What is the best breed for pleasure/trail riding, and why?
I know this greatly depends on the horse itself, but certain breeds do much better on trail rides than others. Do you have any experiences with these breeds?
Horse, or Pony breeds
Any impolite or disrespectful answers will be reported. Thank you!
Actually there's no BEST breed for trail riding! It just depends upon the training and temperment of the individual horse.
I ridden, AQHA, APHA, Arabs, Morgans, Saddlebreds, TWHs, you name it, I've probably taken them down the trail.
I've have Arabs that have been a delight to walk down the trail and QHs who have been GREAT and some that have be absolute pigs. I had a TB who could hack with the best of them so much so, that most thought he be a running QH.
So if you have a specific breed in intellect, then when looking at horses to buy, try them out for temperment FIRST.
Why do you say 'any rude or disrespectful answers will be reported?" Have you gotten these? If so, ask yourself why. The reason is probably that you ask a extremely open, general question, afterwards make a statement without prefacing your experience level. People will answer you through their own rose-colored specs - they'll apply to you a persona that is likely inaccurate base upon their experience.
For example, a person asking a question like this, predictable doesn't know much about horses, nor most of the major foundations of popular breeds. In a previous post, you inquired just about finding a mustang or a rescue horse. I'll tell you, and you may think it's rude to enlighten you something you don't like, but I'll tell ya anyways - a person minus experience in horses should not adopt a mustang nor a rescue horse unless they've got free access to someone to help them through and coach adjectives interactions with the horse. If you haven't experience, you should be looking to find a very well started horse that will not require training but can guide you.
For a person to successfully interact with a mustang, they must be nigh on to a professional trainer and they must know much about horses within order to just contain them. As for the rescue, you'll be likely adopt a horse with a physical or behavioral problem in which case you also obligation to be very experienced with horses or have a coach to support you through.
The costs to maintain and raise such horses is higher than that to bring to the fore and maintain a sound relationship with a resourcefully started horse - and the purchase price of the horse is the lowest part of the expense of having one. Especially in today's horse flea market and economy - you can find a very well started horse for much cheaper than you'll spend overall starting a rescue, mustang or adolescent.
So - with all that said, and because I can only surmise what I can put together her from what you've told us and what you are aphorism, I will work from the standpoint that you are not a professional trainer.
Stock-type horses have certain lines that are more conformed to trail riding - body type, etc are what makes a angelic trail horse. Generally speaking the stock type horses you've listed do have lines that are naturally fitting trail horses as compared to something like a full TB of racing lines.
Consider as well the gaited horses - Rocky Mountain horses, Kentucky Mountain horses, Tennessee walking horses - these be all developed for trail riding or being in the saddle for long stretches - so they be developed with disposition, conformation and movement in mind for human consolation and ease of interaction.
My personal favorite is a clydesdale but I live in a place where on earth winter weather goes down to -50 C so maybe that's just me. I'd recommend a mustang, they're massively well rounded, but it all really comes down to the form/disposition of the horse though. :)
Good luck finding the horsie!
I've always preferred a horse with Quarter horse blood, or Paint. I really similar to Tennessee Walkers for trail horses too. The best ones I've ridden yet, are American Indian Horses also known as Spanish Barbs or Spanish mustangs. They tend to be more level-headed than most breeds and are impressively sure-footed.
You are right, though, and breed can be a great trail horse, it's more about the attitude that the breed.
quarter horse would be obedient. personaly i prefer arabian becuse they are good endurance horses and can go for a long time.but garrison would do good too. i think paints also. im not up to date on appaloosas.
very well i would say mustangs because they are usually shorter and easier to mount and dismount (closer to the ground lol) and since they are shorter you won't be hitting all the tree branches on the trail!
plus the HAVE hooves of steel lol for valid every mustang i've met never had shoes, and their hooves were SO strong and they went trail riding on gravel and rocky terrin and everything, also a horse knowing where on earth to place his feet is a good thing too...so whether you get a BLM mustang or a recue they will most typically be used to rough terrin and be sure footed
i know some people resembling the gaited horses because they are more comfortable to ride but i still think mustangs are the ultimate horse
strong hardy and reliable, and smart they will return with you home safely
Well, you can train any horse to be good for that! But the best horse that is kind of bred and designed for that is a Quarter Horse or Paint/Pinto.
Its not about the breed, its about the training and disposition of the horse.
I own a thoroughbred that is wonderful on the trail. He is better than any of my quarter horses. BUT I put 6 years into training him. Any horses can be great or horrible. Take a reputable trainer with you.
I've always owned stock breeds and one Arab, but I would love to grasp into gaited horses, and if I have the chance, I will. I saw a video on here of racking horse race, and it looked sooooooo fun.it hooked me. I know virtually nothing about it, but I have hear that you can't beat a well trained gaited horse for trail riding. Someday I hope to be telling others adjectives about it.
Quarter horses have other been the go-to trail horses. They are sturdy, gentle, and calm. Plus they come within many different shapes, colors, and sizes.
I have had much experience next to them
it's hard to walk wrong with an American Quarter Horse imo.
Morgan- Leasing a mare
American Qaurter Horse- Trail ride a quiet gelding
Paint Horse- Ride a lay backed gelding
]Good luck
Answers: I'm going to let me prejudices fly and have some fun! My answer is totally subjective based on my personal experiences.
I one-sidedly don't care for paints too much. I say this because almost every paint I've met have been high strung and reactive. I just don't mesh powerfully with that type of personality and don't prefer it on the trail. They are pretty and I've trail ridden some but I had to be on the alert pretty much the adjectives time until they got used to our trails.
My experience with Appaloosas is limited but I tend to feel of them as again high strung and head strong. Again, not my ideal partner.
Quarter horses are great horses but deeply of them today tend to be appendixes. Now you are dealing with an animal that is more Thoroughbred than quarter horse. That animal should hold an experienced handler and is not something I could relax with.
I am a love of the mountain horses. We have six, four of which we raised and trained or are training on our fruit farm. Just as the Rocky person said, we are not experienced trainers but these horses are so people oriented, they lately seem to go along with the program because they want to please us. I am riding a 3.5 year out-of-date I can put beginners on safely. They are gaited horses but they can also produce true regular gaits as well. In reality, one of our mares is so fun to canter, we nicknamed her, "The Cadillac".
Mountain horses are hardy, they have feet of steel and tend to lift life as it comes. They are easy keepers. They are confident and tend to enjoy great common sense. When we ride trails, we just drop the reins and enjoy the landscape. They tell us if there is anything going on.
When the paso is dance; when the paint is spooking; when the Thoroughbred is fighting; when everyone else's horse is down because it got a scratch, we lately shake our heads and say, "Thank God for mountain horses!"
Mounain Horses=Rocky Mountain, Kentucky Mountain, Mountain Pleasure, Spotted Mountain (though I hate to confess it).
Quarter Horse,
Paint,
Appaloosa
I have experience near all of them and so far so good.
I own rocky mountain horses, they are a gaited horse which those are the smoothest. But rock mountains are also very easy to train and they are a breed that even though they are advanced they can also give a hand the rider who is a beginner and learn all over again. I am on my moment one and I love it. I am not a professional trainer or a great horse person but I trained both my horses to ride by myself and they love being ridden they love going out in the area where it is wide open and we can canter out!
Quarter Horse- for sound mind.
Paso Fino - smooth ride and pony size.
