[IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
You've obviously never owned a good Arab. :) Too funny. I ride in the land of the good Arab. They're not only smart, they're another breed of people pleasers. I've only owned the one, my daughter's Thunder, and pre-Sina, he was the smartest horse I'd ever met. When we were totally naive and stupid, he seemed a little flakey and high strung. But, once we found Shirley to save us all from our ineptitude, Thunder was a changed horse. He was all the good things you hear about Arabs: forward, energetic, easy to condition and hold condition, smart, kind and gentle - and three tremendous gaits...and if his rider was confident, he'd go out and conquer the world. If the rider wasn't...well, all bets were off. Once my daughter, not quite nine when we ignorantly bought him for her, figured that out, her confidence soared. I'm not a Arab person I guess, but I sure see why some people are. He quickly changed from being a lethal weapon to a suitable kid's pony with some love, guidance and training ...and TRUST. He really needed to be trusted. God, Thunder was so lucky we found Shirley when we did. So was Emily...and well, so were we all. Thunder won't be with us a lot longer - weeks? Months? I don't know. He's not ready yet, but he's on the decline, even though he's apparently not in any kind of pain. The vet was out again Tuesday. The blood tests are ok, nothing obviously wrong with his teeth (just old and going away), his vision is fine, and he's just as alert and aware as ever. (He's been totally deaf for about four years now.) He's been wormed and rewormed, and the fecals are negative. But, he's starting dragging his toes over the past year, and I'm afraid someone is going to report us to the humane society. We're feeding him large quantities of good senior feed, and his appetite is good, but he's a walking skeleton. I think he's simply worn out - he really started going down when he lost his best buddy, Mac, last fall. This is tough, since we just can't find anything else to do for him. He's the only one we ever had, and I doubt we'll ever have another Arab, but I thank my lucky stars that he were blessed to own this magnificent, talented animal for these 20 years. He's made one little girl very happy for a long time...and her mom and dad too. Sometimes on these lists, people have accused me of not knowing what an energetic/forward/willing horse is, or not having a clue what make for a good endurance prospect, a good dressage horse. Oh, I think I have a clue. For 20 years, we've owned a good Arab. Karen Thomas, NC
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
i think all in all, as a majority, most arabs and paso finos are very very high strung. smart, yes, but squirrely. Janice -- even good horses have bad days sometimes.
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
i think all in all, as a majority, most arabs and paso finos are very very high strung. smart, yes, but squirrely. Not since his first year here would I consider Thunder either high strung or squirrely. He's actually pretty mellow and laid back - but with energy to go. Seriously, you should hang out with some good ones. Thunder isn't the only one either - we purposely looked at him because the little Arab mare Emily was taking lessons on at the time was such a sweet thing. When we first brought Thunder here, we thought we'd screwed up, but within a couple of months of meeting Shirley, he was as nice as Emily's little lesson horse had been. A girl Emily used to do drill team with also had a very sweet and mellow little Arab, not even 14H. I don't know many Paso Finos, so I can't say. I do know one that is really sweet and mellow. Karen Thomas, NC
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
I'm not a Arab person I guess, but I sure see why some people are. Karen, what you have to understand is that if you were an Arab person you would have liked Thunder the way he was when he first came to you. I had a wonderful, smart, sensible, beautiful Arab gelding and I was floored whne I would get him around Arab people and they would say he was too calm and sesible for their taste and would never make a good show horse - My gain, their loss Thunder won't be with us a lot longer - weeks? Months? I don't know. He's not ready yet, but he's on the decline, even though he's apparently not in any kind of pain. Sorry, Karen, that is tough. You just want to hold on to them and say, please don't leave me but each has his day. I'm sure Thunder's passing will be as peaceful as Mac's. -- Laree in NC Doppa Mura Simon, Sadie and Sam (the S gang) Yet when all the books have been read and reread, it boils down to the horse, his human companion, and what goes on between them. - William Farley
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
I know some sweet pasos and some sweet arabs, but overall, generally, when trail riding, oh my gosh, i just move to the side when they blow through :) I know this one arab, oh my gosh, she is so prescious. She got a crush on jaspar one time and would practically knock other horses out of the way and come jigging sideways to reach and touch her nose to jaspar's cheek. over and over. It was so cute! I just love her. But one time she got hurt and was limping but turned out ok, because she went flying to jump a stream, the rider said no, she sploosh fell in and instead of listening started thrashing and lunged out, (she coulda turned right and simply walked out) and hurt something so she limped. I know thats an isolated incident and there are always lots and lots of mitigating factors. but honestly I am always a little puzzled when people say they arent hot cause to me its just a fact. Even tho, like you say, I know one that is absolutely dead calm... But if you judge an animals intelligence by playfulness, which I have heard is one thing behaviorlists look at, then I would have to say the smartest horse I ever saw was arabian because she would play fetch with herself and her jolly ball, would throw it in the air, chase it, kick it, playing soccer with it. amazing. But the lady who owned her broke some bones now and then riding her. is there any breed everyone would agree is high strung? How about saddlebreds? To me they are firebreathing hyped. now we will hear from all those owning deadhead saddlebreds :) Janice -- even good horses have bad days sometimes.
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
is there any breed everyone would agree is high strung? How about saddlebreds? To me they are firebreathing hyped. Define high strung. I'm serious. Karen Thomas, NC
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
here is a high strung horse video someone posted to gaitedhorse recently. When I saw it I thought how beautiful, just drop dead beautiful. But I would only ride him if I was wanting to kill myself and have my family still collect the insurance as an accident :) http://youtube.com/watch?v=0Ova7HY-Uuw janice -- even good horses have bad days sometimes.
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
On Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 4:45 PM, Janice McDonald [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: here is a high strung horse video Janice - what makes you think he's high strung. He may be but there is nothing in that video that I haven't seen in my own pasture(not counting the awful man-made hish action and tail set) and my horses aren't high strung.- - Laree in NC Doppa Mura Simon, Sadie and Sam (the S gang) Yet when all the books have been read and reread, it boils down to the horse, his human companion, and what goes on between them. - William Farley
Re: [IceHorses] was training with treats - a tribute to good Arabs
is there any breed everyone would agree is high strung? How about saddlebreds? To me they are firebreathing hyped. Well, first of all, the show saddlebreds are usually kept in tiny dark stalls, so they will appear exactly like you say when they see the light of day in the show ring... Have you ever stopped to consider the self-fulfilling-prophecy angle behind what you're seeing...? As in maybe some of the high strung breeds really aren't so much high strung...but when they are shown to appear that way, they attract a certain kind of person, who in turns buys them and expects them to behave that way...and the cycle is in place. Even to the point that less hyped people tend to pass on them...? I mean, what kind of person wants a prancey, hyped horse badly enough that they will light-deprive them to get that effect? (Not to mention depriving them of companionship and exercise...) I had the crazy-Arab conversation recently with my vet, when he was checking Thunder. I said something about him being just as crazy as always...and obviously he wasn't being crazy at all. He was just as cool as a cucumber - alert and interested but mellow. My vet said that he really has never seen too much of the crazy side of any of the Arabs in his practice - he said that most of the ones that he deals with seem to be nice, mannerly trail horses. But, I don't think he has any Arab show barns in his practice. Coincidence? I don't know. I sure wouldn't have bought an Arab if I'd seen the show stuff before we met Thunder. That crazy stuff would have turned me off. This angle REALLY worries me because I've had people come here to visit my Icelandics tell me that, after seeing some demo at an Equine Affaire or such, they went away with the idea that Icelandics were firebreathing. Literally, at least one woman used that very word, the same one you used for Saddlebreds. If there's ever been a breed that I would NOT consider high strung, it would be Icelandic's, but even Icelandic's can appear that way with some effort. Of all my Icelandic's, the most mellow, low-key, even lazy one would be my sweet Loftur. When I was considering taking him as a rehab, the traditionalists on the list at the time made dire predictions that he was just goey, too willing for his then-owner, blah, blah. Too much horse... Loftur wasn't goey, or willing, and he only bolted because he was in pain. Karen Thomas, NC
