How would you define 'forward going'?

[HashRouge]

Forward going means exactly what it says - a horse that likes to go forward and doesn't need much leg to do so. Within that you can get all sorts of different horses - beautifully schooled, responsive ones; sharp and/or spooky ones; strong ones; absolute nutters who want to gallop everywhere. Forward going ultimately just means they don't need much persuasion to move forwards. A number of posters are making it rather more complicated than it is, I think.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

I would actively look for an add for a forward going horse personally. To me it just means the horse is quick off the leg and when you say go, it is willing and eager to go. It is the type of horse I like to ride.

I don't think a first time horse owner should necessarily avoid horses described as forward going. You just need to dig a little. Does the owner consider the horse to be sharp or strong or sensitive?

My horse is forward going. He is also a very straight forward 'point and shoot' who a novice could easily pop round a course of jumps.

 

[mariew]

It means pulls like a train and no brakes. It is a polite way of saying that.

Yes if I saw an advert with this combined with not a novice ride I would think of it as a nutter... But I like a polite forward ride rather than something you have to chase.

 

[Lois Lame]

Reading on here, I'm beginning to get the impression that forward going doesn't mean what I thought it meant, so I was hoping people could share their own understandings of it?

As a concrete example, the horse I rode in my last couple of years of riding school was described at the time as forward. He was a wonderful horse with a great character, extremely willing and with the power to back it up. He would tackle any jump you put in front of him, and needed only enough aids to communicate what you wanted. However, he was NEVER spooky or sharp. Even at full gallop, which he loved, his brakes were always fully functional. The only time he ever put a foot wrong while I knew him was when there was a huge crash just outside the arena and he took off in the other direction for about the length of the school before I was able to pull him up, at which point he was a bit sheepish and we carried on as normal. Since it was a perfectly understandable reaction, it never dented my trust in him (I'd had a lot worse on less 'advanced' ponies!).

The reason I'm using him as an example is that he was consistently talked about as being forward going, basically because he was enthusiastic and willing, however IMO he would have been a brilliant first horse. With the consensus here being that anyone getting themselves a horse described as 'forward going' for their first horse is setting themselves up to be overhorsed, I feel like there must be more to the term than that? Does it mean more like fizzy and needing to be held back a lot?

Many thanks in advance!

(Edit: I can't spell...)

He sounds like a great horse.

And yet, I think a lazy horse is more of a confidence builder.

If I were riding that above horse, the forward one, I might feel out of control. I am not a confident, devil-may-care person. I expect the worst to happen. If I were to mount that horse you speak of, I would feel his keenness and maybe not feel in control.

I went to see a horse once, with my partner, and when I tried the mare (after her owner rode her) I did not feel as though I was calling the shots. She was a forward going mare. I felt unsafe.

I turned down the mare and neither her owner nor my partner could understand why.

Later, at home, I sat and watched the video (that my partner had taken) of me riding her. It all looked so good. I said to my partner, "Why didn't I like that horse? Why didn't I buy that horse?" He said he hadn't known why either.

But it was her forwardness. It's a pity I didn't take a chance on her. I should have bought her.

ETA: BTW, I really like the photo in your avatar.

 

[jkitten]

Thank you all for your responses! Several of you hit on the mental aspect/attitude of the horse, which is perhaps what I was struggling to grasp. At the moment I'm riding a mare who in terms of ability is probably equal to the gelding I described, but her attitude is just so different. Her whole approach is to look for any little loophole or mistake on my part which might let her drop the pace for a few minutes. I'm competent enough to (mostly) stop her and make her behave, but I feel like I'm spending the whole lesson basically making her do something she really doesn't want to be doing. It's frustrating and honestly a bit depressing, I don't want to be enjoying myself at another creature's expense.

It sounds like I might be okay to look for something with a more forward thinking and can do attitude, so long as it was well-schooled and in possession of basic self-control!

@Lois Lame: I know what it's like to have non-buyer's remorse, but honestly you almost certainly did the right thing. She could have been the most amazing, well-schooled, mannerly horse in the world and it would have made no difference so long as you didn't feel safe. You would have been unhappy and most likely she would have been unhappy at not being able to please you. I think it's impressive that you stood your ground against pressure when you knew it didn't feel right. You probably saved yourself a lot of heartache and expense that day.

And thanks for the comment about the photo! It's not mine (sadly) I got it off a free avatar site.

 

[Lois Lame]

... but her attitude is just so different. Her whole approach is to look for any little loophole or mistake on my part...

I love it.

It sounds like I might be okay to look for something with a more forward thinking and can do attitude, so long as it was well-schooled and in possession of basic self-control!

I agree, but as others have said, make sure the seller is truthful about 'forward going' and not using creativity in their language because they are desperate to sell a maniac.

I know what it's like to have non-buyer's remorse...

Ha ha.

... but honestly you almost certainly did the right thing. She could have been the most amazing, well-schooled, mannerly horse in the world and it would have made no difference so long as you didn't feel safe. You would have been unhappy and most likely she would have been unhappy at not being able to please you. I think it's impressive that you stood your ground against pressure when you knew it didn't feel right. You probably saved yourself a lot of heartache and expense that day..

Aww... thanks. I never thought of it that way.

 

[jkitten]

I agree, but as others have said, make sure the seller is truthful about 'forward going' and not using creativity in their language because they are desperate to sell a maniac.

Oh don't worry, I am very conscious about not over-horsing myself, and would be bringing my instructor to ask all the questions/see all the stuff I don't know to! In any case I don't want anything flashy, just a good steady teenager who enjoys their job and wants to form a partnership with me. I'm willing to wait (and pay!) for a kind, willing school master, as @Roxylola puts it.

 

[paddi22]

I've one that people call forward thinking, and she is, but I would describe her more as buzzy, she has a frantic busy brain and is very fast paced. I'd stick her a stage above forward going and call her buzzy.

forward going is such a wide description, it can vary from bolting lunatic through to just responsive and off the leg depending on who you ask!

I think it comes down to the horse's energy and how the rider feels about that energy.

 

[oldie48]

Just an observation but I know that when I try a new horse I can easily be conned into believing that a horse that requires more encouragement to go forward is a safer horse. It isn't! IMHO a forward thinking horse is safer than a backward thinking one, it's less likely to nap, rear or buck. It's easier to work correctly and once on the aids it is a much more straight forward ride. I'm not talking about a horse that runs through the bridle or has no brakes, but one that wants to go forward and work for his rider. A horse may feel a bit intimidating initially but once used to that lovely forward feeling you honestly don't want to have anything else.

 

[tristar]

for me forward going is the basic urge within a horse to move forwards, a natural part of its personality

 

[Fjord]

I'd describe my girl as safe but forward whilst out hacking, when the ground is good she wants to trot, sometimes faster than you want, and occasionally asks for canter. You don't have to nag her to keep going. But generally has good brakes (especially now she's bitless). A bit different in the school though unless there are jumps up!

 

[Annagain]

It means so many things to so many different people, it's almost meaningless. My old boy Eb was forward but very safe - he had plenty of go and was very excitable, but would always stop when asked and wasn't at all spooky. Archie, my now-retired boy was less overtly excitable (as in no dancing and rearing before being allowed to fgo) but could get very very strong and there were times I thought I'd never stop! I used to call him "the thug" and my share horse Monty "the slug" but actually Monty isn't slug at all, he's just well-schooled, genuine and responsive (but doesn't believe in wasting energy) so will do as he's told and no more - you could also describe that as forwards. Charlie now seems to be a lovely mix of Arch and Mont - a bit more of a spark than Mont, especially out hacking but still very polite with it. So each of them is/was forward-going but all very different!

 

[sportsmansB]

The grey mare in my sig was just on the cusp of 'too forward'
She was forward going in every respect, always the up transition was easier than the down, but down was possible if took more prep..
Forward past scary things, curious about new things, never considered not going on about her business
Unfortunately it was also her go to evasion, so when she first came and didn't ride so well, she was too forward and ran on through the bridle. A 'backwards' horse might look back at you and bottle up and even kick out in a bad temper or freshness. She never did that, freshness meant even more forward

I would never have hunted her, I think we would have died
But we tamed her forwardness to be just manageable, and I have to say it gave me so much confidence that she would literally tackle anything in front of her.

 

[conniegirl]

I would say my lad is forward going.

he is super willing to work, he wants to please and have something to think about, you ask once and you will get, if you ask to strongly you will get a big reaction (either much faster than you wanted or his party piece of an enormous welsh trot). He is very up into his bridle and happy to be between leg and hand. He has power by the bucket load but won’t use it against you.

the general feeling of riding him is a little powerhouse asking politely for direction!

 

[Goldenstar]

All my horses are forward going but they are very different .
H will always find a little more energy to go ,he’s forward going and he likes to rush he’s a slightly anxious horse who hates getting things wrong and likes the rider to take charge .
Sky is forward and likes to learn he’s got a busy brain he can be a bit of thug but he’s changing as he progresses in the training .
At first I doubted his work ethic but as he’s slimmed down ( he was showing before he came here ) it became clear it was a stamina issue his muscles could only work properly for so long before he maxed out now he’s slimmer and physically more developed he’s really changed I would describe him as forward when he arrived I described him as stuffy .

 

[gemisastar]

I'd describe my mare as forward going, we mainly hack with some schooling but she is always happy and willing to work and enjoys getting on with her job, no leg really needed and will continue at whatever pace and speed you ask of her but also has brakes and is responsive and polite.

 

[Jellymoon]

I think it’s a really positive thing - sort of a gift really - and not the same as ‘sharp’, but if a horse is described as ‘forward going‘ in an ad, I would immediately think, ‘nutter’!!

 

[Tilo]

To me it would be a horse that moves willingly with its ears pricked forwards at a marching purposeful pace. Anything with a bit of spring in their step with the desire to jig jog and leap around a bit I would call fizzy!.

 

[Ranyhyn]

My daughters pony is forward going. She is constantly ready to move up, she's thinking forward, looking forward- ready but not ever going to give it to you unless you ask for it (even if you dont realise you did ask in the case of my 8YO) her brakes work just fine!