Standardbred Adoption

amy2120 · 10-11-2005, 05:58 PM

My grandparents, dad and uncles bred and raced standardbreds all their lives, and I've always loved horses, so when I was very young, like 2-3, and my dad would take me to my grandparents place, guaranteed almost everytime I would go missing, and they would find me in the paddock with the foals, broodmares and spellers, running riot between their legs! My dad would have a heart attack of course, being that I was so young and they were big horses, but never once did I get hurt, and never once did any of the horses, even the foals pose any kind of danger to me. I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to share my experiences and feelings about these fabulous horses! Not the best looking breed, but a more gentle and sweet horse by nature you couldn't find anywhere.

AnnaBelle02 · 10-14-2005, 04:28 AM

The standardbred (off the track) will generally speed up if you pull back on the reins. Ever been to a race? You'll notice that before the finish line the driver will lean way back pulling on the reins (they aren't trying to stop the horse they are asking it to speed up!). This is what I've been told by some race horse owners (I never knew this before) so if you are pulling back wanting the horse to stop they are going to bear down on the bit and speed up. Your best bet is to keep your hands soft and light and try half halts to stop or slow (as well as sitting deeply in the saddle)

Little STB trivia for all you STB lovers out there!

AnnaBelle02 · 10-14-2005, 04:30 AM

I just have to say I love this thread!! I"m so glad all of you are reading and posting!!

If anyone isn't busy and wants to check out the site of the Adoption program I volunteer for here it is:
www.digitalwave.ca/osas

Asfaloth · 10-15-2005, 05:47 PM

LOL this thread might be old but it is far from dead!

As for not being the best looking horses. Well I know some may not be but you have that in all breeds. Personally I think Baby is stunning. She turns heads wherever she goes. And my old Whiskey was prety darn georgous too!

I have always notinced that STB's seem to be very aware of small children. Whiskey was always very careful and little one would often be right under his feet. Baby got this stable name purely because she is so fond of small children.

AnnaBelle02 · 10-17-2005, 05:39 AM

As far as the gorgeous thing - oh ya they are beautiful! In my oppinion they put a warmblood to shame - they have much more character in their head and eye.

I agree Asfaloth - my mare is SO aware of children its creepy! My neighbour has 4 small children and they always come over to help brush, ride and play with my horses. (my mare is STB her colt is STB/QH) Even in the summer Belle instantly falls asleep when they are brushing and completely stops swishing her tail (and kicking at flies?? NO WAY) The kids will be running all around her and she will never flinch a musscle (even if flies are crawling all over her). I turned my back for 1 second and as generally tends to happen with children the unthinkable happened - 2 of the boys were running back and forth under her belly!!! I could of died! But Belle never flinched - and I'm sure she was 110% aware that they were under her (even though I hadn't been) She is a speedy horse, she always has a very fast walk - but if they are leading her or riding on her she is barely moving and her head is pretty much on the ground. When going through doorways (the little miss who is usually sprinting to get in her stall and check her food dish) kindly stops and makes sure the child is well ahead of her though the doorway and then she steps through.

The cutest thing I ever saw my guys do one time though was - a friend of mine had brought their 3 year old over (she is a big horse lover) and my friend was holding her little girl in his arms - Belle stretched her nose out towards the little girl and took her lip and wiggled it all along the girls belly - the girl squeeled and giggled as Belle kept tickeling her (Belles eyes were the size of saucers and her ears were perked way up) she was loving just tickeling the little girl and listening to her squeel - I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And Boom (the colt) well he is just so intrigued by kids - he loves just standing and watching them playing and for a baby he has always been so careful around them.
Belle and my friend's stb will give pony rides for hours never getting grumpy or impatient - they are such great horses!

It is so neat how they seem to understand these are precious little babies much like their own.

Elba · 10-18-2005, 06:26 PM

What a great thread! I am new to this board - I adopted a standardbred mare (trotter) almost 3 years ago. She will be 7 this spring. I also volunteer at the adoption program were my horse came from, (4thehorses.com). Standardbreds come in all shapes, sizes and energy levels. They all seem to have the same sweet temperment and intelligence. I remember reading somewhere that trotters are more like thoroughbreds, alittle hotter than pacers. Does anyone here find that to be true?

Asfaloth · 10-19-2005, 05:36 AM

Well Baby is a trotter and she is not a hot horse at all. She can be a little stubborn at times though! I remeber once I was riding with her owner and we saw a little girl on the side of the road watching us. Baby pulled up to visit without her owner telling her too and them promptly helped herself to the childs ice cream cone! Foutunnatly the little girl thought it was funny and so did the mom.

Whiskey was trotting bred though he did tend to pace a lot. He was prety hot when I rode him but alway very gentle with children.

On a side note Ihave notice Baby seems to be getting the hang of the fox trot all of a sudden. I can feel ehr collecting and moving into the gait now and then. I hope she learns it well and soon. Much nicer than her regular trot.

doulai · 10-19-2005, 06:10 AM

Mine is a pacer and is is not hot in the riding area. Hot in trail! have fast reflex or froze when something afraid him, like a rock or a ribbon along the trail....

A friend come at home and ride my horse very short with the reins and i see my standardbred pace for the first time! I was thinking that he forget about it. He was doing it fast but without moving forward too much so it was not really confortable for the rider!
And this rider already work with harness race horse so she tell me they tie the tongue and the head up to ensure horse will not swallow is tongue and to have a better respiration...strange, but maybe explain why the horse was pacing with short reins.
I ride im with longer reins and he always trot...
So i find that's cool, a 4th gait...

AnnaBelle02 · 10-19-2005, 06:12 AM

Ohhh I love the foxtrot so much! Asfaloth, how do you encourage/influence the foxtrot? I'm trying to come up with a cue for Belle (my stb mare) but she gets it sometimes and not others. (she's got the running walk down pat - I just sit deep and give her little taps with my heels and she pics it up). The foxtrot is a little more tricky though - I'm trying to influence her by sitting and feeling the way I would when she is in the gait - I also find its best to do it on the road where I can go for a long straight stretch.
Any tips would be great.
(she generally picks it up right away if she is excited - its nice most horses would choose a bolty canter or gallop when excited - she chooses the foxtrot!!)

I have noticed trotters tend to be hotter but not the same sort of "crazy" hot as a TB. They are bred to "go" and thats what they want to do - its more a pleasing thing than a hot thing I find. They are doing it because they think you want them to - and they are pumped up to get going. But unlike TB I find STB's have morals (I don't know how better to say it) but its like they know right from wrong and they don't want to do anything that might displease their handler/rider so they tend to be able to control themselves better when they are shown the correct behaviour.

AnnaBelle02 · 10-19-2005, 06:14 AM

I'm not sure about the tying the head to keep them from swallowing the tongue, but they do have a genearlly high head set - and if they are asked to hold their head high (or allowed to do it on their own) they will pace - its more of a balance thing for them. If they are allowed to keep their head low, thats how you influence the trot (even in a pacer).

10-15-2005, 05:47 PM	#94
Asfaloth Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh Posts: 1,025 Images: 36	LOL this thread might be old but it is far from dead! As for not being the best looking horses. Well I know some may not be but you have that in all breeds. Personally I think Baby is stunning. She turns heads wherever she goes. And my old Whiskey was prety darn georgous too! I have always notinced that STB's seem to be very aware of small children. Whiskey was always very careful and little one would often be right under his feet. Baby got this stable name purely because she is so fond of small children. __________________ Happiness is Owning and Riding Somthing Extraordinary

10-19-2005, 05:36 AM	#97
Asfaloth Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Pennsylvania, south of Pittsburgh Posts: 1,025 Images: 36	Well Baby is a trotter and she is not a hot horse at all. She can be a little stubborn at times though! I remeber once I was riding with her owner and we saw a little girl on the side of the road watching us. Baby pulled up to visit without her owner telling her too and them promptly helped herself to the childs ice cream cone! Foutunnatly the little girl thought it was funny and so did the mom. Whiskey was trotting bred though he did tend to pace a lot. He was prety hot when I rode him but alway very gentle with children. On a side note Ihave notice Baby seems to be getting the hang of the fox trot all of a sudden. I can feel ehr collecting and moving into the gait now and then. I hope she learns it well and soon. Much nicer than her regular trot. __________________ Happiness is Owning and Riding Somthing Extraordinary

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10-11-2005, 05:58 PM	#91
amy2120 Full Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 36 Images: 1	My grandparents, dad and uncles bred and raced standardbreds all their lives, and I've always loved horses, so when I was very young, like 2-3, and my dad would take me to my grandparents place, guaranteed almost everytime I would go missing, and they would find me in the paddock with the foals, broodmares and spellers, running riot between their legs! My dad would have a heart attack of course, being that I was so young and they were big horses, but never once did I get hurt, and never once did any of the horses, even the foals pose any kind of danger to me. I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to share my experiences and feelings about these fabulous horses! Not the best looking breed, but a more gentle and sweet horse by nature you couldn't find anywhere.

10-14-2005, 04:28 AM	#92
AnnaBelle02 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,230 Images: 3	The standardbred (off the track) will generally speed up if you pull back on the reins. Ever been to a race? You'll notice that before the finish line the driver will lean way back pulling on the reins (they aren't trying to stop the horse they are asking it to speed up!). This is what I've been told by some race horse owners (I never knew this before) so if you are pulling back wanting the horse to stop they are going to bear down on the bit and speed up. Your best bet is to keep your hands soft and light and try half halts to stop or slow (as well as sitting deeply in the saddle) Little STB trivia for all you STB lovers out there!

10-14-2005, 04:30 AM	#93
AnnaBelle02 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,230 Images: 3	I just have to say I love this thread!! I"m so glad all of you are reading and posting!! If anyone isn't busy and wants to check out the site of the Adoption program I volunteer for here it is: www.digitalwave.ca/osas

10-17-2005, 05:39 AM	#95
AnnaBelle02 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,230 Images: 3	As far as the gorgeous thing - oh ya they are beautiful! In my oppinion they put a warmblood to shame - they have much more character in their head and eye. I agree Asfaloth - my mare is SO aware of children its creepy! My neighbour has 4 small children and they always come over to help brush, ride and play with my horses. (my mare is STB her colt is STB/QH) Even in the summer Belle instantly falls asleep when they are brushing and completely stops swishing her tail (and kicking at flies?? NO WAY) The kids will be running all around her and she will never flinch a musscle (even if flies are crawling all over her). I turned my back for 1 second and as generally tends to happen with children the unthinkable happened - 2 of the boys were running back and forth under her belly!!! I could of died! But Belle never flinched - and I'm sure she was 110% aware that they were under her (even though I hadn't been) She is a speedy horse, she always has a very fast walk - but if they are leading her or riding on her she is barely moving and her head is pretty much on the ground. When going through doorways (the little miss who is usually sprinting to get in her stall and check her food dish) kindly stops and makes sure the child is well ahead of her though the doorway and then she steps through. The cutest thing I ever saw my guys do one time though was - a friend of mine had brought their 3 year old over (she is a big horse lover) and my friend was holding her little girl in his arms - Belle stretched her nose out towards the little girl and took her lip and wiggled it all along the girls belly - the girl squeeled and giggled as Belle kept tickeling her (Belles eyes were the size of saucers and her ears were perked way up) she was loving just tickeling the little girl and listening to her squeel - I couldn't believe what I was seeing. And Boom (the colt) well he is just so intrigued by kids - he loves just standing and watching them playing and for a baby he has always been so careful around them. Belle and my friend's stb will give pony rides for hours never getting grumpy or impatient - they are such great horses! It is so neat how they seem to understand these are precious little babies much like their own.

10-18-2005, 06:26 PM	#96
Elba Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 1	What a great thread! I am new to this board - I adopted a standardbred mare (trotter) almost 3 years ago. She will be 7 this spring. I also volunteer at the adoption program were my horse came from, (4thehorses.com). Standardbreds come in all shapes, sizes and energy levels. They all seem to have the same sweet temperment and intelligence. I remember reading somewhere that trotters are more like thoroughbreds, alittle hotter than pacers. Does anyone here find that to be true?

10-19-2005, 06:10 AM	#98
doulai Full Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Quebec-Canada Posts: 41 Images: 5	Mine is a pacer and is is not hot in the riding area. Hot in trail! have fast reflex or froze when something afraid him, like a rock or a ribbon along the trail.... A friend come at home and ride my horse very short with the reins and i see my standardbred pace for the first time! I was thinking that he forget about it. He was doing it fast but without moving forward too much so it was not really confortable for the rider! And this rider already work with harness race horse so she tell me they tie the tongue and the head up to ensure horse will not swallow is tongue and to have a better respiration...strange, but maybe explain why the horse was pacing with short reins. I ride im with longer reins and he always trot... So i find that's cool, a 4th gait...

10-19-2005, 06:12 AM	#99
AnnaBelle02 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,230 Images: 3	Ohhh I love the foxtrot so much! Asfaloth, how do you encourage/influence the foxtrot? I'm trying to come up with a cue for Belle (my stb mare) but she gets it sometimes and not others. (she's got the running walk down pat - I just sit deep and give her little taps with my heels and she pics it up). The foxtrot is a little more tricky though - I'm trying to influence her by sitting and feeling the way I would when she is in the gait - I also find its best to do it on the road where I can go for a long straight stretch. Any tips would be great. (she generally picks it up right away if she is excited - its nice most horses would choose a bolty canter or gallop when excited - she chooses the foxtrot!!) I have noticed trotters tend to be hotter but not the same sort of "crazy" hot as a TB. They are bred to "go" and thats what they want to do - its more a pleasing thing than a hot thing I find. They are doing it because they think you want them to - and they are pumped up to get going. But unlike TB I find STB's have morals (I don't know how better to say it) but its like they know right from wrong and they don't want to do anything that might displease their handler/rider so they tend to be able to control themselves better when they are shown the correct behaviour.

10-19-2005, 06:14 AM	#100
AnnaBelle02 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,230 Images: 3	I'm not sure about the tying the head to keep them from swallowing the tongue, but they do have a genearlly high head set - and if they are asked to hold their head high (or allowed to do it on their own) they will pace - its more of a balance thing for them. If they are allowed to keep their head low, thats how you influence the trot (even in a pacer).