Unicorn Quest: The super easy, super comfortable horse

[Dressagelvr]

A close friend of mine is turning 60 this year. She’s looking to buy a horse.

She’s a competent rider through third, but has some old injuries and needs a horse with comfortable gaits. She also prefers an uncomplicated ride. She’s capable of riding more challenging horses, but doesn’t want to own one. At 60, I can’t blame her.

She doesn’t like WBs or TBs. I’ve ridden lots of different breeds in my life, but my knowledge is most extensive with WBs and TBs.

Thus I come to the wise COTHers with the Goldilocks / Unicorn list:

Not too big, not too small
Mellow, but willing to work hard
Can take the occasional joke
Sound (I know, I know)
Comfortable gaits
Likes to trail ride
Capable of 3rd and maybe better, but doesn’t need to win at Aachen.

So, what breeds/crosses do you recommend.

Andis & Lips are already on the table. What to add?

[netg]

Ranch bred or cow/reining performance bred quarter horse or any stock type.

My mom’s Friesian/Andalusian cross would have been PERFECT for her as she probably could have easily moved up the levels with a less skilled AA who wanted to move up the levels, not just trail ride, so the right combo from that type of breeding would also be perfect.

Lots of draft crosses are wonderful. They can be super mellow or hot, depending on the horse.

A nice working bred Arabian is also mellow. I especially like endurance types. When not legged up for endurance rides, many of them are as mellow as a good QH. They’re typically very nice to sit, too.

There are also lots of Connemara crosses, Welsh cobs, etc., who are super nice. A larger German Riding Pony could be very nice as well.

[Lusoluv]

My vote goes to the Lusitano! It’s a little hard to find a really nice one in this country, but I’d start with Casa Lusitana and Jorge Gabriel. He frequently imports from Brazil. I hope your friend has a healthy budget But you won’t be disappointed working with Jorge!

[MysticOakRanch]

I have bred several of these - Friesian crosses and pure Friesians. The Friesian brain is just incredibly kind, and mine have almost all been pretty soft and easy to sit. You might also look at Morgans - they tend to be on the smaller side, but very sturdy, and nice all-around horses, and many are decent movers.

I am not sure I’d discount ALL WBs - don’t say no to the right horse just because of its breeding.

Appendix QH? Paint? We have a few Paints in the area that have gone FEI - they aren’t fancy, you won’t win Regional Championships on them, but nice solid brains, and they enjoy the trail rides too.

[oldernewbie]

Half-arabs, Morgans, draft crosses, certain Standardbreds, appendix QHs - really this is a case where you are looking for a type, not a breed, eh? Put the word out and see what your local network can refer to you. You might also try one of the dressage horses for sale Facebook pages?

[Scribbler]

A quarter horse/Iberian cross? They can come out looking and moving more QH or more Andie/lustiano. Something started in Working Equitation would have some dressage basics and some trail obstacles work.

[piedmontfields]

A forgiving Andalusian or Lusitano could be perfect. So could an Azteca (And or Lus x QH). I will say that these are quick, sensitive horses. They can be very easy to ride for the older or impaired amateur, but that person should also have some skills and sensitivity. If they do, they will probably fall in love the Iberians. I have a Lusitano x WB and she is a perfect combo for me of comfortable, sensitive yet willing, and capable.

I would also note that many Andalusians and Lusitanos (and Lipps) seem very sturdy and capable of work well into their teens and twenties.

[2tempe]

I have no connection to these people but know someone who has bought from them. This Lusitano boy sounds like all he needs is the horn on his head: https://www.europeandressagehorses.c…-000----35-000

There are a couple others similar, next up price range.

[alibi_18]

The worst of I’ve ever sat on in terms of being not comfortable was a Lippizaner… It felt like I was sitting astride a picnic table… Lovely horse, great mind but the sitting trot on him was painfull.

The most comfortable horse ever I sat on was a mix of Canadian/Trakhener… Engaging, rounding its back, upper level movement and light in the mouth, tall superb horse. Unfortunately, he was injured most of the time most probably due to its weird F1 conformation.

Try the horses, forget about the breed.
If the horse is healthy, moves well, as a great mind and is easy to sit, tell your friend to buy it! With good training she’ll go up the levels.

[Dressagelvr]

I’ve tried to convince her that there’s a perfect WB for her. I’m pretty sure there’s a perfect WB out there for anyone interested in dressage/h/j/eq. However, she is convinced that all WBs are unreliable mentally and I can’t convince her otherwise.

She won’t look at a TB for similar reasoning.

Thanks for the feedback thus far.

Who is breeding QHxAndi/Lip/Lusi crosses? That might check most of her boxes.

And I’ll keep trying to convince her to look at the horse in front of her and not worry so much about breed.

[J-Lu]

I once owned the very unicorn you are looking for. Exactly. Word for word. She was a Trakhener mare by Always. Tell your friend not to count out warmbloods!

I have a friend with a Fresian/QH cross that would also fit the bill. I can think of some Iberians. A good QH can fit also, (I know someone who took hers to GP and was competitive locally). Heck, just about any breed can produce individuals that could be your friend’s unicorn!

I think your friend is just going to have to ignore the breed and give people the list you gave us. Also, put the word out to local trainers (dressage trainers, H/J trainers also) so if the unicorn comes across their sights, they’ll contact your friend. Good luck to her!

[MysticOakRanch]

@Dressagelvr

.

Who is breeding QHxAndi/Lip/Lusi crosses? That might check most of her boxes.

And I’ll keep trying to convince her to look at the horse in front of her and not worry so much about breed.

Look up Azteca - that is a QH/Andy cross. Not a Lip - that is a totally (TOTALLY) different breed and type, and I don’t think anyone is crossing them. But Andy/Lusi crossed to QH is registered Azteca - very popular in Mexico, and in the western states.

[Libby_and_Liberty]

I really do think an Andalusian (or any PRE) would be an awesome horse. Older Andalusians are still super nice horses, (I am biast however) and mine seems to keep muscle on her while sitting in the pasture doing nothing.

[right_horse_at_the_right_time]

Totally dependent on the horse. Right off the top of my head, I can name a horse like this in each of the breeds mentioned…EXCEPT the Andy/Lusis because the ones I know are all FEI and pretty hot :).

Sounds like an ideal horse to me :).

[LilyandBaron]

I own an Azteca - super comfortable but unpredictable and bolts. A trainer who has worked with Iberians has seen bolting in others - not a scientific study, but I’d be very careful about temperament in the Iberians based on my experience. My TB and STB are WAY calmer!!!

[ThreeFigs]

My Hannoverian IS my unicorn – just what your friend would want. But he’s not for sale. He’s quiet, loves trailrides, pretty easy to sit, has given lessons to kids, beginners, Paras, and has taken 4 riders to their Bronze Medals. Last year we tried PSG. Not really competitive, but we got there. I’m 64, so I understand your friend’s situation.

If I could find another WB like him, I’d buy it!

[buck22]

Morgans!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHTYIWuW3UM
https://www.morganhorse.com/about_morgan/versatility/dressage/
http://www.morgandressage.org/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MUitaEAJKI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzeBci86-n0

[soloudinhere]

I’m not sure what is considered easy to sit, but I have loved all my ponies - Connemara cross, and now I have two, 3yo GRPs who are smart, easy to train, brave, and not at all stupid.

[mmeqcenter]

Quarter horse/arab cross
Morgan
Appaloosa
Paint/arab cross

Is she open to a half TB? Any of these crossed with a TB typically make fantastic horses.

[Toblersmom]

Just to help emphasize your own point that your friend needs to look at the horse in front of her rather than getting too worked up about breed—my guy is a BLM mustang and he’d fit the bill. Super smooth gaits, eager to learn, loves people to pieces, really nice size for those of us that think the ground is looking awfully hard and far away these days (I actually wouldn’t mind if he were a hair smaller, I like ponies and he’s about 15). He still has a lot to learn since he’s just coming on four, but he doesn’t have freakouts and temper tantrums, just uncertainty and confusion until he’s sussed it out, which doesn’t take long at all. Obviously, there are many, many BLM mustangs that would NOT fit the bill, but if your friend is interested she can sniff around the Facebook Mustang boards for horses being sold. There’s a few candidates for the Extrememe Mustang Makeover that will take place in Lexington in late June that seem like they have the conformation to do lowish level dressage, and have the same kind of personality as my guy, if she’s willing to take a flyer on a greenie with a good solid 100 days training. I did and I don’t regret it one little bit.