Still think drafts can't do dressage?

[Mondo]

I love draft crosses and this horse in the video is just lovely. The only problem I have with drafts and draft crosses is that both the American Warmblood Registry and the American Warmblood Society accept them for registration. Until they stop doing that, American Warmbloods will never interest me.

Sorry - didn’t mean to derail.

t’s just that a draft is a draft and crossing one on a light horse breed does not a warmblood make.

[kcmel]

Here’s my guy who is out of a hackney/clydesdale mare. His sire is Dutch harness, so you would expect him to have that high knee action, but he’s actually quite a nice mover (IMHO).

This is from last year when he was 5; he was still quite green as you can see by the spooking towards the end. He doesn’t do that any more. OK, maybe sometimes…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6b…ature=youtu.be

ETA: My trainer is riding (I wish it was me!)

[BigMama1]

@kcmel

Here’s my guy who is out of a hackney/clydesdale mare. His sire is Dutch harness, so you would expect him to have that high knee action, but he’s actually quite a nice mover (IMHO).

This is from last year when he was 5; he was still quite green as you can see by the spooking towards the end. He doesn’t do that any more. OK, maybe sometimes…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6b…ature=youtu.be

ETA: My trainer is riding (I wish it was me!)

What a cutie!

[luvmyhackney]

@kcmel

Here’s my guy who is out of a hackney/clydesdale mare. His sire is Dutch harness, so you would expect him to have that high knee action, but he’s actually quite a nice mover (IMHO).

This is from last year when he was 5; he was still quite green as you can see by the spooking towards the end. He doesn’t do that any more. OK, maybe sometimes…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6b…ature=youtu.be

ETA: My trainer is riding (I wish it was me!)

He’s is super cute!

[kcmel]

Thanks! He’s got a lot of that hackney pony-tude but he’s starting to come around.

[MysticOakRanch]

@Mondo

I love draft crosses and this horse in the video is just lovely. The only problem I have with drafts and draft crosses is that both the American Warmblood Registry and the American Warmblood Society accept them for registration. Until they stop doing that, American Warmbloods will never interest me.

Sorry - didn’t mean to derail.

t’s just that a draft is a draft and crossing one on a light horse breed does not a warmblood make.

Well, Oldenburg NA/ISR will approve draft and draft cross mares for breeding and register the offspring, so if you are going to dismiss registries, better add that one to your list. And RPSI did too back in the days when there was an RPSI.

I think dismissing a horse simply for its registry, or dismissing a registry simply for a few horses is limiting your market greatly. If you have unlimited funds, great, stick with the more “prestigious” European registries. Also realize in Europe, all horses are registered - they may not be approved for breeding, but a draft/WB cross may be registered in lowest books (just as AWS, AWR, Old NA, etc do) too. I think it is a GOOD IDEA that these registries provide documentation of pedigree and quality control!

[Draftmare]

Just for fun, here is my mare and I last year at Intro: https://youtu.be/y2nOyh4i3to

Doing much better at training this year with getting more energy out of her. I have been playing around with the idea of going back to “regular” dressage.

[Pocket_Pony]

@kcmel

Here’s my guy who is out of a hackney/clydesdale mare. His sire is Dutch harness, so you would expect him to have that high knee action, but he’s actually quite a nice mover (IMHO).

This is from last year when he was 5; he was still quite green as you can see by the spooking towards the end. He doesn’t do that any more. OK, maybe sometimes…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE6b…ature=youtu.be

ETA: My trainer is riding (I wish it was me!)

Lovely and I would not have guessed hackney!

As a side note, I appreciate your sharing your video. I’m always interested to see how/what younger horses are doing at a similar age to mine. It was a lovely test and he looks like a happy fella!

[Pocket_Pony]

@Draftmare

Just for fun, here is my mare and I last year at Intro: https://youtu.be/y2nOyh4i3to

Doing much better at training this year with getting more energy out of her. I have been playing around with the idea of going back to “regular” dressage.

It looks like her impulsion has improved a lot - well done!

[BigMama1]

I made a spin off thread for those of us who want to brag / share videos of our own draft crosses

[Draftmare]

@Pocket Pony

It looks like her impulsion has improved a lot - well done!

Thanks! And I think we are even better this year. She certainly doesn’t give up anything easy.

[Equibrit]

@BigMama1

Agree 100%. If you wanted to compete on the Formula One racing circuit, you wouldn’t try to qualify driving a Honda Civic. But for most people looking for a fun, safe, economical car to drive every day, it’s a great choice.

Same with horses. Few of us have goals of going to the Olympics; fewer still are going to make it. For those looking for a fun, safe ride, breed shouldn’t be the first consideration. This guy is never going to move like an international-level warmblood and that’s ok.

But you do have to be aware of the fact that a Honda Civic will probably be over-revved in lower level training.

[kcmel]

@Pocket Pony

Lovely and I would not have guessed hackney!

As a side note, I appreciate your sharing your video. I’m always interested to see how/what younger horses are doing at a similar age to mine. It was a lovely test and he looks like a happy fella!

Thanks! His “oh look, there’s mom!” during the second part of his free walk always makes me laugh. I need to do a better job staying out of his line of sight.