us both out of trouble. I think i'd always swing that way in future. Have a pure tb too and prefer his paces and agility, but he always went into panic mode if anything complicated came up!

 

[Annagain]

I'd always advise to go for the right horse in terms of temperament, build and experience to do a job and not necessarily choose a particular breed - unless the job is breed showing of course!

As an example - we always thought my share horse was 1/2 ID x 1/4 TB x 1/4 Welsh D and put his laid-backness, huge backside and weight gaining tendencies down to his 50% Irish blood. When his breeder tracked us down, it emerged he was actually 5/8 TB, 1/4 Section C and 1/8 Shire. No Irish anywhere near him!

 

[asommerville]

I think a good horse is a god hirse no matter what the breeding (I went shopping for an Irish horse though) and somehow came back with a warmblood 😬

 

[TGM]

I think a good horse is a god hirse no matter what the breeding (I went shopping for an Irish horse though) and somehow came back with a warmblood ��

Agree, the same happened to us! He makes a pretty good hunter for a warmblood:



Happy to go first or last, whip in, catch loose horses, herd cattle, go through mud and water, jump ditches and is definitely not dumb!

(Just to add two horses had just stopped in front of him at the hedge above, but he just ignored them and carried on!)

 

[Charlie007]

I would choose a horse that does the job, not the breed.
I have a warmblood and have attempted to hunt him once, never again!! My tb is a lot more level headed but haven't hunted him yet!

 

[Hawks27]

Arab? plenty of whiz but less fragile than a TB

 

[Annagain]

I would choose a horse that does the job, not the breed.
I have a warmblood and have attempted to hunt him once, never again!! My tb is a lot more level headed but haven't hunted him yet!

I know an ISH who became completely demented out hunting. He was bought (as a unbroken 3 yr old) with a view to hunting and his owner chose that breed as they're known for their hunting ability.

 

[Goldenstar]

I love KWPN's but went back to TB's as they are less sharp IME.
My favorite hunter ever was a british bred Dutch warmblood she was a magic ride my 17 year old driving horse another kwpn was retired from driving to hunt and took to it like a duck to water .
Tatts is the bravest carefulest jumper you could ever want he will jump all day in front out of knee deep clarts he has the heart of a lion and will go all day and finish able to do more on the down side standing is not really his thing he was the same in the carriage and at fifteen I don't think he will change .
I don't like it when people call them dumb bloods the thing with them is they are selected for their ability to learn and have been for generations so if they have been taught the wrong things you can struggle to train them a different thing.
All but one of my warmbloods have been tough and sound my worse soundness issues have been with ISH's an ISH has to very special to tempt me now.
TB's learn differently to warmbloods they work out what they think you want and then do it if they choose they have a different type ,quality if you like to their sharpness they often have an amusing arrogance J ( TB)makes me laugh everyday he's adorable .
A good TB is so easy to ride their paces are smooth and elegant nothing beats a good one once you get into canter you have about ten plus gears to play with .
I have always found TB's good hill and mud horses they cover the ground easily and lightly once you have trained them how to move to make the job easily for them .
I would find it hard to say which I prefer a TB or a warmblood if choosing between two I would take which ever was the best horse .

 

[TGM]

I know an ISH who became completely demented out hunting. He was bought (as a unbroken 3 yr old) with a view to hunting and his owner chose that breed as they're known for their hunting ability.

Again I agree. At the same time we bought our boy, a friend bought an ISH, and hunting blew his brains and wrecked her confidence too. You can't stereotype by breed!

 

[Sussexbythesea]

My "dumblood" (how insulting!) has pretty much turned his hoof to anything over the last 10 years. Hunter trials, dressage, showing, hacking, sponsored rides and has rarely come home without a rosette. He does donkeys, sheep, cattle, logging vehicles including trees being felled, pheasant shooting and beating. He has had some soundness issues and he is not a dope on a rope but he's a fabulous intelligent horse that is full of character. I'm the wimp in the relationship and with a bolder rider he could have done more. I've never hunted partly because I'm not that bold a rider and partly because I'm afraid to injure my horse regardless of what breed he is. He even bows, will stand on a pedestal and is a great kisser 😄 he's Belgian Warmblood with Selle Francais sire.

 

[Jo1987]

Depending on how big you need/want your horse to be, I'd go for a tb x connemara.
I have one and he's the most wonderful animal, couldn't tell him apart from the pointers I ride at work, but hard as nails and super intelligent (read can get you out of any trouble you can get yourself into!)
Thinks he knows best, but he actually usually does.
Only just scrapes 15.1 though, so not a big horse.

 

[Fun Times]

I previously had a tb (ex racer) and currently have a warmblood. Based on these two specific horses, I would choose the warmblood for eventing and the tb to take hunting (with the decision based on which one I think is most likely to bring me and it home safely).

 

[Tnavas]

Ha-ha! I've often thought this but I then cross has been diluted over the years. To me an ISH is a 50/50 ID/TB but that dulution also occurs - perhaps to a lesser degree.

Shire or clydie x TB = British Warmblood then?
.

100% Yes - The warmblood snobs forget that the original warmblood was a cross between the draft horses of the era with TB or Arabian blood - carriage horses with big knee action - bet that some of the fancy dressage horses could trace their line back to a Hackney.

This is a TB x Clydesdale - mistaken often for a warmblood - which she is - Hot blood TB + Cold Blood Clydesdale = Warmblood