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The Amazing American Saddlebred

13K views 38 replies 19 participants last post by  Inga 
#1 ·
Figured I would start a new thread on my favorite breed.

American Saddlebred- All American Athlete
This is what they made for the World Equestrian Games


The Amazing American Saddlebred


One of THE BEST, CH Skywatch. There will never be another like him.
The stallion we are standing is out of a mare by CH Skywatch.


The story of Singsation! A Saddlebred star.


Saddlebreds Are FUN! Pics of Saddlebred Versatility.
Saddlebreds Sporthorses

The half Arabian, Elmer Bandit, who within recent years achieved the highest mileage record for competitive trail ride surpassed a horse by the name of Wing Tempo, who was... a saddlebred. :)
The Horse | Whose Record is Elmer Bandit Trying to Break? More on Wing Tempo

If you would like to try a Saddlebred for free, there is a "Learn to Ride or Drive a Saddlebred" Promotion, sponsored by Equestrian Life!
Equestrian Life : Ride and Drive - Get Your Free Horseback Riding Lesson

Some Equestrian Life Videos.
Here is the history of the Hackney and Saddlebred. These breeds go hand in hand. You will never have a Saddlebred Show without Hackneys and Standardbred Roadsters.
Equestrian Life - Videos: For The Love of Horses - Ride and Drive In Style

Haha, this stallion is cute. He loves that unmowed patch.


They play this before the Five Gaited Stake every year at the World Championships. The best of the best.
ASHA - American Saddlebred Horse Association

We breed for the high neck carriage and the high stepping motion. We breed for "gameness" and snort. We want a horse with a fiery personality, that is willing and controllable. We are pretty good at getting what we want. When we don't, we have to find other avenues for the horses. If they have good minds, they may find themselves as lesson horses, or academy horses. Others go into Western Pleasure or become sport horses, most of the non show horses are sold as pleasure riding horses.

Here is my one month old baby right now. He's a tank!


Here is his sire.



This was a yearling we had just brought in. This was before he was broke to lead. Playing in the arena.



And here was my trail horse as a young two year old. He died last year, but he was the BEST horse you could have asked for. He was not built to be a show horse. No amount of anything would have let him lift his head up more, or pick his feet up, so he was my trail buddy. I miss this horse like none other.
 
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#4 ·
Wow. Just plain Wow!!!! those are just awesome videos. I am very moved to watch that Singsation one (haven't watched the others fully yet). What a horse! he was so very balanced pulling that "cart" (not sure the correct name). And even with his his head up, he has the althletisism to pull them uphill, turn corners, flying lead changes. his responsiveness is unreal. and he seems to truly be enjoying himslef. He looks like one of those once in a lifetime horses.
 
#5 ·
Thank you so much for posting this, LadyDreamer. You bring back wonderful memories for me.

I am old enough to remember the days when Carol Smith-Shannon, Michelle McFarlane and Cynthia Woods were competing against each other. Such exciting shows. What a blast we had.

I remember the fabulous gelding, Denmark's Aquarius in the ring, with Royce Cates. He brought the house down at the end of the shows, as he thundered around the ring at the rack. I tried to buy him many times and visited him secretly, at night for a long time. Even when he was old and broken down, they still wanted $75,000 for him. He knew me and I would have loved and given him a good home until he died. I shall never get over not having been able to buy that lovely old boy. I have a strange story about him, but cannot tell it right now, because it will bring too many tears.

My heart horse though, whom I did own, was Denmark's Monarch. He was a 5 gaited gelding. Here he is at 17. I shall miss him for ever.



Lizzie
 
#11 · (Edited)
pretty horses, I dont personally care for the tail set on the show horses, not natural. not starting a debate. Just my opinion, but they are pretty.
I like the natural step, over the exaggerated high step.

Doesn't that tail set come from breaking the tail, and then resetting it in that strange position? kind of like binding feet in China.


rather than breaking, I mean the cutting of the ligaments . someone knowledgeable can explain.
 
#8 ·
I used to own an ASB gelding that was the kindest soul, he just knew when a rider was uncertain or afraid. What a great guy, I sold him to a lil bit of a girl to do 4H and local shows with. The had a blast until she reitred him at age 23 :)
 
#13 ·
Not at all. When I get home from work, I will elaborate, but I will say that no the tails are not broken. It is highly debated in the ASB community, but I will go into it later. :)
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No the tails are not broken there is a tendon that is cut so it will stretch that far. If you take the tailsets off and leave them off the tail will go back to its normall position. And yes they still can swish flies with it.
 
#14 ·
What an interesting post, thank you for educating me. How would you describe the conformation characteristics of a SB? How would I recognise one from just a picture of one standing?
 
#15 ·
They are normally pretty narrow. Their heads are set higher than normal. They have a farley small throatlatch and a narrow forehead around 14in. Saddlebred showhorses normally stand parked out. My farrier wich is also an eventer trainer says my saddlebred has the bodie of a thoroughbred and the head of a saddlebred. But he is full blooded... They have a naturally higher step at all gaits then regular horses. If you ever see a barefoot saddlebred run in the pasture it really is a sight to see they are gorgeous... When I recover from my recent accident(my horse flipped over ontop of me.) I will post a new thread with a video of him moving. He is currently barefoot.
 
#16 ·
Well, I have known quite a few that look like TBs, especially a few older broodmares that have settled into their pasture bodies. LOL. That is because the American Saddlebred is the product of the Thoroughbred. It wasn't until about ten years after the first TBs were brought from England that the first "Saddlers" were ever mentioned. Basically, they wanted to make the luxury SUV. They wanted speed and comfort. They wanted good willing attitudes and intelligence. They also wanted attractive animals that would look fabulous driving to church on Sunday.
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#18 ·
I took saddleseat lessons last year and it wasn't really my cup of tea, but I love the breed. They're so beautiful and such kind horses. I've never seen any of our saddlebreds get upset or angry over anything. I love riding them on occasion, it's just not something I would do every day. But they are a lot of fun!
One of my favorites is a one eyed saddlebred named Glory. She's such a sweetheart and so smooth to ride.
 
#22 ·
Thank you for posting this thread. As my handle states I am an ASB fan. I own two beautiful ASB's and they are the loves of my life. They are so loving and friendly. My 3.5 y.o. daughter loves to take pony rides on my mare and this mare KNOWS she has precious cargo and is extra careful when DD is around.
 
#24 ·
Hackneys go hand in hand with Saddlebreds. If you go to a saddlebred show here, there are three breeds you will see at every show. The stars, the American Saddlebred; the flash and pomp, the Hackney; and the down and dirty speed demons, your Standardbred Roadster. Those three are guaranteed, and other breeds vary at other shows. You see DHHs at Jr League as well as Friesians on Thursday night, at the county fairs you have the racking horses and open classes where you will see plenty of drafts in SS tack, some have Arabian costume classes... They are a blast!

Just a plug, next week the MAJOR show, the Lexington Jr League show will be webcast, and I think for free. I will post the links when it is time. Everyone should watch!
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#25 ·
Thank you for posting this. I could watch those videos a million times. Saddlebreds are my favorite breed and even though we are at an Arabian Barn now, I always bring an extra carrot for George, the lone Saddlebred at the barn. I had the pleasure to learn under the late Jimmy Glidewell and from then on Saddlebreds have had a special place in my heart.
 
#29 ·
Yes, Saddlebreds are incredible if you can find an old style one. For the most part the breed today is a shadow of what it once was over 100 years ago. Breeding for show has resulted in (my opionion) negative changes. It's much less common to find them with the dense, heavy cannon bones they had in the mid 1800's (but they weren't know as Saddlebreds then, but Saddlers, Saddlehorses or Kentucky Saddlers, etc....) and even in the 1890's when the breed name was established. You also far to many of them them not naturally gaited (i.e. no training needed, they just gait naturally) which was the norm originally and one of the things that made them one of the darlings of mounted troops back then as well as plantation owners. As a breed they were once noted for the ability to ride over 50 miles a day for multiple days and be as fit the next day as the day before. Takes a good horse to be able to do that for a week. Not even most endurance riders would do over 50 miles a day for 5 days and expect a horse to hold up for a battle on day 6.
It is a pity that the for the sake of creating show horses the breed as whole as been so altered.
As for fixing the tail. Even that is something that wasn't always needed. I've had my youngest Saddlebred cross since she was a filly and she's never had anything done with her tale. She'll run through the pasture with her tail held high like a flag pole, the hair falling to one side and flowing behind her, but her cousin, my older mare, same breeding with different bloodlines, never lifts her tail except slightly to pass gas, poop or propted for a temp check.
I only we could have kept the breed as what it had been before the show breeders got started on them.
 
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