# Standardbreds!



## BudAndRocky (Jan 21, 2014)

Hi I was wondering why some people don't like Standardbreds? I have 2 and they are amazing and well behaved and really friendly so why does some people hate them? I was at a horse auction once and I was looking at this sb and this 7 year old girl walks past and says " eww it's just a ugly old standardbred " !!!!!!!! The sb was a total sweetheart to! And this was coming from a 7 year old girl!


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Everyone has preferences. I will say that, while they're not a particularly popular breed, I've never really met anyone who had any sort of prejudice against them.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I have met a ton of people who dislike them. I regard them as narrow minded. A lot of it comes from just flat out lack of awareness. There are auction houses that don't even show the standardbreds they just straight away sell them to the kill buyers because no one else will bid on them. In my experience, standardbreds are smart willing and very attractive. There are ugly horses in every breed. I have had people say our standardbred was "too pretty" to be a standardbred. They really thought I was lying. I had people ask me if they can jump or if they can canter. Which when you think about it are pretty silly questions because they are horses.


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

my experiences with standardbreds have been very mixed. I have ridden some great ones, that were versatile, quiet, athletic, with tons of work ethic and a great attitude, and then I have worked with the other end of the spectrum: Odd personalities, disproportionately large heads, clumsy and very hard to retrain to normal gaits. I don't know many people that want a horse that wont canter, refuses to trot, only pace, or dislikes any gait but a trot(in various degrees of teeth rattling speeds.). 

the good ones are amazing, and the bad ones are...not. I would definitely consider owning one in the future.


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## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

There's a stb track near where I live and the man I board Wakiya with boards racers. Most of them are very nice. A few we're crazy one had literally the ugliest head I've ever seen in a horse. Most are cute.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

I don't have any experience with them - they're just uncommon by me, I guess. We have mostly QH's and Arabians in my neck of the woods. I've never heard much bad about them though - I would assume they're just another breed and their mares are a bit snotty and their stallions are cocky and their geldings are a bit mellow - much like the genders of any other breed. 

I didn't know they were considered ugly. Could someone post a picture of one? Do they even look that much different from other breeds? 'Cause I personally think most horses - no matter their breed - look alike. Of course, there are subtle differences, but I mean, they're all pretty much constructed the same way.

But yeah, pictures anyone?


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## Inga (Sep 11, 2012)

I have seen so many Standardbred horses in this area as there are several Amish and they are one of the breeds of choice to pull their buggies. They tend to have very ground covering trots. I personally was never excited about them as a breed but Have met so many sweet, gentle standardbred horses that it is impossible to not at least have an appreciation for their tolerance and gentle nature. Would I ever own one? Well, maybe, as they do tend to make nice trail mounts. I would look for one with a less "plain" head. Some tend to be less attractive then others.


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## EmilyJoy (Dec 30, 2011)

Here's our old Standardbred mare(died a while back), sweetest horse ever with so much try...Very, very beginner friendly, and put up with everything from races to trails to carts and sleds, did it all with a "smile". Never a buck bolt or bite, would she win a beauty contest? No, but she definitely won us over.


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## wakiya (Feb 7, 2009)

I have some pictures of the cute ones I didn't get a picture of the one I nicknamed "Nose" for her giant roman nose though. That's the ugly one. Unfortunate face.

Here are some of the others I have more pictures somewhere but these are the ones i could find:










My favorite stb who's always back and forth from the track:


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

I'm not a huge Stb fan, but I've been working with them for just over a month now and there's a few I would take home in a heartbeat.

My friend has 4, one that racer, one of her own and 2 she's considering selling.

I think the sterotype of stbs is a big ugly box head, can't trot, is all people ever think.

They are however great beginner horses, they would happily plod around all day


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

People often forget that the standardbred is a horse that has been bred for years for one select trait, trotting or pacing in harness. Which means that certain traits are desired, soft nature, good hooves, steady/not spooky. At the end of the day what the drivers, who are often owners with their families (including young children) handling these horses. They want a horse that is safe for the family to be around. Which means that looks don't count as much. There are a lot of reason's the Amish want standardbreds but one of those big reasons is that they are sound and sound minded. You can teach a lot of horses to pull a buggy, but they choose standardbreds. Its a double edged sword because they regard them as a car and sometimes people don't treat their car very well. At the end of the day, some standardbreds have giant heads to hold their giant brains. 

Than again, I think this is a **** nice looking horse Morrisville Sale


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## Spotted Image (Aug 10, 2011)

I would own another Standardbred in a heartbeat. I owned one for years, and let me tell you she was tall but the sweetest horse ever. I could ride her 11 hours in the trails the next day that her to a barrel race then put a kid on her. She was a safe, horse but also kept you on your feet. She had her quirks that was for sure. I rode her backwards and sideways to get amazing photos of the trails, often times with no reins. Bareback with only a halter in the trails, if I asked it of her she was there to please. Yes, other horses have that want to please, but I have met many Standardbreds (worked at a Standardbred race track), 90% of the Standardbreds I met had this nature to please. Most of the time it's the studs that was handfulls. I would still have my Standardbred, but at age 22 I knew she needed to slow down some, so we sold her to a family who wanted to ride sometimes. But mind you she didn't want to slow down or showed her age.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

I don't understand people who don't like them, who make bad comments about them and people who give others a hard time about owning them (i've seen it a little). At the same time I do understand why people aren't huge fans. 

They're typically a "re-purposed" breed, they're bred to be excellent at trotting with a little buggy thing, but when they're no good at that anymore people train them to do something else. They're good at trails and low level anything, with a rare very good, competitive mount. As a rescue type thing they're a fine breed with a great temperament, and usually solid little horses, but beyond the weekend rider they're not really the most suitable. 

Now it seems people a really getting into them to, buying, training and reselling them for thousands, breeding them to warmbloods or other breeds to have "sport" horses which I don't like at all. 

I think horses should only be purpose-bred, and while they are great little horses to save they have their place, just like a well bred warmblood or QH does. 

I had one once and he was very sweet and willing.


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

I disagree with you Saskia about them being rarely good as competitive mounts. There were a number of standardbreds who were invited to WEG. By your logic we should only use purpose bred animals for their purpose. Which means that only people who want to work cows should own a QH. I think its unfair to say that they can't be high level mounts because how many WB really perform at a high level? How many QH are high level competitive horses? Compared to the number that are under saddle. How many people are high level riders? Keep in mind how many horses high level riders cycle through trying to find one with the drive, talent and health to perform at a high level.

I also think if I was going to be a competitive horse I would never ever purchase a thoroughbred of the track. Yet people are always seeking them out of evening horses. Look at how many conformation critiques there on these boards for OTTBs. Having spent some time a very well know thoroughbred hospital they have horrible legs (torn ligaments, tendons). The standardbreds (few that were seen) had much better legs (mostly OCDs). Based on leg health alone I would rather jump a standardbred. 

I don't know what horse you rode but I know several 16 - 17 hand standardbreds who are not "little horses". I do agree that crossing them with a warmblood is a horrible idea. I think its along the same line of thinking as Friesian crosses, they look weird and cheapen the breed. The only thing is that technically a standardbred is a warmblood breed, so they are more similar than a friesian/warmblood. As a friesian is a light draft horse and not a warmblood. I never over estimate the value of a safe horse. I have a mare I can go years without riding and get on bareback in the winter and putter around on and I know she is going to keep me safe. That is something that a lot of people I know value.


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

Awww I think they're cute ^-^


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## autumn rain (Sep 7, 2012)

I have been following this thread for a little bit and it got me thinking; what if horses think about humans as we do about them? Would some of us not be worthy because we are too ugly, not fast enough, not the right colour? I'm thinking that they're a lot more tolerant than we are. They get stuck with us and have no choice in the matter. Then, they usually do their best for us, too. Anyway, just my random thoughts.

P.S. Yes, I do own a standardbred. She is 32 years old, living a wonderful, well deserved retirement. She's the darling of the barn.


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## BudAndRocky (Jan 21, 2014)

I find it really sad some of those Standardbreds have been abused as a race horse then just get PTS as soon as people think they aren't fast enough! One of my Standardbreds was abused and was just skin and bone and has trouble trusting people  he is a lot better now though!


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## SullysRider (Feb 11, 2012)

There's a lady at my barn that owns a Standardbred, she wins flat hunter classes ALL the time at rated shows (she doesn't jump). That horse has one of the nicest looking trot and canter I've ever seen. Very nice horse! She gets a lot of crap for having a Standardbred, but then they shut up when she wins the class against the warmbloods.


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## BudAndRocky (Jan 21, 2014)

Haha yea I have seen that a few times but with my friend jumping her 14.3 sb at 1 meter and beating all the expensive horses!


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## myyky (Sep 8, 2010)

Thought I'd join in!
I started out on standarbreds, and a few people told me that once I got a thoroughbred (or any other breed that 'can canter') I would never go back. Had a TB for 14 months and by the end of it was scared to ride him because he would be an absolute A-hole to me. Also rode an educated anglo who was ok, and a couple other thoroughbreds. And guess what? When looking for a new horse I went straight back to stb.

I am the friend RedTree is describing in her post on the previous page, I own 4 of them now. One I have just sold to be a ladies first horse, one who is very green and very quiet, my hack who is somewhat green still but awesome, and a racehorse.

This is my standardbred pacer, Instant Arrival aka Sox. Walks, trots, canters, and has quite nice movement undersaddle. A lot to work on in the canter but he has only done it about 8 times undersaddle and he DOES it 
I'm looking to go to the Royal with him next year, and have done one inhand show for very lovely comments about his conformation and type. He is often mistaken for a TB, but that does not mean he ISN'T standardbred type, he just isn't what people expect because of the stereotype!










In his winter woollies


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## Faustinblack (Aug 16, 2011)

My friend has an SB cross, and she's a pretty good horse. Excellent endurance horse, but she can be pretty mare-ish. Runs the legs off my leggy arabian.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## rookie (May 14, 2012)

He looks lovely! I really secretly want a grey standardbred! I love my browns and bays but ohh a grey would be loverly.


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## myyky (Sep 8, 2010)

Thankyou Rookie  I love him. Even if he was brown haha


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## mazza0007 (Sep 23, 2013)

Standies are going well in Australia there's several organisations rehoming them after racing and I think peoplere realizing what smart, calm and versatile horses they are.

My Standie is quite probably The Best Horse In The World.
He's very intelligent (needs a giant head to hold in all his brains), calm in an emergency (bush fires, flooding - no problem!)

The other day he came up to the house fence, called out to me till I came out of the house, then lead me down the paddock to show me that the TB had got his foot stuck in the fence. 
Best Horse Ever!


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## BudAndRocky (Jan 21, 2014)

mazza0007 said:


> Standies are going well in Australia there's several organisations rehoming them after racing and I think peoplere realizing what smart, calm and versatile horses they are.
> 
> My Standie is quite probably The Best Horse In The World.
> He's very intelligent (needs a giant head to hold in all his brains), calm in an emergency (bush fires, flooding - no problem!)
> ...


Oh wow what a amazing horse!!! I love Standardbreds they are so smart and really calm!


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## Khainon (Feb 24, 2013)

i like standardbreds just fine...i dont think theyre ugly at all..not even ones with huge blocky heads..its not whats on the outside that counts you know...and if the horse has the heart,it can do anything.


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## roadswarrior (Sep 20, 2013)

I completely agree with rookie about jumping an of the track standardbred vs an OTTB. If you have ever been to a pacer/trotter race you can see the difference between the two. At a sulky race the drivers will actually warm-up the horses before the race for 8-10 min before the start. At a thoroughbred race they walk around for a bit and then they are in the start gate and running full tilt in a matter of minutes. 

Think about how you excersise. Do you put on your shoes and then take off at a sprint? I didn't think so, as that can cause injuries


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## Liligirl (Jun 9, 2012)

I love Standardbreds, and I'm partial to the big roman nose  I backed a young standy and I paddocked him with other horses to teach him to canter. They did a great job as he had an amazing canter. Was amusing at first watching him racing trot behind the other horses cantering and galloping around the paddock when playing 

Isn't the horse with the most medals held for show jumping in the Olympics a Standy? I'm not into showing at all, but I'm sure I saw that somewhere.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## disastercupcake (Nov 24, 2012)

I really like SB's too 

I've been around gaited horses a lot so I can usually tell if a horse is 'wired' lateral or trained to it. There definitely is a difference. 

Personally, I have been looking at retired SB's (as well as OTTB's) for an eventing prospect. I've talked to a couple people though that said SB's aren't as equipped for jumping as TB's. There are way more SB's in Michigan, as we have a ton of racing around here.


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## Larissa (Jan 25, 2014)

I don't have prejustice towards them. I just don't care for them.. I cant stand the big ears and muley face. (I am also not a mule fan). I just don't like the face on some of them. I also have no use for a trotter. But I will say they can be sweet and gentle


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## RedTree (Jan 20, 2010)

So I now own my very own STB 

He's recently retired from racig as he's broken, I've worked with him and he was one of the few I would of taken home in a heart beat and now I can


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