Best Dressage horse you've ever ridden

by **Terry3025** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 8:41 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Just to get this board a little more active, the question is fairly simple

  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Not having a huge dressage career thus far in my short life, my favourite dressage horse would have to be Mountie.  She is a young bay 17 hands high Hanoverian/Tb cross mare whom I go the pleasure to ride for a few months last year.  Just her rideability and attitude were amazing, much different than my QH gelding.  She was so happy to work and never gave up on you even when you made several mistakes!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Who's yours?#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **shady222** » Sat Jul 16, 2005 8:46 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#hmm i guess this may sound sad against a warmblood cross, but my thoroughbred mare, she does everything i want from her and more, my coach has told me i could prob show level 3 dressage with her or higher if i worked with her at it#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#She does lead changes, all kinds of lateral work, some that i don't even know how to do, extends, frames almost consistantly, soft through the bridle and just a really nice ride...#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#i don't know, shes the best dressage horse i have ever ridden...but im the only one that can get this out of her, which truly makes me happy. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by ***rickie*** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:56 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Tahoma color=#c080ff size=4#ed_cl#I would have to say I have a tie...but for different reasons!#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Tahoma color=#c080ff size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Tahoma color=#c080ff size=4#ed_cl#First would be my old arab, Shadow. He was just amazing! I did all the training on him, and when I sold him he was so close to being a Level 2 school master. He had such a big heart, and would just do anything for ya! Of coarse he didn't have the big huge loafty movement, but he got by!!#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Tahoma color=#c080ff size=4#ed_cl##ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#FONT face=Tahoma color=#c080ff size=4#ed_cl#Second would have to be one of my good friends horse's (Caballo on here) Her horse is just AMAZING! I pick him because of his big floaty movement, and how well my friend's trained him. Although not a Level 2 school master, he'll soon be that, and more! He's just awesome....so easy to get to do anything, much easier to ride than my arab! Oh, and he's an Adalusian, TB!#ed_op#/FONT#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Caballo** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 12:26 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#You're a sweetie, *rickie*!!!  Ellie is a good boy.  I still remember my first time struggling to understand the concept of "on the bit" for the first time w/Shadow!!!  Do you remember that lesson you gave me...I think I was like 13 or 14....#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I am hard pressed to pick only one horse that is my favourite because each different horse teaches you completely different things and has both ups and downs.#ed_op#BR#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **xena_n_joss** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 7:42 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Well my fave would have to have been a retired International Intermediate event horse. I rode him a loooonnng time ago in lessons... He was so cool because he was so well trained and you really had to work to get him to do things properly. I learned alot riding him. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My aunts SO (Andy on here) has a really well trained arabian mare that is pretty cool also. Ive ridden her a couple times for fun... Shes older and a bit stiff and out of shape though. But she can collect perfectly in any gate and does like ANY dressage movement. So cool just to sit on something and be able to make them do what you want like that. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **zooka** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:11 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Mine is my guy Gideon he has been up to Grand Prix... with someone else but now that he is retired I play on him and he is teachign me how to ask for everything....  BUT my baby 17.2-17.3hh hannoverian is coming along amazing and she has the flash that Gid does not have and she is completely bomb proof.  She will show briliance while working but the second you decide to hack or whatever she is dead calm and enjoying herself.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Chisholm** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:55 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I would have to say my current mount, Chisholm!  He is so talented and so willing and is so much fun to ride most of the time. #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#But I would say that my old guy who is now in horsey heaven taught me the most.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **pony crazy** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 2:10 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Ok I too love my arab mare.She has shown to prix st.georges,taught me alomost everything I know especially patience.Couldn't get frustrated on her or she would get frustrated too.She always gave 120% everytime we went to a show.She is 22 now and officially retired 5 years ago.Hopefully what she taught me I can use with my new horse.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **jax** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 3:40 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I have ridden my friend's FEI level stallion a few times, and he is a BLAST!  He's so comfortable and willing, and is just so ready to do anything that is asked of him.  The only problem is when I don't know what I'm asking, and he will try to guess what I want - it's funny.  He's so willing to please.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#And look - I have proof! #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/11.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#IMG style="WIDTH: 311px; HEIGHT: 257px" height=459 src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v519/tishmoo/Marangai2.jpg" width=549#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **chenders01** » Fri Jul 22, 2005 4:10 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Well, I've never ridden a "real" (as in trained) dressage horse.  Maybe that's why my riding sucks so bad #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Thinking/3.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Seriously, I would someday LOVE to ride a real, trained dressage horse...don't know when that day will come though.  People arent' exactly jumping at the chance to have me ride their horses for them #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Teasing/12.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#And it doesn't help that I board at a western barn where there ARE no dressage horses.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#You guys who have ridden these FEI-level horses are truly lucky.  I don't think that you can really get a good feeling for what is "right" unless you're riding a horse that *knows* what is right and can show you when you're doing it wrong.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Oh, I rode my coach's horse a few weeks ago, and while not a fully trained horse yet, it really helped me to get an idea of what "straight" is and how my seat could influence him (versus my reins).#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Kobau** » Sat Jul 23, 2005 5:44 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#fav dressage horse....... Bulletproof, my Tb gelding i had. That horse adored dressage, and he was my darling. 16HH black, tiny star on his forehead. But when we entered the ring he became the star of the grounds. Huge stride, lofty, and light stepping, gorgeous extentions, amazing collection and he loved to be in front of a crowd! i swear he lived to compete! plus he was a damn good jumper to!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#But right now i Have Rubel( trak gelding), who is wonderful and a great ride, with definite ability to go very very far. Mouse (tb gelding) who again is a wow horse in dressage.  they are amazing horses......#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Ridingdouds** » Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:37 pm

Definitely Liz Steacie's retired GP horse Max. Damn horse taught me a good lesson about using my abs!

by **cadence** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:46 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My very first dressage horse was an Arabian and he went fourth level.  He was the only dressage horse I've ever ridden that got consistent perfect 10's on his extended trot, which was so big it was very, very difficult to sit and often I ended up cheating a bit so I wouldn't get thrown from the saddle. (Interestingly, he got the "lightbulb moment" in learning the extended trot right in the middle of a Jr. Show Hack class - we won that class, were spot entered in the Open Championship class, which we won, then he repeated his new-found lesson in the dressage test and we got our first 10 and won that dressage class. You should have seen my mom and coach, they were jumping up and down...and I'd never seen that much excitement from my coach, ever! I was 14 years old and so it has stuck like glue in my memory and I was hooked on dressage from that day onwards). You have to win to learn how to win, thus winning breeds more winning, and his percentages on tests were well into the 80s and he frequently won his tests.  He had phenomenal movement, temperament, heart, intelligence and go-go and the judges absolutely loved him. Sadly, he was already a gelding when we bought him as he should have been kept as a stallion, but on the other hand, since I was so young I would not have been allowed to show him had he been a stallion.  His carriage and attitude were second to none. He taught me the most, I had the most fun with him, and he holds a dear and special place in my heart and forever will do so.  By the way, I still have this horse and he is now 33 years old.  He is looking a little frail and I'm not sure he'll make another winter but I'm enjoying his elderly years for now.   #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My black-grey Han/TB gelding has the talent and movement to go Grand Prix but I'm not sure he has the right mental attitude yet - his work ethic is excellent but he can be argumentative and unfortunately this horse is quite in love with a snaffle-pelham which you cannot show in and he gets bullish with a snaffle. As some clinicians have stated, he is not a typical woman's horse as he can be very strong, but if anything he has taught me to develop an even more secure, independent seat and very strong core (abdominal) strength as it wouldn't take much for him to yank a weak rider over his head.  I'm waiting for another year to see if he will mature out of the arguing or get set in this way. He is one horse that "trainability" is the issue, which is the only reason we gelded him as his conformation, talent, and temperament are superb with personality ++.   #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#So out of all the pure dressage horses I have ever ridden, my Arab is my favorite.  Otherwise, a close second was a big, beautiful fire-copper chestnut Hanoverian/TB stallion, called Whispering Hope. His owners had me train him for 3-day eventing and then he was sold to a woman who, unfortunately, over-faced him and he quit jumping within 6 months of being sold. You just wanna strangle some people. This horse could easily free jump 7 feet (when he wanted to visit the ladies in the field over yonder) but it's always different with a rider on the back.  I used to play tag with him in his pasture and he often would snuggle up for a cuddle with his big head in my chest with my arms wrapped over his nose, and close his eyes and give a huge sigh. A big suck, that's what he was. I could ride him with any horse, including a mare, as he knew his job was to work under saddle. He was glorious, but not a pure dressage horse, although he could do it well enough for the eventing.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **High Hopes** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:55 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I think the best horse I've have ever ridden that was properly trained would have to be one of our own Elatu's mare's. Her name has escaped me right now.  I only had one lesson on her as life came up.  But it was an eye opener to ride a 'trained' horse.  I think Ruby was her name.. could be wrong though.  What a foregiving girl.  Nice to have those school masters' around.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I do enjoy the ride of my youngin' at times when everything figures itself out.  He is quite talented from what I hear.  Hopefully that will shine through one day at more then my walking. #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/14.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Adpaga** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 3:26 pm

the best dressage horse I have ever ridden comes in threes:#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#-my
own 8 year old gelding, perfect gentleman, the kind who wouldtakeyou
out for dinner in a fancy place and make you feel amilliondollards,
he'd make you dance, feel good, open a super bottle offrenchwine, laugh
and come up to check on the kids when you go home.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#-my friend's 17
year old gelding, trained all the way up to GP, morelikea leather
jacket guy, he'd have you cruise through Paris in aPorscheand give you
thrills because he'd drive to fast, and then,unexpectedly,would take
off with you to the sea side with a grin on his face,throwing your WE
plans astray.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#- same friend's 4 year old mare, whowill ask you "why"
and then answer"you'd have said it earlier", readyfor any mischief and
letting youcreate the dressage picture with littletouches from the tip
of yourfingers.#ed_op#br#ed_cl##ed_op#br#ed_cl#Why I love those horses,and think they are the
best dressage horses I know?  they play,train, educate me, we go
to shows and do well,they can be lions,flamboyant, mesmerizing, but at
the end of the day, each andeveryone of them will take you, your loved
one and your child for the nicest hack you'd ever had. They never
forget that they are "just" horses and gifted with the greatest quality
of these creatures: love and care for us humans.#ed_op#br#ed_cl#

by **zooka** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 6:08 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Nice descriptions Adpaga.  I was really curious about what you would answer here!!  #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/11.gif"#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **cameron_joyce** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 10:26 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I'd have to say the best dressage horse I have ridden or just the best horse ever would have to be my very own KWPN gelding.  Now 20 years old and in his first year of retirment he's finally starting to settle down.  This horse did everything for me.  He came over from Holland as a youngster and we have owned him his whole life.  First my mom showed him medium dressage, then I took him into 4' jumpers.  Under my mothers influence I started in dressage and we where on the Canadian National Junior Team that competed at CDI*** Paxton in 2001.  Then the next year we went eventing, and finally in his last showing year we competed Young Riders Dressage with great results....This horse taught me everything about how to ride and have fun.  As well as what not to do while riding...lol#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#I also have to give cudose to my Arabian that i got when I was very young.  I still have her aswell she is currently 26 years old and still very feisty.  She was an amazing horse for me, the perfect first horse!!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Terry3025** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:41 am

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Woozers!  Cameron, it sounds like you've had a h*ll of a career...so far! #ed_op#IMG src="http://forums.equestrianconnection.com/richedit/smileys/Happy/2.gif"#ed_cl#  Showing at Paxton and Young Riders!!!!  Geez, I hope that I can get that far!!!#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Do you have any pictures???  We at EC are completely obsessed by pictures and video!!!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **zooka** » Sat Jul 30, 2005 9:48 am

Terry3025 wrote:#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Do you have any pictures???  We at EC are completely obsessed by pictures and video!!!  #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#HAHA are we ever, pictures are great!!!  What is your horses name Cameron?  I have been watching the young riders since I played around with it recognize a lot of the horses.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

by **Ruth** » Fri Aug 12, 2005 3:02 pm

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Probably Donaufurst. He's an "E" rated Trakehner stallion.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Unfortunately the people who were leasing him were in the process of turning him into a hunter, so I wasn't allowed to ride him as a dressage horse. He was later sold to the Brinkman's in Florida (one of the top Trakehner breeders in North America), they took him up to Grand Prix. So even though I didn't get to do dressage with him, he was probably the best dressage horse I ever rode.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#My Boomer is pretty good, and I love riding him. He has FEI potential. Not international quality, mind you. I'm sure he would be a lot higher level right now if he didn't have me to contend with! But I really enjoy him, both on the ground and under saddle, and that, to me, is what it's all about.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl# #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

Best Dressage horse you've ever ridden

Best Dressage horse you've ever ridden

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