Why do people want to own TB's?

The Original Kao

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Following on from Shil's cob thread, why would anyone want a TB?
They're highly strung, have crappy feet, cost a fortune to feed, always injure themselves and are stress heads :p
 
Misconceptions in my opinion, aside from the rubbish feet. I've just purchased my next horse and gone for a well bred and well brought up TB. After years of riding bouncing other breeds in a ton of ironmongery, and noticing them carrying complete novices in the most exciting of situations sensibly in snaffles. It was an educated choice, believe me
 
Hahaha, an old thread has been resurrected....... :rolleyes:

Oh well what the hell........ My TB is a 'horse' & like any other horse, can have the odd highly strung moment :)
He's barefoot (& bitless) and has been for 3.5 years. He has really good feet.
He's a good doer and his feed costs are low.
His only injury was caused by ******** humans in racing
He 'stresses' when you touch his ears because someone thought it was a good idea to twitch him on his ears. :confused:
I love Cobs too but TB's are simply the best :D
 
Well duh!! Because they are blatantly the best breed :cool: I like that they keep you on your toes, I just find the coldbloods too boring and the warmbloods too stupid! (and I have a lovely warmblood, but jeeze, he's thick as a plank)

They are so stunning, and have such an astounding work ethic. I just adore them. Yes they have thin skin, but my cob's been lame more than all of my thoroughbreds put together, and out of three tbs, two have amazing feet and are barefoot behind, one has normal feet. I think bad feet are either from a heavy workload when their hooves are still developing (and this would be the same with any breed) or insufficient diet.
 
I have one of each (cob and TB), and after yesterday I agree with you!!
On the whole though my TB is a great horse, She won't cost that much to feed after she puts her weight back on as I know what she was fed before and it wasn't a huge amount, she is barefoot and happy, and I can get on her after 6 weeks off and she is still the same horse to ride. She is also a very chilled out little horse, perhaps more so than my cob!
 
My man is injury prone, currently unrideable and on paper a pain in the arse. He weaves when stressed. Hates his ears being touched because they were twitched. Is so untrusting etc etc ( :p )

BUT

From the moment I saw him, a severly underweight 3 year old I couldn't say know. His eyes are the most gorgeous eyes ever. We have a great bond and he'll do almost anything from me. His feet are amazing, barefoot and not once had any problems, his feed bill is low to £20 every 2 months in winter, and even less in summer.
The way he moves is gorgeous, he has the best paces of any horse I've ever owned, and he can't half jump! He's not spooky/silly/stupid, on the ground, once he trusts you he is a dream to handle. Couldn't ask for a better horse :D

But I hate the fact he gets injured on anything! :rollseyes: :p
 
Because I quite enjoy doing 'aires above the ground' without any dressage training at all,
.. going everywhere sideways,
.. cantering on the spot if stuck behind a slow walker on the trail,
..yelling apologies for my total lack of control as I pass people at mach 10 and ........generally having fun!

In fact I enjoyed this one so much I reproduced her. However her colt is almost like any other 'normal' breed and not nearly as entertaining to ride!
 
Because they are in a league of their own.
My TB has fantastic feet, it did take the best part of a year or so to get them as good as they are now. He is kept barefoot all year round and even hacked out on a regular basis unshod. He does have his moments where he is an utter loon but when he is being himself and good I would let a novice ride him, he has had novices ride him before and acted like a beach donkey :) He is a very good doer who is fed the bare minimum (lo-cal balancer & mug of chaff).
They handful I have been lucky to know were genuine little soldiers who tried their hearts out, full of character and totally lovable for it.
 
My boy used to be a total stresshead when he first came to live with me but now he's a lovely horse to be around. He spots me heading up his field, winnies (sp?) and canters over, he cares when I'm on his back, he's more intelligent than me and has the most amazing floaty paces! Yes he has his moments but I adore him. I never wanted a tb when I was horse shopping but fell in love the moment I set eyes on him. The only injury he's ever had was a kick from another horse. X x
 
I think all you guys have been very very lucky with your TBs, I don't dislike them but I have had 2 a d would 't touch another 1 again in a hurry. My 2 were a nightmare, 1st one needed to be ridden for 2 or 3 hours a day not able to do when working full time, face him to a fantastic hunting home which he loved, 2nd was a total bitch, would slam the brakes on for no reason when trotting (even though she was between my hand and leg), spin around and then gallop off bucking I challenge anyone to stick on that. My 2 bad experiences have put me off TBs. :( Bit then there is good and bad in all breeds (bit like humans) :)
 
Because they are the best fun you can have on a horse?

Agree, for me personally.
I'll jump in on the TB fanclub and extol the virtues of my pony.
My 5yo is one of the most chilled out little horses I know. Sure, she can be pretty sensitive sometimes and occasionally needs a little confidence boost to reassure her that yes, she can do it and that no, that patch of clover really isn't going to eat her - but she's still young, so I can forgive her that as 99% of the time I could happily plod along on the buckle if I want to. On the other side of the coin, she also absolutely loves having her mind engaged and so really enjoys learning.
Weight isn't an issue (she currently lives out 24/7 is on a handful of extra feed & supplements each day) and whilst I will admit that she's fairly high maintenance (finding rugs that don't rub somewhere or another tends to be a rather lengthy affair), I can safely say that if I were to get another it would probably be another TB though yes, I am fully aware that not all are as chilled. Surely that can go for any breed of horse though, to some extent?


ETS: Devonshire Dumbling essentially summed it up. ;)
 
Because they are brilliant! They're intelligent, brave, athletic, kind - there's no feeling like galloping flat out on a tb :)
 
i swore i wouldn't have one, then went on work experience at a national hunt yard and boy are they chilled!
yes some are idiots, but my favourite was the grey i had to bring in from summer break doing an inhand piaffe up a steep hill on the way back to the yard. the worst one that i had to handle so go figure :rolleyes:

so i would have one if the oppurtunity arose..MAYBE. :p
for now i will stick with the three lully cob jobs i ride, one of which is my own, but a welsh cob so not dull and boring like people make them out to be!
 
Hahaha, an old thread has been resurrected....... :rolleyes:

Oh well what the hell........ My TB is a 'horse' & like any other horse, can have the odd highly strung moment :)
He's barefoot (& bitless) and has been for 3.5 years. He has really good feet.
He's a good doer and his feed costs are low.
His only injury was caused by ******** humans in racing
He 'stresses' when you touch his ears because someone thought it was a good idea to twitch him on his ears. :confused:
I love Cobs too but TB's are simply the best :D

I never knew it was an old thread, honest :)
it wasn't done as a serious 1, the best horses I've ever worked with were TB's :D
 
Following on from Shil's cob thread, why would anyone want a TB?
They're highly strung, have crappy feet, cost a fortune to feed, always injure themselves and are stress heads :p

Lies all lies!!!!!!!

My TB is fairly level headed, I wouldn't say totally laid back as she has her moments ( don't we all !), Crappy feet..... don't get me started, however, I will be interested to see how barefoot on the fronts goes as the back look the best I have ever seen them. A fortune to feed.... erm not really, well adlib haylage, hifi, sugarbeet and economy cubes. I can't remember when the last time she injured herself, and does this look like a stress head.

30685_397860748498_570168498_4415328_7135075_n.jpg


As I said lies all lies!!!!!
 
Lies all lies!!!!!!!

My TB is fairly level headed, I wouldn't say totally laid back as she has her moments ( don't we all !), Crappy feet..... don't get me started, however, I will be interested to see how barefoot on the fronts goes as the back look the best I have ever seen them. A fortune to feed.... erm not really, well adlib haylage, hifi, sugarbeet and economy cubes. I can't remember when the last time she injured herself, and does this look like a stress head.

30685_397860748498_570168498_4415328_7135075_n.jpg


As I said lies all lies!!!!!

Oh dear, looks very stressed, think you need to send him/her to me for some de-stress time ;)
 
Because my self produced 6yr old TB carried me round our first BE safely and as brave as a lion even though I was shaking with nerves.

Mine has good feet and is as tough as old boots :).

I found this saying which to me sums up a thoroughbred horse (and my horse) to a T:-

'He was hard and tough and wiry - just the sort that won't say die.
There was courage in his quick impatient tread;
And he bore the badge of gameness in his bright and fiery eye,
And the proud and lofty carriage of his head.

I love all types of horses but a TB is a very special horse.
 
Because once you've had one you'll never want anything else.

They're brave (as long as it isn't a dock leaf, crisp packet etc!), loyal, intelligent and sensitive. I'v had six and never had problems with weight, feet, injuries (except ones inflicted by others). I've kept them out 24/7 with appropriate rugging in the winter.

Best of all they look stunning - so why wouldn't you want one?
 
Because what else would I spend my salary on apart from vet's fees? My vet's practice relies on me having TBs just so that I can keep them in their Range Rovers.....
 
Ours had good feet, was a good doer, very nice to handle but was inded a stress head when ridden - They are beauties though. Rather like a sports car, not for everyone, but you cant help but look!
 
I used to be in the same frame of mind about TBs before I got mine. Yes her feet aren't great and the amount of times we've cantered nearly on the spot, sideways into a jump and then had to apologise as she galloped full speed through the lesson in the other half the arena is ridiculous.
But she's a wonder on the ground and has had complete beginners amble round on her. She tries her heart out (though she seems to think that she isn't trying unless its at a canter). Plus she's fed on your basic school pony feed.

She's got great steering, just no brakes, and that's part of the fun of them.
I'd buy another any time, but I'm not a fan of the spindly legged TBs, but that's personal preference. I feel safer on the stockier ones.
 
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