Standardbreds. How are they considered in the UK please?

[kippen64]

Standardbreds are a passion of mine. As are Thoroughbreds and Highland Ponies. How are Standardbreds considered in the UK please? Have heard a very negative opinion from a former UK Olympic representative and am interested in the views of people here please. Cheers.

 

[orionstar]

Right, you are going to get an honest oppinion. "Trotters" as they are most commonly known are viewed as horses that are used for road racing by the travelling community or by those who race with them as TB's who have been bred to trot in harness. My first two loan horses were both standard bred off the track, and after a couple of months could jump and transition walk to canter like any normal horse. You will allways find people that think they look lame in any situation and who look down their noses at them. Having said that you will always get people looking down their noses at any breed of horse you own. I loved my first Standard bred horse and I love the Warmblood I've got now, but stereotypes are hard to shake and thats what you have with the standardbred!

 

[Lliad]

I didnt realise anyone knew anything about them - then I got one.
Now I know most people know nothing about them - but they will confidently tell you they all have ugly heads, can't trot, can't canter, can't jump.
Not that it drives me mad or anything.

 

[Shantara]

See my thread "I can't keep it to myself longer" and you'll know what I think about them

Neddy might be...unusual...but I love him all the same! We're both funny lookin' and can't run properly
Ned is a proper ex-gypsy horse. We're almost 100% sure he was a road racer (unsuccessful, obviously. He was being sold for meat)

 

[SophieLouBee]

This is my part-bred, no idea how much she is, but I'd guess at 50/50 with TB. She's the sweetest and kindest mare you'll ever meet, so willing and tries to please. She will be trotterX rather than pacerX as she doesn't pace and canters! Everyone calls her black beauty ^.^
She has an amazing jump on her, so powerful and scopey.

Shes hunted & done some local shows with prev owner, but she's only 5 and had done rather a lot from a young age I think, so I've let her down this last winter and she's matured into a very level headed thing and is coming on really well with her schooling now. She's very trainable and picks things up quickly, very able to leg yield and bend, bit like a bendy bus actually!

Look on youtube for 'standardbred reschooling' there is a Aussi lady on there with a lovely black one, reschooling him for dressage

I'd quite happily have one for myself when I look for a replacement for the big lad as I like their temperaments, Ruby was bought from a client of mine, originally from Malvern Performance sales, and is a teeny bit small for me at a diddly 14.3, so I will be selling her at some point.

Overall I think they are a bit overlooked due to the stereotype that they cant canter/jump or trot if you are talking about pacers. Whereas in fact from my experiences with them they are very willing and trainable!

 

[nirikina]

This is Connor, he's a 14.1hh standardbred and I've had him 3 years. He was bred to pace but reschooled to trot. He can also canter.

People are always asking me "ooh is he a trotter?" and it really annoys me. No, he's a pacer. Presumably they mean to ask if he is a standardbred. Trotters have a bad reputation for racing on the roads.

 

[Miss L Toe]

I have a trotter cross [dam thought to be pony x PRE], vet described him as a standardbred.
He has a lovely head and is quite striking when in contact, but it has taken a lot of persistance to get him to that stage.
He has good bone, but he does have conformation faults, the hind quarters were very weak to my way of thinking [I have done lots of hill work], and he is only now offering the canter on the lunge [aged eight], though he has always cantered nicely out hacking.
His feet, particularly hind feet are a bit splayed, and all in all he is not show quality, but this may be just unfortunate.
He never has paced, but was always easier to work in the trot than the canter, has a good walk.
I would not say he is typical gypsy material, though I think his owner breeder was of that type, he was broken to drive when young, he is not particularly amenable to work, but is coming round to it, nice to handle generally and is predictable rather than unpredictable if you see what I mean!

 

[LittleBlackMule]

I've just sold a Standie to an endurance home. He is a good looking, but typical Standardbred with a long back and 'odd' trot!

Our other one, a 3 year old filly, is absolutely stunning - most people assume she is Anglo-Arab or similar breeding, and although she will often pace particularly when excited, her trot is nice.
Kippen64 - you may well know of her grandsire Rorschach as he was originally bred and raced in Australia, and she is the image of him.