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Post by racaille on Mar 5, 2016 9:47:40 GMT
Yesterday I rode my bud's horse - which was an eye opener  Her anglo-arab is a former SJ competition horse, vast and yes, a ginger mare  And when I say vast, for me she was HUGE - Paco comes in at 153cm and the mare is at least 165cm. I was a little anxious about 'breaking' her but it all went well ... and what a different animal to Paco! As I said to my coach, they seemed like two different species! I'd just had a lesson on P and he'd been spooky and silly about the noise from our builders, refusing to concentrate and charging all over the place. The mare, by contrast, was focused and sensible. it was a revelation to sit to her rocking horse canter but her long trot took a bit of getting used to! Didn't like my chum's saddle though! But it did what my coach had hoped: I have realised I can ride a bigger horse and have stopped ruling out nice new horses on the basis of size (within reason, there are very good reasons why a very big horse would not be a good idea here). Have you ever been surprised to find you could/could not get on with a different type of horse? |
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Post by brigadier on Mar 5, 2016 14:15:39 GMT
You got on fine on the very big ginger horse in Ireland!
I had a horse when I was working that I didnt like one bit. He was very long and seemed a horse of two parts. He had also been trained by a rider who let him jog everywhere and every bit of grass he expected to canter. It was the worst pairing ever and until then I thought I could cope with anything- but I simply didnt like this horse and he didnt like me. I didnt try very hard to like him which is probably where the issue was really but it did make me realise that personalities in horses matter as much as size etc
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Post by solomon on Mar 5, 2016 18:25:12 GMT
I rode a larger than my comfort zone horse in Spain and loved him! Sadly pts now as had a colic. I felt so safe on him and loved the fact that he was more than capable of taking my weight. He was polite and easy. It was only putting his rug on that was a challenge!
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haffyfan
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Post by haffyfan on Mar 7, 2016 19:36:33 GMT
I use to love riding bigger ones and the feel they could give with their long stride etc, i also love[d] narrow but long tb types and was never comfortable riding short necked cobs/ very wide horses...now look at me with 2 lil' barrels!
I think at the end of the day, unless you have a very set breed/type in mind, the right one will probably wind up a million miles away from what you set out searching for. I went to look at a stonking warmblood yearling, to make about 16.3 and came home with a scrawny 3/4bred yearling who's barely 15h on tiptoes!
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Post by racaille on Mar 10, 2016 6:58:41 GMT
I think you are right Haff!
Last night I had a lesson on my coach's horse and that too was a revelation! He's a 157cm home-bred part arab and a fantastic horse, a really talented eventer. The other side of that is he knows his own mind and can make it very clear if you do something that doesn't please him. You have to make it very clear to him that you won't take any mucking around and we did have a massive spook and some pratting around at the beginning.
I found it very difficult to maintain a good contact with him - when it worked it was amazing! After 12 years of holding up Paco I found this to be the most difficult bit of all, I will need to relearn my hands for a sensitive mouth as I was either asking for too much or nothing at all.
His canter was a revelation, I could have sat to it all day. And his lateral work - WOW! Finally I found out what tete au mur (I think this is your travers?) should be/feel like and it was AMAZING! My coach was pleased that my legs were working as they should - and were very stable in her saddle so there is more to think about there ....
The idea of the session was that my coach wants me to be more open minded in my horse hunt. Do I need a tiny horse? No. I can ride bigger. Do I need a carthorse? No. Do I want a dressage horse? YES!!!
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Post by solomon on Mar 10, 2016 8:02:12 GMT
That's really interesting. Good job that hairy cob you liked got sold then! I still think you are in the perfect location for a look at some of the Andalusian horses. They are renowned for their lateral work they can jump come in big and small. Avoid warmbloods. I adore mine but every one I have known has had health issues. Good luck. The search continues!
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Post by racaille on Mar 10, 2016 10:27:22 GMT
Still not ruling out a hairy cob though Sol! Although it would have to be shaved and smartened up for our dressage comps  I understand why you think I should be going for a Spaniard but they are one of the three types I have absolutely ruled out (the others being a TB - too fragile - and a trotter. My coach thinks I am wrong in this but I am afraid I dislike them and have never met one who changed my opinion.) While I accept that PREs can make fabulous horses - Pboy's look/sound really wonderful, for example - I believe they are really sensitive to their early years and that is the trouble here: a lot of them are produced fast and roughly. It makes my heart bleed every time I see a horse with scars from a serrata noseband - and it happens all too frequently. Added to that the fashion here for a big cresty neck and we see a lot of horses with too much up front and too little bum. The only way to get a Spanish horse with a guaranteed good 'mental' would be to go all the way down to where you lot go for your hols! |
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Post by brigadier on Mar 10, 2016 18:53:44 GMT
Sounds an interesting turn of events- are you still mare opposed? What's the fashion for coloureds in France- have they taken off yet? There are some really interesting coloured sport horses doing well in dressage. Its a good cross usually as you get the sensible common blood and the flashier warmblood.
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Post by racaille on Mar 10, 2016 19:16:40 GMT
Sounds an interesting turn of events- are you still mare opposed? What's the fashion for coloureds in France- have they taken off yet? There are some really interesting coloured sport horses doing well in dressage. Its a good cross usually as you get the sensible common blood and the flashier warmblood. Yeah well it may all turn out differntly Brig! I do think ther is some truth in the thought that the right horse will come along and be totally differnt to the one you thought you'd end up with! And when I say dressage horse, don't think I am talking Valegro Just a nice horse who can do a decent test. I would rather not have a mare as my little group of boys get along so well I would hate to spoil it with jealousy/possessiveness over a mare. They go silly over my chum's mare and I am not impressed by her squirty flirtation with them although I do know not all mares are mareish. As For coloureds, they were so very fashionable here that a lot were stolen but I think that has passed now. I am a fan, despite the cleaning  but I would have to be careful - I think it was you who pointed out the pink skin issue with the sun here. I once almost boughta rather handsome palomino but decided not to eventually ss he had terrible sunburn on his pink nose. So, to sum up, I am in the market for a horse, ANY sort of horse lol |
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Post by haffyfan on Mar 10, 2016 19:54:19 GMT
Well that will certainly make the search easier as no set standards when looking other than a gelding.
After you lesson, have you ever considered an arab, thought they might suit your love of adventuring/endurance.
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Post by racaille on Mar 11, 2016 6:46:51 GMT
Well that will certainly make the search easier as no set standards when looking other than a gelding. After you lesson, have you ever considered an arab, thought they might suit your love of adventuring/endurance. Funny you should say that Haff. I always thought of arabs as the very fine, banana-headed type, and it didn't really appeal. I much prefer a meatier horse and even like common, roman nosed cobby heads. But the T has a part-time job at an endurance stud nearby where they are breeding bigger arabs, with a less dished head and they please me much more. However, since he sells his foals for really big money to the middle east I guess I'll never be in that league! |
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Post by haffyfan on Mar 11, 2016 10:12:12 GMT
Yes i know what you mean, i don't like the, dare i say it more 'American', type with the overly exaggerated dished faces, bulging eyes and that general appearance of being plugged into the mains but the more natural looking ones like Zara's AJ are much more pleasing to the eye. I bet you'd be able to buy one over here that's done a bit of endurance and RC stuff for a reasonable budget.
Criollo's (or however you spell it) seem to becoming popular here for endurance (and polo of course), they seem to also be a very hardy/tough breed and come in some lovely unusual colours! (I like a bit different)
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Post by racaille on Mar 12, 2016 6:30:58 GMT
I think my resistance to an arab is to do with my shape and size - I am not stick thin and don;t want to look like I am breaking a horse in two!
My coach is trying to steer me towards a selle francais but they do seem to be big and we haven't found a suitable smaller one yet, although she is putting a announcement on facebook to see what comes back.
In my heart of heart though I still long for an Irish horse, a sport horse or a sporty cob. I think they generally have an extraordinarily pragmatic outlook on life. But of course it is so much harder for me to source a horse in the UK or Ireland.
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Post by brigadier on Mar 12, 2016 9:01:53 GMT
Hold that thought Rac, they are pragmatic and very stoic until we hobby riders stuff them with food and they get nothing like the work they get over there! Although I must say Welly is an angel- he is twice the horse in terms of temperament and spookiness, that he was over there. Its a common thing. Was talking to a dealer friend and he confirms that a lot of people expect to get an amenable plod but as soon as they get a bit of grub they become amenable rockets,then if the rider doesn't fettle it they become less amenable. He said it was typical for them to be broken by very very good riders so they didnt know how to be bad, but for certain Welly has been in draw reins so understanding there use over there he was obviously a bit of a lad in his day! fortunately he seems to be channeling his vigor in the right way! He bit my husband!!
I wouldn't expect you to have issues Rac (100% turnout, lots of work, decent rider etc.) but could you imagine bringing that flighty ugly faced dark mare home? She would be a nightmare with some grub. she was tricky without.
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Her anglo-arab is a former SJ competition horse, vast and yes, a ginger mare 
And when I say vast, for me she was HUGE - Paco comes in at 153cm and the mare is at least 165cm.
for so much hard work we thank ye!!
but I would have to be careful - I think it was you who pointed out the pink skin issue with the sun here. I once almost boughta rather handsome palomino but decided not to eventually ss he had terrible sunburn on his pink nose.