# What's the best breed for eventing?



## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

If you had been heavily involved in 3-day, I don't think you'd have to ask. If you are starting out, a scopey QH, or scopey Appendix QH would be a good horse to start with especially if the horse has more experience than you. A number of different breed combinations would do, including this gorgeous 15'2hh Welch/QH cross mare I once saw, buckskin with black points, that was a Hunter Prospect. The more experienced TB is good, too, but an OTTB for a beginning eventer, isn't, IMO, a good combination. You would have to contend with retraining from the track and teaching the horse gridwork and handling distances. There was a video link from my FB that was Supposed to funny, where some rider approached a small ditch and her green horse jumped it like a 4 foot oxer. Honestly, it was 1 1/2' wide and about 12 inches deep framed with 4'x4's. A good trail horse would have just stepped over this. The rider stayed on, but a lesser rider would have dumped. A horse with experience will take care of you as you learn.
Just some FYI.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

At the lower level, up to probably training or even prelim, LOTS of horses of different breeds can be and are successful. QH, Arab crosses, TB crosses, warmbloods, grades, paints, appys, BLM mustangs, SB's, I have seen all of the above and more do great! The most important thing if you are just starting out is to find a good, level headed, safe mount. As you move up into the higher levels,* then* you can worry about finding something scopey and fast.


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## FrostedLilly (Nov 4, 2012)

I wouldn't focus on breed. Most breeds can do most activities at lower levels (pony and draft breeds not withstanding ). If you're new to eventing, I would focus strictly on the horse's experience as that will be the thing that makes it enjoyable and allows you to learn and excel. I don't know a ton about eventing, but in my limited knowledge, most horses I've seen are tb or tb crosses of some kind. Good luck in your search!


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## Goldilocks (Jan 30, 2015)

anything TB in it. KWPN x TB make good jumpers.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Since you asked which the BEST breed for eventing, not which breed can do it adequately, obviously it's a Warmblood. I pvr'ed the Rolex sponsored 3 day eventing, a cool million for 1st was the prize money, all were warmbloods, but don't ask me the specific type of warmblood, there was few.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

waresbear said:


> Since you asked which the BEST breed for eventing, not which breed can do it adequately, obviously it's a Warmblood. I pvr'ed the Rolex sponsored 3 day eventing, a cool million for 1st was the prize money, all were warmbloods, but don't ask me the specific type of warmblood, there was few.


You are so wrong over this! I was curious so went through the top ten placed horses, only four were warmbloods, four TBs and two Irish Sports Horses.

Majority of the warmbloods have a fair amount of TB in their breeding the original breeding was for carriage horses and to get more refinement they accepted TBs into the stud books changing their names to suit.


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## karliejaye (Nov 19, 2011)

Since we are talking Rolex, here are the winners of the Rolex Cup from 1998-2014: 

2014 winner: Bay My Hero, Irish Draught Sport Horse
2013 winner: Quimbo, Holsteiner 
2012 winner: Parklane Hawk, TB
2011 winner: Kings Temptress, British Sport horse
2010 winner: Cool Mountain, British Sport Horse
2009 winner: Headley Brittania, TB/Irish Draught
2008 winner: Connaught, TB
2007 winner: Ben Along Time, Irish Draught Sport Horse
2006 winner: Master Monarch, TB
2005 winner: Winsome Adante, British Sport Horse
2004 winner: Winsome Adante, British Sport horse
2003 winner: Primmore's Pride, British Sport Horse (7/8 TB)
2002 winner: Winsome Adante, British Sport Horse
2001 winner: Giltedge, Irish Sport Horse
2000 winner: Welton Envoy, British Sport Horse
1999 winner: Prince Panache, TB
1998 winner: Red, couldn't find data


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Curious about Warmbloods, I read about them on Wikipedia, it is a good write up. If I can summarize, the term refers to open-studbooks named lines of horses which were once bred mostly to be large yet refined carriage horses, then cavalry horses, and now, sport (ie jumping of all types, and dressage) horses. The open studbook is combined with performance and conformation evaluation-based registration, especially for stallions.

The "Old Warmbloods" like Trakehners and Oldenburgs have a more closed studbook, but a defining characteristic of a Warmblood is a horse bred for a specific use -- the type is a function of the use bred for. They all have some TB in them somewhere. So the answer to the OP would probably be Warmblood, because unlike Thoroughbreds, they are bred specifically for the disciplines she is interested in. TBs are specifically bred for medium-distance racing and the many other things they are good at (and bad at, for that matter) are a side effect. 

If I'm understanding this incorrectly, please deliver me from my ignorance!


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

The TB with a splash of Irish Draft is still a good horse for eventing - they have the scope and courage of the TB and the extra bone and elevation from the Irish Draft (a breed that has some Iberian blood in its history)


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Warmbloods in Eventing is quite a new in the greater scheme of things Avna, the older WB breeds (not including the Trakhener) tended to be great over heights but lacked the scope and speed for the Cross Country phase.
Some of the more modern WB that's got more than a good helping of TB blood, especially the KWPN, are being bred for eventing and doing well especially now that the Roads & tracks and Steeplechase phases have gone, the dressage phase more important and the Cross Country fences becoming way more technical.
The typical TB used in Eventing is the type bred for racing over fences not so much the lightweight flat runner
Lucinda Green recently asked 'What has happened to 'letting the horse figure it (the jump) out for itself?' - the fact is a lot of these WB's don't do that very well, but a good TB would always try to find 'an extra leg' for you


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I agree with Jaydee's post. When there were roads and tracks and a Steeplechase phase - originally immediately after the CC the horses had a sprint gallop of 1 mile only a horse with a lot of TB in its breeding had the stamina and speed to come near the times allowed. CC day consisted of nearly 20 miles so the horses and riders had to be very fit. 

Quite a lot of the old time event horses had a touch of pony, usually Connemara, to give them that 'extra leg' (ability to get out of trouble) and extra brains regarding thinking problems out.


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## AprilthePaint (Jul 6, 2015)

Thank y'all!!!


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