I’m like you, PRE’s and Arabs were always the dream, or a really cracking, compact chunky little TB (with a star and a snip if I was going to be fussy!). I grew up reading ‘The Black’ books so had him in mind as a child, a beautiful black arab or PRE was always on my list.I've been really lucky to have experienced a lot of different breeds and I love a lot of breeds, I appreciate the brain and spark of a sharp cob, the elastic suppleness and engine of Warmbloods. I'm not a fan of appaloosas I just don't vibe with them, so much so it's often the case that I find out a horse I just can't gel with turns out to be an Appaloosa part bred.
And while there are many breeds of be happy to welcome into a stable I've never quite grown out of my little pony mad girlhood love of Arabs and Andalusians. Even in my teens and twenties when everyone was falling for friesians and later the spider legged warm bloods Iberians and Arabs were like a dirty little secret
I certainly can't afford two but I do occasionally find myself window shopping PRE fusions and hispano Arabs
So what's your dream breed?
They have a very specific way of moving in my experience which I just don't enjoy, and, I've no objection to a horse having an opinion, but like a$$holes we all have one but we don't have to share it with everyone all the time whether it's relevant, interesting or appropriate or notAppaloosas are quite an acquired taste. They do not suffer fools gladly but if you click with one they will go through lava for you
) but long striding and smooth. Straight moving rather than flashy but with a weirdly uphill canter.... And yes lots of loud opinions. Which you will be told whether you asked for them or not
Well, bear in mind spotty is not always appaloosa - I'm very much not averse to spots. Although Bon has decided he'd prefer to be greyWhat don't you like about their movement?
Caveat that when I say appaloosa I'm saying my spotty thing who sounds like one (15hh, spotty but realistically is just a Heinz 57 who used to have some dots on
My mum rode a 16hh leopard appaloosa that she said was 'choppy' to ride and felt like a little pony though
I had one for training years ago. Semi-feral, and always retained a wildness to him. Oh, and a complete disregard for fencing other than high stone walls. Thankfully the owner realised that a ridden career wasn’t the best option for him. He became very handleable but was allowed just to be a companion. He came with a false donkey society passport with hand-drawn spots so we were never sure of his history.
There's a RMH x PRE filly foal I've mooned over for sale and a stunning RMH x arab at stud as well. I wonder if they would be a nice combination of laid back/gaited and a bit of spice. I always end up looking at partbred Arabs. I would love a black hispano arab one day.
which does describe my current pony with maybe a couple of extra inches, I've also discovered chestnut fells exist and they are also beautiful!
I'm pretty sure there is/was an "English spotted pony" that was an actual breed at one point - obviously I'm very aware of knabstrupppers, I'd expect there are other breeds which accept spots as colour too, its just that people see spots and automatically think appaloosa.
British spotted ponies! Super little things
www.ehorses.co.uk
Appaloosas are quite an acquired taste. They do not suffer fools gladly but if you click with one they will go through lava for you
Then when I explained to him (at this point I'm in the school having a full blown English conversation with him!) what I was after and showed him (I swear my yard owner thinks I do some barmy things 
), he followed me and was looking so pleased with himself when it clicked x
x
My spotty thing, app or not, definitely does the eye roll at meThis. The Appaloosa breed in a nutshell
I do get quite a few funny looks when I say I have Appaloosas - most people look at me and say "Oh they're far too opinionated and aren't exactly forgiving" - but that is what I love about them - if an Appaloosa doesn't agree with a way to do something, you can be sure as hell they'll tell you about it
But equally I've found them to be the most loyal, loving and genuine horse breed out there....
Rabbit (who is my rising 3 year old Appaloosa) is 1001% my horse - no doubts about it. I've known him since he was a 8 month old colt and when I went to view him, his breeder said that he was destined to be mine. We just had this instant connection which has just gotten stronger and stronger x He is hands down the most intelligent and sweetest horse I've ever had the privilege to know, he demands the best out of me when we're training, but in return he gives me his heart and his all. He doesn't appreciate when he or I make a mistake - he reminds me of a perfectionist in some ways.
The other day I started the basis of teaching him to lunge and he was getting a bit confused, so I took a few steps back to where he was comfortable and then built up from there. But what was interesting was that he seemed to be annoyed that he wasn't picking it up quickly, he was really focused but couldn't coordinate himself and he did a squeal or two. I then asked him what was up and if he was peeved it was too difficult a thing to try, and I swear he stopped, looked at me, tilted his head to one side, let out a massive sigh and then looked at his legs and then back at me as if to say "how do you work these bloody things!"
I am a total Appaloosa convert
But if we are talking money is no problem and we can create our own dream horse - weirdly enough I would absolutely LOVE an old fashioned Thoroughbred, the ones that are still sleek looking but have a bit more bone to them x I love their speed, how their brains work and in general how elegant they look when moving. However, I don't have the nerve to ride a TB and I'd be constantly freaking that I was ruining them in some way, so I will stick to my Appaloosas who just roll their eyes if I do something daft
My spotty thing, app or not, definitely does the eye roll at me
Just Googled! Gorgeous!
