Best breed of horse?

Question

I love horses, and have been riding for almost 5 years. All the people at my barn have brought in these gorgeous horses to lease, and i need some advice. What breed do you think is best for dressage AND possibly jumping? Pretty much an all around riding horse? I know it depends on the personality too, but some breeds do better than others. Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

Well personally I think Arabs, TBs, and Warmbloods make good horses for any english discipline they all have their draw backs and positives though. Arabs can face alot of prejudice against the breed and against smaller horses in general personally I like them but they do tend to need an aggressive rider. If you don't mind the prejudice they tend to have large expressive gaits and lots of impulsion for such a small breed and can jump alot higher than you'd think one thing about Arabs is while the saddle will fit you may have to have cob size for anything that goes on their head. TBs are still a commonly ridden horse in the english disciplines. They don't tend to be as hardy as Arabs or warmbloods but if you can train one you could buy one off the track really cheaply and they don't face the prejudice some breeds do. They have the reputation for being "flighty" but in reality most TBs just don't get enough exercise and its really just hyperactivity. An OTTB is actually going to be pretty spook proof once he's not wired anymore because they've seen almost everything at racetracks. The one true to reality thing about TBs is they aren't easy keepers they tend to have bad feet and thin skin. Warmbloods are of course the current it horse of the english riding world. The are meant to combine the athleticism and intelligence of the hotbloods with the docility and hardiness of the coldbloods. Warmbloods tend to have large expressive gates simply by being huge. They don't tend to be as hyperactive as TBs (but you can argue is that the chicken or the egg is a TB a good racehorse because he's hyper or is he hyper because they have them on 20% racehorse feed) however they can be notoriously stubborn and prohibitively expensive. I wouldn't recommend QHs as a rule they tend to be bred for ranch work and western disciplines and their movement doesn't tend to be as forward as english disciplines like to see. Draft breeds don't tend to do well for your needs because jumping is hard on them plus trying to find english tack lol. Morgans are popular not having worked with them I can't give any pros and cons. Baroque breeds (Lippizaner, Lusitano, Andalusian) have seen a resurgence lately for dressage but because of their build they have a hard time with extensions and their rarity and price generally rule them out for the average person. Paints and appaloosa's certainly stand out and I've seen some wonderful examples competing both jumping and dressage. They weren't exceptionally good but they weren't bad either. It just depends really.

Answer 2

If you are wishing to be successful in a competitive Dressage arena, but you'd still like to Jump - I would definitely suggest a Warmblood or a Warmblood cross. A lot of the American breeds (Thoroughbred, Paint, AQHA, etc.) do not always have the knee action, suspension and impulsion to succeed past maybe First Level. But you also said an "All around riding horse," so I'm not sure exactly what you need or what you're really looking for. Warmbloods can be expensive - but sometimes you can get a Warmblood x Tbred that has a more Hunter-type movement (and wouldn't be restricted to just doing the Jumpers) but also the ability to get to 3rd level because of the Warmblood background. I guess it really just depends how seriously you're wanting to compete/school in Dressage. I wouldn't personally recommend an Arabian or a Standardbred for jumping - but to each his own. I've seen some that can do it.. for the most part though, I haven't been impressed.

Answer 3

Hhahaha. I've had a Hanoverian, a Thoroughbred, and an Arabian and I've shown in the jumpers, hunters, and dressage. My personal suggestion is a Hanoverian x UNLESS you are a very experienced rider. I had a 15.3 hand Polish Arab doing modified jumpers (4'6"+) when he was younger. He was quick, agile, SMART, and scopey...BUT he was extremely 'spirited'. For an all around horse, your best bet would be a han/thoroughbred cross. Excellent choice for someone looking to do hunters and dressage, etc...also potential to move into jumpers. This combination is awesome and the horses typically tend to be not too hot. That's the only problem with arabs. They take a stronger and CONFIDENT rider to take them to the top for the most part. Good luck with your search! Hope you find the perfect one for you :)

Answer 4

well if your doing dressage and jumping id suggest a warmblood or thoroubred breed but also a quarter horse. they are basically great all around horses. look around at the horses they brought to your barn. ask the other peoples opinion. get to kno the horses and watch them when they are being worked. "test ride" a few before you decide. just to get a basic idea of what your dealing with. once you find the right one you'll just kno it. no matter what breed it is.

Answer 5

I like Friesians. This breeds usually does well in Dressage and jumping.

This was the breed of horse that Zorro used, the reason it was picked is because the breed is good at jumping.

Answer 6

I had a Morab mare who was very talented and could handle anything I asked her to do. She was small at 15.2, but flew over 5' by 5' oxers and was a flashy dressage horse; a gorgeous liver chestnut. Great action and brains from the Arab side, and sturdy bone from the Morgan side.

Answer 7

For dressage and jumping I would say a Thoroughbred or an Arabian.

Answer 8

For dressage and jumping I would say a Thoroughbred or an Arabian.

Answer 9

All horse are great ! It depends, for western it could almost be any horse, for racing Thoroughbred, for show Tennessee Walking horse.

Answer 10

I'm kind of biased, but I would say go with a Standardbred. They have the best temperaments and are eager to please. They have been re trained to jump, do dressage, do western pleasure and are great with kids. I raced them for many years and the breed is great.