Show me your heavy horse crosses :-)

Supertrooper

Supertrooper

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This is mine, bergie, 16.3hh, shire x cob


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I know i'm not really meant to put pictures in here but you tend to get more looks than in picture lounge and also i'm trying to get my head round photo bucket so pls don't shout at me!!!!

And a head shot xx

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Good thread, but then I'm biased :) Love heavies and imo heavy crosses are the easiest horses you can have...my Sasha does x country, dressage, drives and is the most unflappable (only ploddy when unfit) hack I could wish for. Heavy crosses can do everything, admittedly the heavier ones like Sasha will never be fast but they are safe and sane, and they never use their considerable power against us.

A poor TB horse was kicked and had to be PTS on a yard I was once on..the same horse had kicked Sasha a few days before..she wasn't even lame, just a little swelling for a few days She could have pulverised the bully horse but didn't. I know I'm going on lol but I just love heavy crosses, Sasha is my 2nd and I'd never have anything else now (apart from my 2 minis Sasha lives withs, and loves to bits!) Love to all heavy crosses :)
 
Leah3horses said:
Good thread, but then I'm biased :) Love heavies and imo heavy crosses are the easiest horses you can have...my Sasha does x country, dressage, drives and is the most unflappable (only ploddy when unfit) hack I could wish for. Heavy crosses can do everything, admittedly the heavier ones like Sasha will never be fast but they are safe and sane, and they never use their considerable power against us.

A poor TB horse was kicked and had to be PTS on a yard I was once on..the same horse had kicked Sasha a few days before..she wasn't even lame, just a little swelling for a few days She could have pulverised the bully horse but didn't. I know I'm going on lol but I just love heavy crosses, Sasha is my 2nd and I'd never have anything else now (apart from my 2 minis Sasha lives withs, and loves to bits!) Love to all heavy crosses :)
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Fell in love with a heavy x appy at a riding school a few years ago. She was called Pepper and was just gorgeous! Though she didn't have the best attitude towards work..! Sasha is my dream horse, she's beautiful and sounds like an ideal allrounder too! You're very lucky :D Im jealous ;)
 
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15.2h of tank. This is a red dun Belgian Draft x Quarter Horse, he's used for roping and team penning.
 
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I love the heavies. Crosses or purebred. Fany is the sweetest and kindest horse in the world, but with lovely active paces. She doesn't like work, but will if asked nicely!

Seriously it is so nice to see people appreciating the good qualities that the heavies bring to the horse world. If I breed Fany it'll either be another Ardennes or an Arab or RID. I like the idea of Arab, but some can be a little uncertain of temperament. RID, especially Janet George's Archie would be ideal cross, Pink Panthar and Thomas Pink both have Ardennes and RID blood .

FDC
 
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not mine but so awesome i thought she deserved a mention
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clydie x TB all 17.3 of her and my 13 yo self she was very head-shy so you can imagine how hard she was to tack up but an angel most of the time you were on
 
Devonshire dumpling said:
I love the big heavies, how do they age, for example a shire x, do they suffer with joints etc like a big dog would?
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Mac's body is larger than his legs. He is only 14 and has been arthritic for a couple of years now. He was hunted as a youngster, long before I got him, whether that has contributed, I don't know. He is still very happy to hack, do the odd fun ride etc.
 
Not a great outlook IMO - mine had navicular by 13 and arthritis in both hocks a year later - retired at 15. But , in his case, his very early years were being driven hard, too young, by our travelling friends before he was liberated from their clutches as a 4 year old. Who knows, but think maybe the damage was done in those early years as far as the arthritis goes anyway.:mad:
 
TheresaW said:
Mac's body is larger than his legs. He is only 14 and has been arthritic for a couple of years now. He was hunted as a youngster, long before I got him, whether that has contributed, I don't know. He is still very happy to hack, do the odd fun ride etc.
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Awwww thats a shame, but good you can still have fun! x
 
grumpyoldmare said:
Not a great outlook IMO - mine had navicular by 13 and arthritis in both hocks a year later - retired at 15. But , in his case, his very early years were being driven hard, too young, by our travelling friends before he was liberated from their clutches as a 4 year old. Who knows, but think maybe the damage was done in those early years as far as the arthritis goes anyway.:mad:
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I suppose the nature of the beast means its likely to have a harder start? such a shame for yours xx Interested to know about others x
 
They are ALL gorgeous. Sorry for your loss GOM..they sure do live a big hole in our hearts when they go.

I'd second the early life damage as being the main cause of leg problems etc in old age. My Dolly (Clyde x ID) was hunted hard as a 4 year old, and then sadly tethered by chain which embedded in a rear leg..she had the huge groove in her leg for life :( She died of unrelated natural causes in her sleep at the age of 16/17.

My Sasha is now 11 and has been with me since age 5, I backed her, so she is a low mileage girl..she is very heavily built but absolutely sound and never a days concern with her (touch wood).

The heavy crosses seem to be abused in early life,no idea why as they are so willing. Maybe certain hunt masters like to be seen on the biggest horse around, and hammer them... so if you can find a youngster that would be my advice, if you ever take the plunge..you wouldn't regret it :)
 
Well mines not a real "heavy" heavy horse so to speak but at 13 she's going strong, only been lame with us from a abscess in her foot. *fingers crossed!* She's more "sports horse" than heavy horse though.

Before I got her she'd had 2yrs off due to a leg injury.. never fully explained so don't know what it is but hasn't bothered her since.
 
I agree that they can me made to have a hard life and also bullied into doing things due to their size.

I'm totally in love with them now I've got a shire x, I've never had a horse with the amount of character he's got!!
 
Leah3horses said:
They are ALL gorgeous. Sorry for your loss GOM..they sure do live a big hole in our hearts when they go.

I'd second the early life damage as being the main cause of leg problems etc in old age. My Dolly (Clyde x ID) was hunted hard as a 4 year old, and then sadly tethered by chain which embedded in a rear leg..she had the huge groove in her leg for life :( She died of unrelated natural causes in her sleep at the age of 16/17.

My Sasha is now 11 and has been with me since age 5, I backed her, so she is a low mileage girl..she is very heavily built but absolutely sound and never a days concern with her (touch wood).

The heavy crosses seem to be abused in early life,no idea why as they are so willing. Maybe certain hunt masters like to be seen on the biggest horse around, and hammer them... so if you can find a youngster that would be my advice, if you ever take the plunge..you wouldn't regret it :)
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I think they are abused because they LOOK so mature even as a two year old - and the numptys out there just think - 'oh well they are a great big thing they are ready to work'. Try explaining to an 'expert' horseman the finer details off exactly when a young horse's bones stop growing and all the important little bits cleave together - you would be wasting your time in most cases.

Sorry - mini rant - pet hate of mine abusing big strong youngsters just because they are so big and strong.:mad:
 
hobnob said:
Fell in love with a heavy x appy at a riding school a few years ago. She was called Pepper and was just gorgeous! Though she didn't have the best attitude towards work..! Sasha is my dream horse, she's beautiful and sounds like an ideal allrounder too! You're very lucky :D Im jealous ;)
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Ah thanks lots...believe me, she wasn't easy to get going, stubborn as a mule at first! I backed her myself at 5 as she still had a lot of growing to do at 4. She will do whatever I ask now,...literally, she responds to voice commands as you could be there all day asking with your legs sometimes, even now.... but she won't be told or forced, there's the difference with a heavy type mare bless her :)

They can be stubborn but I think they just teach us to be around them and ride without using any force ...force will never work with a Tank Horse, bless them all, they are all so special, we are all lucky who share our lives with these big guys :)
 
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