Why dont people like Standardbreds?

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navaho

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We've recently acquired a Standardbred mare & she is fantastic & has a great personality, however i am all to aware of peoples prejudice against them, you only have to see the money they sell for at sales to know how unpopular they are & most people tend to look down their noses at you if you happen to mention you have one. I think they are very underrated & are good all rounders, so, my question is why don't people like them?
 
The main reason is that trotters/pacers can be darned uncomfortable to ride, secondly, unless you are into solid bays -which I am not- they are pretty boring (because, in the main, that's what they are) People don't know much about them, therefore they aren't popular.

SB's that have raced tend to need a lot of re-schooling to get their paces sorted, but they have a reputation for being excellent jumpers and I know plenty that do all kinds of things. They are still just horses, but like Tb's trotting is all about money, so, if they cost more to keep than they earn, it's off to the stockyards they go. I can pic up SB's for $250 at any sale. They are pretty popular with the Mennonites here as buggy and farm horses too.

I have a half SB baby, looks like an SB to me, apart from a bit of white on her.


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My friend breeds them & has bays, blacks, grey & of course coloureds like yours. They just seem so laid back, the mare we have bought is 12yrs old & never done anything at all (wasn't even halter broken) yet has taken everything asked of her in her stride. I get what your saying about them needing re-schooling though, but surely that's no different from re-schooling a TB that's come out of racing really? I just feel that they get unnecessarily overlooked.
 
I think a lot of it is ignorance, many people don't know what a Standardbred "is" (essentially a TB line that's been bred to pace). We've sold on SB's to a few happy hackers, to do endurance and to do ride and drive, and all have gone on to do their jobs well.
But some of the comments I've heard when people who don't know better have watched them:
"that horse is lame" - no it's not, it's action looks odd because the horse is pacing not trotting.
"you can never stop them pacing" well they will always have a fifth gait but they certainly will also trot/canter/gallop - they may just not be used to working under saddle in those gaits so will need strengthening up - just like a baby would that's not been worked - besides once you get used to it the pace is easy to sit too and fantastic for endurance as they can keep going for hours like it.
I think SBs are great - and like the OP says they're some of the kindest and most willing horses I've ever owned.
 
I've got an ex racing standardbred who is a pacer and I find it so comfy to sit but it does make you very lazy when then trying to do rising trot on anything else!

She will do a rising trot and canter but will always try to resort back to pacing when out in company - she wasn't broken to ride until very late after her racing days so I think this is a large factor in this.

Due to her stide she does not like school work and finds it difficult to bend but for hacking and hunting I cant fault her and would recommend one to anyone.

A neighbour of ours has a trotter who has only ever been a riding horse and she does all kinds of RC events with him.

People always think she is just an old fashioned heavy thoroughbred until she starts trotting (!!) and She is cheaper to keep than our cob -She has to be muzzled all through the summer to keep her looking less than obese and is feed only ad'lib hay in winter.

To be honest I see very little standardbreds for sale privately and as Enfys has mentioned the ex racers need alot of re-schooling which will put alot of people off. The retraining will differ alot from TB racers especialy if its a pacer as they have a different gaint so your re-training them to change there strides. Due to the deep shoulders they can also be problematic to find a good saddle. We ended up with a tressless and our neighbour forked out for a made to measure.

I agree they make amazing allrounders and are generaly overlooked in the riding world. x
 
navaho said:
We've recently acquired a Standardbred mare & she is fantastic & has a great personality, however i am all to aware of peoples prejudice against them, you only have to see the money they sell for at sales to know how unpopular they are & most people tend to look down their noses at you if you happen to mention you have one. I think they are very underrated & are good all rounders, so, my question is why don't people like them?
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hi, we've had a lovely standardbred mare for 2 years, she hunted the first year and was fantstic, but we have now put her in foal to a pacer.( she is a pacer too.) they are lovely horses with great temperaments.Alot of people i know do like them but then we are in a big trotting area!
 
I think there great - yeah the ex racing ones are different but unbroken ones are just the same as a TB, but tougher and more easy going (in my humble opinion anyway :-p)
I think there very underrated as allrounders, maybe there is/should be a SB riders club?
 
Cause they...SMELL!!


No really. My Dad was a horse dealer and I loved riding them - quirky to ride at first (pace wise) but a steady ride on the whole
 
lastchancer said:
I think there great - yeah the ex racing ones are different but unbroken ones are just the same as a TB, but tougher and more easy going (in my humble opinion anyway :-p)
I think there very underrated as allrounders, maybe there is/should be a SB riders club?
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I think that if they've raced they are eligible for the ex-racehorse classes - the BHRC were trying to encourage owners to enter them at one stage.
 
I can't say I'd have known the difference between a SB or a TB on sight but since having a SB join our yard I've been educated. Okay his gait wouldn't suit me and he does sometimes look lame (to my uneducated eye) but a more honest, willing, kind and sweetnatured gentleman I've never met!! He puts my cob to shame, he's polite and so easy to handle!! So if he's an indication of Standardbreeds then I'm a fan!!!
 
Because they generally come in brown or brown
Because they look like a TB with a very plain head
Because peeps worry they might have knackered legs from racing
Because reschooling them out of pacing adds another stage to reschooling a racehorse

errr thats it really!
Friend had one, complete with knackered legs. He lived to a ripe old age but couldnt be ridden for most of it and had an evil personality.

I do think they can be good jumpers and great at endurance but theyre not for me.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
Because peeps worry they might have knackered legs from racing

Friend had one, complete with knackered legs. He lived to a ripe old age but couldnt be ridden for most of it and had an evil personality.

I do think they can be good jumpers and great at endurance but theyre not for me.
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And a TB's legs wouldn't be knackered from racing (or any other breed from any other sport?!)

SBs legs are usually pretty good (touch wood with ours anyway!) we use a racehorse vet and he's always been surprised at how much better their legs stand up to the work than TBs - but then the race season is pretty short (we only run May - September).
 
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MagsnPaddy said:
And a TB's legs wouldn't be knackered from racing (or any other breed from any other sport?!)

SBs legs are usually pretty good (touch wood with ours anyway!) we use a racehorse vet and he's always been surprised at how much better their legs stand up to the work than TBs - but then the race season is pretty short (we only run May - September).
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TBS legs might be knackered from racing but lots of standardbreds are raced on roads by our travelling friends and thats a different scale of knackering than racing on grass or all weather polytrack. SB raced on proper track would be similar to TB.

But personally Iwouldnt risk taking on either, TB or SB! Just my view : after all the OP asked for opinions!
 
It think it mainly is the pacing aspect - it's hard to stop, and even then they rarely have an entirely normal trot.

Shame, as they are such nice horses - TB's without the silliness. I would have one again in a heart beat (but not a pacer)

Some of them are plain fugly but some are very pretty:

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And they don't always have donkey heads;)

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I love Standardbreds, they're great horses! My daughter doesn't mind them either, she used to occassionally ride her ex YO's one but she didn't like riding the pacing gait and this particualr horse seemed loathe to give it up, which is why she wouldn't buy one for herself.
 
lachlanandmarcus said:
TBS legs might be knackered from racing but lots of standardbreds are raced on roads by our travelling friends and thats a different scale of knackering than racing on grass or all weather polytrack. SB raced on proper track would be similar to TB.

But personally Iwouldnt risk taking on either, TB or SB! Just my view : after all the OP asked for opinions!
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The OP did indeed - I was just curious as to why you were so dead set. Anyhooo - we race under rules so therefore on grass or an all-weather. Not all those who have SBs are of the travelling persuasion...
 
My old yard had a lot of standbreds as the YO's dad used to breed and race them. Personally I wouldn't buy one, even the ones that weren't ever raced still paced alot and it can be very dificult to train them out of it. It sounds mean but why buy a horse you have to teach to trot/canter when most horses already do it! Most of them were good jumpers height wise but would revert back to pacing when they got excited so going round could be a bit erratic!
Personality wise they were just like normal horses, some spooky, some calm etc. I wouldn't say they have better or worse temperments that the average TB or native.
They are bred for driving, if you want to ride why not buy a riding horse!
 
Jango said:
My old yard had a lot of standbreds as the YO's dad used to breed and race them. Personally I wouldn't buy one, even the ones that weren't ever raced still paced alot and it can be very dificult to train them out of it. It sounds mean but why buy a horse you have to teach to trot/canter when most horses already do it! Most of them were good jumpers height wise but would revert back to pacing when they got excited so going round could be a bit erratic!
Personality wise they were just like normal horses, some spooky, some calm etc. I wouldn't say they have better or worse temperments that the average TB or native.
They are bred for driving, if you want to ride why not buy a riding horse!
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Because of their very nature and temperament, at the end of their racing days they are very adaptable, for hacking, showing, hunting and all manner of things and as another poster says they are not just used by the travelling fraternity, but are registered to race under rules, some are sold in the States, Australia, France and New Zealand at vast prices.
 
rosiefronfelen said:
Because of their very nature and temperament, at the end of their racing days they are very adaptable, for hacking, showing, hunting and all manner of things and as another poster says they are not just used by the travelling fraternity, but are registered to race under rules, some are sold in the States, Australia, France and New Zealand at vast prices.
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Indeed and plenty of other breeds e.g. Freisians (sp?) and other warm bloods were traditionally bred to drive - hence their extravagant knee actions so beloved of the dressage world!
 
I shall cover Lacey's ears. :eek: We find she is very placid to hack - at 4 she was "nannying" much older horses. She may be bay - but gorgeousand not a common head at all. Bit more bone that your usual TB so can stand work. Hasn't raced but isn't the best at cantering in a perfect outline (yet but work in progress)and she has a lovely pop on her. Despite being around horses for 40+ years had not heard of "standardbreds" only "trotters or pacers" until we met Lacey - now I'd have another no problem.,
 
wow i love them know a few and suspect my tbx is half sb very much my relations have them and know people who x-country them they have good jumps and they have won been placed and beat some very well bred horses and they have temperment to die for there are lots around as well alot of people are unaware because its a name thing of the breed they immediatly think trotters with one pace ,straight line and sadly dont think past that there is good and bad in all breeds i find people biased about them, but they are there and they are doing quite well from what i know and one ex trotter which has won is doing really well under saddle cross country, etc you should google famous standardbreds .....then post on here as far back as hal ....
 
thinlizzy said:
wow i love them know a few and suspect my tbx is half sb very much my relations have them and know people who x-country them they have good jumps and they have won been placed and beat some very well bred horses and they have temperment to die for there are lots around as well alot of people are unaware because its a name thing of the breed they immediatly think trotters with one pace ,straight line and sadly dont think past that there is good and bad in all breeds i find people biased about them, but they are there and they are doing quite well from what i know and one ex trotter which has won is doing really well under saddle cross country, etc you should google famous standardbreds .....then post on here as far back as hal ....
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this is a good place to look: http://www.standardbredfanclub.com/jumpers.html
;)

Oh and Jappeloup (sp?) (for those old enough to remember him) was a French Trotter...
 
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ive been told my supposid warmblood x cob is standardbred x... which is fine except she was bought for dressage lol!

she cant/wont canter indoors as i think she find its difficult being ababy anyhow =- but from what im reading they arnt good in canter???

if i cant do dressage - then bring on jumping :D :)
 
I have a standardbred and love the breed.

She may be a "boring" bay but is utterly gorgeous (the geldings on the yard dribble when they walk past her).
She has a very sane head, as my mum has already said as a 4yo she nannied older horses and now at 5 is teaching the ex police horse how to hack through water!
Riding wise she has very nice paces (when she wants to do dressage ;) ) scoring 8s for her trot work at her first prelim (very comfy trot), bold xc, jumping banks, steps, ditches, loves water. I've only jumped her to 1.05 but her jump is so effortless it feels like 2ft.
She hunted with previous owner proving to be well mannered and sensible and can leave a tb for dust when you want to go for a good blast.

I'll stop now before I go on for ages :o:o
 
jack9 said:
ive been told my supposid warmblood x cob is standardbred x... which is fine except she was bought for dressage lol!

she cant/wont canter indoors as i think she find its difficult being ababy anyhow =- but from what im reading they arnt good in canter???

if i cant do dressage - then bring on jumping :D :)
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I ts usual these are sold as warmbloods x and passported as such....think its a brand thing more designer to have a warmblood than a standardbred but there you go check out that link from magsand paddy - i wasnt technical to link it thanks .If your horse isnt cantering id reccomend some lessons after back/saddle checks standys are horses after all )
 
I have owned a 8 year old Standardbred mare for the last 3 years, when i viewed her i did not know she was a SB and thought she was a TBx who was green.

It wasn't until my daughters old instructor came to the yard and popped round for a chat and after i was telling him i was struggling to achieve a balanced trot and canter (i am a happy hacker and did not do any schooling), he said 'well of course your struggling, its because she is a SB', what a fool i felt.

Hence, my research into the breed and my successful trace of her history.

We are 3 years later now working in a outline, have her working long & low, have a balanced trot and am just about to start canter work, she was out of work with a pedal bone fracture for our 2nd year and i have been having lessons for the last year.

Do i love my SB? - yes, would i buy another, i'm not sure.......

i do however, think she is gorgeous

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My old mare, who was sadly PTS last year, was a pacer. I owned her for 19 years and she was the best horse ever. She taught me so much and was such a fantastic safe mare. She had the typical mare temperament but was such a lovely mare I could trust with my life. She did save me from serious injury in an accident on the road and hurt herself badly in the process of making sure I was safe. I can never thank her enough for that.

I knew her days were nearing so was looking to purchase another horse and I said I wouldn't get another pacer......... the horse that caught my eye and I bought was a ........... trotter!!! He does trot diagonally but has the wide action and can go bionic trot if I let him! All the years of owning Carma have done me well on riding and schooling Flin. He can now carry himself in conventional trot and his canter was there already and hasn't needed work.

Carma is te first in the photos and Flin is in the last 3 below.
 
enfys said:
SB's that have raced tend to need a lot of re-schooling to get their paces sorted
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You can say that again. I went on holiday a few weeks ago, and thought I'd try out a local riding school. They put me on a 10-year-old Standardbred pacer, who has only been broken to saddle for a year. To ask for trot, I had to use quite a bit of contact with the left rein, and squeeze with my right leg only. I have no idea why, and it was all a bit bizarre to be honest.

About 50 percent of the time we'd get a trot, which wasn't too bad, but the other 50% of the time the mare would start to pace--cue head in the air and steaming along, as if pulling a buggy at Yonkers Raceway. She was very sweet, and she definitely tried her heart out, but on the basis of that experience, I'm not sure I'd be up for riding another pacer again.

If we're talking American breeds, I am slightly obsessed with Morgans, having ridden one all over summer. Now *that's* a breed that can trot!
 
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