Ideal breed for show jumping?

[skybabe]

Hello, I've just recently had my 17.2hh Belgian warmblood made PTS, of whom I feel very lost with out her and very gutted.

She had a lot of problems of the 5 years I had her such as kissing spine, stiff in the back legs and constant lameness of which I got investigated.

Are warmbloods prone to having lots of problems or is this just a myth? I want a smaller horse next for my 5ft2 frame, So any suggestions of breeding?

thanks x

 

[Asha]

I suppose it's how far you want to go. Are we talking 1.40m classes or are you happy with 1m classes

 

[skybabe]

hiya - I'd like to get to 1.20 eventually, but enjoy 1.05m and want to build up. I might be dreaming to reach 1.40 lol

 

[Orangehorse]

Well it is an unfortunate fact that the larger the horse the more likely they are to have have problems. A good size for a horse is around 15.2 but many people consider 16.00 to be on the small side. Warmbloods have been purpose bred for sports competition, dressage and show jumping, but it seems that some do have soundness problems. I even heard of a home bred 7 year old that had some hock problems that lead to PTS.

The traditional hunter was from Ireland, a thoroughbred crossed with an Irish Draught and often with a dash of Connemara pony somewhere.

A few years ago there was a series of famous performance horses in H & H and I noticed that very many of the featured horses had Arab blood in their breeding, even if a few generations ago.

 

[wench]

Dutch warmblood?

 

[skybabe]

See I really do fancy an Arab next, or part bred Arab about 15.2. Or TB x with ID, Connemara, welsh.
yes I agree warmbloods do seem to have problems, it broke my heart losing my girl and I won't get a big one again. I have 4 other people that are having problems too.

so an Arab, TB X, Type would be fine then - 15.2-16hh xxx

 

[skybabe]

sorry if sound a bit dim - I had a Belgian warmblood last time, are all warmblood pretty much the same? I'm scared to get another one as I know so many that pick injuries at a young age

 

[Asha]

I'm a fan of adding a bit of irish in. In your shoes have a look at WB X ID.

My 7 YO homebred is just moving up to 1.20m, and has scope to burn.

 

[stencilface]

I don't know if it's an inherent problem with warm bloods, or if they're just pushed too hard too early and therefore are more prone to breaking down. My horse is 16.1 but when and if I get another I will get something with shorter stockier legs!

Connemara x tb seems to be a good cross. From personal experience my sisters horse who's a conn x tb is 25 still ridden, popping the occasional jump after a life of pony club senior teams, newcomers, and RC eventing get champs. Very rarely a lame day.

 

[Tiarella]

I'd personally go Connemara X TB or X WB. Most full warmbloods (I've worked with a LOT on studs/dresage yards) are already broken by the time they're 2/3! Would never own one.

 

[skybabe]

oh my goodness! 2/3 that's terrible! poor things! I've been told they don't stop growing until they are 8? and most of them by the time they are 5 are jumping big. x

 

[LittleQueenie]

My friend has a 17.2 Dutch Warmblood mare, 19yo now and still ticking along fine. She bought her as a youngster expecting her to stop growing at 16.2. She's still in work and has mostly been fine. She's a little stiff through the hocks and conformation wise she's a little cow hocked but has never had any major issues! Breed suggestion wise I'm no use as have a full TB and she's much more suited to XC

 

[skybabe]

that's great your friends horse made it to that age nicely. its obvious she was well looked after as a youngster. I had my girl when she was just 8, I think she had been beasted as a youngster!

I do like thoroughbred too. show jumping is my main one, but I'd like to event & dressage as well. x

 

[LittleQueenie]

that's great your friends horse made it to that age nicely. its obvious she was well looked after as a youngster. I had my girl when she was just 8, I think she had been beasted as a youngster!

I do like thoroughbred too. show jumping is my main one, but I'd like to event & dressage as well. x

Yeah it's a shame when people over-do them too young, sorry to hear about your girl

I'm hoping to event with mine, start with BE90/100 next year and see how we go. She loves jumping but can be careless SJ as she's not really bothered and prefers to jump wide and flatter which suits us XC when the pace is going a bit more. Doing lots of gridwork though to build her strength and try to give her more lift

Have also just taken on a 16yo German Warmblood, she's 16.2/3 but a lot more slimline than the 17.2. Don't know much of her history health wise but has been an SJer. Just planning to see how she goes and what she feels like doing, she's got a very clicky body and a couple of old scars but no obvious issues as of yet!

 

[skybabe]

ah that sounds fantastic! Good luck with your eventing progress, it sounds like you will have a lot of fun together and are doing well x

Fingers crossed your warmblood made stays sound too. She's doing well for her age too.

Mine was 13 when I had her put down, I couldn't even retire her because of how uncomfortable she was in the field at least she is at peace now xx

 

[LittleQueenie]

ah that sounds fantastic! Good luck with your eventing progress, it sounds like you will have a lot of fun together and are doing well x

Fingers crossed your warmblood made stays sound too. She's doing well for her age too.

Mine was 13 when I had her put down, I couldn't even retire her because of how uncomfortable she was in the field at least she is at peace now xx

Thank you!! I hope you get something fab for your next one x

 

[ohmissbrittany]

Zangersheide puts a lot of science behind their breeding, including an "OCD coefficient" (similar to hip score in dogs, gives a likelihood of osteo issues), and they only approve horses for breeding based on performance merit... might have a better chance getting a sound competition horse from that "breed." And any horse named "______ Z" will be approved even if they're marketed as different breeding

 

[muddy_grey]

WB is a very general term. My friend and I both have Dutch WB's but they couldn't be more different. Mine is small (15.3) and lightweight/fine hers is 17.2 and quite chunky. There are so many "wb's" about that you really need to assess the horse in front of you. Some have awful confo, while others are put together beautifully. Some of the well bred ones are backed quite young (especially dressage bred), but these are usually the ones that go to the sales to try and get big money. I have purchased 3 now unbroken as either late 3yo or early 4yo. The other advantage to a small wb is they tend to be cheaper.
There are very few pure arabs SJ and I would have thought a part bred might be a better option. There is a French breeder on here who has a couple of young arabs being produced as SJ, that look great, but they are not as fine as some you see.

 

[LeannePip]

I agree with adding some irish, i have a lovely 5yo Hann x ISH and shes just brilliant a lovely temperament with talent to match. She has taken to eventing like a duck to water, despite being bred to show jump

She isnt WOW on the flat, she moves a bit like a show pony, quite flicky, but shes very pleasing to watch and does a lovely test, shes also hugely trainable. i couldn't tell you what comes from where but its a lovely mix that i would look for again

 

[LeannePip]

WB is a very general term. My friend and I both have Dutch WB's but they couldn't be more different. Mine is small (15.3) and lightweight/fine hers is 17.2 and quite chunky. There are so many "wb's" about that you really need to assess the horse in front of you. Some have awful confo, while others are put together beautifully. Some of the well bred ones are backed quite young (especially dressage bred), but these are usually the ones that go to the sales to try and get big money. I have purchased 3 now unbroken as either late 3yo or early 4yo. The other advantage to a small wb is they tend to be cheaper.
There are very few pure arabs SJ and I would have thought a part bred might be a better option. There is a French breeder on here who has a couple of young arabs being produced as SJ, that look great, but they are not as fine as some you see.

^^ this too

Mine is also on the small side at 15.2 1/2 (the 1/2 is very important!) but to ride or see ridden you wouldn't know she was that small

 

[ljohnsonsj]

Agree about 'wb' being a bit of an general term. Any horse of any breed can go lame, even the best ones. Higher level SJ, from newc/fox 'warmbloods' tend to be the horse to have. I own 2 x Dutch bred ones & 1 Holstein. They are higher maintenance so maybe it'd be good to look for something with some ID in it if your worried about injury as they tend to be a bit hardier.

 

[ljohnsonsj]

^^ this too

Mine is also on the small side at 15.2 1/2 (the 1/2 is very important!) but to ride or see ridden you wouldn't know she was that small

To add to this one of my Dutch ones is a great big 17hh + horse, and shes bloody big everywhere! My other is 15.2 at a push and petite, but riding them they are as powerful as eachother!

 

[skybabe]

yeah I agree, any horse can break. and its great to see people have got on with their WBs OK. I think they are beautiful horses. I just think my girl was very big and had been over used as a youngster.

maybe the way ahead for me next time is go for a 15 hh unbroken youngster that hasn't don't anything, and gradually build it up myself xx be a nice project for me too x

 

[Rollin]

See I really do fancy an Arab next, or part bred Arab about 15.2. Or TB x with ID, Connemara, welsh.
yes I agree warmbloods do seem to have problems, it broke my heart losing my girl and I won't get a big one again. I have 4 other people that are having problems too.

so an Arab, TB X, Type would be fine then - 15.2-16hh xxx

Have a look at my Shagya Arabs on RaceRare Cleveland bay and Shagya Arabian horses FB site. Our 6 year old filly has jumped 10 clear rounds this year at 1.05 and would have gone to the National SJ Championships at Fontainbleau, had she not had a kick, knock in the field which put her out of work for 6 weeks.

The stallion Ramzes an anglo/shagya arab has often been described as the sire of the last century, grandsire to Ramiro Z, 45% of horses competing at WEG in Achen and Kentucky had him in their pedigree. Arabs are tough. I also have a smart CB who will be jumping next year.

My homebred filly jumping 1.05 at Lion DAngers

 

[el_Snowflakes]

My Belgian warmblood is 20 & still sound as a pound & competing. There are so many variables that I don't think you can generalise. My opinion is a horse that is a well bred horse with decent confirmation, not too big & has been well maintained throughout its life has best chance of staying sound. However like any living creature there are no guarantees. I recently has an interesting conversation with our vet physio who's opinion is that the more 'modern' finer, high crouped, tall with more hot blood has less chance of staying sound at the higher levels than the more old fashioned, stocky & flat crouped like my own WB.

 

[Rollin]

I like what your vets has to say. I don't compete but my first horse was purchased for ride and drive in 1995. I thought he was a part-bred CB, though never discovered his history. He was pts last year aged 36 he never gave me a vet bill.

 

[ellie_e]

I had a KWPN who was knackred at 6.5yrs, pushed to hard as a 3/4yr old, was sadly PTS at 9.5yrs after almost 20k of vets bills. I also have an ISH whos 20yrs and still eventing with only one injury in the 12 yrs I've owned him. Saying that I bought a 3yr old Dutch bred unbroken mare whos now 5 with not a lame step taken. Shes 16.3, a fine sort, (slightly long in the back annoyingly) but other than being abit mareish and pulls faces shes ace fun. Had some nappy issues (ulcer related) but since treatment has been an angel. I think its down to sire and owner. Leaving them to mature and not rush a good one. Take you time and enjoy them.

 

[Cortez]

The best breed for showjumping?....Just look at the horses which are winning in that sport, the statistics are easy to find. I think currently it is either Hannovarian or Selle Francaise, it's certainly one of the Warmblood breeds anyway. There are almost no TB, Arab, CB or nowadays sadly, traditionally bred ISH horses at the top in showjumping. If you just want to pootle around for your own amusement then almost anything CAN jump; if you want to be serious about it then get a Warmblood. Any horse can go wrong.

 

[rachk89]

Reading this thread makes me so glad that my horse is half connemara and that I am not pushing him. I do still get vet bills though but that's because he still acts like a colt in the field despite him being 7.

Get a warmblood if you want to jump big but be careful about what you buy.