I have just come from Rolex and did several farm tours and the Thoroughbred Makeover demos. I am suffering from TBs on the brain. I am curious about what lines are known for difficult horses and which are known for the opposite. There are probably multiple threads about this subject but I have not found them. I am also curious as to which lines produce horses with jump vs movement…hunte/jumper potential or dressage…or anything else for that matter. Thanks in advance.
Bold Ruler lines are tough horses, but hard to ride, in my experience. Sometimes people feel Stormcat lines are sensitive and can be difficult. Halo has the reputation of being a little mean and crazy…
Secretariat was known for siring hunters.
I used to know this stuff more than I do now, since I got out of OTTB prospects.
The thing is, there’s always so many exceptions to the rule, it’s hardly worth talking about it. For everyone who agrees, there will be a horse in the barn that proves it wrong.
You can probably be guaranteed most OTTBs will have difficult feet to work with. 
Friend had a linebred Nashrullah that was HOT!!! Sweetheart in the barn, dynamite under saddle. Very talented and athletic, but in the long run turned out to be “professional’s ride.” Was successful to FEI levels but never an easy ride.
Where’s Vineyridge? That’s the TB pedigree expert.
There are some good threads on the sport horse breeding forum about TB sporthorses.
Agree - Viney knows this stuff inside and out!!
[QUOTE=jetsmom;8646260]
Where’s Vineyridge? That’s the TB pedigree expert.
There are some good threads on the sport horse breeding forum about TB sporthorses.[/QUOTE]
Dynaformer is disagreable.
Princequillo tended to give us sweet, sensitive talented runners that were easy to handle, but could be a bit OCD, had some cribbers in them.
A couple Pappa Fourway we had tended to tie up.
Northern Dancers were said to be tough to handle, but ours were practically all good journeyman runners and easy to get along with.
We found more exceptions to the known traits in lines with certain reputation than those that seemed true.
For those in the mid atlantic area, this month’s Equiery showcases some ottbs and lists their breeding. I already put mine in the recycling bin, but I do recall one had Halo in it’s pedigree, and there was also a Carnivalay.
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My old guy had a lot of Nasrullah, once through Bold Ruler. He was a character! Had a great sense of humor, raced extremely successfully until he was 9, and just KNEW he was somebody. A little spooky here and there, but not a mean bone in his body.
A stallion’s demeanor/reputation should be taken with a grain of salt: 20 years ago how many stallion owners were treating daily for ulcers? How many stallions were simply expressing frustration with their restrictive and controlled environment? Some of them may have been sore or in pain and the only way to express that is through misbehavior.
That being said, I haven’t had any difficulty with Bold Ruler horses. Storm Cat I will defend time and time again because I have had nothing but good experiences with his progeny. Storm Cat throws intelligent and sensitive horses - they have a very high opinion of what’s fair and do not do well when treated unfairly. The reputation of them being difficult, I’ve found, seems to always come from the mouth of someone who does not know how to handle an intelligent or sensitive horse.
I will say I’ve noticed my fair share of Phone Trick horses have a sense of humor and being very quirky in terms of their personality (in a good way). I’ve met nothing but honest ones.
On the subject of honest, Bold Ruler and Seattle Slew come to mind as very honest horses.
I don’t have much to add per se, but have added my thoughts about my OTTB. He’s 26, so he has older lines.
Bold Ruler lines are tough horses, but hard to ride, in my experience.
My guy is tough. Definitely. He has always had so much try. Even if he didn’t feel good, he would try. He’s more limited now since he’s an oldie, but he would try to jump a 3’ oxer if I pointed him at it! He doesn’t realize his body can’t do it anymore. In his mind, he still can.
Friend had a linebred Nashrullah that was HOT!!! Sweetheart in the barn, dynamite under saddle.
In his younger days, he was super hot and nervous. And, well, I don’t call him my sweetheart for nothing! He’s the most gentlemanly horse I’ve ever dealt with.
A little spooky here and there, but not a mean bone in his body.
Yep. He was was so spooky when younger. A bird! AHHH! But…scary looking jump? No problem. That was his job.
Princequillo tended to give us sweet, sensitive talented runners that were easy to handle, but could be a bit OCD, had some cribbers in them.
Sweet and sensitive is him to a T. I learned a few years back that he had cribbing surgery (before I got him when he was 7) so I assume he cribbed when on the track.
But yea, I’d say my old man is tough. I can’t believe he’s sound b/c his confirmation is sort of working against him.
Here’s his pedigree:
http://www.pedigreequery.com/moments+work
Here’s a link to my brag thread about him 
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?490157-Super-Senior-Brag
[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;8646333]
Dynaformer is disagreable.[/QUOTE]
From what I have read, disagreeable is putting it kindly, and yet my gelding by Dynamformer is totally sweet and easy. I assume “gelding” is the key word there.
I love Mr. Prospector and Nasrullah. I’ve heard good and bad about both. I’ve had 2 with these lines. Very different horses, both amazing.
1: Daisy cutter movement, hack winner in good company, level head, sweet as could be. Fancy, square jumper. First horse I ever started myself and was easy as pie. Lead changes first time I asked. Jumped around 3’ after 6 months under saddle (not started until 4 1/2). Took a LONG time to grow. She is now 7 and packing a timid adult rerider around the 2’6 at A shows, moving up this fall.
2: The most conformationally correct jumper I’ve owned. Never a lame step in the 7 years I’ve owned him (14 now). Took me up through regional big eq. Now we’re schooling him towards being my A/O jumper. Loves to work, great personality. Bit of a spook in him but nothing requiring a pro ride. Tries his heart out. Has saved my butt a few times from some ugly situations I’ve gotten us into. Pretty opinionated though.
Both of these horses have lived out 24/7, easy trim, #1 has never had shoes #2 went 4 years without. Easy keepers. Get fat on hay and a vit supplement.
Love the TBs!!
I’m going to take a different tack here. I don’t think that you should shop for an OTTB based on something vague like what lines are “known” for producing X temperament. I also think that what lines are “known” for producing sport horses is pretty inconsistent as well, partly because it just IS inconsistent and partly because pedigrees of successful OTTBs in sport are not formally tracked. Be aware that most TB breeders aren’t taking temperament into account (at all) when breeding, and that many TB colts are gelded later, so IMO an in-person personality check is really helpful.
I feel like I’ve had better luck looking closely at the horse in front of me and especially how it moves (and jumps if I get a chance to set a tiny xrail in a roundpen somewhere) and going with that. A close look at the feet is definitely in order. Look at the quality of the wall and the shape of the foot, particularly the heels. There are plenty of TBs out there with good feet.
If you do want to look up pedigrees, it’s actually very easy to look up individual names from the pedigree and check out race records and stud fees.
What’s funny about this, as I said, is there are always exceptions…Mr. Prospector horses have a reputation for being crooked in the legs, especially in the knees, but Doctor’s Orders posted hers are the most sound.
Greymare is right, go look for yourself. Some of these temperamental horses are so far back now their influence is so slight, unless the horse is very linebred and those genes are expressing themselves strongly.
I will say if you see any horse with Silver Buck close up, my mare of that line is so steady and it was reported many of his get/grandget have good personalities and work ethics. Also Bold Forbes, also in her pedigree, sired a number of good show horses. Cox’s Ridge, Best Turn, and Never Bend is another set of lines that produce gorgeous horses that are talented.
Love, love, love these lines. No Mr.Prospector. Very athletic hunky look! http://canterusa.org/horses/6183/evenanangelcanrun-5-yo-16-3h-dk-bay-sweetheart-w-dapples/
Judge the horse you have in front of you…
But my ears prick up when I see a pedigree with some names in them that I
like for sport horses. Temperament in heritable, movement, be it for dressage or hunters, jumping ability is very heritable, but desire to leave the stick up may be an unknown, as is heart. Soundness, we stay away from some lines but
there are other ingredients in the making of a pedigree…
Dang they love to roll!! The muddier the better!!!
[QUOTE=Mosey_2003;8646840]
Here’s my big fella, after doing what he loved best :lol:
I am not looking for an OTTB…I already have a wonderful one. I just enjoy the subject and would like to know more.
