Talented but challenging or less talented and easy?

[Birker2020]

Love my sensitive chestnut mare to bits. Way more talent than I will ever be able to use but gosh is she a challenge some days. Today she deemed my position wasn’t to her liking in transitions and it took me ages to sort myself out sufficiently to get her to settle.

Some days I can’t be bothered with all her drama and others I’m so pleased she lets me know when I’m rubbish as she is just amazing when it’s all going well for both of us.

For my own confidence and reassurance I’ll get on my husbands very average but super reliable and consistent dressage mare who regardless of how rubbish my riding is will make us both look like champions. It feels so easy on her.

Both horses btw were backed, trained and competed by my husband. Both are at the same level. Even he has admitted the chestnut mare is a tricky ride.

So what is your “type”. The sharp sensitive one or the less flashy but more reliable one?

I had this conversation with someone the other day, I'd rather have something that was a bit sharp rather than something that constantly needed goading to get a reaction out of it as I did with one of my previous horses.

And whilst you can't tar all that breed with one brush as my horse at the time may have been a one off, I was super certain I didn't want that breed again.

New boy is talented, £350 BS, loads of BE events up to 1.05m but I'm not sure how he will pan out, something tells me his will be nice and placid as his personality is but something else tells me I may be in for a nasty surprise. Only time will tell I suppose.

Its such a shame how things have panned out with his health, other horses I've owned would have been out competing with me during the past four months I've owned this one. As it is I've had about 8 rides on him, if that.

 

[flying_high]

I prefer a forward thinking horse, but no desire for highly strung / over reactive / quirky or complicated. Kind, sensible and fun all the way. But dont want an out and out plod that needs chasing forwards all the time.

 

[Red-1]

I always had talented but sharp, as they were cheaper than talented and kind. Generally I ended up with a kind one, and learned a lot about helping sharp horses not be sharp.

It all changed when mum was ill and I was stressed. I sold my horse and bought the other end of the scale, aged cob who liked to stand still and eat! He was perfect as, at the time, I wasn't even sure I wanted to ride.

Then... Once Rigsby had been trained up and I was fitter, and, sad to say, mum had died, I needed a new one with more talent.

I'm too old for quirky now, so I extended my budget and still found nothing!

So, I bought a 4yo. He is what 99% of the population want. Enough talent, good movement, kind and genuine. It is just down to me to produce him!

 

[I'm Dun]

I dont need reams of talent. Something that can get round a BE100/medium test etc with a better rider than me has more talent than I need. And I just wont have idiotic horses anymore. I cant be bothered. I want to get on knowing I'm going to enjoy riding and not wondering if I will manage to stick on or get decked.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Easy and safe for me, too, now. Also preferably not wonky, but we can't have everything.

I want to be able to put the reins in one hand and go fishing for a hanky without the horse taking advantage to get up to extra mischief *that was one the late chestnut git's favourite stunts*

 

[Griffin]

I am quite happy with challenging in the school as long as they are a safe hack. My mare is very much this, she is not a novice ride in the school because she can be very sharp and sensitive, very talented though. However, to hack she is very safe and you could literally put a child on her (as long as they only walked).

My elderly gelding was very easy but he still had a bit of talent and spark, he was a superb jumper both in the arena and across country.

I think a lot depends on what you want to do, if I wanted to event, I would take easy but less talented because I like my spine to remain in one piece!

 

[Elno]

Easy and safe please. I'm done having horses that scare the living crap out of me. I want to have fun and enjoy horse ownership and riding without fearing for my life. If that means a less "fancy" horse so be it. Love my oldie though who is actually quite fancy AND safe. Too bad about the arthritis, though, so we'll see how long he'll manage before I have to go horse hunting again ?

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

This will probably be suitable for me when/if I eventually manage to get riding again. Slow as I tell it to go, no fancy moves and no posing, we are too knackered now to do any posing! In fact I might while away the next year out of action making myself one to my own specifications.

 

[daydreamer]

My old horse was an ex-eventer I took on when he was 19 yo. He had been very talented as a youngster and even in his old age was probably a bit too much horse for me. I am currently sharing one who is safe as houses out hacking and very unspooky and uncomplicated in the school. I am amazed at what a difference it has made in my hacking confidence. The other day I wooped when cantering up a hill for the sheer joy of it and to go faster. Much as I loved my old one I definitely was more on alert when riding him and thought about all potential problems and how to avoid them. Saying that I have a 3 1/2 year old I hope to back this year (my first youngster) so I'm hoping he turns out to be easy!!

 

[BronsonNutter]

I'm still waiting for the 'easy' horse to find out which I prefer - something tells me I'd find it a bit dull though!
A happy in the middle is nice, not too talented that it's wasted with me and my very amateur ambitions, with a brain and a bit of spark but not going to hospitalise me...

 

[oldie48]

When I first started riding I thought I needed a talented horse so that I could progress, many years down the line I am amazed to find that the better I ride, the more talented my horses become but I always go for temperament and evidence that they can do the job that I want rather than talent (whatever that is!)

 

[Lois Lame]

Love my sensitive chestnut mare to bits. Way more talent than I will ever be able to use but gosh is she a challenge some days. Today she deemed my position wasn’t to her liking in transitions and it took me ages to sort myself out sufficiently to get her to settle.

Some days I can’t be bothered with all her drama and others I’m so pleased she lets me know when I’m rubbish as she is just amazing when it’s all going well for both of us.

For my own confidence and reassurance I’ll get on my husbands very average but super reliable and consistent dressage mare who regardless of how rubbish my riding is will make us both look like champions. It feels so easy on her.

Both horses btw were backed, trained and competed by my husband. Both are at the same level. Even he has admitted the chestnut mare is a tricky ride.

So what is your “type”. The sharp sensitive one or the less flashy but more reliable one?

This is the easiest to answer question I've been asked ever!

The less flashy, even downright ugly, reliable one.

I often look at horse ads online (I suppose everyone does) and recently my husband told me that I need an ugly horse. I think he's right. I tend to go for the what I think is a well put together steed, but that should not be of much importance to me.

 

[Mule]

This begs the question though why despite Valegro being the pinnicle of what you want in a dressage horse, all of the other top riders keep choosing to produce the complete opposite type to him.. The more svelte, huge action, long, tall and highly strung types. In my mind Valegro was quite economical with his movement and quite chunky in build, but extremely strong and correct.

Yes, very chunky.

 

[Lois Lame]

Absolutely useless but sound would do me!

*giggle*

That's a great category - useless but sound. That's what I want, with a huge roman nose and long ears.

 

[Boulty]

Well I mean talented & easy would be nice (I had that in my teenage pony but lack of both transport & money
meant I didn't really do that much with him other than have fun) but as that's not the point of the question reliable & less talented for some fun & a slightly easier life! The orange one definitely had more talent than I was ever capable of using but that talent came with rather a lot of conditions & he was a sensitive soul. The fuzzball is nowhere near as naturally athletic or sensitive but he has a much more laid back personality & is less worried about life so I'm hoping for a little less drama when he gets going.

 

[Lois Lame]

I just like an enthusiastic ride!

Enthusiastic would be nice, but enthusiasm which feels under control. Does it exist? I hope so.

 

[TheLoneWanderer]

Both of mine are talented and quirky. One perfect to ride but really quirky to handle and will happily boot anyone he doesn't like the look of trying to go in his stable, the other is really quirky to ride but rock solid on the ground, my now 9yo nephew has been able to handle her on his own since he was 5yo. She utterly adores kids. My gelding has taught both of my nieces and nephew to ride and was always a perfect gent with them on board but they weren't able to groom or handle him. Now age 31yo they can handle him but not alone.

 

[horsimous]

I used to love a challenge and excitement but now value different things in a horse, such as being forward going but safe, good in traffic, willing but sensible.

 

[Lyle]

Trainable and less talented for me- A horse with a wonderful work ethic will be a bigger pleasure to train and compete, a willing partner, than a horse with heaps of talent and a difficult nature or poor attitude.

 

[Leandy]

It isn't either/or though is it? It is about a balance and where that balance is depends on what you want and are happy to ride and how talented and adaptable you are as a rider, as well as your attitude to risk and reward. The steadier/easier one will probably go better on average for more riders, but for your one and only horse you just need one you can get a tune out of and it doesn't matter whether others can or not. Some would prefer predictable, consistent but less talented performance, others would prefer more talented but perhaps put up with less consistent performance to get higher highs at the expense of lower lows. Its horses for courses. I want something safeish but it has to have some talent and spark and I don't like boring either to ride or temperament-wise and am happy to work with one a bit to understand its buttons. I don't get on well with kick-along as I don't have a talent for motivating them and it is just hard work! I prefer a bit sharper so I can use less effort even though I'm getting older. They need to be generally nice people though and be willing, I don't do grouchy and backwards thinking. And they are allowed to feel fresh or have fun occasionally and not behave like downtrodden slaves but they also need to knuckle down and work when required to do so and not do anything plain dangerous.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have just remembered, reading some of your posts, a couple of times back in the day when I was much younger and more able, I sold at least two of my horses on because I found them far too quiet and boring and not a challenging bone in their body.

What was I even thinking? They would have sold for a fortune in today's market and as rare as hen's teeth from what I read on here. I would pay a King's ransom to find one like that when I start looking again next year. ?

 

[equestrian7474]

I got lucky - talented but laid back quiet pony ?

 

[humblepie]

Talented and easy - does depend on what talented is though and I suppose what easy is. Too many questions for me.

 

[Cob Life]

I have both kinda
The cob is hard work and can be spooky but wouldn’t dream of bucking, rearing etc (anymore, it was a different story when he was 6!)
The tb is sensitive, if something isn’t quite right she will throw a buck, but I like that she will make it 100% clear if she is uncomfortable or in pain, I spend way too much time worrying if the cob is doing something because he wants to please me or if he’s actually happy doing it.

 

[MagicMelon]

I tend to go for sharper types but that doesnt always mean they're super talented. Ive had uber talented ones who were a bit difficult in nature, it just makes life hard and its more disappointing as you know what they're capable of but its hard to get it out of them if their temperament/attitude isnt quite willing enough. Right now, I have a far more laid back horse than Im used to, not laid back as in lazy, but just so much more chilled in nature than my previous ones and I have to admit Im enjoying it, it a more relaxing ride. I would always choose a horse who had a nice attitude over one which had loads of talent - talent is nothing if the horse doesnt have the attitude IMO. Whereas one thats not quite so talented but has a great temp will try harder for you and may go further than you think.

 

[chaps89]

Weirdly I had this exact conversation with someone the other day.
My last mare was super but was very ‘do I have to’. Some of this may well have been her host of physical issues but some was just her - my instructor said she was ‘economical’.
I loved her to bits but I don’t want one who needs so much convincing again tbh.
Current ride is not dull but feels totally safe and I have a lot of fun with her. Other share horse is a true schoolmaster - you have to ask right to get it right and he’s schooled to a good level (AM dressage) although he is not flashy and is more workmanlike in his way of going- I doubt I could ride a flashy warmblood to the same level! He can occasionally have his very sharp moments but even then feels totally safe, he’s a lovely balance.

I figure you can always train the less talented if they have the right attitude and are, well, trainable.

Harder (as a non-pro rider) to take a talented but nutty horse and be successful I reckon.