[FineAlready]

The next person to make a nasty and/or ignorant comment to me about Thoroughbreds is going to get one HECK of an earful. I am sick and tired of hearing it, and I'm done ignoring it.

A couple of things:

1. My Thoroughbred is NOT neurotic, and, in my experience, neither are Thoroughbreds generally. In any event, there is absolutely no reason to call him a "typical neurotic Thoroughbred" on the fairly rare occasion that he is fresh or even just slightly alert. I feel particularly strongly about this, especially since he has never even been fresh enough that I could not ride through it without trouble and without resorting to lungeing.

If you want to talk about stereotypes, let's talk about the more than a few warmbloods I know that regularly dump their riders by spooking massively at nothing after getting gradually more and more behind the leg. If you'd like to go tit for tat on crappy Throroughbreds you've known vs. crappy warmbloods I've known, I'm up to the challenge. But you know what? The crappy warmbloods I've known were not crappy because they were warmbloods, just like the crappy Thoroughbreds you've known were not crappy because they were Thoroughbreds.

2. Acting all shocked and gasping aloud when I tell you that my horse is a Thoroughbred and then gushing that he is so nice you thought he was a warmblood actually isn't really a compliment to me. Stop acting like I just told you he is a burro. Likewise, please stop telling me that he is really nice, "especially for a Thoroughbred." He is awesome partly BECAUSE he is a Thoroughbred, not in spite of it.

3. Telling me that I don't know what I'm missing by not owning a warmblood is pretty ignorant. I've been riding for well over 20 years. I've ridden lots of horses. A lot have been warmbloods. I like them just fine. I like some of them a whole lot, actually. I still like my horse better. Believe it or not, there can actually be nice Thoroughbreds AND nice warmbloods. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Same goes for crappy Thoroughbreds and crappy warmbloods - both really DO exist.

4. Nope, I did not "rescue" him. I BOUGHT him, and it just so happens that his owner before me raced him. If I had not purchased him, someone else would have. He's super willing, smart, cute, has a natural lead change, and a cute jump. In the summer, he is kick pony quiet. He sure didn't need me to "rescue" him, and I'm not going to pretend that he did.

5. Next time, I am not even going to try to hold back my laughter when you brag to me about your "warmblood" (i.e., we're not sure exactly what it is, but it's not a TB and that's all that matters). And don't try to convince me to buy one. No thanks. Enough said.

Ugh. I am completely fed up with the nasty remarks about Thoroughbreds. For some people, it seems like these statements are as natural as breathing. And you know - I have nothing against warmbloods at all. Nothing. Which is why, when a warmblood acts like a dingbat jerkface, I don't blame it on the horse's breeding. Horses are horses. Sometimes they act like jerks or idiots. But by golly, any time my horse acts up in the slightest, everyone is so quick to point out that he is a Thoroughbred. YES. He is a six-year-old Thoroughbred, and he is one of the sanest, smartest animals I have ever sat on.

Whew. Sorry about that. This stuff normally does not bug me much, but it's just been happening so frequently lately that I'm really at the end of my rope.

[KBC]

Try riding a 'mad' 'crazy' Arab, because they are all hotter than hot, EVERYONE knows that.







Apart from my Arab, she must of got the wrong program installed

[Rel6]

This bothers me too. When people just casually state "oh, I don't like thoroughbreds."

But you know what? We win in the end. Your awesome TB probably would have been overpriced as a warmblood.

So I say keep your 3'6'' hunter warmblood packer...I'll take Gem Twist and For The Moment.

(FWIW, I have had three horses. Two TBs and a warmblood. They were all amazing and did they job perfectly. It didn't matter what breed they were.)

[Petstorejunkie]

Claps...
Standing ovation.

They just don't know what they're missing. Best revenge to ignorant remarks is beat the pants off them in the show ring

[usedtobeaweffer]

I second the standing ovations.. in fact I'm not sitting down till the credits roll… I too hate these comments I grew up on TB's and LOVED them… they taught me everything I know. I have also had the privilege of having a very nice show barn and riding some amazingly nice WB;s and I still have to say there is nothing like the athleticism of a TB. That being said of course I also like the WB's but my heart is with the TB. People ALWAYS talk crap about TB's and it's freaking stupid… dummm dummmm dummmm… morons…

[kinnip]

Say it loud! Say it proud! I ride TBs and they are awesome!

[jr]

Everyone's comments to you are wrong, insensitive, and bigoted - from the equine perspective.

And your comments on warmbloods are just as wrong.

Seems to me you're just as narrow minded when it comes to wbs as the folks you're ranting about are about tbs.

[Rel6]

Everyone's comments to you are wrong, insensitive, and bigoted - from the equine perspective.

And your comments on warmbloods are just as wrong.

Seems to me you're just as narrow minded when it comes to wbs as the folks you're ranting about are about tbs.

"The crappy warmbloods I've known were not crappy because they were warmbloods, just like the crappy Thoroughbreds you've known were not crappy because they were Thoroughbreds."

"A lot have been warmbloods. I like them just fine. I like some of them a whole lot, actually. I still like my horse better. Believe it or not, there can actually be nice Thoroughbreds AND nice warmbloods. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Same goes for crappy Thoroughbreds and crappy warmbloods - both really DO exist."

...still not seeing a single "wrong" or "narrow minded" comment.

[FineAlready]

Thanks guys - I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets tired of hearing these kinds of things.

Haffy - I'm sure you get a ton of ridiculous comments about your Arab too, which is a pity, because the (admittedly few) Arabs that I have known have been unbelievably smart.

Jr - I realize you don't know me, but if you did, you would realize that I have absolutely NOTHING against warmbloods. I am totally a person who loves horses for what they are, not for whatever breed they are. Seriously. I'm guessing that what you may be reacting to is my comment about people bragging to me about their "warmbloods" (of unknown breeding). I actually have nothing against those horses either - I just dislike the implication (or, in some cases, overt statement) that I would be better off with ANYTHING so long as it is not a Thoroughbred.

[ex-racer owner]

Preach on sister!

I have owned two now and both have been horses that for the most part, I have enjoyed a lot. Yes, they have their moments, but all horses do. In fact, I believe my horses' previous lives as racehorses made them less reactive to stuff going on around them. Heavy machinery being operated right next to the arena as I ride, no problem!

I like all horses, some more than others. I am not really sure why there is such a prejudice against Thoroughbreds, especially from warmblood owners, since many of the WB registries value the "blood" and some WBs have quite a high percentage of TB blood in them . Perhaps those folks that speak against them should research their WB's ancestry....could be very eye-opening for some!

[danceronice]

"The crappy warmbloods I've known were not crappy because they were warmbloods, just like the crappy Thoroughbreds you've known were not crappy because they were Thoroughbreds."

"A lot have been warmbloods. I like them just fine. I like some of them a whole lot, actually. I still like my horse better. Believe it or not, there can actually be nice Thoroughbreds AND nice warmbloods. They don't have to be mutually exclusive. Same goes for crappy Thoroughbreds and crappy warmbloods - both really DO exist."

...still not seeing a single "wrong" or "narrow minded" comment.

Yeah, I'm not getting anything 'wrong' about that unless the operating thesis is there is no such thing as a crappy warmblood (something I don't think any reasonable person would accept as there are crap horses of every breed.)

And apparently the wild n' wacky Arab gene missed the school horses I learned on as a kid, almost of all of whom were Polish Arabs.

[ponymom64]

Rock on soul sister!

[Renn/aissance]

*raises a glass*

[Punkie]

I own one TB and a whole bunch of warmbloods...guess which one I would trust with my life, is the easiest to ride, the most sane, the most steady, and the most forgiving? Let me give you a hint...one of these things is not like all the others

[englishcowgirl]

I show a grade (appendix?) in hunter/jumper, imagine the reactions we get from warmblood and TB owners.

[SquishTheBunny]

I sold a WB and bought a $35,000 TB. yep! Still extremely happy with my purchase 5 years later.

I have had about 10 horses, and I have 2 favourites. One I no longer have, and she was a chestnut Dutch WB mare. We clicked, I loved her. Now, I have thoroughbreds, and one is just a doll - he will be with me until he dies. Im totally not breed biased (and I even fell in love with a 25 year old grey arab that I took on a 4 hour hack!), but I fail to see the differences between WB's and TB's.

Ive ridden speedy WB's and dead quiet TB's...and the opposite. A horse is a horse, and I bet if someone posted a bunch of pictures/videos no one would be able to say the breeding of either (unless they are 100% stereotypical).

[War Admiral]

*toasts the OP*

Meanwhile - you know what our trainers used to tell us Back In The Day: "If you can't ride a TB, you can't really RIDE." That's my default reply to this type of sub-ignorant non-horseperson.

[FineAlready]

I show a grade (appendix?) in hunter/jumper, imagine the reactions we get from warmblood and TB owners.

Really? That's too bad. I love a nice Appendix, actually. I'm surprised a "TB person" would give you guff about any breed, honestly, as most of us have taken a beating on the basis of breed and know that it doesn't feel so great!

[kristinq]

Seems to me you're just as narrow minded when it comes to wbs as the folks you're ranting about are about tbs.

I don't see anything narrow-minded or rude about the OP's post. It's actually one of the best, well written rants we've probably ever had. Calm down.

He is awesome partly BECAUSE he is a Thoroughbred, not in spite of it..

Best sentence EVER! You go, girl!

[TBrescue]

Another TB person here. I would not trade my OTTB for any other breed. He is the most willing and reliable horse I have ever owned. When it's time for me to look for my next horse he will be another TB. I grew up riding TBs and IMO they are the BEST!!