Highlands

I've just bought one! She arrives tomorrow and looks incredibly strong. The plan is that I ride her through the week and then I take the kids (12 & 13 y.o.) out on her at the weekend. Also thinking of breaking her to harness. I like them although I do remember getting tanked off with by one at a trekking centre as a kid
shocked.gif
but it was a 'pea on a drum' situation and I don't think the horse realised I was even there!
 
Hi, we have had three highlands. All were unbroken when we bought them and we then went on to showing each of them successfully in ridden classes.

I personally love the as they are my favourite breed. I would prefer to buy a pure bred but as the pony you are considering has 3/4 highland then i would imagine it will carry many of the traits.

Highlands, on the whole, are very honest and have lovely temperaments but can be a little 'bolchy' if they want to be. Two of the youngsters we had were initially quite strong to handle but definitely imoproved with age and handling so i guess a lot depends on their early education, as with any horse.
One of ours was ridden by a girl who was blind, he was completely honest and genuine but the other two were aswell.

Some people think they are heavy and lazy which can be a misconception because they can also be very forward going.
It all depends really.
smile.gif
 
I still have my first horse who's a Highland x ID. Have had her for 20 years and she's been fairly invincible! Now at the age of 28 she's having a quieter life but she gave me lots of fun when I was growing up and would hack for hours.

My best friend got her first horse the same time as I got mine and he's a Highland x Arab. The most stubborn animal I've ever met, but he's still going strong at 30.
 
I have a Highland too. She's the pony in my avatar/signature. I have previously owned a Dales x, a KWPN and a WelshD/WB but my little Highland (she's only 13.3hh) is the best horse I've ever had.

My 14 year old daughter and I share her. I ride in the week when my daughter is away at school. Our pony is well schooled and, as our instructor says, she demands to be ridden correctly. She isn't naughty but she won't work properly unless she is given fairly precise aids.

She is a poppet to handle on the ground. She is definitely built for strength and she could, undoubtedly, use it against you but she has good manners and rarely "tries it on". She is not even particularly greedy and she doesn't bother eating her hay if you give her a net with small mesh because she can't be bothered to make the effort - maybe this is not typical Highland behaviour though?!
 
I don't own her she belongs to the boss, but I tend to be the one who rides her the most. I describe her as a sports model highland, she is stunning, a mouse dunn and so pretty. She is stubborn though and if she doesn't like you she doesn't hold back, but is she does she is soft and kind. She reguarly goes out and shows the TB's in the local RC just how to win. She is a cross country demmon, loves it to bits and jumps like a stag. I hunt her on the odd occasion and the YM has done the Burgie RC three day taster on her. Have to admit when we unloaded we spotted a few people walking past smirking at her, they were soon shown just what she can do.
On the down side though, It took me five months to get her fit to do that and lots of extra hours of work in her care as the job she was doing was very demanding on a pure highland but she loved it.
wink.gif
 
Amanda123, Highlands certainly can take men and stags, but they are also, very verstile, mine are very wizzy highlands, and jump extremely well, of course you can get the ''plodders'', but many people are now realising, just what purebreds can do.
 
RS I ride at has a Highland cross New Forest. She can be a bit stubborn and mareish, and is fairly nappy when jumping. That said, she's fine for me (very novice WTC) to ride on the flat, especially now that I know some of her bad habits and carry my whip on the outside, to prevent her trying to rub me along the outside wall.
 
I used to have a fab one. He was sold to us as a pure highland but he wasnt reg, and I personally dont think he was 100% highland but most of him was! He was a fantastic pony - I won lots of things with him (SJ, games, XC etc.). He was the most honest chap you could imagine! And still is doing very well in his new home! Here's a pic of us at the RC Champs:

HollyatLincolnCLOSE.jpg


I think Highlands are a bit like Welsh D's, they can be very opinionated and stubborn but once you form a bond with them they can be brilliant!
 
Thanks guys :] Your info has been very helpful, I have no idea what he is crossed with, but doesnt seem as 'stocky' as some of your pure breds, although def has the disticit features.
Thanks again for your help, once i know what he is crossed with i will post :]
xxxxxxx
 
He is crossed with a connemara, have noticed that he doesnt seem to have that chunky neck a few of your pure breeds have, do you think that is the connemara in him?
Thanks again for your help
xo
 
Used to ride one who I never even knew was Highland. He was too tall for a highland really though so he was hogged and trimmed as a cob, which he definatly looked stunning as. Although I did find him very stubborn and slightly grumpy, but had a certain loveable cute side of him
grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top