Like many have said, it depends on the horse. My lovely draft cross was 1/2 tb 1/4 Clyde and 1/4 qh. He looked like a European wb or a heavier boned tb. He placed in the YEH comp, did training level eventing with me, hunters and jumpers. He do hunted like a pro from his first outing, and was an amazing trail horse. I half leased him one year to a high schooler and her grandmother. She rode Eq and the grandmother did dressage. When people asked what he was and I made them guess, the vast majority though ISH and the rest would think holsteiner or Hann. Fox hunters with ISHs would ask where I imported him from. He’s now playing baby sitter to an older beginner rider and is a dressage school horse. I would not hesitate to get another Clyde cross. I’m mainly a tb person, but this guy was special!
Last spring I started riding a TB-Clyde mare for a friend of mine while my horse was recuperating from an injury. I don’t generally like mares and I’m not a huge fan of the draft X. But, having said “never”, she wormed her way into my heart with her oversized personality and her athleticism. And yes, she’s now mine.
Zelda is a very nice mover, is about 16.2" but other than her long back, she’s well proportioned. I’m nearly 6’ tall and not a small person, so she fits me well.
She can be stubborn as all get out but when she’s on your team, she’s great. She’s smart, sane and is a talented jumper.
I do think you need to evaluate the horse, not the cross.
Here’s my girl out hunting:
https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1.0-9/551317_10201802586681605_14298681_n.jpg
FWIW, here’s a short vid of me schooling a 5 year old 1/4 Clydesdale, mother was a quarter horse, father is 1/2 Clyde, 1/2 unknown.
He looks quite drafty to me, but he is so balanced and uphill he feels like a much lighter horse. This is only his 2nd week of jump training, he was broke to work cattle as a youngster and has just been hanging out in the field the last year or so.
Little big x country school 2: http://youtu.be/xLy8sqdtlz4
I have personally known three Clyde/TB crosses, and one Clyde/QH cross.
Two of the Clyde/TBs were flighty in the extreme, both came out of backyards with no formal training at around 6 years old. One had more of a sporthorse build, became a decent A-circuit low-level jumper, though would stop out at scary things. The other was much draftier, and is bopping around w-t-c at a dressage barn. The third TB-cross I don’t know its background, but is the sweetest thing with a great brain, and has a heavier sporthorse build.
The QH cross was fairly stocky but a phenomenal jumper, I think all the way up to the A/Os. Flighty and terrified of liverpools for awhile, but incredibly athletic and sweet.
Totally depends on the horse, but the main variables I have seen in those particular Clyde-crosses are that they can be nervous/flighty, very sweet, and very athletic.
I know two amazing Perch-crosses, and a wonderful Belgian-cross that was always mistaken for my plump little warmblood :lol:
Some of them are great. A friend of mine has a half Clyde/half TB. She’s a lovely mover. She does have a slightly long back and she has to keep on top of keeping her topline strong. She does have a bit of a mareish drafty attitude where she’ll occasionally say ‘make me’, but with consistent handling and expectations she’s fine. She 100% realizes she is big and occasionally tries to push people around if she thinks she can get away with it.
There are a couple more Clyde crosses that I foxhunt with that are great, bold hunting machines. They’re all some percentage TB. All of them jump 4’ like its 2’6".
I’ve also seen some Clyde crosses that look like freaks of nature.
[QUOTE=candysgirl;7530608]
Some of them are great. A friend of mine has a half Clyde/half TB. She’s a lovely mover. She does have a slightly long back and she has to keep on top of keeping her topline strong. She does have a bit of a mareish drafty attitude where she’ll occasionally say ‘make me’, but with consistent handling and expectations she’s fine. She 100% realizes she is big and occasionally tries to push people around if she thinks she can get away with it.
There are a couple more Clyde crosses that I foxhunt with that are great, bold hunting machines. They’re all some percentage TB. All of them jump 4’ like its 2’6".
I’ve also seen some Clyde crosses that look like freaks of nature.[/QUOTE]
Do you know my horse? :D:lol:
