Tell me more about off-the-track quarter horses in the Jumpers? Are any of you riding OTQHs? How do they “compare” with other breeds?
I grew up riding off-the-track anglo-arabians (steeple-chasers) in Europe and since then I’ve had a couple OTTBs. And I love off the tracks horses for their spirit and stamina.
But now that I live in the “Wild West” (well, the Midwest but that was wild at some point, right? 
), I gues I should embrace more “stereotypical” American breeds. Ok, I am not really talking about off-the-track appaloosas but what about off-the-track quarter horses? Advantages? Disadvantages?
Where would one go to find one? (does one just show up at the track? that does sound like bad manners somehow, no?).
I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks y’all!
There are people who do OTQHs but you find them in areas with QH tracks. Like anything else, it depends on the individual horse, you probably want one out of their longer races and not the 440 and under set, IIRC they go up to 4 furlongs at some tracks.
Ive had one, Appendix with tattoo that had done Open Jumpers circa late 70s and ended up as a Junior Hunter in the late 80s. I leased him as a 3’ Adult Hunter at age 24 (him, not me). Not sure many horses could do that in today’s specialty horse environment with the popular bloodlines at today’s QH tracks.
That old horse was an own grandson of Nashua on top with Leo close on the dams side. Don’t get that kind of cross much today. Back in the 70s, there were QHs coming off the track and going to AQHA shows, one of the MacArthur brother’s used to pick them out at Los Alamitos and his wife restarted and showed them Western-did quite nicely. She had a connexion on the Hunt Seat side after restarting she sold to, long since forgotten who that might have been.
Don’t own one, but I’ve ridden my friends appendix QH and he’s a blast. Super athletic
As a teen I rode an off track appaloosa! He had been evented extensively to Advanced and done a CCI*** as well as jumpers to 4’6. I was lucky enough to learn the ropes with him when I was 16 he was on his way down the ladder.
I love this! Even an OT-Appy! Fabulous!
I have to say I am really impressed at these horses’ “longevity”. Still competing in their 20s? Impressive! At least in Europe, most off-the-track ponies are - unfortunately - “done” by age 16 or so…
Thanks for sharing!
Some of these OT QH bloodlines are 15/16 thoroughbred. 
So you have to look at the horse, not the breed name.
My favorite horse ever is my off the track appendix QH. 50/50 QH/TB. He did hunters (took my daughter from short stirrup up to children’s) as well as raced, ponied at the tracl and did some western shows. He is 26 now and the grand old man only does what he wants. Great horse with a great mind.
I had one. She was the best. Could jump the jumper stuff or do the hunters. I mostly showed her in the AO hunters. I showed her myself in the greens. She was schooled through 4th level dressage. It was like having the TB athleticism with a QH brain… of course, your results may vary
"merrygoround: So you have to look at the horse, not the breed name. "
Exactly! a good horse is a good horse. No matter his breed/color/size, etc!
Thanks for sharing Blugal! Amazing!
“Woodsperson: It was like having the TB athleticism with a QH brain… of course, your results may vary”
I love my OTTBs but “sometimes” I wouldn’t mind a little less “thouroughbred moments”…
Ok, hearing all these great stories, I really want one now… Off to stalk the local QH track!
