What is "a good horse"?

little_flea

little_flea

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A post about cheap horses yesterday made it very evident that we all judge horses very differently base on our levels of ambition and the finances available.

So what is a good horse to you?

To me, a good horse is one who has the capacity to compete and do well SJ at 1.30m level, can do a decent dressage test and is a nice person to be around.

I am very interested in what other HHO value!
 
Right now .... one that Rocks (ie a Rocking Horse) no more mud, feed bills, early mornings or .............

Seriously though, I'm with you, a nice natured person who is reasonably well schooled and well mannered with good enought conformation to do OK at Riding Club level and is remains sane if not ridden every day.
 
For me, a good horse is one that enjoys its work. Mine is a loaned from a rescue charity and when I took her on she couldn't jump a stick or canter round the school. But I knew she was a 'good horse' because she had a fantastic attitude and has always been keen and enthusiastic in her work. I don't really mind how much we achieve - She's happy at Novice eventing so I hope we will go to Intermediate, and we'll see how far we go with dressage - though this is testing my commitment more than her ability.
 
For me its a horse who can turn a hoof to most things, who enjoys jumping, is forgiving if I make a mistake and will look after themselves and me if they need to. They also need to be good in traffic as I'm not and hack out on their own. I also like something with a bit of personality but am not big on soppy or sensitive horses.
 
Exactly what Hullabaloo said,
Bear is 5.
Bear had never done XC and neither had I. We ended up leading a friend round on her experienced pony
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He will have a go at anything, Ive lost my confidence now but I would love for someone to take him out and compete him, Im going to try dressage on him this year!
You can put a novice rider on him and he will carry them safely.
Bear is an honest horse, but he doesn't like loads of kisses and cuddles lol!
I would say he's a good horse!
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As you say, we will all judge this differently, so a good horse can't truly be defined.

In my own case, I've got five good horses.

The first is good because he's great at endurance, loves his job, is eager to go on for miles and miles and comes in with a low heart rate. He's also easy to keep, attractive to look at, nice natured and with excellent (bare) feet.

The second is a good horse because although I haven't yet found where his real talent lies he's fantastic for giving my young niece and nephew beginners riding lessons (on a 15'3 pure Arab!). Again lovely natured, easy to keep and he really trusts his mum (me).

The third is a good horse because he's stunning to look at, showing a great talent for dressage, a gentleman to ride, very quick to learn and I have been made loads of offers for him (but no way is he for sale).

Fourth is Polly, now long retired, my old riding horse. She's a good horse because she taught me so much and put up with all my mistakes in the past, and despite many ups and downs along the way, we never came to grief.

Finally I have an old Arab retired broodmare who was given to me many years ago now. She's probably the ugliest Arab you've ever seen, and has never been broken to ride - but she's probably the best horse of the lot (even though she has no financial value whatsoever). And if you want to know why she's the best of the lot, well - before I had her, she successfully raised 9 foals. After I got her, she acted as nanny to my three boys when they were babies, teaching them how to be horses (and they've all turned out to be extremely well adjusted horses). She's got the kindest, quietest temperament and is so easy to do, yet she is still the herd boss and keeps them all in place with the subtlest flick of the ears or tail. Although never broken to ride, she was the horse that I trusted the most to put my niece and nephew on when they very first sat on a horse - and I have led them out in hand on her many times since without the slightest problem. She is a horse that probably nobody would give the time of day to, but for what she's done, she's worth ten times her weight in gold. Now that's a good horse!
 
A good horse...hmmmm

nice personality/character
safe to hack out....alone/company....forward going but with brakes
spirited but safe
enjoys schooling/jumping
scrubs up well for the show ring
nicely put together
doesnt mind if I dont ride for 2 weeks
whinnies when he sees me......Oh, just realised ...thats my horse
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[ QUOTE ]
A good horse...hmmmm

nice personality/character
safe to hack out....alone/company....forward going but with brakes
spirited but safe
enjoys schooling/jumping
scrubs up well for the show ring
nicely put together
doesnt mind if I dont ride for 2 weeks
whinnies when he sees me......Oh, just realised ...thats my horse
grin.gif
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

lol!
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Bear's gone 6 weeks, I was a bit apprehensive to say the least but he was fine!
 
A good horse is a horse that lives up to expectations and actually does the job it was bought to do. A bad horse is a disappointment.
 
One that fits with your interests.

Daisy will probably never win anything except possibly showing and I don't have the patience or inclination to scrub her that white but thats not what I want her for.

She is very clever, lovely to school, gives me a real sense of satisfaction.

Most important for me is that she doesn't scare me. She is snaffle mouthed, will hack out alone or in company, nice manners out hunting, will do endurance and will pop the odd log. She'll never be a world beater but I'd rather have her than a more expensive eventer or SJerwho might overhorse me.

Here's for average hairy ponies
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My boy was a good horse for me. All i wanted was a safe horse, who i could hack out and wouldn't be really jumpy at everything. I got that and more with him, he was such a good boy. He was good with farrier (previous horse had to be sedated), could clip him even with him untied in the stable (think he enjoyed this as he was a hairy beast!), he would load himself in to the trailer (as demonstrated by his trailer friend!) as he knew he was going somewhere fun! I could take him anywhere could put anyone on him and trusted him 200%. We looked after each other and had a great relationship. Hopefully i'll get the same from tilly when she's backed!! Can something so good happen twice?!?
 
A good horse is one who has a trainable, sensible, willing temperament.

You can teach that horse to do what you want it to do, providing it has the physique for that job. This is regardless of what you pay for it.
 
i think we make bad horses, they are all potentially good, any rogues i have ´retrained´were great horses afterwards, if you exploited there talents and didnt overface them, and i dont mean overface with regards to life. Usually they needed a new open minded and caring owner. Nothing more. I have only had one bad horse in my career. I guess i am lucky, i love my horses, all in different ways, they all need time and understanding, not much more. Thats what I think.
 
Sorry not answering the question but have to say Faro, what a fantastic, moving, post!

I am obviously going soft in my old age (ex-rugby playing beer swilling yorkshire chap
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).
 
I agree - a horse that lives up to the job it was bought to do.

A good horse for me is a horse that will cross any country hunting, not pull too much, stand at the meet and generally behave well with good jumping ability.

It would be an added bonus if the horse would do SJ or XC whilst not following hounds!! Something to have fun on.
 
For me, a good horse isn't the most talented horse or one that does the job it was bought for necessarily - it's the one that you feel happy and contented with, that you have fun on without fear or hassle, that you feel in tune with, that is your friend who whinnies to you in the morning, who is polite and generous to your mistakes, good-natured and happy to try whatever you ask of him!!
In fact - my horse!!!!
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Ummm "What is a good horse" Thats easy - mine!!
He has the ability to do whatever discipline asked of him to a good standard -
County level showing
Novice level dressage
Jumping nicely (not sj irratic) 85-90cm within 3 months of learning
Started lateral work and taken to them with ease
He is great to hack alone or in company
He is a 15.2 mw
He is good to do clip shoe box dentist vet
But most of all - he has an infectious character and is a truly beautiful person!!

Cant say the same for my filly mind!
 
Thank you very much DTM Dan!

My OH is also an ex-Rugby playing, beer swilling, big softie - the only difference is that he comes from what you will consider the wrong side of the Pennines (Stockport)!
 
A good horse is a healthy fun horse. I wouldn't class any horse as good or bad depending on whether it could win a PSG or jump grade A.

I think there are too many people going out buying a horse with the 'potential' to compete at the olympic when the majority of riders are not capable of getting anywhere near that level. It's causing more accidents and heart ache in the equine world than I've ever seen before.

I buy for personality, any talent after that is an added bonus.
 
hum, a toughie

Dispite the ups and downs of horse ownership I think every horse in its own right is a good horse. As faro indicates, all horses have a niche and when they find it then they are 100 %.

In my case:

Sid was a great horse. Not everyones cup of tea, he bit, he kicked, he cribbed and sometimes his patience was lacking, but he taught me more than I could ever think. He was always willing to give something a try The biggest thing I think he taught me was patience and tolerance and he gave me the ability to read/ understand my horses

Ru is just starting out on her journey and she in my eyes is already a "good horse" even at 5

Sidney taught us both Well.

Andy, is at the second chance start box of his journey, and as yet I have no idea if he will be a good horse.... we just have to find the hole that fits to enable him to be this good horse.

If both my horses manage to do what I ask without any trauma, then who am I to complain
 
Yes what is a good horse? Depends on what you want really. Barney is a 'good horse'. He is a fantastic hack in company and on his own. He is a brilliant hunter, has done Pony Club camp and rallies with my daughter, done unaffiliated sj, done unaff dressage with me and was recommended to affiliate him by the judge! He's a cracker at sponsored rides, i hate jumping but he carries me safely. The only thing he has won is showing. I gather he has what was called 'perfect conformation' for a cob. He is rock solid safe and bombproof, but he is definitely not a plod, being quite forward going.

He's my best mate and I love him, I will never, ever sell him and he will spend the rest of his days with me. Not bad for an ex-riding school 14.3hh 15 year old cob who cost me £2K nearly 5 years ago. He definitely is a 'good horse'.
 
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