Hardy Breeds?

[Tiligsmom]

Are some breeds hardier than others? I've heard different opinions, but wanted to hear from the Chronofhorse BBers!

[Sassenach]

Connemaras hands down.

My ponies literally came off the mountain Ireland (3 yearling fillies barely halter-broken, 2 weeks later marched on a plane without blinking an eye - smarts and temperament plus). Don't eat much (mine literally get fat off air and are confined to diet pastures majority of the year). Big tough feet, good solid bone. Don't need to be rugged in the winter. (Our ponies in Ireland live out 24/7 in ALL kinds of weather - it'll be lashing rain and that's when they decide to be frisky. Worst of the weather you see them huddle up together.

Te ones we brought to America went from 60 degree Ireland to a 100 degree heatwave in August :eek: Handled it very well all things considering.

Connemara's a place unlike any other and its shaped its ponies. Mountains and bogs, very harsh and they needed to be tough and smart to survive.

Also have to give a shoutout to the Colonial Spanish Horses :yes:

[Dazednconfused]

Mustangs, arabians, most pony breeds.

[Daventry]

After breeding Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds for nearly 15 years and then dipping into the Welsh Ponies, their sheer hardiness amazes me sometimes. We also work with a lot of other ponies breeds, Connemaras included and I will say that most of the pony breeds are pretty stoic. We've worked with a few Friesians over the years and they are also a hardy breed!

[erinwillow]

Oh, this one is easy--Connemara Ponies--without a doubt! Without a spook, twitch or tick they handle ALL kinds of weather, terrain, and do it all with the best of dispositions. My father raised Paints and those guys were always "in need " of some thing or another. . Connemaras? Be happy just to eat whatever's around and be hugged!

Here's a tidy little article that might shed some light :winkgrin:
http://www.irelandofthewelcomes.com/articles/article.asp?id=349

[okggo]

Irish Draughts!

[Sassenach]

Irish Draughts!

:yes: Yep!

[Daydream Believer]

Colonial Spanish horses of the specific and mixed strains. I know of no tougher breed...nearly all are descended from generations of survivors...smart, sound and stoic....yet beautiful and athletic...America's Best Kept Secret. Several strain names would be Spanish Mustangs, Marsh Tackies, Sulphur, Bookcliffs, Bankers and many of mixed strain like most of mine. These are the Spanish horses that are the direct descendants of the Conquistadors horses and those brought over during the Spanish Colonial period. Probably the most common name for them is Spanish Mustang but it's not a very accurate name so we use Colonial Spanish horse more these days.

[Sakura]

We've worked with a few Friesians over the years and they are also a hardy breed!

That's interesting... I was talking with a Friesian breeder a few weeks ago and she called Friesians "hot house flowers"... maybe certain lines are hardier than others.

[quietann]

Morgans (says the Morgan fiend). Tough, easy keepers, many do all their work barefoot, vets visit for routine stuff only. And they tend to live a long time.

(mine is at http://annsrats.com/horses/feronia/stand2.jpg -- I just bought her.)

This would be a reason that some folks like TB/Morgan crosses; one gets the elegance of the TB and the hardiness of the Morgan, hopefully.

Another tip: ask someone who's been working in a barn for years what makes a good tough horse. What I keep hearing over and over is that big WBs are *not* the ticket. There are of course exceptions!

[FriesianX]

I think most pony breeds and smaller breed horses are hardier. And I think smaller breeds are hardier because they are CLOSER to their wild counterparts. You don't see big horses in the wild. Also, I think the more we breed for halter or other "domesticated" purposes, the less hardy the horse becomes. Probably partly because we inbreed (excuse me, LINE breed) to obtain certain traits. And that kind of breeding does result in weakening other aspects of the horse. So an old style Arabian might be quite hardy, but a highly bred halter horse becomes high maintenance. The same with Morgans, or any other breed!

Warmbloods definately don't fit the definition of hardy. Nor do Friesians (although they may be EASY KEEPERS). Nor do Drafts. Or Thorougbreds. If you want hardy, go with a Mustang or a Pony. But, if you want a competitive dressage horse or jumper, you may need to give up hardy in exchange for other traits.

My trainer keeps talking about how STURDY my stallion is, that he should last forever. He is the product of two non-hardy breeds though (Warmblood and Friesian)! So maybe there is something to say for "hybrid vigor"? Or, maybe reality is, there are ALWAYS exceptions :winkgrin: For example, you can find high maintenance mustangs and you can find hardy Warmbloods. There is no "all or none" rules in life...

[vandenbrink]

The Canadian Horse or "Cheval Canadien" as they are often called. They are from French stock brought in when Canada was settled and had to be tough to survive.

They are medium build, hardy, easy keepers, great feet and legs, and they are a fantastic allround family horse.

[denny]

At 4:13 am, as I finished the 2004 Tevis Cup, after getting on at 4:45 the previous day, I was plenty glad I was sitting on an Arabian!!!
23 hours of rocks, cliffs, blazing sun, pitch darkness, deep canyons, steep climbs, endless downhill trotting, that takes tough, and virtually all of the Tevis horses are full or part Arab.

[Team O'Brien]

Haflingers come to mind

[Sakura]

Morgans (says the Morgan fiend). Tough, easy keepers, many do all their work barefoot, vets visit for routine stuff only. And they tend to live a long time.

(mine is at http://annsrats.com/horses/feronia/stand2.jpg -- I just bought her.)

This would be a reason that some folks like TB/Morgan crosses; one gets the elegance of the TB and the hardiness of the Morgan, hopefully.

Another tip: ask someone who's been working in a barn for years what makes a good tough horse. What I keep hearing over and over is that big WBs are *not* the ticket. There are of course exceptions!

OMG... She is sooooooo CUTE! I used to have a daughter of Elm Hill Charter Oak... she was a little tank, would go anywhere even if we had to forge our own trail :D... she could jump like nobody's business and was a really cute mover too.

[WBLover]

Ya know, I would have thought Friesians with all that hair and those big hard feet would be very hardy in cold, harsh weather, but my Friesian cross is a wimp!

When it's raining and muddy, he won't budge from his high spot because he refuses to get his legs all muddy. Then, when it starts snowing and is 32 degrees, he's huddled up in his run-in like it's the north pole. I've even got a heavyweight turnout blanket on him.

Then, when the ground freezes and all those ruts are hard as a rock, he's "tip toeing" across the ground like he's going to break a leg.

He's definitely got a strong sense of self-preservation though, I'd be very surprised if he ever injured himself in turnout, he's just waaayyyy tooooo careful to do that!

[Appsolute]

I have owned a lot of OTTBs.. not exactly hardy :no:

BUT.. I have owned two horses that were as tough as nails.

My Appy.. mostly foundation bred.. little guy, 15 hands, could trail ride all day, went prelim level eventing barefoot, and left the event world, for the children's hunter ring at age 17. NEVER lame in the 10 years I owned him.

And yes.. connemaras! We had a connemara pony that was SUPER hardy. We purchased her in foal (baby grew to 16.3!) and was also a good sound horse.

[3boysandafilly]

I am surprised that there haven't been more votes for haflingers. I have always found them practically indestructable!

[ponyjumper4]

Quarter horses are pretty hardy.

[europa]

Norwegian Fjords

About the only thing that thrived in Anchorage

[vtdobes]

Morgans (says the Morgan fiend). Tough, easy keepers, many do all their work barefoot, vets visit for routine stuff only. And they tend to live a long time.

(mine is at http://annsrats.com/horses/feronia/stand2.jpg -- I just bought her.)

Ah..so you're the "Ann" I've read about on the yahoo Morgan list! Someone there was talking about you & your new mare :)

[pintopiaffe]

I vote for hybrid vigor. ;)

Connies, Morgans and Colonial Spanish are all what I would think of when I think of 'hardy' and easy keepers. Good ranchbred QH & APHA as well. Definitely Arab. And agree completely that when you start breeding any of the above for certain traits, you will begin to loose hardiness.

But just as with dogs, when you start to cross breeds you can correct many of the genetic issues in the purebred, and often the offspring of two (different) purebreds is better than either of the purebreds.

I'm not saying to crossbreed willynilly. It's as much art as science.

I'm introducing Colonial Spanish blood into my program for all of the reasons stated above. I use Arab, APHA, Trakehner and now CS and Iberian. Very specific goals, but soundness and sanity are at the top. Since I want my horses to be affordable--they must stay sound without much extra help. Barefoot is a plus (they all are so far) too, long term spending wise.

[goodmorning]

Morgans, hands down! Not only in the body, but very sound of mind ;) Well, for the most part :lol:

[Dune]

After breeding Warmbloods and Thoroughbreds for nearly 15 years and then dipping into the Welsh Ponies, their sheer hardiness amazes me sometimes. We also work with a lot of other ponies breeds, Connemaras included and I will say that most of the pony breeds are pretty stoic. We've worked with a few Friesians over the years and they are also a hardy breed!


The Welsh are great, along with the Connies and the Mustangs that were mentioned. Have personally owned all of those. The Friesians, though, I have to heartily disagree...NO way I would ever own one. They are pretty to look at but high maintenance and all sorts of "weird" problems.:no: Too much inbreeding would be my guess.

[goodpony]

My vote is for the Connemaras they have been fabulous to keep, breed, train and show---not to mention they are just plain fun with enourmous heart and character.

[sisu27]

I second Welsh...had a Welsh Hackney cross who was nails! Hackney seems to lend some refinement (he looked like a little horse proportionally speaking)? He was SO pretty and could jump the moon. Amazing feet, easy keeper, bold and brave as anything. I love them all but he really was my favorite.

Would love to have a Connie/thbd cross someday.

[Leena]

Another vote for the Canadian horse (Le cheval canadien). Very hardy, easy keeper, almost never sick, hard worker,,etc etc..

[horsetales]

Another vote for the Irish Draught, great hard feet and are complete air ferns