# Would you rather a QH or TB for jumping?



## kelseyannxo (Jun 25, 2015)

Hi all! I'm just curious. I've been riding my whole life, but only taking lessons/leasing. I'm not in a financial situation to buy my own horse at 21, and probably won't be financially secure enough until I'm out of college/settled. (Which is a bummer, but I know I can't afford it right now.) I've been riding the same 19 yr old QH for about 6 or 7 years now. We jump 3' regularly. We were jumping 2' for quite some time, but with all the work we've been doing, we just increased our height with my trainer and it's going super well. His max height is 3' because he tends to be stiff in his hindquarters. Anyways, he used to be a Western horse when he was very young, and he started jumping when my trainer bought him. It's very obvious he's meant to be Western - he just looks like he should be. He has a slow jog, a lopey canter and he's just overall "Western" looking in his gaits and frame. However, he is a fantastic horse. He's bombproof and he is a great jumper with the right amount of impulsion. He's more "whoa" than "go." Personally, I like that about him. I know he would never attempt to throw me maliciously. He has the riders best interest in mind. He lets little kids tug and yank on his mouth. He's just overall a really great lesson/all around horse. 

Now, my question here is...I like TB's a lot. I do. I like the potential they hold coming off the track to be great jumpers. They're good hunter horses, too. But when I am finally ready to purchase my own horse, I'm not sure if I'd buy a TB as they tend to come with a lot of problems/past injuries/injury prone. (Correct me if I'm wrong, I'm no expert, this is just what I've seen.) I'd like to buy a QH potentially. They seem to have more of a laid back personality, but would you say it'd be a better breed to take on for an avid jumper? I know riding different and challenging horses makes you a better rider, but I can't lie when I say I love my 19 yr old push button QH because I trust him with all my heart. I'd almost RATHER a lazy horse than a hot, unpredictable one. I like knowing I'm safe and I can predict my horses next move. Would one be better off with a QH or a TB for my first horse down the road? Thoughts on QH's vs TB's for jumpers? Experiences with both breeds? I'm all ears! (Or eyes...) thanks all! Happy riding
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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

Quarter horses are not a jumping breed. They're often smaller than the ideal height (most courses are built for a horse around 16.1hh). Besides that though they are great little horses. And there are the occasional ones that are excellent. I remember about 10 years ago Australia's six bar champion was a QH and I think an Olympics or two ago one of our entries, either for show jumping or eventing, was a QH cross. So there are some great jumpers but they are rarer I guess than in some other breeds.

As a kid I loved thoroughbreds. I thought they were the bees knees. However now I look at things a little differently. I see horses as purpose bred. Quarter horses are bred for stock horse type classes, or perhaps specifically for reining, halter etc. they add carefully crossed so that the foal has the most chance of being successful at that discipline. A responsible breeder also breeds for soundness and temperament. Regardless you could argue that every QH is bred to be responsive, stable tempered, sound and mostly athletic.

Thoroughbreds are bred for speed. They cross horses often regardless of temperament or soundness to get the fastest horse. They're not bred to be level headed of responsive or to bear weight - just to run fast. The result is you have an overall athletic horse that excels at speed. Which is why some are prized as eventers but many others aren't. There is more of them around so they seem more likely to be successful.

The point I'm getting at is that you're looking at two breeds who aren't bred for jumping, and to repurpose them. Instead you could look at the warmblood breeds, many who are bred for jumping. 

My opinion is that the thoroughbred will be the better jumper, the Quarter horse will be the better horse. On average. If you get a thoroughbred be really selective. That's the part most people miss. Many trainers have links directly with racehorse trainers or staff who get the pick of the bunch with any of them ones that you find at auctions or for sale being the sort of second rate ones. you want to get the pick of the bunch. And while thoroughbreds come cheap, people do pay more for the nicer ones. I've heard of show people paying $3 grand plus for a nice horse straight off the track.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I'm a quarter horse fan so while my vote is tainted by my love of the breed... My 15.2 QH was able to clear 2'6 and 3' jumps w/ no issues and place well for many years.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

A farrier told me the trend to breed quarter horses with tiny feet has emerged again. This means lameness issues will be rampant and these feet are too small to support a horse coming off a jump. Just another thing to watch for. My first horse was an OTTB and he liked going places (forward thinking) but not hot at all. Probably why his life on the track was very short.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I prefer TB gaits on the average to those of the average QH.

But, done well, the two breeds seem to make a decent cross.


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Saddlebag said:


> A farrier told me the trend to breed quarter horses with tiny feet has emerged again. This means lameness issues will be rampant and these feet are too small to support a horse coming off a jump. Just another thing to watch for. My first horse was an OTTB and he liked going places (forward thinking) but not hot at all. Probably why his life on the track was very short.


That's an old trend that is over. There are still tiny feet QHs out there. I have one and yes, he has issues. I didn't breed him for tiny feet though.

My new baby is foundation bred and has nice feet. If you are going to use a QH for jumping then you look at the conformation when purchasing.


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

think you have to look at individual horse. QH breed looks are more diverse than they once were. the one bred for the English Disciplines are tall 16+ & much more TB looking. Old all round working lines are bigger build & bone average 15.2-16hh. Your cutting horses most under 15hh. etc:wink: The more specialization is seen within the breed the more you see horses that aren't fitting that old QH image.


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## BiologyBrain (Jul 9, 2015)

I had a dun QH mare born in my birth year of 1981 with some pretty solid QH bloodlines (Skipper W is all I can remember right now though). Anyway, she was right at 15-3HH and long and lean, but with hindquarters to die for (yep I'm a butt fanatic). She had good feet and solid bone. She wasn't the most flexible horse, but I didn't start working on her flexibility until I started riding her when we were both 12. She also didn't start jumping until we were 13 or so. She absolutely *loved* to jump. She did have the low set neck popular with QH show disciplines like Pleasure and even their Hunter classes. However, I could get some great impulsion and collection once we started doing dressage regularly and gymnastic jumps. I think I chickened out around 3' tall x 3' wide. I'm not sure how high she cleared it by, but she rarely clipped any of the jumps. 

The biggest thing I would say to look for is a horse that likes to jump and is responsive to you. You may look for a QH with an Appendix QH on its papers or even an Appendix QH (I think they have a different color registration paper than a regular QH). That way you can get the best of both worlds. With a QH you have a lot of engine with the big hindquarters, but you have to sometimes work hard to get the front end off the ground especially if you get one with a low set neck like my mare. 

Really though, unless you're talking about trying for Grand Prix jumping, if you like QHs, I'd look for one. Just don't close your mind off to a grade horse, a Tb, an Arab, or whatever you run across. I trained a cow-bred QH at college to be a jumper. She was built more like a Foundation QH and never ridden English, much less jumped. Yet, by the end of the semester, we were jumping 2'6" at least I think. Try a bunch of horses out before you settle for one. When you find the right one, you'll know!


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

Be very, very careful in both breeds about the amount of bone and feet. Also avoid downhill horses, which are common in both these breeds.

I personally love a big strided, athletic horse that can cover the ground.i also much prefer forward horses, I detest having to constantly beg for forward motion. For me a thoroughbred is better suited. I also have a history of bad experiences with qh's, so in general I would much rather a thoroughbred. I just started jumping with my mare. She was barely broke as a 3 year old, raced 3 times and then spent the next decade as a brood mare. I restarted her at 13 and she is amazing. Turning into a wonderful trail horse, sound and not accident prone. She is a lovely mover and sure footed by nature, plus a natural jumper.

If your talking 3' or less I don't think it really matters what breed. That aside I do think over all thoroughbreds are better suited as jumpers
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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

As someone else said..._You look at a horse, any horse as a individual. _
Look for the traits you want. 
You don't buy papers to ride so don't judge the horse because it may be a registered this or that.

I have ridden Quarter Horses that were 16.2 and except I saw the "papers" would of sworn I sat on a Thoroughbred with build, movement and disposition, let alone capabilities.
I have also sat on 15 hand OTTB that were stocky built with all that goes to a stockier built horse with a disposition to match,"quiet"...why he was a OTTB!!

*Judge a horse, any horse on their own characteristics.*
Putting that "label" on them just slammed quite a few doors shut of opportunity to finding a really nice mount for yourself in the future.
Regardless of breed, you don't want the horse to have spindle legs and tiny feet but for those parts of the anatomy_ to match the bone build_ of the rest of the animal. They need to be in proportion as best you can find.

Just like you judge friends, make friends based on the individual...do the same with a horse, any horse.

Good luck in your search.
:runninghorse2:..
_jmo.._


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## piglet (Oct 2, 2012)

horselovinguy said:


> Look for the traits you want.
> 
> *Judge a horse, any horse on their own characteristics.*
> Putting that "label" on them just slammed quite a few doors shut of opportunity to finding a really nice mount for yourself in the future.
> ...


I logged in just to whole-heartedly agree with this post. If you want a horse for a particular job, you want an individual that happily does that job with you.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Yes - judge the horse not the breed
Not all QH's are 'downhill' and one that's well conformed would probably make you a better all round fun horse and a tougher one than most OTTB's would
I have an ID that's unusually 'downhill' for the breed but she would put her heart and soul into jumping anything and was very safe cross country/hunting. I wouldn't ever have asked her to go over 3ft 6 but more because she's a very sturdily built animal and I see no point in over taxing any horse when it tries its best to please


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## beverleyy (Oct 26, 2011)

Every horse will be different.

That being said, if you're doing low level stuff, then QH would be fine. Higher level stuff and I would almost always chose a TB. Any TB I've been around has actually been more "sane" than other breeds - I suppose due to the amount of crap they are exposed to at the track. They are always such willing horses with so much try, in my experience. My own TB ran 3 races, dead last every time, retired completely sound (though I bought her emaciated). Since day 1 she has been the quietest horse I've worked with, and that's including all the old school horses. She's now an A circuit hunter horse going up to 3'6"-3'9", though lower right now as I don't currently have a ton of time to ride and her leaser took a few years off jumping due to retiring her gelding. She definitely has the scope and heart to move up the higher levels though.

So, overall, I guess it depends what exactly you hope to accomplish with said horse. Every horse is different, but IMHO I'd say any breed for lower level stuff, and always a TB for the higher levels, personally.


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

I agree not to judge a horse by its breed (in general)

When I was a child we had the first QH to be imported into the UK. He was a gift to friends and they had no use for him. 
He mad 14.2 had a butt like the back of a bus, conformationally correct but was very inclined to be on the forehand. 
He was difficult to keep in any field as he would jump anything just for the fun of it.

He became a very good junior jumper, could 'pop' around a 4' course with his eyes shut. 

I was selected to be in the Pony Club eventing and show jumping teams with him. Cross country he was brilliant, clever as a cat and bold as brass. Dressage he found a bore and was very had work.

I cannot understand why QHs are not use for jumping, they certainly have the back end to propel them into the air.


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## Sheltie (Jun 21, 2013)

Me personally, a TB. But simply because I do love them and think they have awesome ability! (Plus I've never had a QH so I'm a big bias  )
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## DuckDodgers (May 28, 2013)

Yes, look at the horse as an individual. When I bought my last horse I did not pay attention to breed, but rather evaluated the characteristics of the individual horse with the help of my trainer. When I buy my next horse I intend to do the same thing. There are some very nice qh jumpers out there, and some nutty qh as well. On the flip side there are some tbs that can't jump worth a crud, and some that are perfect for a child to play around with. There are also some qhs with injuries and some tbs that come off the track with minimal problems. Whatever you choose, get a prepurchase exam done from your vet to identify any potential problems to make an informed decision. 

It's also well worth noting that there are WAY more horses out there than just quarter horses and thoroughbreds. I personally consider all breeds, within reason. 

All that said, I see more thoroughbreds in jumping disciplines than I do quarter horses. You may be more likely to find a TB that fits the bill, but don't discount other breeds. My horse who recently passed was a quarter horse, and I'm currently riding a thoroughbred. I rode dressage on my qh, and he succeeded despite not being your "typical" dressage horse breed.
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## Gossalyn (Sep 12, 2013)

i just want to say I am totally won over by older TB's...! I ride two mares in their 20s... they are happy to go so it's never a fight to canter etc. etc. but they aren't hot/stupid or crazy. They are both people oriented, love bugs, and i trust them 200%.. if I fall off these horses, ever, I guarantee you they will be the ones who stand next to me looking down going 'ooops...'. I've ridden them both for almost 9 months.

AND they are both MARES... so hows that for stereotypes? granted they are older so it helps.

Now when people ask me what horse I'm going to get when I finally bite the bullet I say "the MOST important thing to me in a horse I'm going to buy is heart." 


I used to say I liked lazy horses... but these TB's showed me that liking a forward horse is not the same as liking a hot horse. I'm a lot more open minded to a little forward now. it just means they are happy to come to work.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

Of the track qh, best of both worlds 
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