Morgans vs. QHs - discuss

[Pocket_Pony]

@morgansnmind;7587833

She’s had the winter off so here she is out of shape. http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a256/morgansnmind/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps5ab84730.jpg

She’s beautiful!

So here’s the deal. I got all excited by daydreaming about another horse. Then Mr. PoPo reminded me that really we can only have three horses. And we already have three horses. I got a call from my vet two days ago that one of his clients had to put their horse down and may be interested in taking our retiree/companion horse on. [side note - this is a horse I got last year right after Mr. PoPo’s horse died because at the time I only had my mustang at home and my TB was being leased out.] So I called the person yesterday and he came out to see the horse and I just delivered the horse to this guy’s house. You never know what someone’s place is going to look like, but it turns out that his place is a farmette that Mr. PoPo and I looked at (and loved) when we were house shopping here 10 years ago but there had already been an offer on it . . . and that’s this man! I took Sunny (companion) down to the pasture, we let him meet the lonely horse, they became instant friends, so . . . NOW I HAVE AN OPEN STALL!!!

What am I going to do with it? ;):winkgrin::eek:

[morgansnmind]

Go have fun shopping!

[yellow-horse]

My old mare is a morgan. She was used for years in a commercial carriage business and then went to an auction, I got her from the girl that bought her at the auction. I don’t have her papers so have no idea what her bloodlines are but I was told she was registered and my vet and several farriers have no doubt she is a morgan. I can’t say enough good things about her, super smart, easy going and amazingly healthy. The girl I got her from started her undersaddle at about age 16 and after a few weeks decided to find her another home because she did not take to jumping. I took her thinking she’d be a companion horse but lo and behold she took to trail riding like she had been undersaddle for her whole life. She’s around 35 years old and she is my grandsons horse when he comes to visit me as the other 2 horses I have are maniacs. Inspite of her gray hair and swayback, when you take her out of her stall she still parks out, she’s an elegant old dame. She’s just over 15 hands, liver chestnut with flaxen mane and tail.

[clanter]

Another twenty-five plus year Morgan owner. We found the breed to very versatile and cheap to feed which has been a god sent during this extended drought. Ours are old lines, their metabolism is so low that even with limited feed we have to watch their weight gain.

We found the horses to be extremely versatile as all we need to do was get more tack when the kids wanted to do something different. Our horses learned to change their presence with the type tack they wore. We could switch from hunter of the flat, to working hunter over fences then back to western pleasure then over to trail, then hook them to harness and drive away.

Ours were very slow to show any sign of aging. The twenty years olds were often mistaken for seven or eight year olds.

We were able to take backyard mounts show them nationally in Class As or take them into the wilderness to do 55 mile competitive trail rides with pride as the horses always looked eager and willing to try something new.

Our bay Morgans were often miss identified as good examples of the older King Ranch Quarter Horses

[Bluey]

I will say this, remember that much we do with horses as entertainment and sport is dependent on what we can do where we live.

If you are where most activities are with quarter horses, or those are truly the best for the task at hand, it would make sense to get a quarter horse.

If you think you have a good group you can socialize and play with and show that has arabians, or morgans, or whatever else you like, then get one of those.

Since you are not set on any one breed, I would look at what those where you are, doing what you are interested in doing have and see if you can find a suitable horse to do that, without trying to fit round pegs in square holes to do so.

I like arabians and had a few as ranch horses, but truly they, talented as they were, just didn’t hold a candle to a real cowhorse when it came to work cattle.
Sure, they got the job done and well, but ahhh, to sit on a cowhorse that is just made for that, well, that makes life simpler for all, the horse we are using and ourselves.

On the other hand, when the job was more to just cover the country and circle, gather loosely out of the brush, our TBs and my arabian were in heaven there and stayed with you, no matter how senseless the job to them and were looking for more.
Quarter horses, well, if there was an easier way to do it, in their opinion, they would question what we were doing that it was taking so long.

Everyone is happier when you have the right horse for what you are doing, or change what you are doing to suit what fits your horse best.

[Pocket_Pony]

Well since my horses are pleasure horses and don’t really have one job, per se, I’m looking for something versatile. I don’t work cows except for going to clinics, and although I’d love to dress up like a rawhide barbie, I doubt I’ll ever be doing what anyone would consider “real” ranch work. I dabble in a little bit of whatever I feel like at the moment. Dressage, trails (lots of trails), jumping, clinics for any of the aforementioned.

In my area there are lots of Arabs (I live in a big endurance area) and Morgans - I’m not interested in Arabs. I’d say those breeds outnumber (at least based on what I see out on the trails) TBs and WBs, for sure. There are a fair number of people on gaited horses and QH, too, some mustangs here and there. For what I do, there’s a mish-mash of breeds at any given trail/show/clinic I go to. My former trainers have students with QH, Morgan, Arab, Morab, Cob, TB, WB, Lippizan . . . the gamut!

[kewpalace]

Yea, what Bluey said. :-).

[Socprof]

I have a Morgan-cross. He had done low level eventing with his previous owner. I bought him to hunt and trail ride. He is the most level headed and athletic horse I’ve had. I honestly don’t think there is any activity, given training, that he couldn’t manage. When we are in a difficult spot, he takes a look and slowly proceeds. I’d never considered a Morgan before, but wouldn’t hesitate to try another.

[froglander]

Hehe, you could always find a Morgan/QH cross! My first horse was a 19 year old Morgan/QH mare that I had a lot of fun with

[La_Gringa]

I’m a QH fan, although I am very spoiled with mine. She’s a super well bred very fun cutting mare… so smart. She is the sweetest mare I have ever had, does everything I ask of her. My first western horse … and first AQHA registered horse… and I am in love with the breed… at least ones like mine. There are different types. I prefer the cowy cowy types… so fun