Following on from the dog thread - why did you pick that breed..

Wow what a change Pigeon, he looks super.

I'm another Arab addict I love the bond you have with an arab and the trust so even if they are a little hot they listen to you and on the whole are very sensible despite the look at me presence. I quite regularly have cars stop and turn their engines off when they see my mare coming and think how strange as to me she feels soft and light and completely listening to me but clearly she looks like a nutter!

I like the fact they are so soft in the mouth and even if something scares them they stop on a sixpence. In hand they are as light as a feather and whilst they might dance around on the end of the lead rope they don't pull and are very aware of where you are (actually my gelding not so much as he has knocked me flying but my mare never would). Just can't imagine riding anything else.
 
Definately a Morgan- all the plus points of the Arab, but with a bit more substance and sense, and a little less show!
My son was working at a Morgan breeders, backing and riding youngsters, I rode a couple and fell in love with the breed. So much so that I bought and backed one of my own. Amazing little horses!
 
We ended up with an Arab by accident. We couldn't find anything to suit when horse shopping, he belonged to a friend's tenant, came on short-term loan while we kept looking...bought him a few weeks later and he's never left!
 
My preferred breed was always ISH, but after my super-expensive ISH turned out to have EPSM, I only had the budget for an ex-racer. He has really sold me on the whole ex-racer thing. I like the 'rescue' element as someone else has previously said, & OMG he's athletic. He has more jump than my Cruising gelding (in avatar) & such fab paces, & he's so light on his feet & a v quick learner. However, he can also go from super chilled to complete meltdown in the blink of an eye. Currently on rehab from KS surgery...excited (and a little scared...) to see what I've got to work with once he's firing on all cylinders.

T x
 
Ended up with an Arab X Welsh D, just because that's what she was! Got Lilly as a foal for my 14th birthday and she is a lovely horse, generally laid back and very happy to endure hours of fuss and attention. I'd one day like something more sports horse-y though, something a bit bigger.
 
My current horse was gifted to me. I would NEVER have chosen a welsh cob myself because I believed all the bad press about them.

I have no idea if she is representative of the breed but I have to say she is brilliant! I love everything about her and would definately look at another welsh cob if I were looking.
 
I have 2 criollos, both ex working horses from Uraguy. I've ridden criollos in Argentina too. They are a fantastically versatile breed, with amazing endurance qualities, and very tough. They are often sold as good for novices (and some of them are) but they can be opinionated (being very clever) and a lot of the ones imported over here have "issues" due to harsh treatment in South America.

I chose my first one when I was looking for my very first horse after a 30 year break from riding. I found the breed addictive and bought another a year later. I do western, TREC, fun rides, and lots of hacking. I know of criollos acting as therapy horses, showjumping, hunting, and there's a farm near me that has a string of them that they use for cattle work on their large farm on difficult terraine. Brilliant little horses, and low maintenance too.
 
ArabianGem78 said:
I caught arab-itis when, as a teenager I started helping out someone I knew who has an arab and anglo-arab. When the time came to buy my own, I visited the stud that she bought her AA from, and fell head-over-heels for my little chestnut PBA mare. Horse 2 was always going to be a pure bred mare - yet another chestnut ;-)

For me the arabian is the ultimate breed. Intelligent, thinking horses who are, despite popular opinions, fantastic performance horses as well as being easy to have around on a day-to-day basis (my little mare is a cracking person who is so easy to handle) who happen to be achingly beautiful.
Click to expand...

This is exactly my experience too.

Looking for a first horse in the South Wales valleys, it was almost certainly going to be a section D. I had no preconceived ideas about breed, but knew I wanted something roundabout 14.2, so in all liklihood, Welsh cob was what I was going to end up with and that was how it turned out.
I'd always had my head turned by Arabs in my books about breeds as a child, but dismissed them as a first horse due to other people's opinions on them being too fizzy and not suitable for novices. However, being around other people's and having the opportunity to ride them, made me realise that if ever I had a second horse, it would definitely have to be an arab. She has been everything that I hoped she would be - so much fun, loves to gallop, intelligent, sharp, loving and so affectionate.
Much as I adore my section D, who I was told by an instructor and saddler to do part bred arab classes with, I'd never have another breed again!
 
This guy sparked my love for Welshies
Ebinfield.jpg


He fell in to my life by accident, I didn't go looking for him. He was stubborn, arrogant, bolshy, stupidly excitable to the point of certifiable, spent as much time on two legs as on four and incredibly infuriating, especially when he wanted to play catch instead of coming in. He was also brave, talented, bombproof, trustworthy, stoic, loyal and gave himself completely. As much as I adore my two now (and riding wise I've done more on my share horse than I did on him) he was my once in a lifetime pony.

Unfortunately I've ended up a bit tall for Welshies so now have an IDx and share a TBxWelshxShire (we always thought he was 1/2 ID until his breeder tracked us down!). The 16hh Welsh giants still catch my eye when I'm window shopping but the larger ones are rarely good examples, sadly.

I love the attitude of a Welshie, they're very marmite but if you get one on-side, you won't have a better horse. There are also practical considerations that make them suited to me (the same ones that made me choose an IDx) - they're pretty hardy and can live out, they don't take much feeding can be left a few days without being ridden, are a nice solid build as I don't like riding skinny horses. They're pretty low maintenance in general which suits me as I have a demanding job and can't always do as much with them as I'd like.
 
For me it Irish draught all the way. I bought my first horse because I liked her, new nothing about breeds. She's 3/4 ID. Just loved her attitude to life. Her kids are a bit livelier ( silly me added WB). Just bought another full ID, and he's so much like my Asha. Just find them easier than our WB's. So we have the WB's competed by someone else, and the ID's are the ones we have fun on. Best of both worlds. Next horse I buy, would be another ID to replace the ole girl when she retires.
 
Enfys said:
Arabs, for their whole personality and joie de vivre, I like smaller horses, that are fairly narrow and carry their heads high, I like to see a pair of ears in front of me :)
I like my horses with more go than whoa, I just love arabs. I never used to, I used to think that they were useless pretty pretty poncy ponies, until I was horseless and answered an ad in a shop window to exercise racehorses. I got a bit of a shock when I discovered that arabs race, that was 25 years ago. I was hooked, and like all converts I am fanatical about them. I bought one pretty sharpish and have never been without one since, actually, discounting the foals, I have only had 3. I still have a 28 year old.

Now that I am in my second childhood and have knackered knees and hips I have progressed to gaited horses, and I am just as addicted to them. I have two Paso Finos, my mini Iberians, each very different, I love just being able to sit, no more posting . They are easy to ride, very, very fast, have excellent natures and are so much like Arabians in temperament, yet another reason I adore them.
Click to expand...
My neighbours breed paso finis where did you buy yours from?
 
I've had connies, crabbett Arab, welshies, warm blood and the nutty TB. Bought a saddlebred 6 months ago because she was pretty and a coloured! Never heard of the breed. She's turned out to be a superstar and exceeding in dressage, very very clever
 
Rode a beautiful Arab as a teenager and loved her, so when I decided to get back into horses and get one of my own it couldn't be anything other than an Arab. Couldn't imagine having any other breed
 
Exracehorse, private owners in Ontario.

You are in the UK, yes? I hear that PF's are becoming more common there now, good. My friend uses hers for trail and lesson horses, they are sensitive souls, they will give an experienced rider a great ride, and then the next session they are in the arena with a 6 year old on them.
 
I wanted something different from the aha ovarian X I had on loan and was PTS when he broke a leg. Ideally, I was looking for a coloured warmblood, tried one, it was very lame, tried a chestnut games type pony, way too speedy for me and ended up with a cob! He's speedy, spooky, super affectionate.
 
Always wanted a palomino arab as a kind- until I found out it doesn't exsist! Lol
Wish I new what my pony was or who bred her because I would buy the same again she is fantastic. Supposedly newforest x, people who have seen her ask me if she has tb or arab in her. My guess is tb x nf, but I will probably never know!
I would still love to own an arab one day but I think for me the horse just has to have some special thing that draws me to it. I knew right away my pony was special. I have only ever had that feeling with one other horse which I was a tb from ireland, I loved it but was too poor to buy then and have 2. I think if I get that feeling again whatever breed ill know its the right one for me!
 
I started off with Fell ponies because I looked after one when I was helping at a riding school when I was young. I had a few and did a lot of showing with them and I'm still quite partial to them and occasionally buy one to train and sell. I always know where I am with a Fell pony. They are great so long as you don't give them an inch :D They know how to look after themselves.
I then went on holiday to Iceland 25 years ago and rode there and decided I wanted one. I've had Icelandics since then. I love their gaits and I love how light and polite they usually are. I really miss their gaites when I ride other horses.
 
Gloi said:
I then went on holiday to Iceland 25 years ago and rode there and decided I wanted one. I've had Icelandics since then. I love their gaits and I love how light and polite they usually are. I really miss their gaites when I ride other horses.
Click to expand...

Amen - I rode an icelandic recently and wonder why anybody rides anything that isnt gaited tbh
 
I have, over a very long career with horses on 3 continents (no, 4 actually....), ridden most things. Whilst I don't actively dislike any breed per se, nowadays I really only want to ride Spanish or Portuguese horses.

Of all the breeds I've trained my favourites, in no particular order, are; Tennessee Walking Horses, Arabs, Pasos, Saddlebreds, Connemaras, TBs, mules, ANYTHING Iberian.

Ones that I'm not particularly fond of; Irish Draughts and their crosses (and I am Irish....), TBs (note they are on both lists :-), Holsteiners or any modern hyper-athletic warmblood horses with no brains, halter bred Quarter Horses and halter bred seahorse Arabs.
 
DanceswithCows said:
Amen - I rode an icelandic recently and wonder why anybody rides anything that isnt gaited tbh
Click to expand...

I know. It spoils you. When I ride something else I'm like 'okay, I've had enough of this trotting lark now, can I have my own horse back'. Can you get gaited cattle?
 
Last edited:
I didn't mean to buy my first horse. He was being tried out for a local riding school but was too green, and I decided completely out of the blue to buy him. That was 18 years ago, we've had a nice ride this morning. He is a l/w Cob, buckskin tobiano with chestnut eyes, he stands out in a crowd. I adore him but he is a daft pillock and even at 23 is spooky as hell. I've always liked the odd coloured horses, would love a.blue roan! I also have (in profile pic) another l./w cob, also skewbald, also very loved. Nowhere near as spooky as the old one!
 
I wasn't even there when we bought the first Appy! I was working a 24 hour shift in a childrens home, so Sis, Mum and Dad whent to view a supposed strawberry roan cob. They rang me and explained what she looked like, Dad's description was she was the colour of an old red brick wall :D. She was supposed to be for me and sister to share, but when we got another horse to share, what we now knew to be an Appy decided to be mine, or rather that I was hers. When she retired aged 30, I had to have another and then decided that as the current girl was 17, I would get a youngster to bring on and she is another Appy. They are brilliant, quirky, with bags of personality and humour, they also have brilliant paces and look fantastic.
 
When I was looking for my first horse, I wanted a hunter type, so some sort of TBx with a draft horse, and I ended up with a warmblood. He was wonderful but had his problems, so I always said I wouldn't get another WB, I'd stick with TBx's as I like their forward-thinking brains. So the next horse I got was an irishxWB, sadly his time on this earth wasn't to be too long; the one I have now is IDxTB, and is the spookiest horse I've ever ridden but I love him to bits!

The Fuzzy Furry said:
I didn't 'pick' CF, Jennbags from this forum shoved me in his direction, totally the opposite type to what I might have had :biggrin3:

Used to produce most of the natives, then spread out into re-training TB's from off the track, then dabbled with ISH's for a few years.

Would have probably gone for a MW ISH again, but CF is just the ticket - and in a home for life :)
Click to expand...

I didn't realise he wasn't the type you were looking for! Still, I'm glad I did push you, you seem to adore him, and he you as well :)

huskydamage said:
Always wanted a palomino arab as a kind- until I found out it doesn't exsist! Lol
Click to expand...

Oh god, me too but how have I got to my age without knowing that they don't exist!!!
 
I wanted an ISH as, in my experience, they are lovely, even-tempered horses who can turn their hooves to almost anything :) I did manage to pick one with more than his fair share of the Master Imp quirkiness but he's a fantastic big lad and I wouldn't change him for anything. My sister's boy (another ISH) is similar - lovely natured and very talented. They're very different types of ISH, my Jazz is an ISH x ISH and is quite TB-like in looks and temperament, my sister's Harley is an ID x TB and has come out much more "draughty"!

ETA: I'd had a TB x Sec D (I think) before, and was looking for a bigger horse with a similar feel.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top