What do you like/dislike about Irish sport horses!!!

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Sorry to be so boring!!!

Don't really see what's not to like though... but could be biased!!

I'll start...

LIKE
They seem to be really honest and willing to please along with bags of power/ability, making them an excellent alround competition horse/hack/hunter - what ever you want really!! Also appreciate hardiness and strong limbs!! :) Also like their handsome horsey looks. :)

DISLIKE
Nothing really, only think I can think is they don't much in terms of flashy movement..

What do you think? :)
 
hmph, what do I like about ours...........I don't know about willing to please but spends most of her time on her back legs and makes for an exciting ride

dislike.....when she bites your bum, mistaking it for another horse, it really really hurts!!

But she is very beautiful....................
 
My mare is 1/2 ISH..... but you would think she is a WB (the other 1/2 is HOL)

Livery next to me has an ISH......

PROS...... they do what is says on the tin, honest, genuine and generally good all-rounders.... you can do almost anything with them.

CONS..... maybe a little bit boring/predictable, not much to look at (handsome is as handsome does tho....) and not very extravagant movement (very workmanlike)....

Please note that this is going on the ISH's I know, I'm not tarring everything with the same brush as I know they are all individuals, but the majority I have met have been the above........
 
Ive had 2 ISH's and like their laid back temperament, their good jump (well most of them anyway) and really friendly wanting to please nature. Im after another one I like them so much.
 
Missy was a fantastic allrounder. amazing scope to affiliate, good enough for dressage and bold enough for hunting/eventing. she could be spooky and she threw a bronk every now and again but she was only a baby. i personally love the breed.
 
Love them when they're genuine ISH!

Hate them when they're fat irish cobs that their stuck up owners are saying are ISH!
 
DanaHart said:
CONS..... maybe a little bit boring/predictable, not much to look at (handsome is as handsome does tho....) and not very extravagant movement (very workmanlike)....

Please note that this is going on the ISH's I know, I'm not tarring everything with the same brush as I know they are all individuals, but the majority I have met have been the above........
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Aww, felt a bit sad reading these comments but suppose they are fairly true, but they are boring/predictable in such a good way!! My dad used to own runtoearths old mare Bertha, he sold her because he said she was boring - because she just jumped everything!!! He couldn't find anything she wouldn't jump! Quite a cool way to be boring I think!! ;)
 
Mine certainly isn't boring! :p

I love them because a true irish horse has a bit of ponyish cleverness about them, which gives them that 5th leg and cheekiness. They have a good work ethic (most of the time!) and learn quickly :) They are also tougher than a lot of others breeds in my experience!

Nothing to dislike, except as you say, you get some of the irish "un"sporthorses which give the proper sport horses a bad name!
 
Is Lucky Irish Kat?

I'm not sure Badger is quick to learn or ponyish... but he is a biggun so think we can let him off on those points. :) Saying that he's probably quicker and more ponyish than a WB of similar size! ;)
 
Yep, Lucky is 100% irish! She is Clover Hillx Irish TBx something else, and was born in Co. Clare! :)

They just have a slightly sharp characteristic in them which gives them a bit more self preservation... :D
 
KatB said:
Yep, Lucky is 100% irish! She is Clover Hillx Irish TBx something else, and was born in Co. Clare! :)

They just have a slightly sharp characteristic in them which gives them a bit more self preservation... :D
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Aww yay - she's one of Badgers 1000's of cousins then! ;) Got to say Badger is good at looking after himself (touch wood!!!)
 
Starbucks said:
Aww yay - she's one of Badgers 1000's of cousins then! ;) Got to say Badger is good at looking after himself (touch wood!!!)
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LoL! I know, Cloverhill was quite "Popular" lol! Apparently she is a classic one, sharp, bright bay, with a huge jumpers bump, big ears and a slightly long back. Sounds delightful ;) :p
 
My new ISH of non descript pedigree(No king of diamonds or cavalier royal)is practicly a saint. He is just a young bog irishman come to the big city(Epsom) He is no fool but has not yet come to terms with city life.:DThere is not an ounce of malice in his body and I shall treat him with the same courtesy he treats me.
 
See, Flamehead, thing is, those fat irish cobs are recorded as ISH. If you have a horse with unknown breeding here, if you apply for a passport, it will say ISH under breed. So basically any horse bred here, with irish lines or unknown, will be an ISH ;)
 
KatB said:
LoL! I know, Cloverhill was quite "Popular" lol! Apparently she is a classic one, sharp, bright bay, with a huge jumpers bump, big ears and a slightly long back. Sounds delightful ;) :p
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Is she sharp all the time or just to ride? Badger is quite sharp to ride but a complete dobin otherwise!
 
See, ISH can be completely different!

My last horse, Merlin, was ISH, was 3/4 tb (by a tb stallion out of a 1/2 tb mare). He was light and flashy; was very very careful and clever.

My new horse, Billy, is ISH, 3/4tb (out of a full tb mare by an ISH (half tb) stallion). He is sweet, big and genuine.

I love ISH, but they can vary so much - basically anthing born in Ireland can be a ISH!
 
My feelings:

Based on just one, intense dislike, which, I freely admit, is unfair and irrational, the over-sexed git shouldn't have chased my mare to exhaustion and total breakdown through a bog causing injuries that ultimately killed her.

He was just a randy sod of a horse being a horse in a field, infact if he is an example of the type (hardly a breed as they are a heinz mix) then they appear to be pretty versatile, good jumpers, do a decent dressage test, and are pretty likable animals, unless you are me when the mere mention of ISH puts my hackles up. I wouldn't have one on the place if I was paid to, well, yes, I would, but I'd charge more.

So, in answer to the question, nothing/everything. Sorry.
 
I love mine. Laid back to the point of being horizontal (until you put the clippers on though!), very bold big jump but most importantly very reliable and very safe. He has an inbuilt 5th leg and I can put nearly anyone on him and know he'll do his best to look after them, even though he's only a 4yr old. PS mine has very flashy movement partly owning to the fact that he's got a splash of KWPN in his breeding, he is in fact 1/4 KWPN, 1/4 ID (by Ginger Dick) 1/4 old fashioned irish blood and a 1/4 connemara. Going to event him next season and can't wait!
 
There is a lot of loose ground when it comes to describing ISH :o

for example, these horses below are ISH
Fernhill Highlight
Ben along time
Billy Shannon
Headly Brittannia etc.

as well as fat irish cobs!!
 
My girl has an ISH passport, but is more irish heinz. (she is tbxid (the ubiquitous Clover hill!) to a connie mare)
Likes - Everything! My girl is a fun ride, but will always look after her rider, is super smart, pony 5th leg and total pony character. Fab jump, will turn her hoof to a bit of stressage too and really trys her heart out. Such a level headed soul and a total one in a million horse! Goes without saying that she is a stunner too!
Dislikes - Nothing bad about an ISH at all.
If my girl is typical of the ISH, then I would fill a yard with them in a heart beat!
 
Starbucks said:
Is she sharp all the time or just to ride? Badger is quite sharp to ride but a complete dobin otherwise!
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Mainly just to ride. She is lovely to do generally, but wouldn't be suitable for a muppet.. if something upsets her you know about it, and she is quite opinionated... that may just be being a mare though ;) :p
 
It's a bit of a wide question because it ultimately depends on the cross, but my ISH is amazing, I think they are a jack-of-all-trades and able to do it all.
 
natalia said:
I love mine. Laid back to the point of being horizontal (until you put the clippers on though!), very bold big jump but most importantly very reliable and very safe. He has an inbuilt 5th leg and I can put nearly anyone on him and know he'll do his best to look after them, even though he's only a 4yr old. PS mine has very flashy movement partly owning to the fact that he's got a splash of KWPN in his breeding, he is in fact 1/4 KWPN, 1/4 ID (by Ginger Dick) 1/4 old fashioned irish blood and a 1/4 connemara. Going to event him next season and can't wait!
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Sounds like an amazing mix! Got any photos?
 
flamehead said:
Love them when they're genuine ISH!

Hate them when they're fat irish cobs that their stuck up owners are saying are ISH!
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I have a fat irish cob that everyone else insists is an irish sports horse !!!. only if the sport is mud wrestling or darts. Is actually 1/2 TB, 1/4 ID 1/4 Cob - what does that make him ? a fat irish sports cob ?!

In his favour he is quite handsome in a big pony sort of way, has bags of character, goes like a defender and will go all day at his pace. there is alot of horse to hold onto when he leaps about

against - his pace is not always mine, he is very lazy and yet very spooky, there is alot of horse to hold onto when he tanks off, He is very rude unless the boundaries are firmly and repeatedly set out.

He is everything I set out not to buy and I love him to bits.
 
natalia said:
I love mine. Laid back to the point of being horizontal (until you put the clippers on though!), very bold big jump but most importantly very reliable and very safe. He has an inbuilt 5th leg and I can put nearly anyone on him and know he'll do his best to look after them, even though he's only a 4yr old. PS mine has very flashy movement partly owning to the fact that he's got a splash of KWPN in his breeding, he is in fact 1/4 KWPN, 1/4 ID (by Ginger Dick) 1/4 old fashioned irish blood and a 1/4 connemara. Going to event him next season and can't wait!
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Lol! We had a lovely bombproof 4yr old that you could put anyone on - similar type to yours, with a 1/4 holsteiner in it. It hit 6 and turned into a monster that not many could get on - sometimes they're just a bit retarded at this height, and you get the 4/5yr old behaviour later!!

Generally speaking, they are my total faves! They may not have quite as much talent/movement as some of the warmbloods, but they are usually more honest, and if you present them wrong at a big XC fence they would sort it out for you, where a warmblood would stop quite often. They are usually strong in limb, and not lame that often. They are quite hardy too.

What I don't like about them is that the term "ISH" means nothing really - I prefered it when they were IDxTB - then you knew what you were getting! Ours also seem prone to mudrash, which astounds me considering that they came over from Ireland - you'd think they'd have got used to mud there! They also often have pink patches on their noses that get sunburn!

PS. I don't know who said they were plain, but most that I've seen are gorgeous! Mine wins at showing as well as eventing.
 
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