What do you do with your standardbreds?

[ncarter]

As per the title really. I am going to view one this week, he looks fab in the pictures & description but it is not a breed I know much about.

I am hoping to do a bit of everything with him, possibly progressing to lower level eventing if he is able.

Any pics / info on your standardbreds would be great!

Thanks!

 

[BlairandAzria]

I love mine!

He's a really lovely horse to be around, very cuddly, affectionate and all round gentleman. He's barefoot and has great feet. Both things are apparently indicative of the breed, but having only experienced the one I have I can't really say for sure.

I do a bit of everything with mine, he's very scopey and loves jumping, it me who holds him back in that respect! But we've done fun rides, sj and cross country and all of it has been super fun!

When I got him he was very skinny and had no muscle, and had been left in a field for 3 years. I spent a long time getting him fit and sound before doing anything with him. Mine is an ex-pacer (not all of them pace though) -and i didnt know he was a pacer when I took him on, he was sold to me (from the field) as a full thoroughbred- and its taken time to get him working correctly from behind, simply as he never had been taught before, and getting him to stop pacing. He has a really lovely natural walk and over tracks nicely, and when he gets going his trot is just lovely and we have flashes of elevation where I can see is potential At the moment his canter is still poor as his hasn't quite learnt to bring his hind legs underneath so slightly 'paddles' behind

So I guess he'll never be a gp dressage horse but i want to do some small one day events and riding club stuff, low level aff dressage and sj and he will be perfect for that!

We're currently only doing walk trot dressage (but gettibg 65%) and are way behind schedule as to where i wanted to be with him after 2 years, but i had a detached tendon in my ankle last year and had to have surgery to reattach it which meant a set back for both if us. So mine was a blank canvas, and had to be reschooled totally but I have managed to get him working somewhat correctly (although there is still a fair way to go) and I'm in no way experienced and hadnt ever dealt with pacers before- so don't let the fact he's a standie put you off!


Like any horse go and see the horse infront of you. If he ticks all your boxes then go for it. In my experience they are loving, athletic animals, good feet, and love to jump and really try to please you.

Here's a couple of pictures of mine: http://instagr.am/p/V9b712Cihr/
http://instagr.am/p/WJ8-D9iioC/

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

My friend had one and he was a bit of a character in the stable but a lovely chap, she did all sorts with him, jumping dressage and showing. He was very dark brown no white and had very very hood hooves, black and tough. He looked like a sturdier version of a TB, but with a heavier head (which I don't mind as my IDxTB has a huge head!)

His legs were crocked from his former life racing by the age of 12 tho so do check out the history if you think they might have raced and get a full vetting.

 

[Hannahharper1982]

I shall be watching this post with interest as i currently have an 8mth old standardbred filly. I acquired her through a friend really to be a companion to my young welsh. She's a sweetheart, very sociable and friendly, excellent for the farrier and vet. I'm hoping in the future she will make a good all round riding club horse. She is bay with the tiniest white star, no other marking on her.

 

[Crosshill Pacers]

I race mine

And since August I've been riding one of our homebred girls. We've done a fun ride and hunted sporadically with my local hunt. I'm still getting my confidence back gradually (although much faster thanks to her being a total pro to ride), but I plan to spend some more time reschooling her this summer and then maybe in the future have a go at endurance.

You can do ANYTHING with them. Whatever you want to do, they will try their hardest for you. They might not be very good at whatever it is you're doing, but they will try and don't let anybody tell you they can't jump, because it's a big fat lie!

 

[Irishbabygirl]

I think mine is a Standie cross, he can pace too which like Blair&Azria I didn't realise until I started riding him as bought him in a very sorry state untried as a five year old (well, I sat on him and thought to myself if he didn't buck me off I'll have him!)
He's just my hack - but he's safe, fun and can go all day - I should really hunt or do some endurance with him! He'd be great at either!

 

[monkeybum13]

Mine is a fabulous hunter, well behaved, turns away and hacks back on her own without a peep, covers all terrain and has an incredibly bold jump and doesn't hesitate over timber, stone walls and hedges

She's also done all RC activities (sj, xc etc), competed dressage, sj, hunter trials, all the usual stuff.

Also great at endurance and is the most brilliant hack, my very novice brother can hack her without any worries

 

[La Fiaba]

I've got 3, 2 who raced a fair bit (won 50k and 75k) and another who was a bit rubbish (won €900!). They all do hacking up to 30km a day (not every day! Most days half this or less) over varied terrain. I expect them to get me up mountains and back down again without fuss. They also go nicely in the school when I get a chance to shcool them, and we've done a bit of jumping but only natural obstacles so far.

I really like them, very intelligent and quick to learn and HUGE personalities! I wrote a blog about one of mine but don't want to post link incase I get a FAT slap! You could probably search 'La Fiaba francy blog' on google if you were interested. Lots of pics of my herd on there

This is Francy the day she arrived

 

[horsesforcourses]

Hi, this is mine....Flame or proper name Cam Prospect.

She loves her jumping, and has finally got me out of my ditch jumping fear......she just skips over them all.
superb trot, canter is improving all the time, but as i haven't a school, its all done on hacks out.

 

[Shantara]

I could post all day about Neddy!

I've only had him for 3 months, but I've known him for 6yrs

In that time I've brought him on from being a nervous, violent, depressed wreck, to an almost perfect *touch wood* happy hacker
We do some very low-key shows and jumping too.

 

[kellybee]

Okay so dragging up an old Standie thread after doing a search! Mine came to me in December as a 16yr old that didn't want to canter under saddle, now76 months later he's jumping, cantering every single time (I swear he sometimes thinks "I haven't had a good fuss all day, I know... let's canter! That usually works" and is a general awesome boy. He has a lot of splints and I don't know his history but he has only ever paced with me the once and that was on open gallops. Am hoping to take him to his first clear round in a few weeks when our new trailer is roadworthy. I ADORE my boy, even when he says "dont wanna" - he'll still have a go every single time and is yet to refuse a jump. We've come a long way since that first hack when he "bolted" in trot!