21st September, 2009 Warmbloods

I have some sweeping generalisations to make about warmblood horses. It seems to me that many of them will take a lot of stick, quite literally, and like a pressure cooker, only go bang at the end when the pressure put on them really is too great. This is especially true of the warmbloods bred on the continent and intensively prepared for the auctions. Being big, athletic horses, they tend to be confined a lot and contained in their ridden work. No turn out and no hacking out.

The ones I have met, usually those that have gone bang, appear to be 11.2 ponies in a 17 hand suit. Taking them back to the basics and spending time consolidating each step, seems to be the best approach. I tend to treat everything I meet as if it is a New Forest pony anyway. It seems a good standard of temperament and energy to me!