Breed Ideas & Info

[SoCalGal]

[QUOTE=SmartAlex;5273159]
As for your choice of Paso Finos, I don’t think you can go wrong there. I would love to have one myself. I got a chance to ride one once at a horse show, and it was an absolute BLAST!

Not very often will you admire a horse at a show and have the trainer step down and hand you the reins. This was a little 3 yr old stallion, and I rode him all over the grounds. What a treat![/QUOTE]

I think the breeds that frequently ride stallions, even have ammies ride stallions, really speak to the temperament of those horses!

[pnalley]

I can’t say much about the Pasos, but I DO know there are some leg/tendon issues that are common in the breed, so check carefully.

One more time, Paso Fino’s have no predisposition to tendon or leg issues. Peruvian Paso’s sometimes have DSLD.

They are different breeds

If you are looking for a true pleasure type Paso, and would like at least a good largo or better yet a SMOKING largo, you may want to look toward the Coral lines.
This is a link to a longtime, well known breeder of family horses with natural gait and good minds.
http://www.lacaballerizapasofinos.com/corallace.html

There are other breeders of this type of horse, but this lady is the first that comes to mind.

[Kyzteke]

@SoCalGal;5273220

I think the breeds that frequently ride stallions, even have ammies ride stallions, really speak to the temperament of those horses!

But I thought Arabs were the only breed where Youth contestants are allowed to ride stallions in competition?

See, unfortunately, you are going back to the breed and looking at show horses. When I was investigating getting some Arab mares to breed to my Teke stallion I got off the show grid (WAAAYYY off :winkgrin:) and started to look at breeders who concentrate on CMK lines and rarely show. Van Gilder Arabians, Belesemo Arabs, plus some smaller breeders. I was VERY impressed with Van Gilder Arabs especially – all her horses have height, bone, great feet and (mostly) good minds. I am very fussy and very particular about horse conformation and I was impressed by most of her stock.

The Val Gilder breeding program was started by Dee Van Gilder’s mom some 60 yrs ago; she just passed away this year at age 90+. Very few of her horses ever set foot in a show ring – they have been bred to be family horses, endurance horses - -the exact sort of “all around” horse you are describing. No, many don’t have the extreme head that wins at halter and of course they aren’t gaited, but the Arabs you remember are still out there – you just have to dig alittle deeper.

[SoCalGal]

Kids can show stallions in the AHA world but it doesn’t mean they should. (and you should see how long the longing regimen, is LOL!) I’m talking about frequently using them as riding horses and having lots of them in the Ammie classes. What I find interesting is how many gaited studs can traverse back and forth from show ring, to trail.

I am glad to hear there are still Arabs like those I grew up with I am not familiar with Van Gilder and will look her up! Today’s halter Arabs are ridiculous to me…

[ASBJumper]

Soundness issues?? Ringbone…?! in SADDLEBREDS?

Wow, i dunno what awful showhorse lines your trainers had in their barns, but that’s a doggone shame!! :no:
My first ASB is going on 16 and has been lame ONCE in her entire life (ripped her chestnut clean off when she got cast in her stall - blood everywhere, leg like a stovepipe… she was 100% within 48 hours). Second ASB, http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2352657440046770113pnzJZe , is sold but new owner reports he is barefoot and has not had a lame step so far. My newest mare, http://www.jlsporthorsesales.net/Sasha.html , has legs and hooves of solid steel and my farrier RAVES about her feet. She’s never been lame either, but she’s young so that’s not much of an indicator.

Everything i have ever heard from breeders/trainers of ASBs is that they’re (and i quote one of them), “the toughest sons o’ b*tches out there”.

Yes, all 3 of mine were from older lines, and they were not hard to find. The good ones are not THAT rare - really you have to judge a Saddlebred the same way you’d judge any other horse you were considering, i.e. if it’s built like a giraffe/daschhund hybrid, with both front legs coming out of the same hole and trimmed so that its hooves can fit in a tiffany-sized box, well DUH it’s going to have soundness issues! :lol:

Personally i wouldn’t want to be sitting on anything else on a trail ride - alert + snorty is fine considering i know that wonderful brain will be focusing on nuthin’ but me and my voice when the goin’ gets scary! :winkgrin:

[MsM]

If you are interested in a gaited horse, I would suggest looking at some and choosing the most suitable individual regardless of breed.
Please try the horse outside the ring and simulate as much as possible what you want to do. Dont want another stinker! I would also suggest bringing somebody with you to give you another point of view. And remember not to make that decision until you see how you feel afterwards!
Trail riding may be a less-common use for some breeds, but you still might find an excellent individual for it. I have found a LOT of variation in temperment gait and trail-suitability within breeds. I have known only three RMHs: all were bought as “easy” trail horses. One was fabulous and a perfect fit for the rider. The other two had dominant and sometimes nasty attitudes and one didnt even gait properly. As you have so unfortunately found out, there are good and bad choices for any individual’s needs within every bree. Good luck horse hunting!

[Pcostx]

Missouri Fox Trotter

I say go with a Missouri Fox Trotter. We love them and haven’t met a ‘bad’ one yet (I’m sure someone will have a horror story).

My husband is a beginner rider and he rides his MFT all over with NO fear and this horse is not a dead head but he also has NEVER spooked, bucked, balked, or done anything wrong.

I’ve found that gaited horses don’t buck and do all the other nasty things that non-gaited breeds do.

Personally I don’t like the way the Paso’s and Peruvian’s move. Way to much up and down action for me and they don’t look like they’re going anyplace!

[SoCalGal]

[QUOTE=ASBJumper;5277308]
Soundness issues?? Ringbone…?! in SADDLEBREDS?

Wow, i dunno what awful showhorse lines your trainers had in their barns, but that’s a doggone shame!! :no:
My first ASB is going on 16 and has been lame ONCE in her entire life (ripped her chestnut clean off when she got cast in her stall - blood everywhere, leg like a stovepipe… she was 100% within 48 hours). Second ASB, http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2352657440046770113pnzJZe , is sold but new owner reports he is barefoot and has not had a lame step so far. My newest mare, http://www.jlsporthorsesales.net/Sasha.html , has legs and hooves of solid steel and my farrier RAVES about her feet. She’s never been lame either, but she’s young so that’s not much of an indicator.

Everything i have ever heard from breeders/trainers of ASBs is that they’re (and i quote one of them), “the toughest sons o’ b*tches out there”.

Yes, all 3 of mine were from older lines, and they were not hard to find. The good ones are not THAT rare - really you have to judge a Saddlebred the same way you’d judge any other horse you were considering, i.e. if it’s built like a giraffe/daschhund hybrid, with both front legs coming out of the same hole and trimmed so that its hooves can fit in a tiffany-sized box, well DUH it’s going to have soundness issues! :lol:

Personally i wouldn’t want to be sitting on anything else on a trail ride - alert + snorty is fine considering i know that wonderful brain will be focusing on nuthin’ but me and my voice when the goin’ gets scary! :winkgrin:[/QUOTE]

As far as SB’s go…I am not sure what lines they were riding/training as I really never got into it…but this is from viewing the horses and knowing a couple different SB trainers and then of course tons of NSH’s in Arab barns.

I’ve never met a sound one aside from my friend’s trail horse. Yes, ringbone and club feet on a majority of the horses, long cannon bones, contracted heels, some navicular, etc. These are all show horses, so perhaps it’s prevalent in those bloodlines!

I have nothing at all against the breed, I think they are just beautiful, but this has been my life’s experience. The trainers don’t much mind, they keep them injected and all that…then when the horses wear out…they use them to teach kids to ride. It’s bizarre.

Ah, the show world, every breed has its awful practices and bad breeding choices. So sad for the horses!!!

[Painted_Horse]

I’ve owned APHA, AQHA, ARAB, arab/Saddlebred and now Foxtrotters.

There are great horses and terrible horses in all breeds. Look at the individual more than the breed.

I am very attached to my foxtrotters at my age. I’m beyond enjoying 20 miles of hard trotting. I have 14.2h foxtrotters for my kids and I use them as pack horses. ( don’t have to lift the packs as high to load) and I ride 16 h geldings.

My personal gelding that I ride. always meets me at the gate and follows me around the corral. His mother could care less about people and always stands about as far away as possible. Not hard to catch, but just doesn’t come. But she is a great babysitter for my kids and their friends

[katarine]

As Painted Horse said, judge the horse before you, not the breed.

My TWH gelding is hotter than a two dollar pistol. He’s surefooted as a goat, has a ground eating walk, gorgeous canter, and somewhere in there some intermediate gaits, ranging from hard pace to step pace to flat walk and running walk. A pet on the ground, a monster in the saddle. He’s awesome. Everyone who meets him is taken by his debonair attitude.

My SSH (really DH’s) has a slow as molasses dog walk, pretty tidy canter, and a running walk to die for. He is a trail machine- point and shoot. handy handy handy and totally in your pocket sweet. Just a love. Kinda pony looking but stout and strong and loves to load up and go.

My TWH/SSH mare? Smart, kind, sweet, polite, huge. Medium sorta walk, she racks more than she nods her head, clumsy canter in her big rubbery 5 YO body. Honest on the trail but clumsy. As she’s maturing that is getting better but she’ll never match either of the above for surefootedness, ever.

These are just three very distinct personalities, gaiting styles, etc, all within the confines of TWH/SSH…horses from the same gene pool. The mare, she’s pretty closely related to #1 (same paternal grandsire, The Pusher), and loosely related to #2 ( both go to Marshall Dillon).

Pick the individual, try them out in real scenarios on real trails. Pick the animal- not the breed-that fits.

[SoCalGal]

Thanks everyone! It’s really interesting to hear all the input…especially as pertains to different individual horses.

I have to pick a breed, then pick an individual within the breed. I can’t run around California trying out every gaited horse in sight, so first have to narrow down to a specific breed. Then, within that, see which individual works.

I am tough, I admit, LOL! Horse must be beautiful, horse must have all the soundness and personality traits I want/need, and have a nice gait.

In addition it must be a breed with good resale value in the event that, a year from now, I decide to sell and get back into hunters. I don’t know that that “will” happen as even before the accident, I was burnt out and just wanting to trail ride (hence the nasty Haflinger, LOL, who was “supposed to” just be my trail horse.)

But regardless given my short attention span it is possible I’ll want to get into hunters again and therefore need a breed that I will be able to sell should I go that route. Hard to see the future!

[katarine]

If you definitely want gaited: pick a breed and research the fool out of it. IIRC, chocolate colored RMHs are predisposed to eye issues, for example. As has already been mentioned re: PPs and DSLD.

And don’t get me started on McCurdys. The farther from AL, the pricier they are, and perhaps the bigger the myths.

Do not fall for any breed’s hype. Not all TWHs will lay down a nice running walk, not all KMHs will offer a little saddle gait. MFT? May not FT

[SoCalGal]

Good point. I never like to spend a bunch of $$ on a horse because it seems when you do, you can never sell for what you paid!

Heck, since there is honestly such variety in these breeds and I’m no expert in the gaited breeds maybe I’ll just build my leg back up and stick with a breed I already know

Back to the QH!

[mustangtrailrider]

Why not lease a gaited horse! There are several GHs in California.

Go to Gaitedhorsesense.com. It is another gaited horse forum. People from all over the US. There is almost always someone that has a good one cheap or one to lease for a period of time!

Good Luck.

Instead of picking on breed, look for size and suitability and ride several different ones. Each different gait feels different, as much so as the trot.

I really like the rack, but I am looking forward to the fw and rw of my new mare! My racking horse is cute as she can be…

There is so much variability that you might just want to wait and rehab first!

I love the feeling of a Paso…grinning from the moment my rear hits the saddle…bugs in my teeth and all. I am a bit too tall for them on average. I love me a good racking horse! Very smooth on my back and joints, especially hips!

[pnalley]

I love the feeling of a Paso…grinning from the moment my rear hits the saddle…bugs in my teeth and all.

This phenomena is known as the Paso Smile, and it is well documented among Paso owners.

Truly if you are looking for resale value in any horse you may be in trouble. Leasing sounds like a great idea.

[dreamswept]

[QUOTE=SoCalGal;5279881]
I don’t know that that “will” happen as even before the accident, I was burnt out and just wanting to trail ride (hence the nasty Haflinger, LOL, who was “supposed to” just be my trail horse.)[/QUOTE]

Now now … not all Haflingers are nasty, you know It all depends on the individual. They are opinionated, I’d grant you that, and they do know their own weight. I think a lot of people say they’re stubborn and bratty, but I think a lot of that comes from boredom. Mitch and I have had a few issues in the past, but I’ve worked with him, made changes to his living style and spoiled him rotten with toys so he can keep busy all day long, and it’s made for a totally different pony. They’re also pretty hard to fit when it comes to saddles and tack sometimes. Odd shaped critters, them.

Takes the right personality on the part of a person too, so they’re not for everyone, and that’s OK.

I’m not sure what part of SoCal you’re in, but I know of a lady up near Paso Robles who works with Rocky Mountain Horses.

[jeano]

The racking hoss grin, too…in fact the first time I rode a rack I cracked up laughing it felt so cool and so different. I had a little appy pony once that had a flat walk. He’d put a smile on your face because you just couldnt believe a little guy could walk that energetically. I think if I was forced to choose between a horse that could and would run walk and a horse that could only do any easy gait except the running walk, that I’d go with the walker. Its so well suited for my decrepitude and declining days. And there’s always the canter if one wants a little more juice.

[SoCalGal]

Oh, of course all Hafys aren’t nasty…many are but I have no doubt that some are totally wonderful!!! Mine, however was a total piece of work. He could just walk,trot, canter along…get an idea to turn around or go out a gate and if you didn’t let him, watch out!

I will say many times…that a good one is probably worth its weight in gold. But a bad one will kill you or come close. I just think they’re more extreme, really super great, or awful, few in the middle maybe. I love hearing happy stories too

I just think it’s ironic that my wild mustangs, ex-racers, rescue horses, retrained problem jumpers, etc never hurt me then this puffball almost killed me. Life is SO weird…

[dreamswept]

Like I said, might take a certain personality to work with 'em. They are aware of how much they weigh and it’s a heck of a lot more than you and I, so they’re not against using that difference to get what they want.

Just have to out-think 'em, that’s all. My friend likened it to working with a stallion. Give a Haffie an inch, they’ll take a mile. You gotta have constant vigilance with them.

For a happy story, I had a super ride today despite the fact that it was deary, cold and overcast (Waah, where’s my Southern California sunshine) I had a full cheek snaffle on my guy (with a flash noseband) and a french link snaffle at that. Good as gold he was. Even did a lil bombing around on the ranch trails.

Not sure if we’ll ever cross paths, but if you happen to be out riding, and see a golden pony with turquoise tack, that’ll likely be us.

[spotnnotfarm]

WOW! This thread has been an eye opener! I REALLY wanted a Haffie! I did not realize they were so difficult! I will stick with paints!