[ASBnTX]

I would love to hear from people experienced with Saddlebreds I'm 9 months into owning my first ASB (always had QH's in the past) and I'd like to know if my horse is typical of the breed.
He's very curious, forward, alert, friendly, people loving, exhuberant, smart. He can be spooky and looks to me for reassurance, but he's never out of control. I've learned that a snort is often just his way of pointing something out to me. I used to think that was the "warning" before he lost it, but snorting is just talking for him He's going on 4 years old, so I expect some of the goofiness will go way with time and learning. His gaits are lovely and very smooth. I plan on enjoying LL dressage with him, and just an all around nice trail and pleasure horse. I love him to pieces
So do I have a typical ASB?
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...7/Knight-2.jpg
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t...knightcute.jpg

[drmgncolor]

Sounds to me like you have a typical ASB. I have had my ASB mare for 12 years. While I haven't ridden much this year due to health issues on mine and her part, we are jumpers... well at least we aspire to be.

She's stubborn on top of every thing you said your guy is and is definitely a snorty girl too, which my non-ASB-educated friends raise an eyebrow at. Usually she snorts and then walks right up to something to check it out. She never snorts and then spooks. Why would she warn me, that would be too easy. She's usually a stable trail mount, although she can be a bit strong and has often been the lead horse when others won't do it... like a creek crossing or trail blazing.

I love your horse... very cute!

[Deuce]

Sounds pretty typical. They are VERY curious and alert. I don't like the term spooky to describe the awareness they have of their surroundings (and most are) as I've never seen many truly spooky saddlebreds. Insteady they're, well, looky. They'll look at said scary object, flip up their tails, perhaps do a little bouncy jig... and eventually wind up wandering up to it. Most that I've been around, and that has been a hell of a lot, are actually pretty fearless.

BUT... people who don't know them well will see the whites around their eyes, see their tails up, hear their snorts and think they're very skittish!

They're VERY smart and you may find that you're going to do a little more than just a little Dressage with him. He'll learn so fast and start to get bored... so you'll have to keep moving on up with him to keep him entertained!

He's cute! Best of luck with him!

[Lieslot]

I can't comment on ASB's, but your boy sure is beautiful!!!

[SmartAlex]

Mine talks in snorts. Even on really cold or windy days, he can hold it together, but if I stop to sort us out, he will whistle and snort as he is standing there.

They aren't very spooky or shy. Some are a bit timid when they are young and unexposed tot he world but once you have their confidence, they get brave fast.

[bludejavu]

I think I might qualify - I own 21 Saddlebreds at the present (too many LOL) and have been riding and showing Saddlebreds since I was 11. Until recently, my husband and I raised some Saddlebred babies too, but the economy put us out of the breeding business. It sounds like you have a good understanding of the general Saddlebred personality and since your horse is only 4 years old, it's understandable that he finds things a little scary here and there. Just keep developing his trust and respect for you and eventually he should find things less and less scary. You'll discover there are quite of few of us here on COTH who own Saddlebreds and the fact that they are extremely versatile is less of a secret than it used to be - that's a good thing! I've ridden mainly saddle seat, some western pleasure, and a few years of showing several of mine in hunter pleasure. I've also driven some of mine as well. We do parades with our Saddlebreds and I used to love to trail ride, although I haven't taken the time to do any trail riding this year - I need to tho.

I have a few friends who compete in dressage with their Saddlebreds and although I don't ride dressage, I love to watch a dressage trained Saddlebred. Incidentally you can't help but love a pretty and well put together pinto Saddlebred. We have a bunch of pinto ASB's and I can promise you - you will be noticed where ever you go. I like the kind eye your gelding has - he looks like a sweet boy.

[PocketChange]

He's was practically given to me when he was 2. It was a green owner green horse combo and boy has it been a blast. We event though dressage is not his strong suit he can jump and seems to really enjoy it. It has not been an easy road for either one of us we are so much alike we drive each other a little crazy. He loves to trail ride where he will proceed to spook at every rock, piece of paper or change in footing color but will follow snakes, deer and turtles and any other animal that looks to be interesting. He never seems to give me more than I can handle. I would not trade him for all the money in world on most days but sometimes, like last Tuesday, I would pay someone to take him.(not really) My guy is a character and always keeps me on my toes smarter than he ought to be in my opinion.

[Sithly]

Lovely horse. His markings are very appealing. I wouldn't worry much about the spookiness at that age. Develop a method to work through it. Oftentimes the horses that start out a little spooky end up being nicer rides after some work. I think it's because they get lots of practice spooking, then working through the spooks and behaving anyway. They get used to the concept of, "Behave even when you're scared." Whereas a horse that rarely spooks doesn't get as much of an opportunity to practice obeying under pressure.

I can't say enough good things about ASBs!

My horse is only half ASB, but I think he definitely favors that side (the rest is Morgan and Arabian). He acts pretty much the way you described your horse, minus the spookiness. Mine's not particularly spooky. Once at a parade, we were crossing a bridge when a train came up suddenly and passed beneath us, going about 40 mph! We were perched up on the highest point of the bridge and he could see the train coming at him -- it was noisy as heck, the whole bridge was vibrating, but all he did was cock an ear and keep on walking.

He's very curious, in a gentle sort of way. VERY people-oriented. When he's fit and well-fed and ridden daily, he's fairly well forward, but if (like now) he's fat and out of shape, he's a little on the lazy side. On rare occaisions, he will remember his heritage and give a half-hearted snort or jig. But not often.

He's a great horse. Easy keeper, great feet (like iron; he's never actually needed shoes), friendly and people-oriented. Anyone with half a clue can ride him. He does everything: western, dressage, jumping, cross country, driving, trail, chasing cows, parades, bridleless exhibitions, camping trips in several states. And he does it all with a little bit of ASB flair.

He has been the perfect first horse. Couldn't ask for better. Even though sometimes I wish he was a little more athletic or a little fancier mover, he has been exactly what I needed. If I was horse-shopping again, I wouldn't hesitate to get another ASB cross.

[ASBnTX]

Thank you all for the nice comments about my boy! I think he's adorable
Deuce ~ I agree with the term "looky" rather than "spooky". He will eye-ball everything as we walk through the barn, and notices everything going on within within eye sight, but rarely will actually spook. If he does spook, I usually get his feet moving for me by asking him to sidepass or go backwards, and that usually gets his mind back on track. I'm excited to see how he will mature. He is VERY smart, and you're right I do have to keep teaching new things or else he gets bored and invents his own games.
PocketChange ~ We're fairly green + green too..I'm an adult re-rider now, but find that it's like riding at bike We're having a great time too! It's been interesting at times though, but enjoying every minute. Plus he's been suprisingly easy-going and forgiving when I do mess up.
I love to hear about the versatility of Saddlebreds! I think they make beautiful and very athletic sporthorses!! I'm glad to see the word is getting out and hope to see more of them out there in the future! Here in Texas they seem pretty rare.

[MistyBlue]

sddlbrdgrl....what a handsome new horse!

Bludejavu...went to peek at your site to see photos of some ASBs since you mentioned you used to breed them...and I have to say: HOLY Parade Saddle Collection Batman! Whoa...that's one heckuva collection! May I ask...what does one of those silver laden saddles weigh? I was showing the pictures to my husband who's sitting right near me and he said, "Wow, cool. What does a saddle like that weigh?" I had absolutely no answer for him. There are some seriously ornate saddles there, I can't even imagine the hours it takes to make those.

[RedMare01]

Lovely boy you have.

I also have an ASB mare that I do dressage with, and I completely agree with the above descriptions. They are about the smartest horses you will find. And loyal, too. I have owned my mare (or been owned by her) for 10 years this December.

Caitlin

[bludejavu]

LOL MistyBlue - I had to stand on the sidelines and watch the parade horses in silver tack as a kid - the palominos in silver were my favorite. I swore if I ever had the chance or the money, I would buy one. Well - 30+ years later, I bought one, then another, then another, and I was hopelessly addicted. I actually have two more that I need to put on the site. We've sold two of the lesser ornate ones because space to store all of them was getting out of hand. The saddles normally don't weigh as much as they look like - they weigh anywhere from 60 to 75#, depending on how much/what type silver is on them. The rest of the accompanying tack weighs about another 50 to 60 pounds so the most you could expect from a top notch ornate set is about 140 lbs. Because the weight is evenly distributed from the head to the tail with half of the tack, it really doesn't weigh a horse down much at all. We don't do parades in really hot weather normally so the horses really don't even seem to notice anything different than regular tack, once they get accustomed to the "clinking" the parade tack can make.

ETA - sorry sdlbrdgrl - hope I'm not hijacking your thread here.

[ASBnTX]

WOW 140 lb saddle!? They are impressive!!

SmartAlex ~ How do you get to be a member of "My Saddlebred can do anything your horse can do" clique?

[Bearhunter]

Saddlebreds are just wonderful. Smart, athletic, not spooky (as already said), game, and obviously versatile. I have owned many ASBs (performance) and now have only two retirees (both were World Champions - one is 26.) I switched to h/j but would love to have one as a jumper one day!

[SmartAlex]

SmartAlex ~ How do you get to be a member of "My Saddlebred can do anything your horse can do" clique?

I didn't invent the theory, there are many many of us out there but I think I'm the first one to put a name to it. You can be O'ffishul member #2

[ASBnTX]

I didn't invent the theory, there are many many of us out there

Dare we make this a thread of it's own......

[drmgncolor]

I didn't invent the theory, there are many many of us out there but I think I'm the first one to put a name to it. You can be O'ffishul member #2

Oh oh me too! Can I be number 3?

[ASBnTX]

3! Yay!! I think this needs to be a thread of it's own to see how many of us are lurking out there...

[MistyBlue]

When I was a young teen there was a single Saddlebred in the barn where I rode. (huge barn) The only other place I got to see ASBs was at some of the nearby bigger shows back then...some of them had multi-disciplines going on in different rings so when we weren't showing in one ring we'd be ringside at another watching things we didn;'t get to see often. Saddleseat was one of them...we really got a kick out of the gaits but more over the hooting and hollering on the sidelines. I loved seeing the riding outfits, so different than britches and jackets. Anyone from CT remember the old Children's Services shows at Farmington Polo Grounds? Those were great for having mutli-disciplines.
Made me think back then that ASBs were *only* gaited and *only* for saddleseat though. Until the one ASB mare at our barn shocked the heck out of me when she got sick of waiting for me to come open the field gate to let her in for dinner. She was standing there watching me as I started walking over...head way up and what I call "backwards ears." Apparently I walked too slow...she popped over the gate and trotted past me down the aisle to her stall. That gate was taller than my head...over 5'. She popped it from almost a standstill. I remember running to my coach the next day telling her, "Is Amber for sale? I WANT that horse!"
I still remember that day as if it happened yesterday, she was one cool mare. Can ASB lines be looked up from that far in the past? I remember her name on her stall was Amber's Lucky Glow.

[drmgncolor]

. Can ASB lines be looked up from that far in the past? I remember her name on her stall was Amber's Lucky Glow.

Someone who is a member of ASHA can look that information up online. I am no longer a member...

A