Horse performance in anyway related to a horse's character?

Rachel_M

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Do you think that there is a connection between a horse's type of character and how successful they are in the performance inenviroment?

For example; your most successful horses, (whether they are competition, hacks, etc), were they dominant types or submissive in the herd?

Have you, in your experiance with your horses, felt that a horses dominant or submissive nature affected your success together as a partnership? Not just in competition but in day to day life.

Do you find more dominant horses in a herd are more bolder when ridden than submissive types?

Discuss, if you can
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Skhosu

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Both of my more recent ones have been honest as they come geldings with the odd quirk, not necessarily soppy in the stable and both dominant with the other horses, but one was a wuss in terms of injuries one could have his leg hanging off and he'd tell you he was fine!
 

mrogers

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i had a mare that was very laid back and this reflected in her work. You always wanted to shake her and wake her up!

However, the connie that i have on loan now is full of life and normally bucks in excitement but once hes chilled he produces fab fab work
 

stencilface

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Mine is a middle of the herder, like to think hes a big bully, but really he's a wuss and will back down if seriously challenged (although he does like to really aggravate the 'boss man' by biting/kicking him occassionally).

Don't know if he's what people on here would term 'successful' but he is generally obedient, clever, great jumper, mostly quick to learn, lovely in the stable etc and a real character.

Boss pony in the herd is very quirky and nervous.

Lowest of the low horse is very spritely for his 24 years ex-chaser (though he was rubbish at that
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).

I would say that my current horse and second pony have been the best for me, they were/are both middle of the herders with easy-going temperaments.

I think you need to be very good at judging your riding to successfully ride a very dominant horse.
 

rara007

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Pip is very dominant in the field, and is always the top of the herd. He also likes to be dominant on the ground
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, he is by no means bad, but makes his opinion very clear. Driven he is stupidly bold, and is the type you have to be careful with. He trys his guts off so much, he could be pushed past his limits. He is unbelievably frustrating at times, and if you get angry with him, it sounds stupid but he gets angry back, and is more than willing to pit his strength against yours. You also have to be carful using the whip, ridden and driven he reacts well to the whip, but on the ground he takes it as a fight, and will aim at you back. He has a tendancy to decide when he wants to load, all this season he has been good, but if he doesn't want to load, he just stands there, almost smirking. When you manage to get him to work with you he really is amazing, his performance record shows that
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, and he really does give you a feeling of being unbeatable. Somthing else you have to be careful with him is when he is on an 'off' day, he doesn't learn from mistakes. Earlier in the year we did a marathon on greasy ground, he fell in the first obstacle, not listening to me, most ponies would have been scared, or atleast tried t listen more, but Pip battles on regardless. It is good that he doesn't loose confidence, but tricky. Jumping he is the same, if he gets it down he doesn't attempt it listen more the next time. The plus side of this, as he is always confident, he always appears relaxed in dressage, and is more than bold enough that if I am nervous about the XC, he gallops on anyway, giving me the confidence. If I am nervous in dressage, rather than being nervous or tense, he jsut takes the P, cantering, bucking, pacing and not listening
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It is very interesting with the team, as they are performing as a herd. Brook, who in the field is the very bottom of the group and very submissive is the 'leader'. When he trots, they all follow, while Freddie who is the top of the team is the most submissive in the team, possably due to his extreme nerves!
 

wench

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Horse is very laid back - not laid back in competitions. Will think nothing of dumping you if he can, or just being a complete arsehole
 

Silverspring

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IMO there is a link between personality and performance but I'm not sure of which comes first. My mare is super competitive and would race anything that looked at her but I think she became competitive through comepting at endurance and doing race rides.
My instructor had a little Highland x WB who wouldn't say boo to a ghost but she brought her on and took her up to PSG and Int 1 dressage and now she's quite the little diva, not naughty but she thinks she's the bee knees and has become far more dominant in the field.
Do people think we can change the personality of a horse through competition/training or will mother nature always prevail?
 

Rachel_M

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[ QUOTE ]

Do people think we can change the personality of a horse through competition/training or will mother nature always prevail?

[/ QUOTE ]

Good question
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I think horses, as just with any reasonably aware animal, will be effected by their lifestyle and surroundings (nature v nurture). Similar to a way that a horse, who is given the chance repeatedly, may become bolshier, bolder and argumentative if they become used to getting their own way.

How specifically competition effects them, I am not sure. Perhaps, it is simply the case that once a horse gets out and about in different company, they become more "confident" in themselves in a way?
 

hellybelly6

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MY horse is dominant, always has to be top of the pecking order.

He can be dominant with me, but I can get around this with psychological means.

His character is lazy and laid back and confident and he is like that with everything other than remaining head horse. Having said that, he will do his best when asked and is very loyal. He is not phased by anything.

He is a Highland and thinks he is the bees knees.
 

niagaraduval

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My horse is a real wuss. He is scared of anything it's so funny sometimes i put 2 salt licks into the field for mare and boy one carrot and one apple. Niagara decided the apple one was 'his' lick and carried it round the field in his mouth...silly horse..
 

Ziggy_

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My horse gets ten tonnes of crap beaten out of her in the field, but with people on the ground and under saddle shes incredibly brave and very dominant. I think its not so much that she's low down the pecking order, more she just has total disregard for the pecking order!! She'd rather barge the boss mare out of the way then run off to avoid a kicking, than just respect her space in the first place. But then she has always been a law unto herself. Idiot.
 
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