Fashionable types of horses, and do we 'categorise' too much?

I do think that breeding has changed aswell though!

There are a lot more "average" ponies & horses being bred by people who have never bred & shouldn't or accidentally pregnancies !

Yeah i think so too. But i also think that it is because people don't think the stallion is worth gelding because they will make a loss on it
 
I'm not sure, certainly the quality of RC horses my parents had 30 years ago is no where near the quality you see on RC teams now- most riders want average not a failed dressage horse anyway!
 
Breeds probably weren't given because there weren't many to choose from years ago, there were TBs, natives, arabs and crosses between them, then there were cobs and hunter types. When I was in the PC, these are what everyone had, no one rode warmbloods and no one rode gypsy type cobs.
 
Horses for courses. You would not do so well in endurance on a cob as you would do on an Arabian.

I think a lot of breeds now are over bred for their particular breed traits and that doesn't necessarily make them better horses. Back to Arabians again - it's hard to find one conformed well enough to be a good all around riding horse now.

Gypsy Cobs are very fashionable here (NZ) in the last few years. Pretty colours, long manes and tails, but better riding horses - I'm not convinced. All that feather in a Kiwi summer can't be fun.

After 25 years of riding Arabians and part bred Arabians, I'm now riding a young three quarter TB, quarter Clydesdale. Is she different to the Arabians? Physically and movement wise definitely. But temperament wise, to me she is just a horse with her own personality and quirks. I think if you start pigeon holing, you will end up with egg on your face.
 
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