Horse prejudice.

[GoldenWillow]

A bit random but whatever happened to Anglo-Arabs, have they just gone out of fashion? There were a lot about when I was a child but I can't remember the last time I heard of one.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have a coloured now, he’s quite smart but I know my dad is unimpressed
He has trotter in him but I kind of like the Sports horse tag my vet receipts have given him instead!
I’m not keen on heavy horses myself but was quite offended on behalf of some I looked after and their owners when I realised that people thought they were fair game to take the p out of a bit!

 

[poiuytrewq]

A bit random but whatever happened to Anglo-Arabs, have they just gone out of fashion? There were a lot about when I was a child but I can't remember the last time I heard of one.

I had one a few years ago! He was really pretty! I liked him a lot

 

[follysienna]

I have Exmoors and when you tell people, you either get "aww my first pony was an Exmoor" or "God rather you than me, Exmoors are gits".

 

[ycbm]

A bit random but whatever happened to Anglo-Arabs, have they just gone out of fashion? There were a lot about when I was a child but I can't remember the last time I heard of one.

They had a reputation for being hotter than either breed alone and I met some that lived up to that. I think they went out of fashion in favour of more rideable/trainable but equally athletic horses.

 

[toppedoff]

anglo arabs were my fav, this book i got years and years ago and it was the first horse breed i ever read about in there

 

[fetlock]

They had a reputation for being hotter than either breed alone and I met some that lived up to that. I think they went out of fashion in favour of more rideable/trainable but equally athletic horses.

I had one many years ago as a child. He was easily the smartest and most talented of all I ever had, and breathtaking in looks. I adored him, but he was too much pony for me at the time.

 

[PurBee]

The 'dumb-blood' stereotype -- Plenty of horses who fit it perfectly, and plenty who don't. Once worked on a dressage yard with about a dozen Hanoverians, who were total thugs and miserable to handle on the ground. When the trainer saw me doing a little bit of groundwork with one to stop it from running me over, he laughed and said, "These horses cannot be trained like your horse." Yes, I thought, because you can't be bothered training them.

Arabs are flighty -- I knew lots of Arabs in Colorado. Most were rock solid trail horses but some of the show bred ones could be quite bonkers.

TBs are nuts -- The ones I've known who came out of racing with their brains fried and with soundness issues certainly can be, but the one who weren't damaged by racing are amazing, calm horses who are used to everything.

PREs are hot -- Well, mine isn't, but n=1.

Drafts are slow and phlegmatic -- I've known some quite sharp ones.

Cobs are placid, beginner friendly horses -- I've known some sharp cobs too. Used to teach a lady who had one such horse. She'd bought it because she thought it would be novice-friendly, being a cob, but the mare was hot as a hot thing. She was a turbo-cob, lots of fun if you knew how to ride. Owner was one of these very uncoordinated, unbalanced beginners, and the mare was not forgiving. She'd buck off the rider when the rider got too wobbly and hung on her mouth. It was not a good partnership.

Highlands are slow and calm and good beginner horses -- Mine is not but I've met other ones who check that box.

Welsh sections Ds are fire breathing dragons -- I haven't come across one who bucks that stereotype yet.

my welsh d mare is 50% arab - i actually think the arab blood is what has given her a more sensible brain! she’s really lovely now she fully trusts me - but boy, gaining that trust was much harder than gaining trust from the fuller arab blood gelding.

I never knew about arab prejudice - until a local unknown to me horse-person invited themselves to my home yard and asked if i was a snob!!! At the time i had no idea where that comment came from, as especially at the time was living a notch-up from camping on this land, and i hardly look ‘posh’ - so it was a weird left-field comment i scoffed at, thinking she was weird!

The online world of horses revealed the arabian horse attitudes. I ended up with arabs accidentally…i wanted a cob! Haw haw! A plodding cob…..but a pregnant mare had no grass, was very local.…i had grass and love horses. I just love arabs now…so in love with their idiosyncrasies.
Their reputation isnt accurate, mine are really relatively chilled-out…just give them freedom to be horses and they thrive. The ones in egypt kept in stables 24/7 that are maniacal is what any breed kept in that way would behave like.

I adore all breeds…if its equine i love it

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

I have preferences, I'll always choose something big, heavy and hairy if given the chance. I'm less keen aesthetically on TBs, WB etc but I don't hold any particular bias towards them.
Colours hmmm...I love a good patchy horse, or just about any colour other than cremellos which give me the serious creeps

 

[smolmaus]

I've yet to see a horse I couldn't find beautiful. Or a donkey. Or a mule. And because I just don't know very much about breeds I don't have or really care to have the knowledge to be snobby (which has been very fun to see annoy certain people). Bred from champs and winners the last 8 generations? Lovely! Oh yours was born behind a bin and looks like 4 different horses frankenstein'd together? GORGEOUS do they like to be kissed?

Oh wait I do have one exception for very tiny minis that are too small and badly put together to function. They just make me very sad.

 

[SOS]

Going against the grain a bit here but I haven’t experienced much prejudice with the horse people I surround myself with. I can’t say that to my face I’ve really had negative comments on my horses for their type, or if I have it’s gone over my head. But then I have no defence up about my horses already, I’m lucky enough to own them, don’t give a stuff what anyone thinks about them.

Probably going to get eaten alive here but I do believe that like a dog breed, horses breeds have certain physical and temperamental traits which make them unique to their breed. There are exceptions to the rule as always. But if you were to pick a horse by breed (never been my way but in theory) then it would make sense to go with a breed that has traits you like. So I feel there is a difference between a prejudice and a trait and that at times people take that the wrong way. If you own a certain breed people may assume things about the horse based off its breed traits.

Trait: A thoroughbred may be a forward thinking horse as the breed was developed to race or a cob type may be more cold blooded horse as it was bred to be less reactive to straps, shafts, traps etc.
Prejudice: Thoroughbreds are wild. Cobs are only good as cart horses.

There are some breeds and colours I like less than others, but that’s a preference and not prejudice. They could almost all do what I want to do with my horses but I’d be more drawn to one that is my stamp.

I wish coloured horses were still less popular as they currently seem to carry a premium!

 

[tristar]

Where do you find these horses? Both the stallion you described and this one sound exactly my sort of thing!

well mainly its a case of breed your own!

40 years and 5 generations later i am pleased with the result

 

[Marigold4]

this too! idk why theres such a stigma with barefoot, this comes from inside the eq world too - mainly has died down now but still found it odd

Prejudice against barefoot is definitely still a thing. People think you don't compete or do anything other than potter around if barefoot.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Prejudice against barefoot is definitely still a thing. People think you don't compete or do anything other than potter around if barefoot.

Lol, I think the prejudice is about equal with shoeing. Pariah of the parish for either method and often some folk getting very antsy that their chosen foot care is the only way. Each method has its own Taliban

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Prejudice against barefoot is definitely still a thing. People think you don't compete or do anything other than potter around if barefoot.

What annoys me with the whole "barefoot" thing is I can't say my Shetlands are barefoot because I either trim them myself or get a farrier to trim them. I do not use a barefoot trimmer - I've seen one doing a friend's horses and nope! Not for me! She was awful, I do a better job myself. I have to now say mine are "unshod". And it's barefoot trimmers who have decided that you have to use that terminology. Utter lunacy!

 

[hollyandivy123]

What annoys me with the whole "barefoot" thing is I can't say my Shetlands are barefoot because I either trim them myself or get a farrier to trim them. I do not use a barefoot trimmer - I've seen one doing a friend's horses and nope! Not for me! She was awful, I do a better job myself. I have to now say mine are "unshod". And it's barefoot trimmers who have decided that you have to use that terminology. Utter lunacy!

so all the wild mustangs are unshod not barefoot................ ?

 

[LEC]

I have loads personally, but my biases are usually because I know exactly what I want in a horse and I would be wasting my time with anything else.
I won’t buy a coloured horse. They don’t jump well enough. They are either related to Samber who jumped like a wheelbarrow or are one step removed from pulling a cart. There is a reason you don’t see them at 1.40+ and 4/5* eventing much. I will buy a coloured horse if it’s to sell, same reason I won’t buy one myself as the bit of common in them makes them in the whole amateur friendly.
No point having cobs or natives. I am tall and I like athletic and great jump. My idea of hell is a Welsh section D. I don’t mind looking at them in the show ring but wouldn’t ever have one. I know several people will now jump on me but my idea of athletic is galloping round a 1.10m xc effortlessly and competitively. There are tonnes of warmblood lines I won’t touch with a barge pole as they are tricky or annoying sharp. I won’t have a black horse as haven’t met one yet who is genuine and uncomplicated. Ex racers I am seriously fussy.
As the saying goes it’s horses for courses. What’s the point of buying something I won’t enjoy or find the job I want really hard?

 

[DabDab]

What annoys me with the whole "barefoot" thing is I can't say my Shetlands are barefoot because I either trim them myself or get a farrier to trim them. I do not use a barefoot trimmer - I've seen one doing a friend's horses and nope! Not for me! She was awful, I do a better job myself. I have to now say mine are "unshod". And it's barefoot trimmers who have decided that you have to use that terminology. Utter lunacy!

Eh?
I think you may have just met a couple of wierd/prickly people in real life or you've just awoken a nutty group on social media....
I've kept horses barefoot for a couple of decades, and know many other people who keep ponies/horses barefoot, very few use a trimmer, and I've never come across people being funny about the terminology (or frankly caring enough to enquire how your horses feet get trimmed).

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

so all the wild mustangs are unshod not barefoot................ ?

Yup! According to some barefoot trimmers I have spoken to you can only say your horse is barefoot if one of them does its feet and you follow a specific diet. Everything else is unshod.

 

[DabDab]

Yup! According to some barefoot trimmers I have spoken to you can only say your horse is barefoot if one of them does its feet and you follow a specific diet. Everything else is unshod.

They sound like fruitcakes that are best left on the shelf

 

[eahotson]

What annoys me with the whole "barefoot" thing is I can't say my Shetlands are barefoot because I either trim them myself or get a farrier to trim them. I do not use a barefoot trimmer - I've seen one doing a friend's horses and nope! Not for me! She was awful, I do a better job myself. I have to now say mine are "unshod". And it's barefoot trimmers who have decided that you have to use that terminology. Utter lunacy!

Mine is barefoot too.I use a farrier to trim mine.Like you I learned the hard way to avoid barefoot trimmers.

 

[Orangehorse]

A neighbour was getting elderly and his hunter (bay, Irish) had been retired. They had a coloured cob mare that his daughter would ride, but he could not bear the thought of being seen riding a gypsy pony.

Someone had a stud, and had young hunters doing very well in the show ring. The dams were TB, but she told no-one that the stallion was a Morgan she had imported, so she told everyone that the sire was American bred and just let it be understood that the sire was TB, because she didn't want the judges to know the breeding.

 

[Orangehorse]

I used to find many "traditional" type of riders looked down at my arabs. I think they especially looked down at OH on a 14.2 arab.

Didn't regard them as proper horses in the way they did their 16.2 bay 7/8 TB. I soon realised the problem was that the arabs were probably more intelligent than the riders and they riders were never going to give in and form a partnership.







I don't anyone else who does. No one seems even slightly interested.

When I had Peruvians no one was even slightly interested. Not sure why people are so uninterested and almost prejudiced against gaiting horses in the UK.

This comes from seeing the pictures of Tennesse Walking Horses with their stacked shoes and 2 year olds being ridden by heavy men and the peculiar Big Lick.


People think that all gaited horses are the same, and I have been thrown off a discussion group for defending gaited horses.

Of course, what most people don't realise is that Gaited horses were highly thought of. There are several different names, with some doing The Rack, which looks like a Spanish trot. Amblers, with their pacing trot were common back in the days of horseback travel, when they could cover many miles easily and comfortably for the riders. Most of the gaited breeds went to the New World, where they continued to breed them, but as carriage travel took over in Europe, the trotters took over, racehorses and even dressage horses.

Several breeds are naturally gaited including the Icelandic, as well as the american breeds.

 

[eahotson]

I've been told I'm short sighted not buying a grey. After all if a horse can do a job why worry its coat colour? But I don't think I'm prejudiced when saying I do want to buy a coloured or grey/palamino/dun.

It's just what you like. Like I'd hate to have a brown car or a yellow coat. It's just personal preference.

I don't dislike cobs either, I just prefer ISH ir WB'S

I kind of agree with you.I have a cob but can see she is not everyones cup of tea.Not sure I would turn down a horse on colour though.I do think you have to have a horse that is suitable for what you want to do.If you love chilled hacking, a sharp powerful WB is not for you but if you want to go above say elementary dressage a heavy weight cob IMHO isn't for you either.

 

[eahotson]

A neighbour was getting elderly and his hunter (bay, Irish) had been retired. They had a coloured cob mare that his daughter would ride, but he could not bear the thought of being seen riding a gypsy pony.

Someone had a stud, and had young hunters doing very well in the show ring. The dams were TB, but she told no-one that the stallion was a Morgan she had imported, so she told everyone that the sire was American bred and just let it be understood that the sire was TB, because she didn't want the judges to know the breeding.

His loss or perhaps he wanted to give up but just didn't want to say.

 

[Ratface]

I have a bit of a "Criollos are the master race" thing going on......

They are rather wonderful, though. I used to borrow one before I became hooked on Arabians.

 

[fidleyspromise]

I won't have another grey just because they take something cleaning. I'm not a fan of cobs generally for their looks but that's just my preference- now and then I see one I love. I've no issues in getting on on at the riding school. They did have one if she was bigger and I was looking I'd have bought her. I just sat on her and knew I'd love her.

The adult on ponies stigma seems to have vanished and is the trend. So many people reverting from horses to Highlands in my area.

Highland ponies - ideal or beginners, lazy. A lot are being bred now to be sporty and it depends on how much my mare is workedthe days prior as to whether I'd put a beginner on although that's less as she gets older. Wouldn't let a beginner hack her though without assistance on the ground.

Arabs - can't jump and are flighty. I've known one that couldn't work her legs ut to jump. I've got Tal who I'm very much hoping will be a Riding Club horse.
My frien d kept asking why I want an Arab, they look ugly, they're flighty. My boy stepped off the box, out to the field and quietly grazed. - Next day an Arab was for sale and she was tempted.

Friend has a standardbred and kept trying to persuade me to get one. They're lovely, I ride hers happily but again it's just not what I was looking for - likely because my heart was set on an Arab.
If I could afford them I'd have loads of different breeds.

The amount of times I hear never get a mare or I wouldn't have a mare. Ugh, I love my mares.

I bought my Highland mare 15 years ago and before she even stepped off the trailer the yard asked if I bought her as a project to sell. No, I loved her. That was my first glimpse of adults shouldn't have ponies prejudice and yet this was a riding school and what were one of the breeds they had for adults? Highland. Over the years loads of people have commented as shows how much fun I look like I'm having on my litte try her hoof at anything pony.

 

[eahotson]

I won't have another grey just because they take something cleaning. I'm not a fan of cobs generally for their looks but that's just my preference- now and then I see one I love. I've no issues in getting on on at the riding school. They did have one if she was bigger and I was looking I'd have bought her. I just sat on her and knew I'd love her.

The adult on ponies stigma seems to have vanished and is the trend. So many people reverting from horses to Highlands in my area.

Highland ponies - ideal or beginners, lazy. A lot are being bred now to be sporty and it depends on how much my mare is workedthe days prior as to whether I'd put a beginner on although that's less as she gets older. Wouldn't let a beginner hack her though without assistance on the ground.

Arabs - can't jump and are flighty. I've known one that couldn't work her legs ut to jump. I've got Tal who I'm very much hoping will be a Riding Club horse.
My frien d kept asking why I want an Arab, they look ugly, they're flighty. My boy stepped off the box, out to the field and quietly grazed. - Next day an Arab was for sale and she was tempted.

Friend has a standardbred and kept trying to persuade me to get one. They're lovely, I ride hers happily but again it's just not what I was looking for - likely because my heart was set on an Arab.
If I could afford them I'd have loads of different breeds.

The amount of times I hear never get a mare or I wouldn't have a mare. Ugh, I love my mares.

I never wanted one but either aquired or was aquired by one.I think she was looking for a mug and thought "That one will do".

 

[criso]

A bit random but whatever happened to Anglo-Arabs, have they just gone out of fashion? There were a lot about when I was a child but I can't remember the last time I heard of one.

Not just anglo Arabs but Arab cross natives were what everyone wanted especially Arab X Welsh but there were also Arab X Connemaras, NFs, Dartmoors and ones of unknown breeding.

At that time I think more people were crossing Arabs and TBs directly to heavier types large and small to get sports horse and ponies. There were a couple of Arab stallions standing locally that people would send their mares of unknown breeding to to get an all round athletic horse.

Warmbloods have taken over now that niche for horses with refining of hot and cold blood having happened a few generations back.

My 2nd pony was mainly Anglo Arab with a bit of something else brought in for the cream gene for breeding palominos though she was chestnut. Her dam was registered with the HIS as a British riding horse and was tb X pba. Sire was Arab.

She was one of the calmest laid back mares ever defying chestnut mare and Arab, Anglo Arab preconceptions.

I'd love one like her now but taller.

 

[Tarragon]

I don't know about prejudice but people can be very condescending/patronizing about adults riding ponies. I'm 'mature' and have a mini cob gelding. He's mainly white with a few black patches. Dressage diva comes up towards me on the yard drive as I'm hacking out alone says ' Oh, you two are just so cute together'. Dressage diva has a proper bay dressage horse that she's too frightened to hack out alone so he spends most of his life in the school.

As a mature lady who rides Exmoor ponies, I get this all the time! It reminds me of that cartoon of two ladies, one ultra smart lady in smart riding gear, holding a beautiful horse with rugs, boots and all the gear, the other a scruffy looking lady with a hairy pony, both of them are looking at the other thinking "Poor Horse!" Both equally happy, with happy horses, but diametrically opposed views on what is best!