# Unusual Cross Breeds



## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

This ad got me curious about other unusual crosses so here are some I found--see anything you like--or not??!

https://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/grd/d/alturas-gypsy-arabian-gelding-coming-4/6863914582.html









Friesian/TWH









Standardbred/Icelandic









Clyde/MFT









Friesian/QH









Clyde/Paint









Appy/Friesian









Arab/Percheron









Appy/Clyde









Friesian/Tobiano 









Gypsy Vanner/Appy









Gypsy Vanner/Rocky Mtn


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I do have to wonder sometimes if the crosses were not a oops in the making...someones stallion got loose and found a mare.... :|


I like the Clyde crosses, the Percheron cross and the RM/MFT cross best.
The others, not so much...and a couple not at all!!
_jmo..._
:runninghorse2:...


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Of these particular horses, I like the arab/percheron , the appy/clyde, and the friesian/quarter is ok. The rest it's too hard to see them for one reason or another and there is a couple that I don't like at all.

Now, I'm off to go ride my friesian/saddlebred.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I've always thought that the warlander (andy,lusitano/friesian) is nice.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

...I think these two are just gorgeous:


Friesian/Tobiano 









Gypsy Vanner/Appy










...wow! 


The Arab/Percheron looks like excellent riding material. The STB/Icelandic looks an athletic cross, and I'm wondering what else is in it, because both named parent breeds are solid-coloured horses.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

SueC said:


> .The STB/Icelandic looks an athletic cross, and I'm wondering what else is in it, because both named parent breeds are solid-coloured horses.



I like the look of that one too! And Icelandic horses come with pinto markings as well.


Recently saw an ad of a Peruvian x Mini. Definitively an "oops", but man, that little mare was simply gorgeous and seemed to have gotten the good points of mom and dad inkunicorn:


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

Where I used to ride there was an Arab / Percheron mix. He was absolutely gorgeous -- you couldn't have asked for any more perfect mix of the two. But personally I hate the idea of trying to breed like that. Seems like you run the real risk of creating a horse that has a terrible combination (e.g. mass of a Percheron with bones of an Arab) that can't be used for anything, and then what do you do with the poor creature you've created?


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## ApuetsoT (Aug 22, 2014)

Arab Perch isn't that strange. I believe there's a market for them specifically.

Anything gaited x non-gaited is bizarre. Majority of Fresian crosses I don't like. The QhxFresian is one exception. He's very nice. There's a few others I've seen, but the minority.

Some of them it's hard to say, as the type can vary wildly within the breed, like the appy and qh crosses. Draft crossed with a stock horse can make a good mountain/pack or lighter work horse.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

I don't think the pic of the Gypsy Vanner/Appy is an actual cross of those 2 breeds. That looks like a Sabino Gypsy Vanner which are quite popular. We have a woman a few hours away from me that bought a Fresian colt and now uses him as a stud. She breeds him to anything and everything (gaited horses, quarter horses, standard bred) I think she owns a mare from a lot of different breeds. She tries to sell these crosses for 3 or 4 thousand and always ends up marking them down to 1 thousand or under. Some of the off spring have been OK looking and some just down right odd looking.

I dread weird outcrosses - Draft X can either be absolutely stunning or a weird mix of the draft head and horse body. 

I had a paint X morgan cross that I took to college - the instructor would pull her out of her stall and use her as an example of a horse with horrible conformation. And he was not wrong! She had a super heavy front end - really refined face - and an odd large hind end that did not match her front end. But she was a super nice horse to ride.

We also had an Arab/Quarter horse growing up. Ugly quarter horse head that was long like an arab's huge chest and narrow back end. But that gelding could jump. Odd mix of the 2 breeds


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## AtokaGhosthorse (Oct 17, 2016)

We see a lot of the draft x cow bred QH crosses here... they're sought after as pick up horses for rodeos. I'm seeing a few Quarabs in the barrel racing business, but not as many as I thought I would.

The gaited horse draft cross... MAY be a deliberate attempt to get a BIIIIGGG gaited horse for trail riding, the logic being a horse that big, and gaited, could carry a heavy beginning better (??? :shrug My trail riding friend T said someone came out from a high dollar riding barn in a group with one. He was a Vanner cross... looked like a Vanner but a bit smaller. Rider was pushing 375 and was in no physical condition to be trail riding... and neither was the horse. The entire group had to stop every 15-20 minutes to let the horse and rider 'catch their breath'. Said what should have been a 2 hour short ride took them 5 hours and the Vanner cross had trouble finding a place to put his feet on the narrower trails since his hooves were close to the size of a dinner plate.

Now, I don't know if that's the goal of the Draft and Vanner crosses or not, and I don't know if that one example was just a very out of shape horse and rider, or if that cross just doesn't have stamina, or if that horse was laboring under the load on his back. Too many variables, and I wasn't there to see it myself. BUT. Coming back to this - I'm thinking some folks are trying to get a bigger pleasure/trail riding horse and are looking to drafts and Vanner crosses.

Of the horses posted here, the one I like the least is the very first one. Of the rest, there are some that look amazing, and some that are, eh. Okay. But that first one. No.


OH! YEAH! Unusual Cross I'd love to see in person! 



These guys can GET it on down the road and are supposed to be wonderful trail riding mounts, especially for older folks as they inherit the sure footedness of their donkey parent, and the smooth gait of the gaited parent.


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## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

ApuetsoT said:


> Anything gaited x non-gaited is bizarre.


I will have to argue this, just because my Arabian x Rocky Mountain cross is definitely the best all-around, do-any-job horse I've ever had the pleasure of riding and competing with. I have yet to find another horse that has so much "try" and heart - we have done breed pleasure shows, speed events, eventing...You name it, this horse has given his all. Some of these crosses can be absolutely spectacular, but I may be biased. :lol: Here is Toofine, my now 20 year old gelding that I have had going on 13 years this year:


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

> I've always thought that the warlander (andy,lusitano/friesian) is nice.


Funny that. Here I live in "andy"-Lusitano land, and I have never heard of a Warlander before. Of course, I have never seen a Friesian here, either. Spaniards are pretty loyal to the Iberian breeds.


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## BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 (Apr 11, 2016)

I don't think the Friesian/Tobiano is anything of the sort, personally. Tobiano is not a breed, it is a color, and that looks like a RMH or cross, to me. I personally know a Friesian/QH and he's gorgeous, super athletic but a bit high strung and hard headed. Friesian and Dutch Warmbloods make a good cross, look up Top Shelf Friesians for good examples (since I can't link FB here).


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## Paintedponies1992 (Nov 17, 2013)

I have a Quarter Horse/Percheron/Canadian cross mare that I absolutely adore and almost bought a full brother to her, but plans fell through due to personal reasons. I do like the looks of the Percheron/Arab cross though, and the Friesian/Pinto cross, but I'm a sucker for black horses <3


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

ApuetsoT said:


> Arab Perch isn't that strange. I believe there's a market for them specifically.
> 
> Anything gaited x non-gaited is bizarre. Majority of Fresian crosses I don't like. The QhxFresian is one exception. He's very nice. There's a few others I've seen, but the minority.
> 
> Some of them it's hard to say, as the type can vary wildly within the breed, like the appy and qh crosses. Draft crossed with a stock horse can make a good mountain/pack or lighter work horse.


I think that is when you have to 'honestly' look at the particular animals that you intend to breed. Same goes for purebred animals that are not related. You are not going to get offspring that heavily resemble great grandpa. Hidden traits will pop out more if you inbreed or heavily line breed to set certain traits. For everything else, you are going to get offspring that heavily resembles mom, or dad, or a good mix of the two and that is about it.


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## WildestDandelion (Apr 4, 2019)

I think I am in the minority here but I quite like these 


pasomountain said:


> This ad got me curious about other unusual crosses so here are some I found--see anything you like--or not??!
> 
> 
> Friesian/QH
> ...


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

In the endurance world you see a ton of Arab crosses of all kinds. I'm not sure if people cross their favorite breeds with Arabs to get the qualities of their favorite breed with Arab stamina or if it's just because Arab crosses are often cheap. I think there's an Arab/Fresian who has finished Tevis.... I know @phantomhorse13 rides Arab/Percheron crosses who kick booty in Endurance!

*Proud owner of an Arab/Paint cross who I'm hoping has a Paint brain/attitude and Arabian stamina HAHA!


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

SueC said:


> ...I think these two are just gorgeous:
> 
> 
> \
> ...


I thought that those two are pretty but it's hard to see what they are made of in those pics


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Spanish Rider said:


> Funny that. Here I live in "andy"-Lusitano land, and I have never heard of a Warlander before. Of course, I have never seen a Friesian here, either. Spaniards are pretty loyal to the Iberian breeds.


The iberian horse is in a lot of other breeds or used to make another breed. How could you not try, they are gorgeous. I don't think that people use them to make the Iberian better, I don't think that you can get much better. They do use them to make something different but is just as lovely for a different purpose. I don't really see it as being disloyal to the breed. It's not taking anything away from them.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

@LoriF Your horse is simply stunning! Looks like a good cross to me.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

SwissMiss said:


> I like the look of that one too! And Icelandic horses come with pinto markings as well.
> 
> 
> Recently saw an ad of a Peruvian x Mini. Definitively an "oops", but man, that little mare was simply gorgeous and seemed to have gotten the good points of mom and dad inkunicorn:



Oh wow--I would love to see that cross--interesting!


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

carshon said:


> I don't think the pic of the Gypsy Vanner/Appy is an actual cross of those 2 breeds. That looks like a Sabino Gypsy Vanner which are quite popular. We have a woman a few hours away from me that bought a Fresian colt and now uses him as a stud. She breeds him to anything and everything (gaited horses, quarter horses, standard bred) I think she owns a mare from a lot of different breeds. She tries to sell these crosses for 3 or 4 thousand and always ends up marking them down to 1 thousand or under. Some of the off spring have been OK looking and some just down right odd looking.
> 
> I dread weird outcrosses - Draft X can either be absolutely stunning or a weird mix of the draft head and horse body.
> 
> ...



I was wondering if the vanner/appy was sabino because he still has all the vanner feathering on the legs and it looks kinda like extreme sabino coloring.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

pasomountain said:


> @LoriF Your horse is simply stunning! Looks like a good cross to me.


Thank you pasomountain, There isn't anything about this mare that I don't like. She is such a pleasure to be around and ride. She's 12 years old now and I hope that she stays with me for a good long time because I know that when she goes, she is going to take a piece of me with her.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

@ClearDonkey Toofine is a lovely horse. So far I like all the Rocky crosses I've ever seen.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

BlindHorseEnthusiast4582 said:


> I don't think the Friesian/Tobiano is anything of the sort, personally. Tobiano is not a breed, it is a color, and that looks like a RMH or cross, to me. I personally know a Friesian/QH and he's gorgeous, super athletic but a bit high strung and hard headed. Friesian and Dutch Warmbloods make a good cross, look up Top Shelf Friesians for good examples (since I can't link FB here).



The article said the tobiano colored parent was a "mixed breed". So yeah who knows what this horse really is other than gorgeous!


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

@Paintedponies1992 Your horse is so beautiful!! No wonder you wanted the other one too--such a little cutie.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

@QueenofFrance08 Aww--your arab/paint is such a doll! Look at that sweet little face.


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## Spanish Rider (May 1, 2014)

@LoriF , I don't think it's necessarily out of loyalty. It's just that we don't have the variety of horse breeds available here that you have in the US. And, because I'm tall, I'd like to give that PRE x Friesian a try.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

@Spanish Rider the cross of those two can make a wonderful horse, I've always like that cross.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

pasomountain said:


> Appy/Friesian


 There is no way that is a full sized horse. Look at the hindquarter to leg ratio. That is a POA or a mini with Lp coloring.


I think any breeding needs to be done with the conformation of both parents in mind, but that is even more important with crossbreeding. As mentioned, I have the pleasure of riding some amazing Arab/Perch crosses in endurance, but they were very carefully selected as to minimize the chances of the foal looking like one of those children's book where you pick random heads to put on random bodies with random legs..


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

The rearing Appy/Friesian is a miniature horse. 



There is a gal in this area with a nice Welsh stallion and the crosses on Quarter Horse or Paint mares have yielded some really nice offspring. Pretty pony head, arched neck, short back, strong sturdy legs, and most come out about 14.2 - 15 hands. They look like stock horses with a nicer head and neck  All of them have a nice temperament, too. Her daughter rides one in 4H and they have done a lot of breeding this cross from people who want one 'just like Mindy's horse.' I was tempted to buy a foal in utero out of one of their Hollywood Jac 86 mares, but someone beat me to it. The buyer got a cute chromey filly built just about perfectly... maybe next year.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

You guys are right about the Appy/Friesian--I just went by what the article said and didn't pay enough attention! Obviously not written by a horse person. I did think his feet looked too small--lol.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

I like the idea of crossing breeds, but I do get where issues can arise. Even within a specific breed... I had a horse who was a quarter horse, but halter crossed with cowhorse. He had the mass of the halter horse, hitting about 1250 and the 0 feet of the cowhorse. He was a great horse, but ended up with ringbone at 11.


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## ladygodiva1228 (Sep 5, 2012)

Mystic Warrior is the only Friesian/Appy Cross that I know of.


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## pasomountain (Dec 19, 2018)

ladygodiva1228 said:


> Mystic Warrior is the only Friesian/Appy Cross that I know of.


Now that's more like it--thanks for posting his pic!


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Knave said:


> I like the idea of crossing breeds, but I do get where issues can arise. Even within a specific breed... I had a horse who was a quarter horse, but halter crossed with cowhorse. He had the mass of the halter horse, hitting about 1250 and the 0 feet of the cowhorse. He was a great horse, but ended up with ringbone at 11.



My cow horses all have nice big feet, but the halter horses tend to have itty bitty tiny feet....


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

That’s funny @SilverMaple. He was my first with any halter breeding, so I just assumed it was from the mare. My little cutting horses have 00 feet.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

The trend from the 80's on seemed to be 00 feet on all halter horses. Posty legged, upright pasterened, 1300-lb beefcakes on 00 feet... what could possibly go wrong?


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Lol. Ringbone.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

I once owned an appy/Percheron cross. I foxhunted him all the time. He rode like a freight train and could (and would) jump 5 feet. Nothing could stop him when he got going. He was big and heavy with appy coloring. I discovered I could control him in a double bridle so I foxhunted him in that. He was terrible in tight turns and trappy country, but he always carried me nicely in the hunt field.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Knave said:


> Lol. Ringbone.



...and navicular... and laminitis...


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Man this thread has some weirdness. I have seen some really weird crosses over the years but ironically enough I think some of the most awful looking horses have actually been purebreds that were just bred with poorly chosen dams and sires.


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## Finalcanter (Apr 15, 2013)

Well at least crossbred horses are often bred with a purpose and with intention no matter how odd the cross (as they're all horses). Devils advocate though, I am really going to hate if designer breeds become more of a thing (we all see how that is destroying dogs). It brings up some questions on how far are we willing to breed 'x' just because. We have always had a strange obsession for that which I've always found....strange- and no...I'm not for peta or some jack in a box organization. I love cross breeds who excel at what they were intended to do. Let's not fall out of that. \

Btw....that buskskin QH x Friesian is something I need in my life. Seriously- absolutely gorgeous!


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