Molly22
Active Member
I think you may be talking about me. Out of the 6 arabs I have owned 5 have had soundness problems. 3 out of the 4 I own at the moment were retired at a young age. No more arabs for me!
Robust breeds
- Thread starter ycbm
- Start date
Esmae
Well-Known Member
We have had 3 of them. 2 lived to be 29 and the mare I still have is 30 and looking good.
KEK
Well-Known Member
Another vote for Standardbreds. Ours is 25 and we've only stopped hacking her recently as she has some low grade OA in her R fetlock. Totally paddock sound. Such a lovely horse and never puts a hoof wrong in anyway (unlike the connemara..). Also good doer without having to worry about laminitis etc, just easy lovely horse. They are common over here and I've seen a lot of older ones.
Gallop_Away
Well-Known Member
I love a standie - to me they are a more hardy version of a thoroughbred.
As for the lack of talent, my husband's is a machine on the hunting field, will cross any terrain, jumps anything asked of him, and regularly gives the ex racers a run for their money in a flat out gallop.
He's also a xc and jumping machine having completed a bit in sj before we bought him as a 9yo and took his talent out on the hunting field and dabbled in xc.
His full brother is an endurance horse.
Our boy is 17 this year and still going strong. I'd have another in a heart beat.
I also have my two beautiful welshies which again I find hardy little horses with big hearts. My section C is 16 next month but you would never know it (still acts like a naughty youngster most of the time
)
but again as others have said, natives tend to be good dooers and with that can come the added risk of laminitis which can cut a ridden career short.
As for the lack of talent, my husband's is a machine on the hunting field, will cross any terrain, jumps anything asked of him, and regularly gives the ex racers a run for their money in a flat out gallop.
He's also a xc and jumping machine having completed a bit in sj before we bought him as a 9yo and took his talent out on the hunting field and dabbled in xc.
His full brother is an endurance horse.
Our boy is 17 this year and still going strong. I'd have another in a heart beat.
I also have my two beautiful welshies which again I find hardy little horses with big hearts. My section C is 16 next month but you would never know it (still acts like a naughty youngster most of the time
)but again as others have said, natives tend to be good dooers and with that can come the added risk of laminitis which can cut a ridden career short.
Sleipnir
Well-Known Member
Not really local likely to most of you, but well bred Latvian Heavy WBs that haven't been started too soon in their lives - they mature slowly and then can go on forever.
Ditchjumper2
Well-Known Member
Mine have aĺl lasted into their 20s. Hunting and jumping. Lots of roadwork and no arena. My old vet said more issues caused by arenas and circles than anything else. My 2 IDs regularly cantered down roads whipping in and worked hard. One pts a couple of months ago at 24 and the other still going strong at the local college..fingers crossed. Mine have always been big too, but lots of trotting on roads and shod every 6 weeks .
KEK
Well-Known Member
I used to have lessons on a standie that regularly competed and won at SJ 1.20m with his owner and he was only 14.2hh, beating all the fancy WBs so definitely agree they are not talentless! Gorgeous boy.I love a standie - to me they are a more hardy version of a thoroughbred.
As for the lack of talent, my husband's is a machine on the hunting field, will cross any terrain, jumps anything asked of him, and regularly gives the ex racers a run for their money in a flat out gallop.
He's also a xc and jumping machine having completed a bit in sj before we bought him as a 9yo and took his talent out on the hunting field and dabbled in xc.
His full brother is an endurance horse.
Our boy is 17 this year and still going strong. I'd have another in a heart beat.
View attachment 110111
I also have my two beautiful welshies which again I find hardy little horses with big hearts. My section C is 16 next month but you would never know it (still acts like a naughty youngster most of the time
but again as others have said, natives tend to be good dooers and with that can come the added risk of laminitis which can cut a ridden career short.
Boulty
Well-Known Member
Rocking horses?!
I stick to what should be “hardy” natives and still seem to have a million problems with them!
Probably something with workmanlike non flashy movement, enough brain & self preservation not to constantly self harm & not a conformational train wreck?
Arabs do seem to be up there as do Shetlands although weirdly I’ve known some tough TBs that have gone on forever
I stick to what should be “hardy” natives and still seem to have a million problems with them!
Probably something with workmanlike non flashy movement, enough brain & self preservation not to constantly self harm & not a conformational train wreck?
Arabs do seem to be up there as do Shetlands although weirdly I’ve known some tough TBs that have gone on forever
maya2008
Well-Known Member
I think it’s just luck. Ponies are more robust because they are smaller, but even then, I lost a completely sound NF (born feral and not backed until 4) to an auto-immune disease in her late teens.
Most of the Arabs and Arab crosses I have known have lived good long lives though…
Most of the Arabs and Arab crosses I have known have lived good long lives though…
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Small is definitely the way to go. It's just such a shame I like riding big horses!
If only there was a source for a few tons of four leaf clover
.
If only there was a source for a few tons of four leaf clover
.
rabatsa
Confuddled
They would only eat it in preference to other things.If only there was a source for a few tons of four leaf clover
.
Gloi
Too little time, too much to read.
That little standardbred you had was a cracking horse.Small is definitely the way to go. It's just such a shame I like riding big horses!
If only there was a source for a few tons of four leaf clover
.
ycbm
Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Wasn't he just, but i couldn't afford to keep two in livery at £8500 a year each. I've got my eye on dragon driving.
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gallopingby
Well-Known Member
Many of our native M&M breeds ride much bigger than people expect, it’s all down to conformation and movement. Obviously some of them don’t ride well at all because they’re built to drive rather than ride.
PinkvSantaboots
Well-Known Member
I think you have been so unlucky but I'm not surprised it's put you off having anymore
Mine are not without there issues but they are 18 and 19 now so I would expect it.
hollyandivy123
Well-Known Member
Ahhh but just think of gate opening and getting back on after you dropped something....I went from 16.3 to 15.3.....Small is definitely the way to go. It's just such a shame I like riding big horses!
If only there was a source for a few tons of four leaf clover
.
Molly22
Active Member
I think you may be correct about the size of arabs, my 14.2 aged 21 is the only one that can be ridden.I think you have been so unlucky but I'm not surprised it's put you off having anymore
Mine are not without there issues but they are 18 and 19 now so I would expect it.
DizzyDoughnut
Well-Known Member
I've had native ponies for the last 20 ish years and can count the number of emergency vet visits I've had on one hand.
My young Fell is fantastic, he's forwards and so responsive that had to really think about how I use my body and energy when around him, he picks up on things that I don't even realise I'm thinking or doing, once I realised this it made life much easier. I love that he's forward and sensitive but without the explosiveness ridiculousness of my previous welsh ponies, he's also sensible and generous and so clever he's like a sponge at learning anything new, he loves to be doing things. He's small but strong and feels much bigger than he actually is.
My newish cob however is not so robust, health wise he seems ok but he's like a walking accident waiting to happen.
I think I've been used to the rather clever natives with a good sense of self preservation and although they've got themselves into some interesting situations over the years theyre also smart enough to get themselves out of it without so much as a scratch.
The ones I've got from feral hill breed herds have been the smartest, toughest and most healthy and easiest to train.
The cob has almost zero self preservation instinct and just blunders his way into a sticky situation without even noticing, he is however a lovely kind horse who is so easy to have around.
My young Fell is fantastic, he's forwards and so responsive that had to really think about how I use my body and energy when around him, he picks up on things that I don't even realise I'm thinking or doing, once I realised this it made life much easier. I love that he's forward and sensitive but without the explosiveness ridiculousness of my previous welsh ponies, he's also sensible and generous and so clever he's like a sponge at learning anything new, he loves to be doing things. He's small but strong and feels much bigger than he actually is.
My newish cob however is not so robust, health wise he seems ok but he's like a walking accident waiting to happen.
I think I've been used to the rather clever natives with a good sense of self preservation and although they've got themselves into some interesting situations over the years theyre also smart enough to get themselves out of it without so much as a scratch.
The ones I've got from feral hill breed herds have been the smartest, toughest and most healthy and easiest to train.
The cob has almost zero self preservation instinct and just blunders his way into a sticky situation without even noticing, he is however a lovely kind horse who is so easy to have around.