Train ability of balou babies

liannexsx

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Just musing on the ns...
What are people's experiences of training youngsters by balou du rouet?
I have a 4 yo balou x Odysseus. Not yet backed due to lack of facilities so that's a job for this year.
She just made me think tonight how this might go when I asked her to back up for rushing she decided to stand vertical and wave!
She still seems very immature and I can't decide whether she needs a job or to mature.
As I said...nightshift musings :)
 

dotty1

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I have a friend with many Balou babies/now grown ups. They all have been easy to do, with a huge willing jump. All have been very nice horses, and very good looking.

You may find its the Odyesseus in your youngster that is the 'hot' bit
 

nat_cal

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Is this Alvescot Stud's Odysseus you have mentioned?

Sorry to hijack post, but my mare is by him so would be interested to hear from others who have Odysseus horses!!!
 

liannexsx

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Yes that's the right Odysseus. Mare is Odysseus x argentan. She is stroppy, hot and opinionated! She has mellowed with age!!
C042EF82-554A-4066-B6C8-ED607A3D878A-3642-000000934445DC8B_zpsc18b83f7.jpg

This is her last year, looking a bit poorer now at 18. Foal is by vdl silverstone.
 

nat_cal

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She is lovely!! So nice to hear about other Odysseus horses! My mare is 21 this year and she sounds similar to yours! Very hot and excitable but has definitely chilled out in the last few years though she still has her moments!!

I was considering using Odysseus on a Pachat II mare but she is very fiesty and mareish so perhaps won't be the best cross!!!

This is my mare last year, I showjump her and she's still happy popping round 1m classes. Have also done a bit of showing with her (veterans) and she's always placed and gets lovely comments from the judges.
 

LEC

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Was chatting about him with a pretty decent show jumper who said great jumping horses, can be a bit chicken hence not seeing them out eventing and often go in a French horse style which is with a longer neck and poking nose.
 

volatis

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Worked with a lot of Balou babies and I adore them.
I wouldn't say they were chicken, but actually they can be a bit sensitive . Absolutely fabulous to handle on the ground, never known a nasty one yet. Normally nice paces for a jumper and oftne very decent jumping horses, but I would always bear in mind their French heritage and treat them with a bit of sensitivity and in return you should have a friend for life.
Although they come in all sorts of sizes you can generally spot a Balou baby, he does stamp them
 

liannexsx

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Yes it seems a common theme, the sensitivity of balou's. mines is too smart I reckon. She's highly strung but really responds to being completely ignored, as in prats about in hand and you just pop her on a long lead/one handed and she chills. But never ever nasty. I caught the end of her bucking at 6 months old and ended up with a bruised liver but now if she has a hooley in the field near you will only lift her back legs off the ground and not near you lol.
She is sensitive with noise and seems almost claustrophobic! But then my nephew can squeal round her ears and she loves him!
Some pics:
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3A26D6C9-31D3-40B2-BB88-9339851109CB-6814-000000C671DFEDAA_zps70a1c923.jpg

866CEE6D-8AC4-4589-BE35-904095FE9F9F-3642-00000093B0FA1E6C_zps7ea327d1.jpg
 

seabsicuit2

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Sorry to hijack thread- volatis I was interested in what you said- 'bearing in mind their French heritage and treating them with sensitivity'
--I would love to know more about the nuances/ characteristics of the typical SF/ French breeding?
 

Countrychic

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I have a balou mare and her kannan foal. They are both so sweet and easy. The mare is so forgiving and sweet to ride and is noticed everywhere she goes. I'm biased but I think she has it all. She has amazing scope, totally trainable and gives her all (except the occasional pretend spook)!
I didn't know about the French sensitive thing but was really interested to read it as she is very easily upset. We can't even raise our voice to her because it's so counter productive. She's not had a bad life or ever been mistreated but she is very easy to offend.
 
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