# Most calm horse breed



## CLaPorte432

I think there are calm horses in every breed of horse. It just depends on the individual.

But...If I had to choose a breed. It's be the Bashkir Curly. I've been around lots and lots of Curlies (even wild ones) and they all have this naturally gentle, curious, calm disposition. They are wonderful horses.


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## Littlebit722

Yeah, of course a lot of it depends on the horse, how they're treated etc. I just didn't know if there were breeds that tended to be more calm than others.:wink:


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## Cat

A lot of the drafts or "cold blooded" horses tend to be calmer, but then again - the ones that are bred for show hitch tend to have hotter temperments as well. 

You would be better off to look at individual bloodlines rather than breed.


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## FeatheredFeet

Most draft breeds will be more calm, than the hot blooded/light horse breeds. This was because of their history. They had to work and mostly be pulling something. ie. a plough, a cart, a caravan, a delivery vehicle etc. Nobody wanted a flighty horse for such work.

They are often much larger. Historical breeders couldn't handle a draft of sometimes enormous size, if it was not easy to handle, so happily for us, most breeders didn't breed anything which was not calm in nature.

In light horses, you can also find calm individuals in almost any breed. Depends on the breeding and training. 

Lizzie


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## Palomine

I've worked with quite a few different breeds, as well as differing disciplines in those breeds, with different bloodlines with those breeds. If that makes any sense, which I'm not sure????

But I've seen extremely calm Saddlebreds, to the point you would have sworn they were ancient, and have seen the same in Quarter Horses, Thoroughbreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, and so many others here and there.

Also seen some "wide open as a locked gate" which means crazier than a run over possum in the moonlight of those same breeds.


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## Littlebit722

Thanks everyone. Palomine, I would never guess TB's would be calm. Then again, I am a beginner.


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## Golden Horse

Calmest horse I own.................my crazy arab, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be hot and flighty


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## lilruffian

I would suggest the Norwegian Fjord


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## FeatheredFeet

I do think calmness and temperament, just as conformation, are inherited. Years ago I had an extremely calm Arabian mare. Bred to a very 'up' stallion, the offspring really took on the sire's behaviour. Bred to a very calm Arabian, the offspring was just like its parents - quiet and calm all its life.

My granddaughter, has a 30 year old Arabian gelding, who is wonderful and quiet around children and other animals, but is all fire on the trail. Few other horses can keep up with him. I hate to think what he was like as a youngster. I imagine his parents or at least one of them, was a spitfire.

I also had a calm Saddlebred and although he had been shown five gaited, away from the ring, he was just another ploddy fellow.

Certainly drafts _tend_ to be calmer, but nice calm, ploddy horses can be found in any breed. Just have to seek them out.

Thinking about it, the worst and most difficult horse I ever owned, was a QH mare. Wonderful bloodlines and a beautiful girl, but a pretty dangerous one. I purchased her from some well known breeders, in the San Diego area. I still think she was probably doped up with something, the day I tried her out. She was wonderful then. I even sorted a few cattle with her. But the day she stepped out of the trailer, even the hauler had a difficult time with her. A completely different horse. She finally went to a trainer friend of mine, who got her under some bit of control, but she was definitely never a really safe ride for anyone. Even her new owner/trainer, said she was the most difficult QH he had ever come across. 

Lesson learned. Show up when sellers are not necessarily expecting you. I should have known something was strange, since when I arrived at their place, she was saddled, bridled and standing almost asleep, at the rail. They didn't ride her, but brought out chairs to place by their arena, to all watch me ride. Strange all round. I didn't know better in those days. Some sellers, however well known, will do anything to sell a horse. 

Lizzie


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## HagonNag

Littlebit722 said:


> Thanks everyone. Palomine, I would never guess TB's would be calm. Then again, I am a beginner.


A horse of any breed can be calm. My husband's OTTB constantly amazes our friends as he is an almost bomb-proof trail horse and he has been since the day we got him 11 years ago. Three weeks after his last race, he was teaching my husband how to ride in a round pen and they have been inseparable ever since.

You need to learn to think about horses like you do people: Generalizations MIGHT have a kernel of truth to them, but each horse (person) needs to be approached as an individual. Let them show you what they are before you make assumptions about them. :wink:


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## Curly_Horse_CMT

CLaPorte432 said:


> I think there are calm horses in every breed of horse. It just depends on the individual.
> 
> But...If I had to choose a breed. It's be the Bashkir Curly. I've been around lots and lots of Curlies (even wild ones) and they all have this naturally gentle, curious, calm disposition. They are wonderful horses.


When I saw this title This was immediately what I thought of too lol (and it is not because I am biased) The breed is known for having very calm, forgiving and solid temperments. 

However, there are horses for each breed that have gentle personalities. But, if I was going to go with one breed in particular that has a good temperament as a whole, the Bashkir Curly comes to mind first.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DressageDreamer

Agree that it depends on the individual horse. I have been around many breeds and there are crazy and calm in all them. My best and calmest horses have been 1. Morgan/AQHA mare and 2. AQHA mare.


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## Littlebit722

Thanks again everyone. FF, my vet gave me the same advice you did. She said to show up when the sellers aren't expecting you because some people drug their horses.


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## Faceman

Golden Horse said:


> Calmest horse I own.................my crazy arab, she doesn't know that she is supposed to be hot and flighty


My half Arab Chili is the same way. He even doses off while getting his hooves trimmed. Most of the Arabs I have had have a lot of energy when you want it and ask for it, and run around the pasture like the Energizer bunny, but seem take everything in stride and dont get too worked up about anything. 

My Appys are calm, but being Appys, you have to explain everything to them - sort of like the dentist has to say, okay, this isn't going to hurt - you're just going to feel some pressure...:rofl:


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## Golden Horse

Faceman said:


> My Appys are calm, but being Appys, you have to explain everything to them - sort of like the dentist has to say, okay, this isn't going to hurt - you're just going to feel some pressure...:rofl:


I was trying to explain Appytude to the woman who tried G Man the other day...'No he won't explode if something goes wrong, he will sulk, your well trained Appy will suddenly have no a clue what you are asking, and will revert to being dumber than a box of rocks, that is when you have to out think him and 'switch him on again' or you will be sat there all day :lol:


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## JustAwesome

For me, my paint is quiet as they come, where ever he goes he is as calm and quiet as they come and that's the same with his FULL brother. Though again as everyone has said it is them individually and how they are bred etc.

My old horse (Arab x Andi) was quiet but not calm, he was full of buzz and was such a show off, especially at shows!

Give me a paint horse (of my boys breeding) ANY DAY!


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