What does 'sharp' mean to you?

[joeanne]

Intelligent and reactive.

That can manifest itself in a wonderfully forwards and trainable horse if trained and managed in the right way. Or it can lead to real problems if not.

The 2 best horses I have had the pleasure of owning/loaning in my lifetime I would describe as sharp.

^^^that.
My mare is sharper than a razor blade. Left to her own devices she will look for mischief. Given a day off she turns into a positive menace. Needs occupying to the fullest!

 

[SNORKEY]

I'd describe my horse as sharp but only because if you got on him and gave him a boot you'd be over the other side of the field, he's sensitive and very intelligent but does like to look at everything but wouldn't bolt or spin. So how do I advertise him without using the word 'sharp' without putting people off?

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

I prefer my horses sharp if im honest, would rather work to channel that than have to up a horses reaction time (having spent a year doing that to a coblet to get it more off the leg Ill take a mega sharp horse in a heartbeat even if it is a little crazy ), so sharp to me means off the leg, sensitive to the rider and very quick to react to both you and its surroundings.

 

[Mongoose11]

Sharp to me is flighty, unexplained spooking, unforgiving when ridden, very responsive....

 

[Welshie Squisher]

Sharp to me is when a pony turns so fast unexpectedly I'm eating dirt

Actually with my riding skills, I'd class any horse with a pulse as sharp!

Sharp is subjective, depends on who you are asking really.

 

[Enfys]

Is sharp the same as hot do you think?

 

[Goldenstar]

Is sharp the same as hot do you think?

No not to me if I say sharp I mean reactive , If I said hot I would mean a bit difficult and unruly , my sharpest horse ever was the best mannered I have ever had not hot at all.
My best horse was sharp and hot and she was a handful.

 

[Wagtail]

Is sharp the same as hot do you think?

No, I think of hot horses as those that are easily wound up and get themselves in a paddy or worried and start cantering on the spot, sweated up and restless.

 

[BigBuck's]

I describe my TB mare as sharp - she is just very alert, prone to very quick reactions and doesn't suffer fools!

This, exactly.

"Hot" to me means I have to talk it down from the edge every time I ride it.

 

[oldjumper]

It frightens them!

 

[Rhodders]

quick to react and possibly a little bit prone to the odd over react

 

[FinalFurlong]

I would describe my loan horse as sharp.

He is only 6 and has still got a lot to learn after being out of work for months due to surgery. He is scared of things and when he gets scared he bucks and canters off and if he is REALLY scared he can do mini rears (he is not in any pain just a wimp) and has once bolted. Though technically that bolt was my fault because i hesitated when he got scared.

He is forward going, gets excited when jumping because he loves it so much and doesn't need a stick/lots of kicking. He can take the P sometimes

 

[ebonyallen]

I describe my horse as sharp, in my mind he's alert, quick to move / stop / change direction, a bit jumpy, that sort of thing. Not nutty, just, well, 'sharp'

THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[hollibobs]

Sharp is my Master Imp mare! Turns and spins before you even know it has happened!
She will react and then decide if the offensive object was actually bad after the event. -)

Hahaha - glad its not just mine then, he's Master Imp to ;-)

 

[spotty_pony]

Sharp to me is a horse which is very 'switched on', very responsive and possibly spooky. Very sensitive to the rider's aids and definitely not suitable for a Novice.

 

[thatsmygirl]

Sharp to me is quick reactions.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Interesting thread. To me sharp means highly reactive and spooky. It does not mean quick off the leg, intelligent or quick thinking. To me it describes a very right brained horse that DOESN'T think! Horses that others have said they call sharp, in that they are quick off the leg and hand, quick thinking and intelligent, are what I would describe as 'light' and biddable. So if I read that a horse was sharp in an advert, I would not be thinking of the positive side that others have mentioned, I would be thinking that it could leap from one side of the arena to the other in a split second if a blade of grass moved.

Agree with the above, that is my opinion on a sharp horse also, a right brained and reactive horse who does not think until after the event.
Personally I prefer a more left brained horse who is less reactive and more often than not thinks carefully before reacting to stimulus. If I was horse shopping and saw a nice horse who was advertised as sharp I would personally give it a miss, each to their own though, some like them sharp and reactive...

 

[MagicMelon]

I'd have called my grey quite sharp, but I dont think it should be taken in a negative way. I think of it as highly responsive, so in his case he was always alert and always prompt off my aids - I dont mean badly behaved or tanking off etc. Just IMO very easy to ride as he does what you ask the SECOND you ask for it, rather than my latest horse (WB...) who takes a few seconds to think about it!

 

[TandD]

sharp = reactive.....to anything: enviroment/rider/work etc
forward thinking and keeps the rider thinking....needs to be challenged otherwise gets bored easily

hot = unreliable and irrisponsible of actions....looses concentration easily
cant trust what the horse would do and can worry/get self worked up. needs to be worked regually to maintain concentration

 

[micramadam]

Highly intelligent and very easily bored. Will outwit you in a flash if given the chance but once engaged excels at what they do.

 

[Spring Feather]

Quick to react. I have some sharp horses and they are fantastic to ride as they do whatever they're told immediately and without question. I'm not really a ploddy type person so sharp horses suit me.

 

[Slightlyconfused]

My old mare can be sharp......meaning you ride with legs a few inches from her sides and the slightest twitch you are off......she is also very spooky. That's my view on it.

 

[Elsbells]

I describe my horse as sharp, in my mind he's alert, quick to move / stop / change direction, a bit jumpy, that sort of thing. Not nutty, just, well, 'sharp'

Lovely......also means fun!

 

[Echo Bravo]

Not for a novice.

 

[Mrs B]

Sorry if I'm repeating what anyone else has said, but to me it means spinning 180 degrees faster than I can.

 

[FabioandFreddy]

Basically quick to react in all situations, good and bad. A horse that you have to be confident and tuned into all the time.

Would agree with this. To me a horse thats just off the leg is responsive, a sharp horse is a different kettle of fish altogether and rider has to keep a step ahead all the time to avoid ending on the floor!

 

[eggs]

I tend to agree with Wagtail.

One of my horses is what I would describe as sharp. He is talented but you have to have your wits about you when riding him. Most of the time he is reasonably straight forward (provided you don't sneeze!) but with no warning he will start fly leaping. He can get himself so wound up that he borders on dangerous as he loses any sense of self preservation - hence the reason he doesn't hack any more.

 

[Megibo]

To me it just means they're uber spooky and VERY quick off the mark or to react to things. They look for monsters in the hedge, and if you're like my 14.3 sec D EVERYTHING is a monster and nothing can be trusted!

my 13.3 D can be sharp but she isn't stupid with it like the other one she stays safe. Both okay if you get the brains working.

 

[ttt]

Very interesting as I am trying to sell a 4 year old and have advertised her as 'sharp'. To me it means quick thinking, quick to react, alert.
She is very sweet, not a bad bone in her body just sharp!
I think I will rewrite my advert!

 

[othbsits]

As everyone else mentioned it can mean many things depending on who's saying it. I just thought I'd point out though, an Arabian advertised as a "sharp"
means no Blunt (as in Crabbet) in the pedigree.