In your opinion, who is the greatest horse?

Question

For me, I have 3 all time favorites, Red Rum for his ability and courage, Seattle Slew for his true beauty and Zippo Pine Bar because he was such a kind old gentleman and he stamped that on his foals. Spent many a long night working foal watch and playing peek a boo with him :-)
Which horses do you admire and what qualities draw them to you?

This is going to be so tough because you have all given great answers and there is such a wide variety of horses mentioned from Man O War to Morgans to QH's to peoples own horses. Wow, brilliant answers!

Answer 1

Exceller...he was a great racehorse...but never got the recognition that he deserved!

EXCELLER

# In 1978 he defeated Seattle Slew and Affirmed in the Jockey Club Gold Cup
# In 1978 he won 7 stakes races including the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Hollywood Gold Cup and Sunset Handicap
# In 1997 he was nominiated to Racing's Hall of Fame
# In 1997 he died in a slaughterhouse........

http://www.excellerfund.org/

Answer 2

My horse coz she's such a fighter for all that she's been through. Poor thing was hit on the head before we got her (old injury) and has a lump on her head where the bone has fractured and not knitted properly, has cruddy teeth, and was in poor condition. Now she is getting fatter by the day, and her ribs are almost invisible!!! Love her!! She is still really kind and placid though now she is kind of bossy, but I still love her to pieces!!

I also love Makybe Diva the only horse to ever win the Melbourne cup 3 times in a row!!! For her courage and will.

And my third favourite, is Ethereal winner of the Melbourne cup in 2001 with the lucky number 13, and ever since I have picked the winner of the Cup. But that is not only why I love these horses they are gorgeous and are willing to please.

My fourth favourite is Tornac, the grey warhorse ridden by Murtagh in the book Eragon (yeah I know his not real, but I still like it)

But my ABSOLUTE favourite breeds of horse are Friesians, Warlanders, and Percherons, because they are the brave ones who carried the knights into battle with great effort, strength and will. These are the ones who carried an enormous weight and still were the loyal servants of humans, despite the expectations of them. These are truly beautiful horses

Answer 3

The greatest horses are my own!

Sonny Boy's 'Stormy' Knight H : Is and has been completely bombproof since he was 2. He is now 9 and, though highly trained, is still the best (and laziest) horse I've ever had!
Larson's Diamond Addidas (aka Addie) : Very cooperative and easygoing for a 11 yr old mare. She doesn't mind when me or even strangers handle the foals. A verry smooth ride too!
Sonny Boy's Peanut 'Buster' : Mischievous, but calm. He'll be a great riding horse once he gets trained.
Sonny Boy's 'Sandy' Candy : She has the same laid-back attitude that Stormy does, plus she'll follow you around lie a puppy if you let her.

All are blue-papered Misourri Foxtrotters, and wouldn't trade them for the world's best champions!

Answer 4

There have been so many great horses in so many disciplines and I have been fortunate to have witnessed some great performances by so many of them and the great privilege to have worked around a few as well. There is no wrong answer here or even best answer for that matter . For me the greatest horse that ever was is the one who touched my heart the most deeply. When he was alive I couldn't imagine life without him and now that he is gone he is still in my thoughts every day even after 6 years. He gave me his heart, his trust, his courage and nothing is quite the same without him. I love you Clarinet King.

Answer 5

I would say Ruffian. She was a great racehorse and her great career came to an untimley end. If anyone has ever read the story of Ruffian you would know what im talking about.

Either her or Barbaro, whose great racehorse career also came to an early and unfortunate end. I could say so much about Barbaro but i dont think i could handle it.

I think my horse Legend Has It is a great horse too, but who wouldnt thinkn there horse is great? He was a rescue and has been swaybacked since the age of 10 due to starvation and still loves a good gallop at 23, i have too hold him back.

there are tons of great horses in the world Bretina, Rodrigo De Balobet, Le Samuri and tons of others more than i could think of.

Answer 6

As far as beauty and talent, I would pick Docs Keepin Time, the Quarter Horse movie star from "Black Beauty" and "The Black Stallion". I think there's nothing more perfectly beautiful than a magnificent black horse.

For fame and skill, I would pick Secretariat.

For fun and companionship, I choose Beauty, my little ragamuffin paint mare that died a few years back. She was a scruffy-looking grade roan/pinto mix with some Arabian in her....I bought her from a family who knew nothing about horses and couldn't touch her...gentled her in two long days of following her around the pasture, and rode her the next day after that. She watched for me at the gate each day, and was strangely affectionate, for a horse. She fell in a ravine and I found her several days later....I had no idea that surefooted little horse could slip and fall and die in something like that, or I never would have pastured her there! I miss her and will probably never find another horse of her caliber...she had heart.

Nice question, Lisa.

Answer 7

Par Three - (Zan Par Bar's sire) I have three colts from a daughter of his and they are all awesome all around type horses.
Beloved Belinda - Champion gray Saddlebred mare owned by Joan Robinson Hill. Was elegance in motion.
My first pony - He was my first friend, played any stupid game I thought up, and was better than a diary for telling secrets to. I had him 20 years to the day when he passed away. That has been 15 years ago and I still miss him.

Answer 8

Wow...depends on discipline....

Racing - I'd have to go with Secretariat, my all-time favorite. He was just an amazing athlete and such a freak of nature...and gorgeous to boot.

Jumpers - Hmm...I really liked Eros, Ann Kursinki's TB. Also, Idle Dice was amazing. Oh, and Stroller...a pony with amazing talent. Too many jumpers to list.

Dressage - Keen was an amazing animal, and a TB to boot!

QH - My Royal Lark(a Rugged Lark son). He was gorgeous and talented just like his sire. Sadly, he died a couple years ago.

Answer 9

What a tough question...

Some of my favorites in TB are Winning Colors & Cigar. I was a kid when she won the Derby, she's just always left an impression on me...
I was fortunate enough to see Cigar gallop a few times in NY. He easily could have been dismissed as a racehorse with his disappointing starts in his career. He fell into the right hands & turned out to be one of the best. I sure would have loved to see his babies........:(
QH- I love the Poco Bueno line...lots of smarts.

Answer 10

I think the most admirable horse in the history of horse showing is CH Wing Commander. He was a world grand champion 5 gaited Saddlebred. Every time he stepped into the arena, he really got the crowd moving and was the star of the show. He held several championship titles at the World's Grand Championship Horse Show at Freedom Hall in Louisville, KY. Wing Commander unanimously took titles all over the nation only getting one 2nd place in his whole career. His get and then their get posses the true Saddlebred qualities including long, graceful necks and high stepping motion. Saddlebreds of his bloodline has extremely beautiful poise which make them truly "the peacock of the show ring".