Peoples Fascination with Warmbloods?

[Parkranger]

Someone please educate me!

Before I had a long break from riding (15 years) I had an American Saddlebred - all eventer types were advertised as 'Hunters' but now they're all Dutch WarmBloods, Warmbloods etc etc

I don't understand the fixation with them - give me a nice thicker set TB anyday (not really liking my TB too thin).

...is the popularity due to the WB having thicker bone so being stronger for eventing? Surely they also don't have the speed of a TB?

Somebody, please explain!

 

[Christmas_Kate]

me, I'm a pony person so someone correct me if i'm wrong, but i think the fact that WB's are thicker set means that they have more stamina for eventing, and alot are TBxWB, so you have a mix of stamina and speed. WB's are the new TB's lol.
It's like most things, things come and go into favour.

 

[vic07]

they often jump better and move better - therefore easier to produce for an amateur. Pros are riding much more sj types now. Assume cos courses are so technical that you need a real jumper.

Certainly more easy to pick up a wb then find an old fashioned irish type of event type!

 

[PaddyMonty]

The change in dressage scoring (2002?) seems to have sparked off the move to the WB

 

[vic07]

think the change in dressage scoring made the dressage the most important phase eventing. If you don't get a good dressage then you won't do well.

 

[SSM]

Well I have a fixation/obsession with one type of warmblood

 

[Madam_max]

Really??? What is it?

 

[SSM]

Well lets just say they are stubborn, lazy and ruled by their stomachs, but oh so loving and are a native breed

 

[Tempi]

i hadnt noticed...........

on a serious note tho i brought Archie because i could see his potential and because hes got a lovely temprement - the thought hadnt even crossed my mind about him being a dutch warmblood. i couldnt care less what 'type' he is, i brought him for his potential. Bloss i suppose is a WB to some extent, but when i brought her it wasnt because she was a WB it was because i loved her at first sight!!!!!!!!!

 

[eahotson]

They have very good paces for dressage (by rule of thumb) and some are bred for jumping. Also very good looking. Suposed to have good temperaments as well (some do and some don't I guess). Jury is out for me as while i think they suit serious competitors I feel they are not suitable (again by rule of thumb, there are always exceptions) to the average everyday rider wanting an alrounder.

 

[dieseldog]

A warmblood is just a part bred TB, a lot of the great WB sires such as Lucky Boy were pure TB. An irish horse to me is a warmblood as it is a TB crossed with something heavier.

The popularity with warmbloods - at the lower levels is that they are bred to be riding/sport horses whereas a TB is bred to race.

 

[airedale]

I think it started with the dressage divas (don't get me on that subject !) and now that the roads and tracks are out of eventing the emphasis on the dressage side is even more loaded as there is little more they can do to the xc courses now, so dressage flashy movers get good marks and then if they can jump a bit xc and sj so much the better.

personal view is also that it is down to 'one up manship' i.e. people don't want to buy british bred (even warmbloods) when they can have one for 5* the price and with dodgier feet/legs (because on continent they are worked quite hard at 2 and are even seriously loose jumped as foals) but it'll have "imported at vast cost from holland/germany/denmark/whatever" and therefore - along with the ubiquitous 'trainer' and flashy lorry and latest designer gear for horse and rider, they just fit the bill at the 'seriously loaded with dosh' livery yards


oops - didn't mean to get onto dressage divas ))))))))))

 

[Parkranger]

an Irish TB is an Irish TB - it's not a warmblood! They are bred a little more thickset but they're still purebreeds.....

Stonks - I love CB X and had a WB myself (american SB) but I suppose he wouldn't have been as much of an allrounder as a dutch WB (although he had moves to die for!)

 

[vic07]

Ouch - but couldn't agree more. People here do not want to pay a realistic price in relation to how much it costs to produce a baby to 4yo. But they will pay it abroad and they have less over heads and government support so are making more profit!

 

[Parkranger]

Funny you say this - I know of someone who's got a stunning WB mare - she spends a fortune on her but doesn't really do much with her....all very odd.

 

[Tempi]

Bloss is british bred and shes a wb, the fact that Archie isnt is just pure chance as i looked at a few horses whilst trying to find the right one and he ticked all my boxes. i didnt buy him just to be a 'dressage diva' as you put it, i brought him as ive always wanted to produce my own horse to the top (or as far as possible) and i believe hes got the potential to go all the way.

ETS - he wasnt stupidly priced either

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
an Irish TB is an Irish TB - it's not a warmblood! They are bred a little more thickset but they're still purebreeds.....

[/ QUOTE ]

That's not what DD was saying...she said that she perceives most Irish horses as WB's. I tend to agree...an IDx is usually crossed with TB....this is no different to what we call a WB from the contintent.

I hate the term WB to be honest...it just seems to be a catchall for any horse that come from the continent, which it shouldn't be. Any dilution of a TB is a WB imo.

 

[anniedoherty]

Oh dear, I have a Dutch Warmblood but I don't think I got him because I thought he was "fashionable". I didn't know anything about buying horses so I asked my instructor to look for a horse for me and that is what she chose. I haven't had him long but I love him already. He is very handsome (in my opinion) and I think he moves very well. He also has a good temperament.

I am also worried about looking like an "Equi Chav" since I first read about them on this forum. I have got him some purple rugs because he is bay and they look really smart and it's one of my favourite colours. Does this mean that I am officially an Equi Chav now? If so, should I be worried? Still not entirely sure what being one entails you see - sorry for naivety!!

I should also have said that I have no intention to do anything serious with him as I am about as likely to event as I am to fly to the moon since I am not that good a rider. I wonder if he is "wasted" with me? Maybe I will improve?!! Even more worried now.......

 

[icestationzebra]

I chose my mare for her temperament and attitude. I liked her immediately and that is before I knew how she was bred. At the time I was looking for a nice young horse that I could work with and have fun with - she fitted the bill but it could have been anything breeding wise. To be honest I think the gap between TB's and WB's has narrowed over the last 10 years with WB's becoming much lighter and more athletic. My own mare has TB on both Dam and Sires lines. I hope to start eventing her next year and am now a big supporter of eventing warmbloods

 

[Parkranger]

It's funny you say about the gap between warmbloods closing - I was looking for either a QH or Saddlebred this time around but the uK breeders are mixing them with TB which are making them too light looking....would have had to import one from the US to get the proper 'look'.

Also have to say that I went for my boy as he was such a star when I rode him and I fell inlove with him - I wasn't looking for an eventer as such.

It just amuses me that years ago you had to have a 'hunter' and now you have to have a 'WB'....not saying that anyone here brought one because of what they are but its funny how things go in fashions even in the horse world....

 

[airedale]

know what you mean about fashions........try to remember the last time you saw a horse ridden in a plain drop noseband and not a flash ??

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
know what you mean about fashions........try to remember the last time you saw a horse ridden in a plain drop noseband and not a flash ??

[/ QUOTE ]

That's probably because you pretty much can't buy a drop noseband these days lol!

 

[not_with_it]

I think its more to do with the fact that they are bred to do a certain job. The warmblod breeding has more or less become perfected for the discipline the horse is bred to do. For example they have been bred to have big expressive movement for dressage just like the TBs have been bred for spped in racing. This doesnt mean that other breeds cant do well but put a big moving warmblood up against a TB in a dressage comp and the warmblood will always score more for its paces.

 

[icestationzebra]

I agree, and sometimes I do wonder if they are diluting breeds by doing this.....?
Fashions will always change - look how the attitude to coloureds has changed over recent years!

 

[UKa]

I am not a competition rider but also not keen on WBs myself, never have been even though I lived on the continent for the marjority part of my life so far surrounded by them - the statement that they are no good for the average everyday rider is not quite true though as most people on the continent ride WBs in whatever discipline; I just think that in this country WBs are usually imported therefore more pricey and from exceptional breeding (not sure?); it has appeared to me that people admire the success of continental breeds in high profile comps and try to recreate this here at the moment; anyway, just had this thought not sure if makes any sense...I love my TB and would not swap her for the world!

 

[Quarrybank]

I ride my ISH eventer now turned dressage horse in a drop. He goes with much less tension in it than a flash. He also gets confused for being a warmblood (which technically he is!) At the winter regionals, when they read out his profile, spectators standing near my friend were amazed when they anounced he was Irish. Comment was 'I can't believe an Irish horse can move so well' !!
My other horse is WB x TB but british bred. Having said all that, it's horses for courses & buying the right horse for you & the job you want it for.
Unfortunately fashionable breeding, whether Irish or German will always cost more.

 

[Tempi]

my new (WB!) has a cavesson noseband and a normal snaffle - i went to great trouble trying to buy a comfort bridle - (yes i like them, and its not a dressage diva thing, i think they are more comfortable for the horse) - for him without a flash on it, finally i found one on ebay which i had to pay £80 for in the end as so many people were bidding on it - they obviously are a rariety these days........

 

[icestationzebra]

Please don't let anyone make you feel that because you are not out competing every weekend or at all that you are wasting your horse! If you are happy with him then that is all that matters. And if you like purple rugs - good for you! I would hate to think that people read some of the stuff on forums like these and then worry that they are not good enough.....

 

[AmyMay]

So what is everyone classing as Warmblood. All native breeds are warmbloods - so is this discussion surrounding the big German Type warmblood (being naughty as I know it is really). But others are stating that they have warmbloods - when what they mean is they are a native bred horse.

 

[anniedoherty]

Thank you for saying that icestationzebra. I would like to compete one day but I don't have much confidence or experience yet so I am trying to work towards competing in the future.

I will also let him wear his purple rugs with pride!