QH dressage stallions?

[2Horse]

Anyone know of any QH or Appendix stallions that do dressage or have the movement for it?

[camohn]

Though he is a hunter stallion Indian Artifacts
http://www.whatiwork4.com/index.asp
has foals that are generally nice correct movers with a good stride. His foals probably COULD do dressage. For more TB there he has a son Indian Artbeat o/o a TB mare
http://www.americanwarmblood.com/files/roster/pdfs/2008/indian_artbeat.pdf

Not a QH/are Appys but the Wap Spotted lines are lovely movers from stock-horse breed dom.

[Cindy's Warmbloods]

I have never seen a video to judge his movement but have always liked Raleighs Full Moon http://www.moonrocksporthorses.com/gen-info.html

[RodeoQueen]

Several of the HUS horses have talent for Dressage and honestly, probably many of the Reiners as well. I ride an appendix by Artful Investment - this horse does it all. Lots of the "Arts" do. I would think Coats n Tails, Last Detail, Million Dollar Luke - all these crossed over a TB with great gaits would be very nice Dressage horses.

[SilverSpringFarm]

I once saw a son of this guy that made my jaw just about hit the floor. HUGE trot. Big warmblood-like build. Have no idea what the dam was like however.

http://www.equine.com/stallions-at-stud/stallion-ad-760721.html?sr=1

Here's another nice looking QH stallion.

http://www.lynnpalm.com/horses_for_sale/my-rugged-destiny.php

Must be something about buckskins...

[foxhavenfarm]

I have never seen a video to judge his movement but have always liked Raleighs Full Moon http://www.moonrocksporthorses.com/gen-info.html

He looks lovely as do many of his foals.

[2Horse]

All of them are nice, but Raleighs Full Moon seems to be more of the type.
Any other suggestions?

[Beezer]

For the ultimate in QH eye candy, go here: http://www.huntseathorses.com/index.php

You will enjoy quite the sugar high. :yes:

[Coppers mom]

He looks lovely as do many of his foals.

Ick. I see a bunch of funny croups, upright pasterns, and weird heads (though that seems like when he's crossed with Arabs). Some of them come out nice, but none are particularly impressive, IMO.

[RodeoQueen]

Ok, check out this horse:

http://www.achanceforromance.net/

Keep in mind, he's only 2 years old in these pics - so he's a little bum-high. His mom is Ms. Patricia Lark, daughter of Rugged Lark, full sister to My Royal Lark (shown Grand Prix) and Regal Lark. His daddy is the gorgeous, fabulous, gone too soon and much before his time, Luke At Me.

I bred my appendix mare - Wild Again + Sonny Dee Bar (16.1h beautiful, gorgeous huge floating trot) to this guy. I'll post in spring when the kid arrives.
He's gonna be a cool!

[vineyridge]

I've been wondering about this. Dressage conformation and ideal QH conformation are two very, very different things. Even with the admixture of TB, it's hard to see where uphill could very be reliable with a QH.

I know that AQHA is now sponsoring awards at dressage shows, so they must expect that their horses will be able to score at least 60%; but I would think that they have not considered the changes in Ideal QH conformation that would be required for a horse to excel at dressage much past 1st or 2nd level. Do they really want those changes, given all the other things that QH conformation has developed to do.

I know dressage by QHs CAN be done and has been done, but the people and horses that are able to do it are scarce--very scarce.

[TKR]

I think the Quarter Horse is lovely and multi-talented. However, the ones mentioned here for dressage are only really capable because of the Thoroughbred blood incorporated in their pedigree. The stock horse or WP horses are bred to be "slow legged" (not what dressage wants), have gaits that are certainly not "dressage-y" and go with their heads level with or below their withers (again, not preferred for dressage). So, in spite of their many assets and attributes, the true Quarter Horse is just not bred or built for dressage. JMHO!
PennyG

[Beezer]

You really, really, REALLY have to keep in mind that the Quarter Horse comes in many, many, MANY shapes and sizes. :yes: The "ideal" QH really depends on what the person owning it wants to do. For instance, if I want to do cutting, I'm not going to buy a "slow-legged" pleasure horse; if I want to do pleasure driving, I'm not going to buy a barrel horse; and if I want to do halter, well, I'm going to buy ONLY a halter horse. :)

Which means, if I want to do hunters, jumpers, dressage and eventing, then, yes, I am likely to gravitate toward those horses with a bit/some/most TB blood and that look and **move** like a horse that would be successful in those venues. But it's STILL a Quarter Horse, at least on its papers. :yes:

You also have to keep in mind that the horses trained for the Hunter Under Saddle classes are exactly that: Trained to go that way. Train them like a "normal" hunter and they will go that way.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: I'd LOVE to have a barnful of horses sired by anything from the Indian Artifacts, Luke At Me, Rugged Lark and a couple of other lines, but alas, my bank account will simply not allow it. :no: Unfortunately for those of us on the "open" circuit, these horses are simply too valuable, too expensive and can win way, way more money on the QH circuit to make offering them to "outsiders" financially feasible.

Which really sucks for us.

[PhoenixFarm]

I looked at a couple of full moons last year. They uniformly had great brains, lovely trots and canters. . . and they each paced like a gaited horse at the walk.

Now, to be fair their mothers were sisters, I didn't see them, and the pacing may have been a result of questionable training. I actually made an offer on the better one, willing to gamble I could fix the walk, as the rest of the package was so appealing, but I was turned down (I admit I low balled).

I liked the horses but before I bred to him I'd want to see a lot of walk footage of him and his babies, and would use a mare with a great walk.

[Janet]

No idea about current sires, but QH have been doing dressage since way back.

Back in the 60s we had a full QH (Meadow Lark, out of Joan's Yellow Girl, by Rebel) who was a dressage specilist from Sunnyfield Farm, which was one of the centers of US dressage in those days (US team trained there before Gladstone was built, trainers from SRS, they bred both Lipizzaners and QH)

[JB]

Ick. I see a bunch of funny croups, upright pasterns, and weird heads (though that seems like when he's crossed with Arabs). Some of them come out nice, but none are particularly impressive, IMO.
I'd agree that I wouldn't breed him to a mare who could not have a really strong chance at putting a good loin and butt on. There were too many loooonnnggg loins and very short croups. Some, like the one buckskin shown several times over fences and in dressage mode, were really nice.

I've been wondering about this. Dressage conformation and ideal QH conformation are two very, very different things. Even with the admixture of TB, it's hard to see where uphill could very be reliable with a QH.
"ideal QH conformation" for what discipline? It's VERY different based on reining vs cutting vs HUS vs racing vs halter. A horse can be full TB and be a QH due to having enough points. He can be half TB and have Foundation QH and be "QH" due to points, or he can have very little TB and be a QH. He can be a downhill 14.2h cutting World Champ, or a 17.1h uphill HUS world beater. You don't look at the former for a Dressage horse, and while it's not a given the latter is suitable (some of them are too downhill as well) it's more likely. I wouldn't look to them as upper level Dressage horses though - most of them don't have a neck coming high enough out of the shoulder.

I know dressage by QHs CAN be done and has been done, but the people and horses that are able to do it are scarce--very scarce.
But it's not the horse's fault if the people aren't there ;) This is where it gets really tricky - being able to see what a horse IS doing and see the potential for something else. Hard, I know.

Here's a guy who was shown to me as a possible Hunter sire. He seems to be kept pretty quiet, having been marketed to Arab MOs for putting color on half Arabs. His website isn't great. At. All. But he seems to have decent confo and movement for at least lower level Dressage (and face it, any horse can do lower level, some more easily than others). Good luck though trying to find confo-type pictures of adult kids though :(
http://www.precisionhorsetraining.com/zippo_vanilla_bar.htm

[jvanrens]

A horse can be full TB and be a QH due to having enough points.

Umm, no they cannot. A TB is not eligible to show at AQHA shows. There was only one that slipped through the cracks due to and "error" at registration. His owners didn't find out until DNA typing due to breeding that his daddy wasn't who it was supposed to be. Now there are some that are almost full TB by blood, but QH by proving themselves showing (advancing from Appendix papers), that is a whole other story. ;)

[SilverSpringFarm]

What's funny is most of the QH's I've seen that do well in dressage tend to me more of the typical QH type as opposed to the TB type.

Take Honey Bright Dream for example. Virtually zero TB blood. This very foundation-style mare earned a Gold Medal her first season at Grand Prix.

http://www.aqha.com.au/magazine/imgSep/Dressage.jpg

http://www.chronofhorse.com/index.php?cat=100204042587690&ShowArticle_ID=1332805091508779

The Australian Stock Horse Ringwould Jaguar is an Olympic silver medal winner in eventing. He is "technically" an appendix QH - 1/2 TB 1/2 Foundation QH. He has a pretty typical QH-type body.

A cowhorse has to be very strong and agile. Many of the physical requirements of a cowhorse translate well into dressage. The ability for a cowhorse to shift their weight to the hindquarters is HUGE. Cutting horses are some of the most athletic animals I have ever seen. They spend the majority of their time working through their back with their weight completely shifted to their hindquarters.

It seems as though the high % TB blood "spider monkey" QH hunter types just don't have the strength that is needed for the discipline.

[SilverSpringFarm]

All of them are nice, but Raleighs Full Moon seems to be more of the type.
Any other suggestions?

I know this is going to sound snarky but I really don't mean for it to be. Are you looking for a QH stallion that simply "looks" like a dressage horse, or are you looking for a QH stallion that has actually done well at USDF shows?

If it's the latter, My Rugged Destiny really leaves Raleigh in the dust. His sire Rugged Lark also had a very respectable USDF show career, as have several of MRD's siblings. My Royal Lark is a half-brother that was doing extremely well in the dressage ring up until his untimely death in 2005.

In addition, 100% of MRD's foals that were presented to the AWR have gone first premium. RFM may "look" to be more of the part but MRD is by far the most proven when it comes to pedigree & actual show career.

[Dead Lame]

I recently wound up someplace where this guy was stabled, and was shocked to learn he was a QH. I kept looking for a WB brand on his hip until I asked someone about him. He looked way better IRL just standing around than he does posed like a QH. Would be interested to know how he moves at liberty - the walk in the barn area didn't look like a QH walk.

http://www.graphicamotion.com/chocoluapp.html

[Movin Artfully]

I have a 3yo appendix filly by Artful Investment http://www.ddhorses.com/images/ArtfulInvestment.jpg out of a TB mare that is just lovely.

My experience with successful show breeders in QH industry is that even though QH is one big umbrella breed- breeding has become very specialized within lines (17h Luke at Me hunter offspring to 14h Shining Spark reining babies, if you look at halter lines, racing lines, WP they are all generations apart).

If there is money to be made in dressage horses...QH will find a way to breed "more uphill". Many current QH owners are not happy about the downhill trend as it is.

[Beezer]

Here's a guy who was shown to me as a possible Hunter sire. He seems to be kept pretty quiet, having been marketed to Arab MOs for putting color on half Arabs. His website isn't great. At. All. But he seems to have decent confo and movement for at least lower level Dressage (and face it, any horse can do lower level, some more easily than others). Good luck though trying to find confo-type pictures of adult kids though :(
http://www.precisionhorsetraining.com/zippo_vanilla_bar.htm

OMGiH!! That is the sire of my yearling out of my Alla'Czar mare. :D We were actually trying for a ammie-friendly hunter/nice all-around riding horse for my old age (the mare is the last of the WBs we bred and was an orphan), but he decided to hark back to his more dressage-y ancestors and has a VERY dressage-y neck set and front end. I now tell everyone that he'll be my old lady dressage horse. :p And we absolutely ADORE that yearling; he is simply, simply gorgeous, very well behaved and has been super, super easy. ZVB is now at Hi Mountain Gold in Arroyo Grande, CA but the website seems to have disappeared.

[Janet]

Umm, no they cannot. A TB is not eligible to show at AQHA shows.
Not NOW. But in the past.

For instance Three Bars was a registered TB AND a registered QH.

[jvanrens]

Not NOW. But in the past.

For instance Three Bars was a registered TB AND a registered QH.

You might want to check your facts. Three Bars was never registered as a Quarter Horse, and definitely never showed at AQHA shows. He does have a T-number with AQHA, but all TBs that end up in a QH pedigree have a T-number. ;) Yes, way back when AQHA was first starting there were TBs that were dual registered, but that was many moons ago and not really relavent to discussing todays horses.

[littleum]

Not NOW. But in the past.



You might be thinking of Bett Ohio (I think that's who it was)

He was thought to be QH x TB (Appendix) and showed very, very successfully on the AQHA circuit in the early 1990s. When DNA was introduced it was discovered he was in fact not Appendix but 100% TB.

I have some vague memory of AQHA instituting something like "TB Hunter Improvement Sire" rules or something along those lines specifically. I don't remember the fall out or anything like that, I just remember reading in my Journal seeing ads for him and then oh snap, he's a QH... these were the days before teh interwebz so maybe someone who actually was "in" at the time can give the skivvy on it.

[JB]

OMGiH!! That is the sire of my yearling out of my Alla'Czar mare. :D We were actually trying for a ammie-friendly hunter/nice all-around riding horse for my old age (the mare is the last of the WBs we bred and was an orphan), but he decided to hark back to his more dressage-y ancestors and has a VERY dressage-y neck set and front end. I now tell everyone that he'll be my old lady dressage horse. :p And we absolutely ADORE that yearling; he is simply, simply gorgeous, very well behaved and has been super, super easy. ZVB is now at Hi Mountain Gold in Arroyo Grande, CA but the website seems to have disappeared.
Wow, no way! Do you have pics of your yearling?

Yeah, the HMG site is gone :confused: I thought perhaps he moved FROM HMG, as I had to search to find him again.

[PineTreeFarm]

You might want to check your facts. Three Bars was never registered as a Quarter Horse, and definitely never showed at AQHA shows. He does have a T-number with AQHA, but all TBs that end up in a QH pedigree have a T-number. ;) Yes, way back when AQHA was first starting there were TBs that were dual registered, but that was many moons ago and not really relavent to discussing todays horses.

No one is disputing that Three Bars was a TB.
But Three Bars, War Bam and Top Deck ( to name a few ) did sire horse's who figured predominately in producing racing type QH's. So yes, it is relevant to today's full book QH's and appendix horses as the types produced by the introduction of TB blood are the ones that have had success as Hunters Jumpers etc.

I have an elderly QH who is a Three Bars Great Grandson. He is about 60% TB and looks like a TB except for his head. Certainly not typical of the stock horse 'look'.

[didgery]

I once saw a son of this guy that made my jaw just about hit the floor. HUGE trot. Big warmblood-like build. Have no idea what the dam was like however.

http://www.equine.com/stallions-at-stud/stallion-ad-760721.html?sr=1

Here's another nice looking QH stallion.

http://www.lynnpalm.com/horses_for_sale/my-rugged-destiny.php

Must be something about buckskins...

You have good taste.

OP, I'm not a QH breeder but I would definitely look at the reining bred stallions before I'd go for the Westlish HUS sires, with the exception of someone like My Rugged Destiny who has the Rugged Lark reputation for quality behind him. Some working cow horses are downright baroque in type!

[RodeoQueen]

I too, ride an Appendix quarter horse by Artful Investment out of a TB Mill Reef/Buckpasser mare. He's uphill and has big motor, lotta smarts and no dragging, staggered walk. :eek: He's a fab looking guy who can do tons of things and what's funny is he has the BEST western pleasure jog anyone has ever seen:lol: ! But it takes collection, balance and throughness to achieve. From medium trot to lengthenings to jogging....oh yeah, he's the bomb.

I love my Artful Investment boy and love my Dutch baby, too - right along with the western pleasure babies - i feel blessed to see healthy foals no matter what their final discipline may be.

OMG -shsss...please don't anyone go tell'in my Dutch kid he's growin' up runn'in the pastures with a bunch a redneck cowponies, k? He doesn't know that his favorite girl Silva is a o'm'gooness QUARTER HORSE!:lol:

[Ajierene]

Janet never said he showed at AQHA shows. He was standing stud for breeding purposes to short distance race horses (quarter horses) when the Quarter Horse registry was in its infancy (AQHA was created in 1940). He was both registered Jockey Club as well as with the AQHA, along with some other Thoroughbreds mentioned.

http://www.circledhorses.com/three_bars_story.htm

""During those years, the mares that came to Three Bars not only represented good business but the cream of the Quarter Horse crop."

There is a lot of thorougbred blood in the modern quarter horse and there is likely quarter horse blood in some thoroughbreds - especially those out west that were better long distance runners and ended up on the 'thoroughbred' side of the fence when the AQHA was formed.

Personally, if I was looking for a quarter horse with dressage potential, I would look at the Rugged Lark line.

[jvanrens]

Janet never said he showed at AQHA shows. He was standing stud for breeding purposes to short distance race horses (quarter horses) when the Quarter Horse registry was in its infancy (AQHA was created in 1940). He was both registered Jockey Club as well as with the AQHA, along with some other Thoroughbreds mentioned.

http://www.circledhorses.com/three_bars_story.htm

""During those years, the mares that came to Three Bars not only represented good business but the cream of the Quarter Horse crop."

There is a lot of thorougbred blood in the modern quarter horse and there is likely quarter horse blood in some thoroughbreds - especially those out west that were better long distance runners and ended up on the 'thoroughbred' side of the fence when the AQHA was formed.

Personally, if I was looking for a quarter horse with dressage potential, I would look at the Rugged Lark line.

:rolleyes::rolleyes: That's a great story. Now AQHA lists him as this:


THREE BARS (TB) T0065983 CHESTNUT STALLION 01/01/1940
Please note that the (TB) designates thoroughbred, and the T0065983 is his number with AQHA, but the T is infront of all thoroughbreds that are in QH pedgrees. Just like my mare's grandsire who is a TB has the number T0363022. ;)

I never said anything about Three Bars not being influential in the QH breed. FWIW, I've been studying QH pedigrees for over 20 years and am very familiar with his background and some of the lines he was influenced. I was responding to this statement by Janet:

For instance Three Bars was a registered TB AND a registered QH.

No-way, no-whow was Three Bars every registered with AQHA. Anyone who tries to say otherwise is incorrect. Majorly influential yes (http://www.qhd.com/horse/stallion.asp?id=2972), registered AQHA, no.

Oh yeah, and I agree, the Rugged Lark lines are a possible start to look as far as dressage type QHs. If nothing else, the odds are they're going to have a great mind! :yes: Isn't Regal Lark (http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/index.php?query_type=horse&h=REGAL+LARK&g=5&cellpadding=0&small_font=1&l=) showing dressage still? If I have the right name, he's done well for himself in the dressage ring after showing HUS & WH.

[Merle]

I have been eyeing this QH stallion for a while now. He's silver dilute to boot. I can't seem to find any videos of him but the pics of his movement are lovely, as is his build.

http://www.meadowviewfarm.com/images/Guthrie/2009/022209GuthrieRpfl2-300bb.jpg

And a trot pic:
http://www.meadowviewfarm.com/images/Guthrie/2009/070909GuthrieRtrot1-300bb.jpg

http://www.meadowviewfarm.com/Champs-Guthrie.htm

[PineTreeFarm]

Oh yeah, and I agree, the Rugged Lark lines are a possible start to look as far as dressage type QHs. If nothing else, the odds are they're going to have a great mind! :yes: Isn't Regal Lark (http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/index.php?query_type=horse&h=REGAL+LARK&g=5&cellpadding=0&small_font=1&l=) showing dressage still? If I have the right name, he's done well for himself in the dressage ring after showing HUS & WH.

Nope, he's dead.
Glad you're keeping up to date with all things QH
LMAO

[grayarabpony]

I have been eyeing this QH stallion for a while now. He's silver dilute to boot. I can't seem to find any videos of him but the pics of his movement are lovely, as is his build.

http://www.meadowviewfarm.com/images/Guthrie/2009/022209GuthrieRpfl2-300bb.jpg

And a trot pic:
http://www.meadowviewfarm.com/images/Guthrie/2009/070909GuthrieRtrot1-300bb.jpg

http://www.meadowviewfarm.com/Champs-Guthrie.htm

He does look very nice. Too bad there isn't a video available..

If you go to the website there's a picture of the stallion, with a cat that looks he's standing for a conformation shot too. lol

[jvanrens]

Nope, he's dead.
Glad you're keeping up to date with all things QH
LMAO

Yeah, there's only a few million of them to keep track of, sorry if I messed up on the name of one. But if I made you LYAO it's all good. :lol: I notice though that Regal Lark was nominated to the 2009 IF, so there might be some semen available.

The horse I was actually thinking of was The Lark Ascending, who showed Prix St. Georges. But I'd forgotten he's a gelding, so no chance of any breeding to him. :winkgrin: Now feel free to LYAO some more. :lol:

[EqTrainer]

I have a QH who looks like a big sporthorse thing, most people guess Dutch or Danish. He is Impressive bred on the top and the bottom is pretty muttly. He has a 9 trot, a 10 walk and a 8 canter, and I'm not barn blind, I have had this confirmed by two FEI trainers. So they are out there. He has a somewhat difficult mind, which I am told is typical of his breeding, but nothing that most pro's could not deal with. But to be fair to him I have to add that he has a HUGE work ethic, is VERY forward and loves dressage. Just don't think you are going trail riding if he's had some time off :lol:

If I were looking for a QH stallion to breed to produce a dressage horse, tho', I'd look more to Artful Move than Rugged Lark. Rugged Lark was *promoted* heavily as a dressage horse, that is why everyone thinks of him. I am not trying to take anything away from his accomplishments, just saying that if you want the movement, you might want to look elsewhere. Clearly he had the brain and that's a big part of it but the Artful horses have good minds, too. And IMO they are much, much more athletic horses.

There have been some nice stallions noted on this thread.. the Chocolua horse is interesting, I think the mare is a Castle Magic horse, not sure tho'. The meadowview stallion is definately worth another look.

[SilverSpringFarm]

I have been eyeing this QH stallion for a while now. He's silver dilute to boot. I can't seem to find any videos of him but the pics of his movement are lovely, as is his build.


Wow, DUH. How could I not think to mention the sire of my new stud colt?

http://www.silverspringfarm.net/andretti.html

Guthrie has only two foal crops on the ground. First crop hit in 2008. All of the foals are EXTREMELY promising. He really passes on nice short backs which is something I needed for my mares.

He comes from proven cowhorse lines. His sire was legendary for putting athletic horses with good minds on the ground. He passed away just recently.

Check out some of Guthrie's foals. They are all out of a variety of different mares yet he really seems to have stamped them all.

My colt Andretti has without a doubt the most phenomenal personality of any horse I have ever owned. He absolutely LOVES people. It sounds cheesy but he is almost more like a person then a horse. Even the shipper fell in love with him during his trip from Oregon to Iowa.

NOTHING phases this guy. During the 4th of July there were HUGE firework displays going off all around. My farm is at the top of a large hill, so we had a front-row seat to it all.

In one paddock I've got my old broodmare and an arab gelding running around madly from end to end snorting and blowing like a couple of crazed idiots... In the paddock right next to them is this colt, eating grass... Not even looking up. He couldn't have cared less. I have a dozen similar stories and I've had him here for only a few months.

Guthrie has also beat the odds by producing almost 90% silvers to date.

His owner is a fantastic person. Shoot her an email...

[SilverSpringFarm]

If I were looking for a QH stallion to breed to produce a dressage horse, tho', I'd look more to Artful Move than Rugged Lark. Rugged Lark was *promoted* heavily as a dressage horse, that is why everyone thinks of him. I am not trying to take anything away from his accomplishments, just saying that if you want the movement, you might want to look elsewhere. Clearly he had the brain and that's a big part of it but the Artful horses have good minds, too. And IMO they are much, much more athletic horses.

I don't doubt that Artful Move can produce nice horses for USDF shows, I just haven't really seen any. I've seen plenty of excellent hunters by him though.

If Rugged Lark has produced PSG level horses and several others that have been recognized as USDF champions I would argue that his foals appear to be fine in the athleticism for dressage department, at least according to the USDF judges.

If you have examples of Artful Move foals that have competed well at recognized USDF shows I would love to see them. I say that in all earnestness - the results could put him back on the list for one of my mares. I have always thought he was a fantastic stallion but more from a hunter prospective.

[EqTrainer]

I don't doubt that Artful Move can produce nice horses for USDF shows, I just haven't really seen any. I've seen plenty of excellent hunters by him though.

If Rugged Lark has produced PSG level horses and several others that have been recognized as USDF champions I would argue that his foals appear to be fine in the athleticism for dressage department, at least according to the USDF judges.

If you have examples of Artful Move foals that have competed well at recognized USDF shows I would love to see them. I say that in all earnestness - the results could put him back on the list for one of my mares. I have always thought he was a fantastic stallion but more from a hunter prospective.

I don't know of any that have been specifically trained and shown dressage. He's an older stallion of course and I don't think anyone ever really looked at him from the dressage perspective, QH dressage only became "of interest" in the last few years. I saw him in person once and have watched videos of him moving loose (albeit many years ago!) and I was pretty impressed with his range of motion and natural way of going. I think if he had been started as a dressage horse and ridden as a dressage horse he would have been quite interesting, of course now you have to try to look past his career as a hunter, and as a stallion bred to the best hunter type mares. I would LOVE to see what he would produce if bred to a dressage type TB or WB mare. If I had the right mare I would breed to him in a hot minute.

I have also ridden some Artful Move horses, and they were *so* easy to get moving over their backs and reaching under/up. They had a lot of natural impulsion and changing their idea of having really slow moving hind legs to keeping the impulsion while making the hind leg quicker was not hard for them. I have no idea who the mares were on those kids of course, I am guessing TB as they were all pretty big, typey horses.

I think we also have to consider that there was a time when if your horse was a QH or had QH blood in it (Appendix) not a whole lot was said about it :lol: so who knows how many Arty babies are/were out there, doing dressage, and we have no idea that is who they are...

Regarding the athleticism of Rugged Lark horses, you can show *any* horse in dressage and as long as you have trained it well, do fairly well. If you have enough money to promote it, it helps a lot. If you watch videos of him showing, tho' - he looks like a QH doing dressage. I personally feel that a sporthorse type should look like the standard - a sporthorse - not breedy when doing their job. I think you could pick him out as a QH pretty easily. Just for *me*, I don't want that. That is not to say that it is not right for someone else. I guess I am saying that I am not really *impressed* by him as a dressage horse and I *like* QH's, so it's not coming from an anti-QH perspective. I also want to be clear that I am not dissing his accomplishments and think that a lot of those women who want a really rideable horse who is not a big mover should consider that line.

This was a long way to say that while RL has accomplished more that AM in the dressage world - by a long shot! - I think the raw material of AM would have made for a more athletic, sporthorse type dressage horse.

[vineyridge]

I've got a sneaking suspicion that roper bred horses would do quite well in the English disciplines that require sitting.

Is there such a thing in the QH world as roper bred?

[EqTrainer]

Well, my Impressive bred horse was bred to rope. Here's a picture of him at four. He was terrified of cows and the guy who bred him bounced right off his back. So he flunked out of the roping pen, lucky me.

[hunterjumper22]

Indian Artifacts does have a son who is leading in AQHA dressage. Lynn Palm owned him. I have a mare by Inidan Artifacts that would make a lovely dressage horse.

[jvanrens]

Well, my Impressive bred horse was bred to rope. Here's a picture of him at four. He was terrified of cows and the guy who bred him bounced right off his back. So he flunked out of the roping pen, lucky me.

When I see grey, Impressive and roping all together I think Photon bred? Am I close? Very pretty fella. :)

[desilu]

[quote=jvanrens;4278818]When I see grey, Impressive and roping all together I think Photon bred? Am I close? Very pretty fella. :)[/quote

My mare Lily was by Photon and out of Rugged Lark mare. Not a dressage prospect in the slightest but she made a very nice hunter.

[RodeoQueen]

SilverSpring, I have to thank you for posting the link to your stallion. I clicked on it and thought "wow - nice stallion- what an unusual color - looks JUST LIIKE OUR 4 Month quarter horse filly...." So I started investigating and I am pretty sure I have a silver dilute in my barn! We're sending tail hairs for testing to be certain! Without this discussion, I never would have discovered it - just thought she had an odd color. Her sire is homozygous black and her Easy Jet/Jet Deck mom is a sorrel. So thanks for that!

Regarding Artful Move as potential Dressage sire? Absolutely - depending upon the mare, of course. My Artful Investment + TB horse (grandson or Art Sr) is classically trained and there is NO shortness of forward, bend or suppleness. He's very short backed, uphill and honestly, much nicer than many horses on our local GMO. He's not a warmblood obviously so not fair to compare- but still very good mover - not "flat" but very athletic and much more suspension that I need for quarter horse showing. I have friend's who train with a Big Dog Beruiter in Chicago who could NOT believe my Elliot was a quarter horse and drool over his Elvis :).

I don't show right yet as we're still in the throws of training. but since AQHA has now approved USDF shows as avenue for earning points - I will absolutely add USDF to my list.

Depending upon what your mare offers - look at the Arts. There are several nice ones out there including Indian Artifacts, Art I Sweet and Artful Investment. Artful Move is still alive but I don't know his breeding status. He is getting up there in years. Now that my Artful Investment has matured, his body is nearly *identical* to Artful MOve. We say He's an "art-Senior in Grey."

Good luck and thanks for posting a link to your Silver Horse. Our baby filly is named "Silva" as she was literally silver at birth - a most unusual color! She's shed out to a funny black/brown but has silver and black tail that's not changing. How delightful!

laura

[SilverSpringFarm]

I've got a sneaking suspicion that roper bred horses would do quite well in the English disciplines that require sitting.

Is there such a thing in the QH world as roper bred?

Yes, but I think they are better known as the more encompassing "working cowhorse" bred.

[SilverSpringFarm]

SilverSpring, I have to thank you for posting the link to your stallion. I clicked on it and thought "wow - nice stallion- what an unusual color - looks JUST LIIKE OUR 4 Month quarter horse filly...." So I started investigating and I am pretty sure I have a silver dilute in my barn! We're sending tail hairs for testing to be certain! Without this discussion, I never would have discovered it - just thought she had an odd color. Her sire is homozygous black and her Easy Jet/Jet Deck mom is a sorrel. So thanks for that!

Wow, that's pretty much how I found out my APHA mares were silver... Stumbled on to Meadow View Farm's website and thought "Wait a minute... I recognize those traits. That's Bella!" I hope your filly is silver because that is VERY exciting!!!

Silvers have been mis-registered for years. The silver test wasn't developed until 2006 or 2007 so we are just now really starting to discover which breeds and lines carry the gene.

I would love to see some pictures of your filly. I'd also be very interested in knowing her pedigree. To date there are only 2 confirmed silver lines in the AQHA and 1 confirmed (but 1 suspected) silver line in the APHA. If you feel like PM'ing me that would be great!

[SilverSpringFarm]

I have also ridden some Artful Move horses, and they were *so* easy to get moving over their backs and reaching under/up. They had a lot of natural impulsion and changing their idea of having really slow moving hind legs to keeping the impulsion while making the hind leg quicker was not hard for them. I have no idea who the mares were on those kids of course, I am guessing TB as they were all pretty big, typey horses.

That is really good to know. I am definitely going to keep him in mind for my mare Bella. I am always on the look for sporthorse-type stallions that will allow the foal to have APHA papers. They are hard to find because they are rarely marketed as such.

Also I must add, the reason I point to Rugged Lark's offspring and not the stallion himself is because of the fact that Rugged Lark spent a lifetime being conditioned for AQHA point shows. His movement was not developed in the same way that you would develop a horse that is destined to show primarily in a USDF arena. It's really not surprising that he looks like a QH doing dressage because that is the way he was trained to move. I am sure he moved very differently as a young horse.

He does have offspring on the ground that are doing very well in dressage. Not surprisingly, they have completely forgone the AQHA shows. They are the horses that are proving him to be a successful sire of dressage horses. Olympic caliber? No, but suitable for most rider's intents and purposes.