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Lowest Maintenance And Trustworthy Breed/Type?

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  • #21
    Whatever horse I don't have!!
    RIP Mydan Mydandy+
    RIP Barichello

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    • Original Poster
      #22
      Originally posted by Puddin Pie View Post
      Whatever horse I don't have!!
      It's a small world -- unless you gotta walk home.

      Comment

      • #23
        Foundation Appaloosas!!

        Well, all of the ones I have known at least went barefoot, had legs of steel, stayed at a good weight on just hay (but not IR, cresty etc), they tend to live a very long time (we have two at my boarding barn that are 35+!)

        And they come in "average" size, 15 to 16 hands.

        First horse was an unbreakable Appy, had a string of TBs that had "issues", decided I wanted to go back to appaloosas, and got an appy x tb. She is LOW maintenance, barefoot, lives off hay and 1 lb of ration balancer (despite being 16.2 1/2!), has incredible endurance, and so far at least (she is rising 8) has been super sound.
        APPSOLUTE CHOCKLATE - Photo by Kathy Colman

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        • #24
          Originally posted by BEARCAT View Post
          (The mules I've known have actually been tricky to properly saddle fit.)
          This is very true, although it does depend exactly what discipline you're looking to do.

          My mule is relatively easy to fit to a dressage saddle...he just needs something on the "hoopy" side, which is becoming easier and easier to find.

          Close contact saddles are a little more of a challenge.

          His leaser had to buy him a custom mule saddle in order to do her western events.

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          • #25
            One of my best friends has a Fjord mare. She is the cutest horse I've ever seen. Riding out with her is hilarious, because she's like the Pied Piper...people just swarm to get a closer look. She has this enormous forelock and the traditional stand-up mane with the stripe. She walks out like crazy, leaving me to really scoot to stay up with her on the trails. Such an easy keeper that she unfortunately has to wear a grazing muzzle to keep her from exploding! If I weren't 5'9" I'd definitely consider adding one to my herd. At 14.1hh she's a bit too small for me, but I love her.

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            • #26
              A Breyer horse. Or a Carousel Horse. Anything "real" is just trying to figure out how to get itself injured or killed until it succeeds.
              The only thing the government needs to solve all of its problems is a Council of Common Sense.

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              • #27
                I'd also suggest the Arabian - I've owned several, all Polish and Polish/Egyptian crosses. Love them.

                My old Polish mare is 28 this year and only recently had to be started on a bit of soaked senior food in addition to her handful or so of sweet feed a day. Her half-sister, a Polish/Egyptian cross (great-granddaughter of Sakr) stays fat and sassy on virtually nothing (she's 22). Sweet pocket ponies that are smart, trustworthy, great feet, and fairly easy to find saddles for.

                My old instructor had one that she used for lessons; that mare KNEW how much and how little the rider up knew, and acted accordingly. Green beans were treated as carefully as if they were made of glass.

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                • #28
                  Every Appendix I've ever known meets all of the OP's criteria. I'm really a TB person, myself, but I do love a nice Appendix.

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                  • #29
                    Originally posted by Dramapony_misty View Post
                    A Breyer horse. Or a Carousel Horse. Anything "real" is just trying to figure out how to get itself injured or killed until it succeeds.
                    that was my first thought! and I'm surprised it took till the second page! lol
                    Different Times Equestrian Ventures at Hidden Spring Ranch
                    www.DifferentTimesEquestrianVentures.com

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                    • #30
                      The Fjord I know definitely fits your criteria, and he seems fine carrying a bigger rider. I think some people might be surprised by how much those little guys can handle!

                      Other than that, 100% a ranch-bred stock horse. My friend just donated hers (Paint x TB) to a therapy riding place and he's an absolute saint - adjusts to whoever's on him, eats whatever's in front of him, willing to do whatever you can think to ask of him. Absolutely one of the best brains I've ever seen, sensitive enough to be a fun little eventer but completely steady with a beginner on the trail. I can't say enough good things about that horse!

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                      • Original Poster
                        #31
                        Great ideas and stories!

                        I'm a thinker and a planner, I love hearing about others' experiences
                        It's a small world -- unless you gotta walk home.

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                        • #32
                          Another vote for a Morgan (old style- easier to find in the West).

                          Amazing character- smart, sensitive, yet reasonable. Love bugs.

                          Good overall health, great bone structure, tough feet.

                          Easy keepers- maintain well with average work (often have to be muzzled, if idle or very light work).

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                          • Original Poster
                            #33
                            I really like the thought of an old fashioned Morgan, too

                            Not really huge on anything needed to be muzzled. My setup's not entirely averse to becoming a drylot though, so could work out.
                            It's a small world -- unless you gotta walk home.

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                            • #34
                              Irish Draught or ID sport horse.

                              No they are not all huge.

                              Brave and sensible. hardy. live on hay or grass. go anywhere
                              I wasn't always a Smurf
                              Penmerryl's Sophie RIDSH
                              "I ain't as good as I once was but I'm as good once as I ever was"
                              The ignore list is my friend. It takes 2 to argue.

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                              • #35
                                Arabian/ half Arabian

                                Generally:
                                Good feet-many stay barefoot even in dressage and jumping work, legs, smart, easy keepers (mostly) saddle fitting is usually easy, and long lived.

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                                • #36
                                  IME and IMO: old style Morgan. We have a 35 year old one sitting in the pasture that my husband has had for 34 years now.

                                  QH conformation is largely crap any more and I avoid them if possible.
                                  TB's can be hard keepers.
                                  Our TWH died and I worry about some of their hind-end conformation.
                                  Our Arabian is thin and needs to wear a blanket for most of the year.

                                  The smartest, strongest, toughest horse we've ever had is a Belgian/Welsh cross but I don't think that should really be done on purpose! (We didn't!)
                                  “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” Stephen R. Covey

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                                  • #37
                                    Originally posted by Mosey_2003 View Post
                                    I really like the thought of an old fashioned Morgan, too

                                    Not really huge on anything needed to be muzzled. My setup's not entirely averse to becoming a drylot though, so could work out.
                                    Eh, I think that there is not a horse that is easy keeping, low-maintenance, just doing casual trail rides that ALSO can be on pasture 24/7. It just doesn't mesh up, so you may need to plan for that dry lot.

                                    My QH can be out on grass for full days, unmuzzled, if he is in full work (~1hr of dressage work, cantering, etc.). If he is NOT in work (just doing casual weekend trail rides) he either needs to be out for only half days, or out with a muzzle, otherwise he blows up.

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                                    • #38
                                      I'll echo all the stock-type horses. Mustangs as well. I've certainly known some nutty and poorly conformed quarter horses, paints and grade horses, but the ones bred for ranch work are made to go all day, then sit around while other work is being done, then go all day next time they're asked. They also are supposed to conserve energy - no wasted energy on spooking and overreacting to things. They also are made to survive and function well across the range.

                                      Same thing with mustangs, if you think about it - they are built to be hardy, which turns out to mean just general good conformation most of the time.

                                      I've definitely known horses of all types who fit the description, too. Many Arabians, and my mom's Friesian cross is another who fits the description - super hardy, easy and low maintenance. We joke she and the cockroaches will be the last survivors on earth.
                                      If Kim Kardashian wants to set up a gofundme to purchase the Wu Tang album from Martin Shkreli, guess what people you DON'T HAVE TO DONATE.
                                      -meupatdoes

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                                      • #39
                                        Old style Morgan +1
                                        Also, as an example of not basing a decision on breed stereotypes, I have a Sec D welsh cob who is easy in every way, athletic enough, and completely predictable and quiet under saddle. Super feet, easy keeper, and really nice to be around.
                                        My other Sec D mare checks the easy keeper, well mannered, athletic, and good feet boxes, but is pretty hot and silly and not something I'd recommend temperament wise as a general all arounder!

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                                        • #40
                                          Originally posted by Trakehner View Post
                                          Mules
                                          Absolutely!! My choice would be an Appaloosa mule: Double up on both the stubborn and soundness factors.

                                          FWIW, over a 36 year period, I've owned four Appies. The current one is coming 11. The other three lived to be, respectively, 25, 28 and 24 (the dam of that one lived to be 38). The first two were amazingly sound their entire lives, the third had a couple of accidents, but nothing attributable to the way he was built (e.g., slipped and fell on washrack and fracture his splint near - but thankfully, below - the hock.)

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