what if someone trained them differantly

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madeleine1

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how good do you recon totilas or any other very top class dressage horses would be if they we jumped, cross countyed or showed. or anything else.

i thought they might be good as they are well built horses that could have done anything but were just better at dressage. discuss
 
A sound athletic horse most likely will be able to turn it's hoof to a variety of events.

I think that a horse becomes a top horse not just because of it's potential, which includes it enjoying what it does, has a natural athletic ability for that discipline.

I think the huge amounts of time put in by the rider and the discipline and experience of that rider cannot be discounted. That is why top riders produce good horse after good horse.

Maybe the horse just clicks with that rider, or maybe the horse would be good with any one. But mostly the amount of time and effort to get to top level, is says as much the about the rider and the support team, and resources as it does about the horse.

There are horses out there that are made for dressage, and so on, and if a horse has an obvious talent in an area it makes sense to develop it.
 
I think this is a very bad idea to put top dressage horse into jumping or xc. What would it be for? Dressage horse is a dressage horse, it's muscles has been formed into dressage needs. This is like you asked the guy who is a bodybuilder to do the marathon - it just would be unfair.
Besides if I had a top dressage horse, I would be extremely worried about legs and tendons, if somebody just realised he wants my horse to be showjumper.
 
Ikarina said:
I think this is a very bad idea to put top dressage horse into jumping or xc. What would it be for? Dressage horse is a dressage horse, it's muscles has been formed into dressage needs. This is like you asked the guy who is a bodybuilder to do the marathon - it just would be unfair.
Besides if I had a top dressage horse, I would be extremely worried about legs and tendons, if somebody just realised he wants my horse to be showjumper.
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aww im not suggesting this i was just wondering in a theoretical world weather they could. i dont think anyone would say do it, change one of these superstars into a sj xx
 
madeleine1 said:
aww im not suggesting this i was just wondering in a theoretical world weather they could. i dont think anyone would say do it, change one of these superstars into a sj xx
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Some very good horses HAVE changed disciplines (Eventing to pure dressage is the most common one).

The only real difference between a potential top dressage horse and a potential top showjumper is attitude IMHO - a top dressage horse needs to be moe amenable to following instructions religiously whereas a top showjumper needs to be able to ignmore you if you get it wrong and 'save' you!

But once they get to the top, a changeover would be harder because their whole way of going and their development has been for the one discipline.
 
I think that a good "basis" training should get to them to a stage where they can be taken in any direction.

For instance my horse who has had his basis done by a western trainer was tried by a Dressage rider who proclaimed him perfect to bring on. We also had an offer from a Western rider as a Hunt Seat prospect.

Sadly he failed his vetting.
 
Ikarina said:
sorry, madeleine, I just saw in my imagination a horse with neck like this: (second picture, on piaffe):

http://www.vdwhorses.net78.net/presentations/Aktion.html

struggling with jumping a tiny sj course ;)
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Admittedly, seeing all that bulk going into a piaffe does give that impression. However, I bet if you saw a picture or a film of him doing an extended trot or canter you might change your mind. Dressage horses know how to use themselves really well and they can move across the ground so lightly. Not saying he'd be a brilliant jumper, but I reckon he'd be ok. I think Carl Hester occasionally jumps his top dressage horses as it prevents them getting stale and it's fun.
 
I worked on a racing yard for 3years and we always went into the indoor school for 40mins to warm the horses up before we went onto the gallops then road work and a swim to wind down . When I first started all we did was trot around the school but as most of the lasses had other riding experience whereas the lads hadnt ridden before arriving at the yard so we started doing some schooling , dropped stirrups abit and they learnt individual legs, voice etc . It wasnt anything exciting but we knew that majority of racehorses dont make top winners but do make great eventers etc ..... and alot did . The yard owner wasnt sure at first but when horse owners had to face up to the fact that their horse not being as brill as they thought it was , it suddenly had another career to go to . So a good basic start always helps , but horses like people will find that they are suited to certain paths and a dressage horse popping over a jump wont hurt and its something different . But you carnt put square peg into round hole !
 
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