What breed would you suggest?

Jessey

Jessey

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Dec 20, 2004
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I have been thinking a lot about what my next horse might be, so I thought for fun I would ask what you all would suggest based on my 'want' list :)

My preference tends to be hot bloods, arab's hold my heart but as I get older I'm less inclined to deal with silliness and I'm short and stocky so prefer something short and stocky :p I have a soft spot for QH's and welshies too :)

I am 5'4" and vary 12-13st, working on getting back to the lighter end of that!
I am not interested in anything heavy, but do want a leg in each corner
I want something known for being tough and reliable but athletic and can go the distance
I prefer around the 15hh mark so I can still mount from the ground when necessary
I like something feisty, intelligent and with personality, but not stupid for the sake of it

Please share your breed (or cross) idea and a pic of the sort you are thinking of :)
 
Haflinger X Arab would fit the description. Here in Austria they are registered breed and I have met quite a few. Lovely horses, although some are known to be very strong willed. Might be hard to find one where you live, though.
 
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Criollo - tough as boots, fantastic for endurance, nice and stocky whilst still being athletic (allegedly anyway). I really fancied one when I was looking and went to a place in Leicestershire to ride one, I wasn’t disappointed. Only things that worried me we’re a) their price (but this is a fantasy thread right?) and b) they were all rescued off the meat boat that exported them from Argentina to Italy. I didn’t think the good ones would be sent for meat, but there’s always exceptions I suppose.

Google Arrayan Numa - the only stallion in the UK, specially imported in 2007. He played polo so was obviously very athletic. He used to belong to Laura from Chamfron Stud, I think she used to post on here (or maybe it was TOL) years ago. Sadly her husband passed away a few years ago and the horse has gone to a new home. I was in touch with her when I was looking and would have been interested in one of their part breds but they only had babies and I wanted a ready made horse.

Love the breed though!
 
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Well I doubt you would go for a Haffy but if you can get a good one they can do everything you would want, I think there are a fair few used for endurance.
Maybe not as fiesty as you would like but certainly clever and ‘intrresting’ at times!
 
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Connie :D I have a thing for Appies, Arabs and QH's, but think my next one might be a Connie. Our Connie girl whilst being a little bit thick, is very biddable and has such a calmness about her, yet she's quick off the leg, picks up things under saddle really quickly and is much saner than my Appy x Criollo girl who is nearly twice her age.

Bodshi said:
Criollo - tough as boots, fantastic for endurance, nice and stocky whilst still being athletic (allegedly anyway). I really fancied one when I was looking and went to a place in Leicestershire to ride one, I wasn’t disappointed. Only things that worried me we’re a) their price (but this is a fantasy thread right?) and b) they were all rescued off the meat boat that exported them from Argentina to Italy. I didn’t think the good ones would be sent for meat, but there’s always exceptions I suppose.

Google Arrayan Numa - the only stallion in the UK, specially imported in 2007. He played polo so was obviously very athletic. He used to belong to Laura from Chamfron Stud, I think she used to post on here (or maybe it was TOL) years ago. Sadly her husband passed away a few years ago and the horse has gone to a new home. I was in touch with her when I was looking and would have been interested in one of their part breds but they only had babies and I wanted a ready made horse.

Love the breed though!
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My girl is a Criollo x Appy :D she is really athletic, can 'turn on a dime' and is a good dooer, she's slightly unpredictable in the fact that she's easy to deal with, but in some ways she's not, but she's been the perfect horse for me. The only issue I have with her is her feet.
 
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I used to have a hafie x cob, TBH Hafies tend to be a bit on the heavy side for what I like, and not as hot :)

Criollo's haven't escaped my attention. This isn't a fantasy list as such, I am looking for inspiration for when I start seriously looking, Jess is 16 this spring and ideally I want a weanling for my next so it is about time that I am thinking about it :)

I don't think I would be happy on <14.2 to have a connie, It would limit my ability to carry extra gear to have a pony only just big enough for me. And I'm sorry to say appys are pretty much out, I have never met one I liked particularly **ducks the flying tomatoes** :D
 
Shall I give you my current top 5, to give you more idea;
Arab (Crabbet)
1.png
QH (poss X arab)
2.jpg
BLM Mustang (though that requires my friend in the US to buy and keep it for a year before shipping it over) Boy was this a nice little horse to ride :D
3.jpg
Iberian
4.jpg
Welsh D
5.jpg
Mule
6.jpg

OK so that turned into 6 :p Morgan might make the list too :D
 
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Jessey said:
I don't think I would be happy on <14.2 to have a connie, It would limit my ability to carry extra gear to have a pony only just big enough for me.
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My Connie is a full up 14.2, in a 5ft9 rug and in a cob/full size bridle, same as my 14.3 Welsh x Arab, was and same near enough to my 15hh Appy x Criollo (She's in a 6ft rug). My mum and I are 5ft4/5 and about your weight, so I wouldn't rule them out as being small ponies. :) I've seen Connies up to 15hh as well, and they are pretty cheap and plentiful over here.
 
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I have been thinking too and would choose a Connie or Connie type which is what Maisie was. She was highly intelligent too. And I loved her so much I never bought a horse of my own.
But when i was looking, I looked into buying a quarter horse here and decided against it. In USA I wouldnt hesitate but in the UK no. Partly it was the lack of widely available Western tack and saddlers used to working with Western saddles.
It was also the inflated cost of Quarter horses here and lack of choice as well as the German breeding and early riding of Quarter horses which may well limit their life span.
I mention this because I may need to look at this again - Some elderly people may find it safer and easier to ride Western than European.
 
Skib said:
I have been thinking too and would choose a Connie or Connie type which is what Maisie was. She was highly intelligent too. And I loved her so much I never bought a horse of my own.
But when i was looking, I looked into buying a quarter horse here and decided against it. In USA I wouldnt hesitate but in the UK no. Partly it was the lack of widely available Western tack and saddlers used to working with Western saddles.
It was also the inflated cost of Quarter horses here and lack of choice as well as the German breeding and early riding of Quarter horses which may well limit their life span.
I mention this because I may need to look at this again - Some elderly people may find it safer and easier to ride Western than European.
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You don't have to ride a QH in western tack and there are more than a few good fitters now and they are used to travelling further a field. There are lots of QH's available here now, there was far less choice 20 years ago. I chose a part bred specifically because I wanted to avoid the line breeding issues that were about more 15 years ago, but those happen in the states too. As you prefer a narrower horse they are probably best avoided though, they are generally very wide unless you go for the more pleasure lines.
 
OwnedbyChanter said:
I would of says Connie or Connie x to get the extra height. The welshie are don’t have the height but again s nice x might to it.
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D's have the height, there's no upper height limit on them. Connies are up to 14.2 as I understand so would have to be a x. Looking through pictures, connies are just a bit plain for my liking I think, they just don't grab me, and I'm a bit put off by the hoof wall separation disease they get, If I'm going to save like crazy to buy another, it might as well be :eek:
ETA, I know I am generalizing about breeds, but you have to start somewhere when you are looking at ads.
 
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If you are planing to do lots of distance riding make sure if you go for a D that the trot isn't too bouncy, our D had the worst trot over distances, looked flashy on the ground but it gets a bit wearing after a few miles, plus I always found you had to rise for an extra beat to get the timing right,lol.
 
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