non-traditional breeds at the upper levels

[yellowbritches]

Not to be picky, but Tamarillo’s breeding is a pretty popular type in France. A lot of the French team horses are similarly bred, and I think WFP has ridden horses by the same breeder (correct me if I’m wrong). An AA from Europe is going to be a much different creature than what we think of as AAs here. They’re probably going to remind us more of the high sport bred TBs from Europe or the very high blooded WBs. Not the light boned AAs we see here that are more often or not bred for the Arab show world.

So, I would consider Snooze Alarm non-traditional (and I’ve seen him go and would definitely not kick him out of bed for eating crackers!), but Tam not so much.

(Full disclosure, I LOVE Arabs and Arab crosses, so I have nothing against them, other than I think, like a lot of breeds, are getting bred away from their roots. But I would always gladly ride one! Smart and sassy and super athletes!)

[weixiao]

Kyzteke- don’t want to totally hijack this thread but I’ll send you a PM a bit later!

[cb06]

[QUOTE=ClassyRide;7944562]
… they are one of the best kept secrets of the horse world – but it’s a secret that shouldn’t be kept any longer! They can do a lot of things well, and Evening is one of them![/QUOTE]

^^This. Here is a 4 year old in his first year eventing this year (with a rider also first year eventing after years in saddleseat). …the few trot strides are a bit of a giveaway. :lol:
http://youtu.be/K2TuwZ1zhlQ

I do dressage with mine, but he loves to jump. They really can be great partners for amateurs.

[Wee_Dee_Trrr]

Joanne Gelardin rode Montana Native, a paint (cross?) at Rolex.

[Cruiser12]

[QUOTE=cb06;7945373]
^^This. Here is a 4 year old in his first year eventing this year (with a rider also first year eventing after years in saddleseat). …the few trot strides are a bit of a giveaway. :lol:
http://youtu.be/K2TuwZ1zhlQ

I do dressage with mine, but he loves to jump. They really can be great partners for amateurs.[/QUOTE]

Nice horse, great rider! Thank you for sharing

[runNjump86]

[QUOTE=yellowbritches;7944619]

(Full disclosure, I LOVE Arabs and Arab crosses, so I have nothing against them, other than I think, like a lot of breeds, are getting bred away from their roots. But I would always gladly ride one! Smart and sassy and super athletes!)[/QUOTE]

As much as I love Sky, I would LOVE to have an Anglo-Arab as my next eventer. Bailey was (is) as sound as the day is long, club foot and all. That little horse never took a lame step in his life. Pair that with a bit more size and power, and damn…unstoppable!

I believe Katy Groesbeck’s UL horses, Oz the Tin Man and Oz Poof of Purchase are AA.

[FatCatFarm]

@ClassyRide;7944562

I’m not going to be able to contribute much to the original question. Just wanted to say that I’m so glad to see Saddlebreds being mentioned here. Obviously I’m biased since I’m a fancier of them, but I honestly feel like they are one of the best kept secrets of the horse world – but it’s a secret that shouldn’t be kept any longer! They can do a lot of things well, and Eventing is one of them!

I do seriously love the three half Saddlebreds/draft crosses I have and am eventing with mine. They are sweet big boys with a ton of ability. The judges do pick on us about coming over the back more, but that’s more a obstacle of my ability to get enough riding/schooling/training done, rather than the horse’s ability.

[three_dayer]

I have had a couple of non traditional horses get to the upper levels(3*) Finnegan was a quarter horse who went to rolex when it was a 3*(and long format). He was pretty amazing(but crazy). The horse I am riding right now is of unknown breeding. We think that he has some sort of draft perhaps some tb or qh in there but we are just guessing. We completed a CIC***(did a few more, but soundness issues kept us from finishing). He is still going intermediate and is learning prix st george dressage. There is a picture of him in the sig line.
I know of a couple of other quarter horses that made it to the 4* level at rolex, I can’t remember the names right now, but they did a very good job of clocking around the course.

[red_mares]

@cb06;7945373

^^This. Here is a 4 year old in his first year eventing this year (with a rider also first year eventing after years in saddleseat). …the few trot strides are a bit of a giveaway. :lol:
http://youtu.be/K2TuwZ1zhlQ

That canter is a pretty big give away too.

As someone else mentioned - plenty of ASBs with short backs.

I had one mare, 15.2 wore a 68" blanket. Grown up, the big mare (17.2) only wears a 74 or 76". As a very gangly 4 yro, she could squeeze into a 68". Long backs didn’t used to be the norm.

[FatCatFarm]

[QUOTE=three_dayer;7946277]
I have had a couple of non traditional horses get to the upper levels(3*) Finnegan was a quarter horse who went to rolex when it was a 3*(and long format). He was pretty amazing(but crazy). The horse I am riding right now is of unknown breeding. We think that he has some sort of draft perhaps some tb or qh in there but we are just guessing. We completed a CIC***(did a few more, but soundness issues kept us from finishing). He is still going intermediate and is learning prix st george dressage. There is a picture of him in the sig line.
I know of a couple of other quarter horses that made it to the 4* level at rolex, I can’t remember the names right now, but they did a very good job of clocking around the course.[/QUOTE]

Lovely photo! Gorgeous horse.

[Willesdon]

No one has mentioned Mark Todds greatest horse Charisma, who was TB cross something and is the only eventer to have won back to back Olympic gold medals. What that ‘something’ was is hard to determine: I believed it was Percheron but have also seen either Connie or Welsh. Certainly not full TB and no WB.

[D_BaldStockings]

Charisma was (per wiki) by a TB, out of a dam by a Connemara (1/16 TBx)stallion out of a TB dam, so nearly 1/4 Connemara.
Said to stand 14.3hh.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charisma_(horse)

Interesting ‘He managed to cover 4 mares by that time (he was gelded)’
I wonder what became of them.

[D_BaldStockings]

Back in 1997 May, per the Chronicle of the horse,the American Saddlebred
Sauce n Spirit won the Preliminary at Midland GA.

His tribute
http://www.asha.net/html/files/Friends.pdf

Anyone looking for short backed Saddlebreds, look at Phi Slama Jama
http://www.thejoyofhorses.com/june00/media/explodingthemyths2phislamaJama.jpg

or like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfxk8WyhvTk

or basically anything that Winsdown Farm and many other Saddlebred farms offer today.

[somanyhorses]

Mark Todd’s Charisma aka “Podge” was certainly a one in a million and I agree his breeding was not entirely conventional, however I thought he had a touch of Percheron in his breeding? I am not sure of the accuracy of the wikipedia article though, it says he was 14.3hh (he was 15.3hh) and that his dam was 12hh… hmmm… I don’t think so!

I was lucky enough to be at Burghley in 1999 when Mark Todd was competing at Burghley “for the last time” and moving back to NZ to be a racehorse trainer. Unbeknowns to him, his groom had been bringing Podge back into work and it was a wonderful surprise for everyone when he appeared at the prize giving (I think Mark came 1st and 4th on other horses… something like that!). Mark was in tears, got on him and galloped around for awhile, and even popped over some of the 4* show jumps! As Podge was born in 1972, he would have been 27 at the time. It was very emotional, a privilege to be there, and I will never forget it.

[D_BaldStockings]

Another source for Charisma
http://www.sporthorse-data.com/d?i=10442328
Here he is claimed to be 15.3hh which might indicate draft of some sort, especially with the frame being heavy.

Fascinating horse, though.

(edited as I misread the height -oops!)

[JER]

[QUOTE=weixiao;7944405]
I want a Teke SO badly. Overall, I’ve been very unimpressed by what I’ve seen in the US but some of the ones I’ve seen in the Ukraine/Russia have been very impressive…[/QUOTE]

One of the nicest Akhal-Teke stallions you’ll ever see – Super Star (scroll down) – is standing in Virginia. He’s older now, but still fertile, so get him while you can.

I have a lovely mare by Super Star out of a TB mare. You can see her here, competing at Prelim. She is the nicest horse I’ve bred and/or owned, and is top-class in every way. We have no idea of the extent of her abilities as we have not pushed her, due to her unexpectedly tiny stature. Her parents are horses; she sticks 14.2hh and not a ‘big’ 14.2hh at all.

We’re expecting another Super Star foal in the spring, this time out of a different (larger) TB mare because we all agree that we want another one like the unintended pony.

As for Saddlebreds, I currently have two Saddlebred crosses. Again, I didn’t go looking for them but when I tried them, they were perfect: forward, intelligent, enthusiastic jumpers. This is my old guy, now 31 but very sound and in his day, the safest, easiest horse over fences. Also the most disinterested dressage horse in history. Everyone always looked good on this horse because he made it so simple for you. He’s Belgian-TB- Saddlebred, and looks the part.

My other ASB x is registered as a Friesian Sport Horse. He’s the product of two half-Friesian parents, sire is Fries-KWPN, dam is Fries-ASB-Arab. He’s a fun ride – big jumper, big mover, can go all day despite being on the heavier side – and has a lovely temperament. He’s exceptionally polite and considerate. You can see the ASB side of him here, prancing about in his paddock. I haven’t bothered to compete him but have no doubt Prelim would be very easy for him. Beyond that, I’d have to see how many gears he has at speed.

[SillyHorse]

[QUOTE=frugalannie;7938838]
Because someone here will know, what was Poltroon’s breeding? Pretty sure not OTTB with that coloring![/QUOTE]
She was out of a pinto pony mare, by the TB stallion Hopper’s Pride.

[RFFDelightful]

[QUOTE=runNjump86;7945781]
As much as I love Sky, I would LOVE to have an Anglo-Arab as my next eventer. Bailey was (is) as sound as the day is long, club foot and all. That little horse never took a lame step in his life. Pair that with a bit more size and power, and damn…unstoppable!

I believe Katy Groesbeck’s UL horses, Oz the Tin Man and Oz Poof of Purchase are AA.[/QUOTE]

They are both Anglos http://issuu.com/thearabiansporthorse/docs/apr-may-14?e=6917605/7387704
Half Arab and Anglo Arabs are on the rise in the US.
I showed a Arab/Akhal cross for the past few years very neat athletic cross.

[ClassyRide]

[QUOTE=D_BaldStockings;7947266]
…or basically anything that Winsdown Farm and many other Saddlebred farms offer today.[/QUOTE]

My little girl is a Winsdown horse. :yes:

Here’s a quick video of her jumping with the trainer aboard this Summer. This was approximately 60 days into training. (Note: Trainer is 5’ 10" and makes her look a bit like a pony. LOL She sure did a fab job with my little one, though!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKCezbUfuSQ