Thoroughbred lines known for quiet temperments

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=Angela Freda;8688360]
I rode an Unbridled Song gelding and he was SO wonderful, kevel headed, athletic if you asked him to… really nice guy.

The horse I just lost was by Caller I.D. [Phone Trick] and he was like an STB… level headed, sweet, athletic with big movement. Just a great guy.
I would be interested to hear if that is par for the course with that stallions get or if that was just Melvin.
I also new another Phone Trick stallion, who’s name I forget, who was equally easy going, mellow and handsome.[/QUOTE]

I love Phone Trick horses, from a personality standpoint. They are not UL potential IMHO, but they have wonderful personalities and every single one I have met has been a real prankster. I had a wonderful Phone Trick gelding (Louis Quatorze up top) who was the most charismatic dog you ever met. Lost him a year ago to a freak pasture accident but he was a really special, sweet horse. He used to suck up water in the trough, waddle over to my other gelding and drool/drop it over my gelding’s back. The people who say horses don’t have a sense of humor, or don’t pre-emptively plan things never met this horse. He had a plan, he had a punchline, and he always went for it. Most of the PT horses I meet are very engaging - they hang their head out of their stalls and prick their little ears (the small ears seems to be a family trait) and seem to scream “play with me!”.

He had a very good canter, but terrible trot. I had a very hard time keeping him sound for LL eventing. Apparently, this seems to be par for the course with many PT horses.

[Angela_Freda]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8688368]
I love Phone Trick horses, from a personality standpoint. They are not UL potential IMHO, but they have wonderful personalities and every single one I have met has been a real prankster. I had a wonderful Phone Trick gelding (Louis Quatorze up top) who was the most charismatic dog you ever met. Lost him a year ago to a freak pasture accident but he was a really special, sweet horse. He used to suck up water in the trough, waddle over to my other gelding and drool/drop it over my gelding’s back. The people who say horses don’t have a sense of humor, or don’t pre-emptively plan things never met this horse. He had a plan, he had a punchline, and he always went for it. Most of the PT horses I meet are very engaging - they hang their head out of their stalls and prick their little ears (the small ears seems to be a family trait) and seem to scream “play with me!”.

He had a very good canter, but terrible trot. I had a very hard time keeping him sound for LL eventing. Apparently, this seems to be par for the course with many PT horses.[/QUOTE]

Melly had big ears, they were a wonderful, ‘can’t miss’ gauge of where his relaxation was while riding. They also begged to be revved like motorcycle handlebars. Everyone, on first meeting him, insisted he had to be an STB with that head and those ears.
He was a licker… if he had a mint he HAD TO lick something. Usually my jacket or arm… but if I wasn’t available or playing along, the wall would do. I was just remembering last winter when my trainer asked about the small white half circles on the wall that mysteriously appeared… finally it came to me… Melly was slapping the ol tongue on the wall leaving spit that was turning to frost in perfect lil half moons. The Mark of Melly.

[Fred]

[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;8688271]
Interesting about Nasrullah. One of my all time favorite horses and now one of my broodmares is line bred to him. One of his decedents (What a Pleasure) is one of my favorite lines to see in a horse. http://www.pedigreequery.com/charm18

And yes…I’d describe my mare similar to Fred as well as her offspring. Rarely a spook, smart, thinking and level headed. She can have had 2 years off having babies, and I can tack her up, swing leg over and go out on a lovely hack without thinking twice. BUT she wouldn’t have been the right match for just any rider. She never put a foot wrong but I wouldn’t say she was easy to ride either.

I personally love smart, forward and sensitive rides…in other hands, people might drive the same horse nuts. So easy to see how people can blame bad temperament on what is really just a bad match.[/QUOTE]

I think that is it in a nutshell. Certain horses suit certain people, and in other hands the horse would have been ruined.
When I was looking for a professional to ride Fred, I was very careful. There were well-known pros out there who I would never have let sit on him. They are good riders certainly, but I knew they would not be a good match.
He is sensitive and forward, but a thinking horse, with a huge sense of self and pride. He will always do what is asked of him. His riders always treated him with respect and kindness.
If he had been manhandled or roughed up, or not ridden with a soft ride, I am certain it would not have gone so well.

BornFree, I see Never Bend in your mare’s pedigree, and I am a huge fan of his.
AFR has a very similar body type, and the same head (shorter head, wide forehead, large jowl) and eye. I call this the Nearco eye - you don’t see it in Nasrullah, but you do in Nearco, Never Bend, Fred has it - it is a distinctive almond shaped eye, which he very frequently passes on to his offspring.
Do you see this eye in your TBs from this family?

https://www.facebook.com/119405697399/photos/a.121353542399.111618.119405697399/10152921005077400/?type=3&theater

[bornfreenowexpensive]

[QUOTE=Fred;8688688]

AFR has a very similar body type, and the same head and eye. I call this the Nearco eye - you don’t see it in Nasrullah, but you do in Nearco, Never Bend, Fred has it - it is a distinctive almond shaped eye, which he very frequently passes on to his offspring.[/QUOTE]

Yes, my mare has that eye…and when she was younger and MAD…she would half close it and give you an “evil” eye…you then had NO doubt she was mad! She didn’t pass it on to her first foal…but her second (by Grafenstolz) is a mirror of her. He just turned 4 (I need to get more pictures) and looks so much like her. Hoping her next one is a filly…and the same.

[vineyridge]

IMO one of the reasons the Princequillo-Nasrullah nick was so good was that Princequillo mellowed the Nasrullah temperament.

[Fred]

[QUOTE=vineyridge;8688868]
IMO one of the reasons the Princequillo-Nasrullah nick was so good was that Princequillo mellowed the Nasrullah temperament.[/QUOTE]

I am sure you are right plus, as you know, Princequillo was known to be a very durable distance horse - speed + durability and endurance.

[paintjumper63]

I love this thread. I have owned 3 TBs and 5 TB/Paint crosses. The two horses I have now are sired by TBs and have a paint dam and were bred for eventing but are shown in the hunters and eq. I agree you have to look at the horse in front of you but there are tendencies with certain bloodlines. I am reading as much as I can about the different TB lines as one of mine will be heading to the breeding shed in the next few years.
Mare #1 sire Twig N Berries (Pine Bluff x Careless Flirt (Seattle Slew). Super kind (I have talked to previous owners of her sire and he is kind and passes it on), huge step and athletic. Takes some leg to ride.
Mare #2 sire C Spot Go (Dancebel x Stun (Irish Lord). Floats over a jump, lovely mover, smart and sensitive. Was almost brain fried by a trainer who rode warmbloods.

[secretariat]

Good advice preceeding. with that in mind, I’d add:

1. In eventing, the MARE, not the sire, is predominant. thus very hard to track, and frequently why studying sire lines is erratic.
2. Focusing on stallions, up close, looking for sanity and trainability:
   2a. Avoid Storm Cat
   2b. Believe it or not, we’ve been very successful with Pulpit first and second generation geldings. would have expected them to be hot and difficult, but we’re on (I think) #5 and they’ve all been STARS! Willing to carry the youngest/greenest (I’ve got an ADORABLE picture of a 6 year old boy in work boots, bareback, on a young Pulpit). But talented as hell, can and will jump anything; one’s running Intermediate right now with an amateur. The latest one we own will be my granddaughter’s horse (she’s 7 months old) if he doesn’t sell quickly.

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=secretariat;8690844]
Good advice preceeding. with that in mind, I’d add:

1. In eventing, the MARE, not the sire, is predominant. thus very hard to track, and frequently why studying sire lines is erratic.
2. Focusing on stallions, up close, looking for sanity and trainability:
   2a. Avoid Storm Cat
   2b. Believe it or not, we’ve been very successful with Pulpit first and second generation geldings. would have expected them to be hot and difficult, but we’re on (I think) #5 and they’ve all been STARS! Willing to carry the youngest/greenest (I’ve got an ADORABLE picture of a 6 year old boy in work boots, bareback, on a young Pulpit). But talented as hell, can and will jump anything; one’s running Intermediate right now with an amateur. The latest one we own will be my granddaughter’s horse (she’s 7 months old) if he doesn’t sell quickly.[/QUOTE]

? Why? Stormy Atlantic horses are some of the most rideable horses I know.

Half the horses on SC’s page show up in many pedigrees in heavy doses on other stallions touted in this thread as good horses with good temperaments.

[Foxtrot_s]

Probably because wit so many Storm Cats out there, you get good and bad - a numbers game.

[secretariat]

No criticisms intended, please note my mare predominant comment.

But above all else, Storm Cats have a mental issue when comparing stallions. Like it, or argue it, it’s my experience - there are lots of good Storm Cats out there. We’ve retrained/sold more than 100 of these beasts in 10 years, so whether we’re right or wrong we have the bona fides to comment. It’s not based on 1 horse. If you disagree, please share your bona fides.

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=secretariat;8691048]
No criticisms intended, please note my mare predominant comment.

But above all else, Storm Cats have a mental issue when comparing stallions. Like it, or argue it, it’s my experience - there are lots of good Storm Cats out there. We’ve retrained/sold more than 100 of these beasts in 10 years, so whether we’re right or wrong we have the bona fides to comment. It’s not based on 1 horse. If you disagree, please share your bona fides.[/QUOTE]

I certainly haven’t dealt with 100s but I’ve dealt with many. Can you elaborate on this mental issue?

I find they 9as a whole) are sensitive and easily offended by unfair physical correction. Treat them fairly and you have a pretty willing horse. There’s varying degrees of sensitivity within all the horses I’ve dealt with but many you could put anyone on, many could take a joke and many are very good LL mounts for young riders. I also have found they are completely sane when in 24/7 turnout.

[ParadoxFarm]

I recently bought a 4-year-old Giant’s Causeway son, and he is the MOST LAID BACK TB I have every been around. I’m going to enjoy bringing him along. He’s quiet, sane, and not spooky. I bought him for his brain.

[beowulf]

[QUOTE=ParadoxFarm;8758073]
I recently bought a 4-year-old Giant’s Causeway son, and he is the MOST LAID BACK TB I have every been around. I’m going to enjoy bringing him along. He’s quiet, sane, and not spooky. I bought him for his brain. :)[/QUOTE]

No surprise, I really like GC… I also absolutely love Stonesider (a GC son). He just seems to always stamp presence, substance, kind eyes and very good movers.

[ParadoxFarm]

[QUOTE=beowulf;8758100]
No surprise, I really like GC… I also absolutely love Stonesider (a GC son). He just seems to always stamp presence, substance, kind eyes and very good movers.[/QUOTE]

I’m curious to see how this boy will turn out. Right now of course he’s a skinny four-year-old. I’ve only had him six weeks. He’s willing to jump. Can’t wait to see him after he learns to use himself more properly. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ap2k0wuxugcaebl/Jazz%20Free%20Jump%201.jpg?dl=0 Not a great pic, but that’s him.

[Timex]

stone is a really cool stallion, ive always loved him!

[bornfreenowexpensive]

While I don’t mind Storm Cat in a pedigree…I’m not sure I would say it is a line for “quiet”. Personally…I don’t want “quiet”. I want smart and athletic and not screws loose. In fact, I just jumped a 4 year old with Jimmy Wofford this morning who is out of a StormCat granddaughter. He is the one I mentioned earlier (http://www.pedigreequery.com/quick+slant). I’d take another dozen of him…was told by Jimmy to keep on with him and then sell him for big bucks. He has the jump to be a very high level jumper. He’s a good boy for a 4 year old…but I would say a pretty sensitive ride. At least right now. But definitely not crazy and actually very trainable. A ton of fun. Where is the sensitivity coming from…who knows, but likely at least in part from Storm Cat.

[camohn]

The Storm Cats I have met I would describe as tough. Pushy, disrespectful of personal space. Fine in a race horse , not so desirable as a sport horse. For easy Pleasant Colony has always been a favorite. Recently my new favorite is Star De Naskra. I have a fairly bitchy mare, her Medallist foal is easy peasy sweetheart. A friend claimed a medallist gelding at Penn and he is also a real sweetie. I have heard from folks that knew medallist in his racing days that he was an easy one on the backside. Recently met a couple other sweet OTTBs doing well in dressage and looking up pedigrees: up close SDN.

[crosscreeksh]

[QUOTE=camohn;8760791]
The Storm Cats I have met I would describe as tough. Pushy, disrespectful of personal space. Fine in a race horse , not so desirable as a sport horse. For easy Pleasant Colony has always been a favorite. Recently my new favorite is Star De Naskra. I have a fairly bitchy mare, her Medallist foal is easy peasy sweetheart. A friend claimed a medallist gelding at Penn and he is also a real sweetie. I have heard from folks that knew medallist in his racing days that he was an easy one on the backside. Recently met a couple other sweet OTTBs doing well in dressage and looking up pedigrees: up close SDN.[/QUOTE]

“pushy”…a good description of the Storm Cat, GS I had!! Lovely mover, FANTASTIC jumper, but pushy/demanding on the ground!! Mine was well broken and trained to perfection, but one day without any warning…threw a series of GIANT pitches, bucks and a bolt. From my racing days…I was able to haul him to a stop, but that did it for me!!! I (in my 60’s) will NOT own/ride a horse I can’t trust. Promptly sold him for a lot of money to a teenager who loves him to death!!!

[Kottbulle]

I did a quick search on here about TB bloodlines to stay away from and Storm Cat came up. Which at first scared me because my current OTTB’as grandsire is Strn Cat. And the. I saw mixed reviews on his Sire Giants Causeway. But I went and tried him and loved his attitude. We did have to have so ground work on how to lead when we first got him. We do not have an indoor and he could not for the life of himself figure out how to turn right when being led. But it really didn’t take more than three sessions of ground work and now he is fine. So some might consider that pushes but once he knew it wasen’t acceptable he was fine. Turns out he is a very smart horse and quite the sweetheart. He has his moments of bucking and farting at turn out and sometimes on the lunge line before a ride after. A few days off. But otherwise he is very level headed and at times lazy. I can cool him out after a ride on the buckle walking around our 15 acres and he didn’t even bat an eyelash when the neighbors dog almost burst out of the underbrush sight unseen.
So I don’t know if it’s the bloodlines or if it’s just him. But I definitely would consider another OTTB with his bloodlines. He is gorgeous to look at and moves well. And has been a very quick learner. That being said he also has 24/7 turnout, though he spends the majority of his day eating in his stall ( his choice he can and does go out during the day) and the night with access to a grass paddock. I’ve also treated him for ulcers with G.U.T. Mainly because I figured with him having raced til he was 8 it couldn’t hurt. He No longer nips about being brushed and saddled. And since his coat is shiny and he is developing well I don’t think they are severe if existent anymore.
Up until getting him I have always had WB. ( though both were 1/2 or 1/4 TB) but he is definitely making me see the virtues of TB and OOTBs.

I guess I should have added that his dam’s sire is Seatle Slew so maybe that is why he is level headed. But I really am smitten by him. He is such a sweetheart we gave him the barn name of Clifford, like the big red dog.