Be sure to check out Saddlebred Rescue…
And read Nealia McCracken’s post on FB today - some potential great rides in her training barn:
https://www.facebook.com/nealia.mccracken?fref=nf&pnref=story
And if you are looking for a hunt type horse - Nealia will keep an eye out for you…
ASBs are the best kept secret. I spent 40 years in h/j and dressage. I then switched to riding saddleseat on ASBs, just to do something different. The first time I saw a saddlebred standing in the crossties, my first thought was why aren’t we using these horses for dressage. They are built for it. Change the muscleing for a round top line instead of muscling for shoulder movement. (The drive from behind is the same.). So many flunk out of saddlebred school, and they are available, but not generally advertised, which is really too bad. And the hunt seat classes for ASBs are not generally a good indicator, as most go like saddleseat horses in hunt seat tack, because the judges don’t really know any different (or aren’t presented with anything different!).
I’ve always commented that saddlebreds are thoughbreds, just with more snark. And frankly, most are couch potatoes at home. Just like a greyhound dog.
saddlebred rescue is a great resource. Nelia McKracken has both a show barn and a rescue. Many of her rescue horses would be great projects.
Which actually would be perfect!
Was perfect, sale was a month ago. Did anybody pick one up?
If you found a saddlebred in your horse search that was doing the job you wanted it to do that would be one thing, but I would never tell someone to “go look exclusively for a saddlebred for your next eventer.” There are plenty of crosses and cold blooded horses out there that are neither expensive warmbloods or hot TBs that will make or already are great lower level and mid level event horses. Don’t limit yourself on a specific breed.
I’ve known a few DHH and honestly I can’t say I liked any of them. One was a straight up asshole, the others were super stubborn with shitty attitudes and work ethics.
Give me an OTQH or National Show Horse any day. My ideal cross would be an Anglo-Arab with more TB blood than Arab, but enough Arab to have good, hard feet.
The DHH arab crosses are beautiful high steppers but are notoriously hot and difficult and are pro rides.
Yeah, around here you see them crossed more with drafts (the Amish breed them), so they are (hopefully) not so hot. I’ve seen a couple of DHH x perch competing at the lower levels and they look to be cool horses. My guy is out of a hackney/Clydesdale mare, he isn’t hot but he isn’t an easy ride (although he is getting much better at 6. 4 and 5 were hard years :lol:).
The first English horse I ever rode after leaving the western world was an ASB who had evented through the (equivalent of) the CCI** level and had done prix st George dressage. He was a phenomenal, kind horse who was taking kids to their first events well into his 20s.
Montana Native was part saddlebred as I recall, and he had a lot of three star miles in his day (which was the long format days).
Id go look at one!
Before warmbloods became the top showjumpers through their brilliant selective breeding, Bill Steinkraus said that the top jumpers were SaddlebredsXTB’s.
Not all are high steppers with high headcarriages - those styles are often trained into them and the muscles developed plus shoeing methods.
Up here there used to be a number of Saddlebreds, but we don’t see them much any more except in the specialized shows with dwindling numbers.
A friend of mine picked up 6 for CDE’s and her next dressage partner. They are in quarantine till next month.
I think this very much depends on the cross. I have a half Arab (stallion is Saddlebred/DHH) who is one of the sanest, easiest, most Amateur-friendly horses I’ve ridden. Not a deadhead, but not hot. Very forgiving. From what I can tell, similarly bred crosses (by the same stallion) have the same super temperament and are also junior/amateur friendly.
I suspect that this is one of those crosses where it really pays to know the lines involved, but I’m not the bravest lower-level rider out there and I’d go back to some variation of an Arab/DHH cross in a heartbeat. I’d do it with open eyes, because this isn’t the first time I’ve heard comments about DHH or DHH crosses being hot, but I don’t think it’s fair to write them all of that way. Go in with open eyes and don’t be blinded by the movement, certainly, but unless I have the one-in-a-million exception, the right cross can absolutely be a super amateur mount.
You and your crosses are one of two people who come to mind when I think of the versatility of saddlebred crosses.
A friend of mine works with Georgian Grandes, an ASB/draft cross that seems to produce incredibly versatile horses with wonderful personalities. Many of her foals seem to hit the ground jumping, and have been seen leaping over patches of long grass within hours of birth. The saddlebred lightens the draft side nicely (her two crosses of choice are as/Frisian and as/Clyde) without making them too gangly. Light on their feet, flashy, bold, and sweet as pie. I would not hesitate to partner with one in the future.
I have to agree here, with a sample of one – I met a DHH stallion at a barn I boarded at and he was basically unworkable, just a complete dingbat. It was owned by an Arab breeder to cross for half arab park horse types. They are pretty but too leggy and thin for my tastes.
i have seen judges not like the high knee action of the Dutch/Hackney/Clyde crosses - I think its fancy, but some see too much front and not enough hind!
I did eventing with one of my saddlebreds, she loved it! She was fearless and a lot braver than I am. My only problem was coming in on time…not under time, she thought cross country was a racecourse. LOL I’m sure with more time and training she could do more but I was just having fun at it. I love saddlebreds and think if you pick the right one you can do anything. This mare inparticular will do anything, saddleseat, jumping, trail riding, barrel racing, and would probably chase cows if I asked her. However, some of my others would hate jumping or getting wet 
I hope you will share their progress with us.
Thanks
My friend had a heavier SB that she trained to do the 3’ jumpers. Some of the SB and crosses seem to have a flatter jump, so as long as you aren’t cruising for the hunter arena, you should be good.
I had a NSH that would jump the moon. I didn’t do dressage back then but I am sure she would have been phenomenal. Best horse ever. Endurance raced and she even Team Penned (in an english saddle LOL) . Never lame, never sick. I would love another one like her!
Great article and pictures.
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