Standardbreds

[Mare Stare]

What are they good for?

I recently found out that my rescued boy (Dooney in the pics) may be a standardbred or standardbred x tb, as he came off a man who breeds for trotting and has (or had) a standardbred stallion.

Dooney doesn't pace though. He trots. He sometimes does something that looks like a slow pace/camel walk.

Just wondering if anyone has heard of a standardbred doing anything other than trotting. One day I'd like to do SJ on him but at the mo he's still a baby (not sure how old though - vet estimates him to be 18 months - 2 years old).

 

[Shantara]

Yup! I ride one He's a bit of a looney, but he's an extremely safe (and fast!!) hack He can keep up with the TB's in gallop.

He's also got a very good jump, when he's not going sidewards or backwards haha! I've jumped 4ft and (by himself, jumping over his fence) he's jumped closer to 5ft.

Ned's a 'special' case though. He had an awful start to life and when I finally get the time to work on him properly, I think he could make a very good horse indeed

 

[Mare Stare]

Yup! I ride one He's a bit of a looney, but he's an extremely safe (and fast!!) hack He can keep up with the TB's in gallop.

He's also got a very good jump, when he's not going sidewards or backwards haha! I've jumped 4ft and (by himself, jumping over his fence) he's jumped closer to 5ft.

Ned's a 'special' case though. He had an awful start to life and when I finally get the time to work on him properly, I think he could make a very good horse indeed

Oooh! That sounds good!

I don't know much about this breed at all so it's nice to know that other people do!

I think Dooney can jump as he has jumped out of the field before now (luckily the milkman caught him and put him back in for me ) . The fence has now been reinforced with leccy fencing.

Mine had a rough start too. He was very skinny and wormy. He's still got a pot belly that the vet says is a result of being weaned too early. He's very sweet though.

 

[Goldenstar]

I don't know much about them one of my horses has a KWPN passport but is by an American standard breed stallion and an American standard breed mare both imported to holland he what is often called a Dutch driving horse which I think just means a Dutch horse bred with driving work in mind . He did not enjoy being part of a driven team I drove him one season as a single but it was not for him he was rebacked ( he had been backed in the past ) as a ten year old and is trained for dressage he loves his work now.
Have fun with yours mine is a clever but very sweet horse with lots of energy he needs alot of work.

 

[Shantara]

Your horse looks and sounds really nice It's horrible how many standies have bad starts in life Poor Nedly was on the way to the meat man when he was bought Skin and bones and it seemed for a while he had just given up with life.
He's now a cheeky chap with so much character!
We've had to put leccy fencing up too

Do you have any pictures, other than in your signature? (I really love seeing other's horses )


I seriously use any excuse to post this picture It makes me smile every time I see it!

 

[SophieLouBee]

I have a standiex we think with TB and Warmblood. She doesn't pace either, she trots. She has been as sweet as pie from day 1, she's a hot blooded little thing, but safe and so kind

She has a fantastic jump, but finds schooling a bit of hard work, but now she's developing a bit of muscle in the right places she's getting better and better, you almost wouldn't know she was a trotter now!

Her canter is now 3 beat and not 4 like it was when she came too. She'll go on to do PC/RC poss SJ as she can turn on a sixpence.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

There is a standardbred stud near us and a neighbour has one (not from the stud) as well. The stud breed for trotting and riding. We often see the stallion being hacked out, he passes our mares in a very well-mannered way. The rider doesn't look to be particularly skilled, sits awkwardly and never wears a hat. He is no lightweight either.
Neighbour's mare is pretty sensible, she has obviously been accommodating neighbour who has recently had an op for spinal scoliosis. The mare is just being brought back into work after a 2-yr break and is proving to be still sensible.

 

[Sherbie]

I know alot of standardbreds who have been trotters and some pacers who have came off the track and work very well under the saddle. I think the breed in general have a lot of energy as someone else has said. Your boy sounds great but thank god for the milkman ;0
There was a thread in the pictures section of standardbreds and people showing the different things they are doing. I will try dig out a link for you. Annielusian posted on too may be able to find it quicker (I still think that pic is one of the best ive seen on here lol)
x

 

[Mare Stare]

I think he's quite TB in conformation.

He's still a bit on the scrawny side in these pics. These were taken in August I think.

^ You can see how much his belly sticks out in this one. He's gradually filling out and it's becoming less obvious.

 

[Shantara]

Annielusian posted on too may be able to find it quicker (I still think that pic is one of the best ive seen on here lol)
x

Hehe, guilty as charged

Ooh, he's gorgeous!! What a lovely colour :O Such kind eyes

 

[Sherbie]

Ha! found it, getting better at this HHO thingy

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=501767&highlight=show+standardbreds

He is just gorg! I will be looking out to see what you decide to do with him, good luck! x

 

[Mare Stare]

Ha! found it, getting better at this HHO thingy

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=501767&highlight=show+standardbreds

He is just gorg! I will be looking out to see what you decide to do with him, good luck! x

Thankyou!

Some lovely pics on that thread.

 

[nirikina]

I have a standardbred. He's a pacer. He paces any time he's excited, stressed, scared, stubborn or unbalanced . He's a complicated horse.

 

[alext]

My old boy is thought to of been a standardbred! He loved jumping hated schooling though and made his feelings very clear about that ! However he was a good showjumper very speedy so it didn't really matter! He was a pacer too so things got interesting when he was excited sometimes, I would say he was fairly difficult to ride loved dropping his shoulders and small rears having said that I trusted him100%

 

[blueblonde123]

I have a standardbred mare, who unfortunately like many of them had a horrifically bad start in life (long story) and I ended up with her. I believe, having spoken to many people, that this is because they can be bought cheaply and can be tricky.
Anyway, I have had her for 13 years now and I can honestly say in years of working on many yards with hundreds of different horses I have never met such a tough, hardworking horse.

Yes, she is prone to some spectacular temper tantrums and taught me how to stay on even the most violent bucks(!) but she will give 100% to everything and is very smart. She has done everything from endurance to eventing - can jump big straw bales standing on their end and she's only 15hh. Also really bloody fast!

This post is a bit gushy but I love her to bits, and despite having had 3* event horses she's my little superstar.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

Hi there. I work for STAGBI (Standardbred and Trotting Horse Association of Great Britain and Ireland) and I'm writing an article for the next newsletter on ex-racehorses that are now being used for riding (jumping/hunting/dressage/endurance), carriage-driving and/or anything else. I'm trying to get people who own ex-racehorses to send me photos and information about what their Standardbred is up to, now that they no longer race. Hopefully, if I receive enough of a response from owners, I can make it a regular feature in the newsletter and people will be able to see where the horses that they bred have ended up.

I would be really grateful if any of you with a Standardbred could contact me, if you would like to see your horse in the newsletter. I can also answer queries on how to become a STAGBI member, and perhaps if your horse featured in the newsletter, we'd be able to uncover some of it's racing history from previous owners who read the article!

My email address is thomassa1989@hotmail.co.uk, feel free to send me photos of your horses demonstrating their versatility and talent off the racetrack and information about what they're up to now.

Thanks for your time,

Sarah

 

[Kallibear]

I had a standardbred. Stunningly beautiful one, although some can be a bit fugly and weedy. He was a well bred 'offical' standardbred, who raced proffesionally, rather than one on the many poor gypsy-bred scruffs around. He won a lot of money until he did a tendon then his owner died.

He was claustrophobic and terrified of narrow spaces (stable doors, gates etc). He was also paranoid about thinks hitting his feet (branches, poles, ropes) etc so HATED jumping with a passion. Such a shame as he was very talented He was very bulshy with nervous novices (he took great pleasure in bossing them around) but was brillaint for competant handlers. Dead safe to ride (even with his fear of large traffic) and not at all fizzy or spooky. He was a trotter but he could and did pace when upset.

He passed through various nervous novice numpties before I ended up with him. Sadly for personal circumstances I needed to sell him and he went to be hacking horse inthe highlands.