What does 'sharp' mean to you?

[PonyIAmNotFood]

Sharp to me is Wagtails description. Spooking at nothing constantly, here one minute, gone the next. Generally not fun. I do like reactive horses though, which to me means responsive, quick thinking and as a rule quite fun but not novice rides. If an ad said sharp I'd run a mile.

 

[JVB]

For my mare I like to say Sharp = Superb survival instincts

Any sign of 'anything' and she's outta there, blink and you'll miss her

 

[PolarSkye]

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.

This is how I would describe Kal too . . . he gives you absolutely no warning before he spins and he whips round incredibly fast. If he also does his trademark shoulder drop at the same time, you can end up looking a little like Wiley Coyote . . . in mid-air for a second before you hit the deck b/c the horse has just disappeared from underneath you .

P

 

[PolarSkye]

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

This! We always say that you ride Kal's brain before his body and once you "have" him he'll do ANYthing.

P

 

[BigBuck's]

I've never seen or heard an Arab described as a "sharp" because it is non-Crabbet. What an interesting fact. Is it an old-fashioned term that has started to die out?

 

[Goldenstar]

For me spooky and sharp are not the same thing although I often hear spooky and sharp mixed up cobs can be spooky but they react much slower than say a sharp KWPN .
My driving cob was described as very sharp but he's not truely sharp as you have loads of time to feel what he's thinking he's spooky in fact i dont think hes even spooky but naughty because if hes respectful of people he does not spook IF he does it happens much slower than it does in the sharp horse who thinks and does at the same time.
Sharp horses need not be spooky the best trained ones are not
Sharp horses can be hot but need not be .
The sharpest two I have ever owned where not spooky horses at all.

 

[minesadouble]

I would say a sharp horse is one with a quick mind and equally quick reactions and is not a mug's companion. I wouldn't attribute the phrase to any particular ridden 'vice'.

 

[maresmaid]

I interpret "sharp" as quick to react to situations and aids. I would expect it would need to be ridden very quietly, by a very calm rider, and not suitable for a novice.

 

[googol]

I think of sharp horses as ones with lots of blood-fine flashy look at me types that i love to watch but wud never own cos im a woss! My boy is reactive because he's quick off the leg but he's not what I'd call sharp as hes safe and looks after me, my friends horse however is spooky but v backward so he's not sharp either. It def means different things to different people tho!

 

[Flame_]

I think of "sharp" as being a PITA really. I don't like overly dramatic horses.

"Hot" is good, just loads of "go" so you just sit and do nothing except remind them to chill once in a while.

 

[cheeryplatypus]

To me it means a high prey animal instinct and doesn't give the rider the benefit of the doubt.

 

[nosenseofdirection]

I didn't realise sharp meant 'non Crabbet'! Must explain this to my mare next time she spooks at nothing at all

 

[1stclassalan]

Ah, "sharp" is one of those all things to all men terms isn't it? We all "know" what WE mean by it - but does the use of the word convey the same meaning to all that read it?

My judgement is clouded by the virtual constant application of it by trendy designer types back in my commercial interior days - "Oh joy of joys - look at my "sharp" "crisp" and "cutting edge" concepts!" To which I'd be thinking - it's unbuildable you Paul Smith suited t**t! The combined efforts of Albert Einstein and NASA would fail to do with the budget for the Vietnam War ..... then it would be my problem to scale ideas back to the practical and end up being a philistine villian!

John Travolta was "sharp" in Saturday Night Fever - he was also a t**t despite him later gaining a four engined jet licence - the gang boys in the Jets and Sharks from West Side Story were also "sharp" - Wesley Snipes is the epitome of black sharp - yar hear what i'm sayin'.

This very sharp:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJcY3NXLBYg

So I think if you analyse that lot "sharp" can be an alternative to "precise" rather than nippy or unpredictable as some have said in relation to their horses - there's plenty of other terms for fickleness so sticking to my theme of precision - my favourite stallion:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvrxzBRazsE

Not a bad rider either - I'm quite sure novices would be eaten for a snack but most powerful mounts do not suffer fools gladly.

 

[Venevidivici]

^^love the Romancier vid. He's on springs! Such natural elevation. Like the bit where rider looses reins to show his self-carriage and obedience,pats Romancier and gives big grin to crowd.

 

[1stclassalan]

^^love the Romancier vid. He's on springs! Such natural elevation. Like the bit where rider looses reins to show his self-carriage and obedience,pats Romancier and gives big grin to crowd.

Not quite in the same class but here's a piccy of my old girl showing she can still piaffe aged thirty or more. http://www.flickr.com/photos/1stclassalan/8424564392/

 

[Venevidivici]

Wow,she looks fab for her age! Great knee&hockShe's showing the new girl how it's done

 

[noblesteed]

My andalusian x is sharp.
He's not particularly forward-going, he's pretty calm 95% of the time and can be rather lazy. Before we got to know each other properly he would spook and spin at the tiniest thing. Now we have mutual trust he doesn't do it and is pretty much bombproof, but he would if I wasn't riding him. His reactions are very quick and he's very clever and sensitive - I can ride him almost by doing nothing. He gets very full of himself, gets ridiculously excited in company and can by a total PITA at a meet. He is also capable of a good buck, chuck you off and piss off without you! As he has done to new riders in the past... So not a novice ride, but manageable. To some he appears a plod...

 

[1stclassalan]

Wow,she looks fab for her age! Great knee&hockShe's showing the new girl how it's done

Hmm.. glad you like. She was extra special and a huge part of my life - she left it in 1993 - of her own accord after bad E. Flu - the second time she'd had it very badly eighteen years before and nearly died then. Would have hated to have to make the dread decision about her - she was actually on the mend when she had some kind of siezure and died in ten minutes which was a good way to go - when you have to - there's not much arguing with the old Black Rabbit!

 

[Venevidivici]

Better than lingering,that's for sure. It sounds like she was cherished and certainly had a good innings-what more could any of us ask for?

 

[Holzdweaver]

To me
sharp=
be careful with your legs unless you want to end up in the next county, my little sis jumped on my boy and pony club kicked instead of the slight squeeze i told her to do. He did a wonderful stand to canter transition and she ended up rolling off his back end when he turned on the track at the far end. Wouldn't let her get back on, said i didn't blame him if she was going to do things like that!
Make sure your on the ball and have good stickability for when they teleport to the other side of the road.
Be aware of your body movements as if you turn your head to admire scenery, they might just assume that's where you want to be.
Very sensitive with any aids and sensitive in character.
Clever and so won't suffer fools.

 

[Maesfen]

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

Very well said.

 

[othbsits]

I've never seen or heard an Arab described as a "sharp" because it is non-Crabbet. What an interesting fact. Is it an old-fashioned term that has started to die out?

It's a term usually used in the U.S. for a fairly small group of horses. It's use is explained well here. http://daughterofthewind.org/sharps/

 

[BigBuck's]

It's a term usually used in the U.S. for a fairly small group of horses. It's use is explained well here. http://daughterofthewind.org/sharps/

Thanks for the link, really interesting.

 

[Girlracer]

I call Major sharp, for me it's because generally he's whipped round and sodded off in the opposite direction before i know what's happened.

So i guess it's just a horse that's alert, and 'flighty' i suppose!

 

[Girlracer]

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

Scrap my original answer this is what I was trying to say!

 

[Parker79]

Depends who is saying it! if my old YM called a horse 'sharp' it meant I would not want to ride it!! whereas other liveries called my mare 'sharp' as she is quick to react...but I would say she was good as gold!

open to intepretation me thinks x

 

[marmalade76]

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.

I like a sharp horse, they have their wits about them and tend to pay close attention when it comes to looking where they're going

 

[Alyth]

Intelligent, fast, responsive..maybe a little spooky and jumpy but nothing dangerous and not likely to bomb off in an everyday situation such as out hacking.
A horse described as sharp wouldnt put me off, they are generally better and more fun to ride

An excellent description!!