Irish sport horses
- Thread starter Lexi 123
- Start date
I have heard lots of good things about them! I've never ridden one but I do know someone who owns one. She is a much better rider than me lol
Nothing as posh as a sports horse but I have ridden several Irish horses over the years. Irish shire crosses I think. Including my previous and current share. My grandfather's best horse (his breeding stallion) was bought in Ireland and I am prejudiced in favour of Irish horses. I am not yet wildly in love with this IS mare, as I was with the Connie i rode for years. The Irish mares have more strength and muscle to them, just bigger animals. Not so zippy and sprightly. But very comfy to ride and quite law abiding.
Why do you post and ask? Are you scared of her?
Why do you post and ask? Are you scared of her?
All the ISH I have ridden have tended to be very capable and biddable, generally nice beasties 
I prefer the crosses heavier on the hot blood than the cold but it's each to their own
I prefer the crosses heavier on the hot blood than the cold but it's each to their own 
Before IsH was a registered breed I owned a tb x Id which I believe is now an ish. He was a lovely boy that I owned for over ten years and loved his very bones.
A breed I would buy again
A breed I would buy again
TB x ID was the traditional ISH, although it could be only 1/8ID, but now it covers a much wider range of crosses which often includes warmbloods. This is to a degree that in Ireland the IDxTB and ConnemaraxTB is now called a Traditioonal Irish Sports Horse to differentiate between them and the warmblood crosses.
My experience of IDxTBs is that they usually combine the best traits of both breeds, though that said I'd go for a good RID every time and work around their tendency to think they know best - at least if you get them into a mess they have the power, brain and athleticism to get you out of it again - simply because I love the honesty and generosity of the breed. The cross keeps that to a degree, but it isn't the same. The cross is an easier ride though as it almost never has the power of the purebred, and it can be easier to train as the mindset is more flexible yet there isn't the reactivity that's often associated with a pure TB and the build is tougher.
All the ConniexTBs I've known have been cracking little horses - tough, fun, sane.
My experience of IDxTBs is that they usually combine the best traits of both breeds, though that said I'd go for a good RID every time and work around their tendency to think they know best - at least if you get them into a mess they have the power, brain and athleticism to get you out of it again - simply because I love the honesty and generosity of the breed. The cross keeps that to a degree, but it isn't the same. The cross is an easier ride though as it almost never has the power of the purebred, and it can be easier to train as the mindset is more flexible yet there isn't the reactivity that's often associated with a pure TB and the build is tougher.
All the ConniexTBs I've known have been cracking little horses - tough, fun, sane.
Almost accidentally I find I myself owning one, and ID x TB and I have to say he is proving to be one of the best horse's I have ever owned. I dont think he is a typical sport horse though, most of his genes seem to be from his ID father. I have had a few full ID's and think them one of the best breeds in the world, but then I would as I am also from Ireland welcome to the forum
welcome to the forum newrider.com