What Does The Term "Presence" Mean To You - Follow On From Becki's Pos

[Maesfen]

As the title asks, how do you define presence in a horse?

I was always brought up to believe a horse either had it or it didn't - but the appearance of it could be improved upon with correct training, management and strapping on something that didn't have the special "it" to start with.

As an example, Bananaman's Spider has IT in capitals, nothing to do with his colour; he would have it even if he was pink and she was clever enough to buy him unseen, just from pictures from the website; it was there right from the word go! Now the judges are telling her exactly the same thing by his placings.

"IT" to me does goes with the correct frame but also has that extra special 'Will you LOOK at me when I'm in the room?' type thing; sorry I can't define it better but when you are with or looking at a horse with it - you know, it stands out a mile. It gives me a tingle just to see them, it's a privilage!

That wasn't described very well but anyway, come on, what does it mean to you?

 

[Haflinger]

Just when you see the horse, and you stop what your doing to stare for a while.

 

[WelshRareBit]

There's a gorgeous horse up our yard that has it.
Its just when as Ace has said you just want to stop and watch the horse. I think any horse can have it at certain times, but real good horses have it all the time. x

 

[Maesfen]

Now why did I write all those words and you summed it up in a dozen?!
That's it in a nutshell to me, thanks!

 

[jenbleep]

i suppose presence is quite hard to describe, but ditto what acelight99 said, when you take a look at a horse and you think 'wow' kinda like a model! a horse that knows he looks and is good has presence. i used to ride a horse called Preston and whenever you would lead him out the lorry people would stop to look at him! but in knew him really, he was a 16.2 big baby that was scared of everything! xx

 

[clipclop]

I don't think I can define it any better than you.

It is a bit like two handsome men walking in to a room. They are both very good looking. However one stands out. He is more flamboyant, a little louder, he WANTS everyone to look at him. The other guy is indeed very handsome but he just wants to go to the bar and get a drink and chat with his friends.

 

[jenbleep]

[ QUOTE ]


[/ QUOTE ] but in knew him really, he was a 16.2 big baby that was scared of everything! [ QUOTE ]


[/ QUOTE ]

i would never tell him that tho! xx

 

[Hemirjtm]

i think it's been summed up....but when i got Hemir out of the trailer at the yard and got him tacked up walked him round it was like people had never seen a horse before....they all stopped what they were doing and watched him(which he liked!!), but it made me think for a minute.... personally i don't think hemir has got an 'it' about him but a lot of people seem to like him!! I also think that a horse with presence likes to be watched so makes himself/herself 'stand out in the crowd' so to say!!!

 

[Gingernags]

I was chuffed the other day when sister took her new fella to "meet the girls" and he said that my ginger pony "is the most striking"

It is that attitude that a horses displays saying "pay attention to me, I deserve it!"

You are drawn to wathcing them and think "Wow, look at that!"

Some obvious examples I've seen on here - Viento and Chico - they definately had the look-at-us-sexy-boys thing going on!

PG's Archie - though I'd say his WOW factor is still developing too - he is going to be a real head turner.

There are loads but my mind has just gone blank... being at work you know, stifles creativity!

 

[dieseldog]

It's the X Factor.

Don't think they have to be correctly put together or anything just do something special

 

[KatB]

I think they have a quiet confidence, a "sparkle" about them.... and as already said, something that draws the eye to them....

Lots of people look at G, but normally because he is wrecking something...

 

[Parkranger]

Some people have it too - that certain something that demands attention.

My old horse had it - neck was always arched, tail up and he'd extend trot around the field. He just had that certain something.

I think alot of stallions can have it and alot of late gelded geldings....

 

[BBs]

Just a horse that catches my eye. Their expression/mannerism - it might be a colour, or their exuberance over a fence or just looking out of a stable or field.

Horse with presence can come in all shapes and sizes, just something that makes me look and go *WOW*

I think all the horses ive ever owned have had some kind of presence, some more than others... I think the one who had the most was the horse i speak of the least, and that was my little ex racer Arnie.

 

[Gingernags]

Asti to me is just my pony, nothing special...

But get her to a show, all shiny and round and she does show off, so without being big headed, when she is in the ring - with the right rider (which is NOT me!!!

) I do think she has "it" she just seems to enjoy it so much and glows with the attention she gets... (Then gives me a sly little shove to say - see, told you I was clever mum!)

 

[cosmo_sam]

I think some are born with it. Dragon is one that's born with it.

George most certainly wasn't, but he was big, weak, unfit and alot of the time a little porky.

Now he's matured and we're able to work him properly, and he's fit etc, he's got a real spark about him that he never had. People have begun to really look at him rather than before they always just though "Aw cutie pie".

I think any horse that is given time to mature properly with correct and patient training will have more prescence than they started with

 

[Sooty]

Prescence in a horse is a bit like charisma in a person - hard to define, but you know when it is there.

 

[conniegirl]

the wow factor, a pony/horse trhat enjoys showing off.

 

[LEC]

The last horse I had with the X factor was my 14hh WHP and he was yummy just had everything and screamed look at me. My current one is nice - moves really well but does not scream look at me!
I so rarely see it - out of the eventers you can see certain ones exude it like Primmores Pride, Tamarillo and Spring Along where as Flint Curtis and Tankers Town do not have it.

 

[Theresa_F]

Fleur definately has it - 16.3, nearly black and just something that made people stop and stare. This is one of the reasons I put her out as a broodmare with no riding - she had problems but is so stunning that I was afraid that someone would try to ride her and cause problems again.

Chancer also has something - not in the same way as Fleur - but people say he is going to be really stunning when finished growing - might be all that hair he is developing as well that makes people think this - can be a bit of a show stopper.

Cairo - not stunning but everyone comes and sees him - think he puts out a "come love me" vibe that people respond to.

 

[MagicMelon]

One of mine has plenty of this. Because when he arrives at a show, he's very vocal, arched neck like a blooomin' stallion etc. and basically DEMANDS attention! None of my other horses are like this, they couldnt care who was looking at them and are quite happy to fart loudly in public, doze at the trailer in a very lazy / dopey way: basically not giving a crap who's around!

I think BIG horses seem to have it, big horses full of energy who behave a bit like stallions. Stallions usually have masses of presence IMO. Basically something which jogs past looking absolutely stunning and like he knows it!

Horses like Rodrigo Pessoa's horse Baloubet Du Roet have it, that horse always makes my jaw drop.

 

[Loupride]

Im always told that pride has it and I can certainly gaurantee that it was from no training on my part

he just has it!!! You can pick him out in a filed, in the ring, when he is there you know about it!

He loves to be watched and he plays on the attention; it some ways that probably why he did well in the showring; he always caught the judges eye. I sometimes wondered if it has anything to do with the stallion aspect? BUt to be honest I just think its him!!!

He is just a great big poser

 

[harrihjc]

I can't define it any better than what has already been said, you just know when a horse has it, it stands out from the rest. You might have a whole ring full of gorgeous bay horses but one of them just draws your attention and holds it. Flash gets huge amount of fuss wherever he goes, but I'm not sure whether thats related to him having presence or just standing out and being rather recognisable with his silly colour!

 

[sleepingdragon10]

[ QUOTE ]
Prescence in a horse is a bit like charisma in a person - hard to define, but you know when it is there.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks Soots, you said it for me

 

[aimeerose]

i think it has already been defined better than i can write, but i do agrre its all to do with a 'look at me' quality and something intangably 'special'

 

[PapaFrita]

I think PF has it, but oddly nobody who goes to the yard seems to notice her... It must be love

On the other hand everyone notices Antifaz even though I don't think he's got the same presence. BUT he has got that big white face and long mane...
Go figure

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
My old horse had it - neck was always arched, tail up and he'd extend trot around the field. He just had that certain something.


[/ QUOTE ]

That's exactly what it means to me....and my old chocolate dun horse had it. Stood tall and shouted from the roof tops "Look at me!!"

 

[Llwyncwn]

You have summed it up perfectly.

I would also add that the IT factor would be the same as John Barrowman walking in the room (for me and Marius_Mum anyway)

 

[Honeypots]

Yup..IMO its a 'look at me' thing.. takes no effort..they just have it.

 

[henryhorn]

There is definitely a "LOOK AT ME!" factor, horses with it always catch your eye.
Our stallion Chocolate has it when ridden, people stop and look and often come over to say how nice he looks.
Since breeding from outside stallions I have noticed how some bloodlines just don't have it at all. I just hope once those horses are ridden they look better, as at the moment they are ok to look at but don't make you turn and stare.
Our late stallion had it in shedloads and when he was show jumping had his own personal fan club of women who would check where next he would be competing and drive there just to watch him..
That reminds me, I must ask CCj to put up a vid of him competing in his younger days, it's hilarious as he won the class by short cutting jumping over a mini tree between fences; shortly after the BSJa announced it was no longer allowed!

 

[Bananaman]

Aah, thanks MFH_09!

I'm not sure you can call me clever though, just bl**dy lucky!

I would have said that you can't see presence in a photo but maybe that was what made me buy him. I've never done anything so rash ever before but something caught my eye in the first photo I ever saw of him.

I can't add anything else to what others have said.
My retired horse Torrent, has it but poor, dear Henry, sweet and handsome as he is, just hasn't.

It doesn't make me love him any less though!