DefinitelyDressage.com

I'm curious what people are riding outside of WB for dressage. My love is Irish Draughts and Sport Horses. I have 1 mare in professional training and hopefully showing in 2016. Then hoping to make her my riding horse. I also have her daughter that is an ISH that I hope to show in dressage.

Until this new guy, a foundation bred Appaloosa. Fell into this warmblood entirely by accident... Would not necessarily have been on my shopping list!

Haflinger! I was always a total warmblood snob and wanted nothing to do with horses under 17hands. Then this totally ridiculous haflinger showed up at the barn. Game over. I'm obsessed and want hundreds more.

I rode a Irish Sport horse for a year back in college and he was a great mover and had a good brain. I think they are a totally underrated breed in dressage. It seems like the Eventers have caught on though.

Well, you know my answer but I'll respond so it looks like there's a statistical leaning towards the breed.

I have a very Irish Draught-y ISH and I am totally sold on the breed. They "fit" me and my temperament as well as being the perfect size and shape for my size and shape. I love that there aren't all that many of them out there and I love their potential for versatility.










Thanks, Epona Farm, for bringing him into this world.

Up until the purchase of my Belgian wb, I have always been a TB or Appendix QH rider starting way back as a teener. Although, Moutaineer, I must say my very first horse was an uncolored Appy. He was a beautiful bay color with a large black spot on the point of his hip and ears like a mule.

I love the TB mind and live in a state where fancy gaits are not necessary to show semi-successfully. I plan on taking my current TB, Rudy, at least to PSG and getting my Silver Medal.

I am really short, and huge horses hold little appeal for me. I currently have a Morgan and a Welsh Cob x TB. Both just over 15hh and fit me perfectly. In the past, I've ridden Morgans, Appaloosas, TBs, and a single WB.

Thoroughbreds

A Quarter Horse

I ride a Friesian/Percheron gelding (17.1h, Second Level, schooling Third, was the provincial Second Level AA Champion in 2014).

And a full Percheron gelding (17.3h, was the provincial First Level AA Reserve Champion in 2014).

And more recently a young Fjord-X (14.1h Fjord-QH) mare, who has won every schooling show I've taken her to so far.

I just backed a WB-x last fall and am now starting to put more regular training on him this winter. He's the first WB I've ridden!

Currently riding an appaloosa, he's a super fun little guy but more of a hunter than a dressage horse. He gets bored when not hopping over things. I had a saddlebred mare who was awesome and have also ridden various quarter horses, paints, thoroughbreds. Everyone can gain something from dressage work.

Have WBs now and one giant ISH. I love love love ISHs or RIDs. have loved appendix QHs, Morgans...not a breed snob at all. The only thing is that being giant Olive Oyl type, I just look ridiculous on anything less that 17hh. Don't want to go through my riding life looking like an adult version of 'sadly outgrown!' so I go for big ones. But what ever the breed is is fine with me.

I've got a Friesian TB cross and an Andy WB cross.

Why don't people have WB for dressage?
For me it was price, and I liked friesians and andies, but couldn't afford purebreds.

I ride a Friesian gelding (mine), pick up a couple rides a week on a sport Friesian mare, and ride a Percheron mare a couple times a month.
The draft and light draft temperament is a good for me right now.
My favorite book lately is Janet Foy, Dressage for the not so perfect horse!
Also love asking, "does this horse make my b..tt look small?!"

Our 4 are all non-warmblood :
1. 3/4 TB 1/4 Clydesdale, sensitive, responsive, spooky.
2. Andalusian/TB cross, cheeky, somewhat spooky, competing NZ level 2 (US level 1 I think).
3. Irish sport horse (3/4 RID, 1/4 TB), big 16.3hh, lovely loose movement, somewhat tricky personality.
4. 3/4 TB 1/8 Irish 1/8 unknown, super, balanced movement, was competing NZ level 2, but currently recovering from toxaemic laminitis (long story).

I've got an Appaloosa x Belgian wb. Love love love the spotted ones! We do dressage and jumping.

Ib had an Irish draught, loved her. Then I got an ASB draught x, totally fabulous young horse. When I lost them, and was very cash poor, I found a lippi x standardbred. She turned out quite well, so I acquired her half sister, also Lippi x standardbred. Both were accidental breedings. I like them and think I was lucky to get there so inexpensively.

I have seven rescued horses, who were in dire need, some have turned out to be good lesson horses for me, and others are retired, for soundness or mental unsuitability reasons.

Don't kill me, but isn's an ISH basically the irish eqivalent of a "regular" WB? And I do not mean in the "cold blooded draft plus hot blooded TB equals WB" way.

The aim of the breed is a crossbreeding to get a athletic, brave, sane, sound sport horse. That's what all WB breeding programs are about...

My boy is a NZ TB, not bred to race.

I am currently riding a mustang, a National Show Horse, and a Lusitano, along with sundry program and lesson horses.

My mare is a grade draft cross--former PMU foal.

Kathy J - you win! LOL!!

I got interested in dressage with my TB who was the most safe sane horse I've ever owned. My QH was loving the discipline until I could no longer keep him sound with navicular. Now riding a Connemara pony who had prior dressage background but not the correct kind. So it has been a long journey retraining him but he is the one who I am really learning on. I think fit wise his smaller size is more suitable for me too. My instructor said he is a not an easy ride but I would really learn from him. So far it is true.

(IMO you learn from each horse/partner - it is all about the journey.)

My first horse was a QH. He is 27 this year and is still going strong for my mother. He is a wonderful horse with lovely gaits and was the perfect horse for me at the time. He taught me that most riding/training issues stem from mistakes you're making as a rider, and that with diligence you can correct them. I showed him up to first level with scores up to 68%, and he could have gone higher quite easily but I didn't have a trainer and had never ridden anything but training level and I couldn't do it on my own. I have an undying love for the underdogs, and had to convince myself to look for a warmblood when I bought Bliss. Now that I have him, I couldn't be happier as everything is so easy for him and dressage is what I have always wanted to do, but there is a good chance that my next horse will be a draft cross of some sort.

OP, I have always admired Irish Drafts for their sound builds, athleticism and temperaments! And no Amitybee, an RID is not the same as a TB x Percheron cross

I currently have a Lusitano x Trakehner mare who is easy on my body and hands. Sometimes I've been asked if this cross is "stupid hot." Well, she is very hot, but she is also very smart and sensible! We are schooling 2nd and 3rd and pending health hope to become competent through 4th.

Rocky is half Arabian and half quarter horse. She is built like her QH dam.
I also just got a half Arabian half Oldenburg mare, Emma. She needs some weight and her hooves had gotten far out of balance (elongated hoof capsule). Kind of hard to tell what she'll look like but she has long legs and a sweet temperament.

Yes, Kathy J. you most DEFINITELY win! Lol!

...and this will come as no surprise, I ride a fun and fabulous American Saddlebred who quickly caught-on to his second career in dressage and is confirmed to 4th. I'm having fun playing catch-up! and learning this dressage stuff too. Love him to bits.

cb06, He is elegant.

piedmontfields wrote:And no Amitybee, an RID is not the same as a TB x Percheron cross

I understood Amitybee to mean that she was specifically not referencing these "warmbloods" with her question.

capstone wrote:

piedmontfields wrote:And no Amitybee, an is not the same as a TB x Percheron cross

I understood Amitybee to mean that she was specifically not referencing these "warmbloods" with her question.

Capstone is right, what I meant is, that to me, an ISH and as far as I can tell the Irish Draught as well are "real" WB breeds much like the more popular german WB registries. Not F1 crosses but a selective crossing to get a certain type of (sport) horse.

Kathy, I bet no one crowds you in the warm up ring!

Lusitanos.

AmityBee wrote:

capstone wrote:

piedmontfields wrote:And no Amitybee, an is not the same as a TB x Percheron cross

I understood Amitybee to mean that she was specifically not referencing these "warmbloods" with her question.

Capstone is right, what I meant is, that to me, an ISH and as far as I can tell the Irish Draught as well are "real" WB breeds much like the more popular german WB registries. Not F1 crosses but a selective crossing to get a certain type of (sport) horse.

Sorry to misunderstand you A-B! I think the Irish Draught enthusiasts should answer, but my rough history sense is that their breeding development/history is different and that is why we categorize them differently from European warmbloods. I mean, these are horses built for hunting! I hope others chime in.

I don't really know anything about the Irish Draught. But for example the Alt Oldenburg, also a heavy horse bred for carriage driving, is still considered a WB.

But, I just looked up different definitions of WB again and the german definition is a bit different from the english/american one. So, there you go...

I ride an Arab.

Oh, right. I ride a Welsh Cob btw.

I ride a welsh cob too!

All the horses that caught my eye in the 16 - 17hh height bracket either sold before I could get to see them or were too expensive so I thought I might get a better horse for my money in the 15 - 16hh bracket. People tend to prefer bigger horses for dressage.

Welshies make me laugh in a way that proper horses just don't. I think it is all the extra hair and personality they fit into a small package and I think it's a good thing as dressage can be quite serious sometimes. I actually think they are quite eye catching and athletic although finding a good canter is harder.

I am still on the fence about whether my next horse should be another welshie or if I should save more and get a WB. If I was 4 inches shorter there would be no contest but as I need something over 15hh I have a smaller pool from which to try and find something that catches my eye.

Morgans, Arabians, and an arab/QH cross,

AmityBee, Epona Farm is more knowledgeable than I am, but I believe you are essentially correct. ISH's *are* warmbloods. They just have a different conformation and temperament than the other European warmbloods. So perhaps the title of this thread is semantically not quite right, the spirit certainly is there. Perhaps it should have read, "Besides European WBs- what do you ride?"

My first horse was a once in a lifetime QH and there's still nothing that quite grabs my eye like a good old fashioned Quarter Horse. Although I won't kick a minimally coloured Appy or Paint out of the barn either (not a big fan of splashy colours myself). Something about the temperament and the overall structure of that type of horse just speaks to me.

Realistically though, I don't buy a horse based on breed or colour, I usually acquire the throwaways that no one else wants to bother with. The range currently spans about 10 different breeds, 14h to well over 17h, and no consistency whatsoever in colour or type. But I loff them all

Welsh Cobs, section Cs and Ds.............fortunately I AM vertically challenged so I can ride just about all of them with my preference being 14.2 ish. Looking more and more assured that Annwylid Dare to Dream, a section D colt from my former stallion (now owned by my daughter who just earned her bronze on him) and beloved section C mare is going to finish right at around 14.1 - Hooray!

I downsized from my first horse, a 16 h Perch/Appy cross, to an easy-keeper 14.1 Fjord who is on a perpetual diet. Absolutely love the sweet temperament -- and the drafty neck! But my trainer is worried that we might not be able to build a calm and rideable canter w/out breaking him down as he is very short-legged in front and spent his formative years pulling a cart. Will spend the winter going slowly w/ bareback rides w/t and long-lining sessions to develop the canter. Any advice or suggestions welcome.

scruffy the cat wrote:AmityBee, Epona Farm is more knowledgeable than I am, but I believe you are essentially correct. ISH's *are* warmbloods. They just have a different conformation and temperament than the other European warmbloods. So perhaps the title of this thread is semantically not quite right, the spirit certainly is there. Perhaps it should have read, "Besides European WBs- what do you ride?"

Usually that depends with whom you are talking to The vast majority of European WB breeders would not classify Irish as WB. There is another crowd that will define a WB as anything with a mix of hot and cold blood. I am used to thinking of WB as a term for the European registries. IDSH seem to fall in their own "class", WB is usually reserved for European registries (and many Ireland breeders would be very insulted if you lumped in Irish) and then there is Draft x which most Irish breeders don't feel is correct for IDSH.

For this I was looking for what non-traditional breeds/crosses people were enjoying in dressage. I've found if you ask UL dressage riders/trainers what/where too look for a dressage horse, the WB (Hanoverian, KWPN, OLD etc.) will top the list with maybe a PRE or Fresian included. With our breeding program, I've never had an UL dressage rider visit - most are eventers or amateurs looking for a versatile, all arounder. I am happy to see more people riding Irish in dressage.

I love seeing the variety people have. My niece rode a standardbred and while the canter was an effort to train, he made a great dressage horse.

First horse, my heart horse, safe and sane gelding - Half Arab/pinto who is 29 and retired.

New horse, 6 yr old- mare-solid bay Andalusian, just at the point of getting to know each other. She's a doll..

My daughter has her QH and I have three Canadiens as well. My very first horse was a Paint mare and I know, someday, I will have another.

I ride a 13.3 hh Fell pony mare. I bought her to do a bit of everything with, and she has hoped admirably with that. I had given up on the idea of dressage but tried to intro competitions this year and much to my astonishment came second both times in reasonably sized classes against more traditional dressage types. I hope to go further with her although her main discipline will be trec.

My main struggle has been with her canter, trec has helped and we now have a respectable canter in large arenas, working on suppleness and straightness to repeat it in a smaller dressage arena.

Precious pony. Please keep the pictures coming.

I have a NSH! As some of you may recall from UDBB I got him sort of by accident, but I'm having a ton of fun with him. After injuries kept us out of the show ring for almost the whole summer we did manage to make it to the last show of the season, which just happened to be running concurrently with the regional championships. My friend caught this picture of him spooking and launching into canter rather ahead of C. He still managed to pull off a 63% from Axel Steiner in a soupy mess of a ring, so I was thrilled. What a good boy (even with the spooking). So here's the picture (and also a great example of tension lol):
(And cb06 I think your SB is absolutely gorgeous!!!)

Draft crosses! I love the smaller size and chunky bodies.

Lusitanos and a freisian/welch cross.

I just fell in love with the mind and trainability of the Iberians; the freisian SH was bought as a trail horse but is turning into quite a nice dressage horse. He will be on the market this winter, as I really want a trail horse (which I now have, one of the lusos).

I love a good TB, ride mostly WBs homebreds, have rising Lusitano X that I am excited about, she is rising 2, gorgeous, sweet and smart. Helping out with TB/perch X. Lovely mover sweet mare but HUGE.

I ride my daughters little 14.3H QH just to keep him in shape, but when I do, he has to go on the bit! And man, it's EASY for him. He's a compact, sensitive little guy and quite fun! Only problem is, he STALLS out majorly at some point in the ride. Yes, he's out of shape, but I also think it's in his QH little mind that when he's done, he's done. I have to push him a little beyond that so he knows HE doesn't decide when to quit, and he's usually pretty good at complying. THEN we quit. He's also the type of horse that completely adjusts to the rider--when I get on him, it's FORWARD, and ON THE BIT. When my daughter gets on, it's more of a relaxed hunter trot. When little kids or inexperienced adults get on him for pony rides, he's all babysitter! He's a great little horse!

SHIRE Cross mare. VERY nice gaits, good size for me (16hh), very pretty when she's clean (a white gray ), and a very pleasant change from the OMG the shadow in the corner is going to kill me Trakehner gelding!