Why do people think Quarter horses are so much more Sane than Thoroughbreds?

I agree with you completely .

I think that it really all depends on the horse.

We have a few thoroughbreds and I think that their reputation for acting up may just be related to the fact that they`re bred for racing and, if they`ve just come off the track, they`re bound to have a lot of ..spunk, shall we say? It`s just to be expected because racing is all they`ve ever known.

Thoroughbreds are beautiful horses and we have one that loves to jump and loves to race.. which provides for a challenge, but she`s such a nice horse and willing to do whatever you ask of her -it`s perfect for jumper classes.

This common misunderstanding may just be because people often relate speed with low manageability and control.. However, from my experience, this is not the case at all!

I believe that it`s simply a generalization because quarterbreds have a name for good temperment and pleasure riding, while thoroughbreds have a name for speed and racing -which means that they may sometimes be more apt to react in a stressful situation, but like I said, - it all depends on the horse.

and yes... haha she`s a tough little rider. I feel for her though - the pony reminds me of our little welsh pony. =P

I think it's a stereotypical thing. People see TB's on the racetrack, and there's tons of videos on youtube of them spooking / having their rider fall off during jumping or something like that. However, personally, I think TB's are naturally a little more spirited / excitable. At the barn where I ride, I've ridden a QH gelding, a TB gelding, and 2 different warmblood geldings. I found that the QH gelding is usually the slowest, but by far I'd say he's the safest because he rarely spooks, and when he does, he just runs in a straight line for a second. Then there's the TB gelding who's my favorite. He's 17.2 hands and 20 years old- he's still got plenty of speed in him. He's a little more spookable than the QH (he's never been raced) and I've also found that he's a lot more responsive to leg and clucking than the QH. Then for the other two warmbloods, I felt they were the most spirited / spookable. Although I liked riding them I didn't feel nearly as safe on the QH or the TB. Personally, I love both breeds.

Also people seem to ride TB's when they're younger, and in general all horses are more spookable / spirited when they're younger.

Any Quarter horse used in a speed event is gonna be a bit nuts....no getting away from that. Speak of negative conditioning...get them down the alleyway in a barrel race, get out onto the pattern and then beat their respective butts all the way home....you bet they get crazy. However, they don't necessarily come this way, that pattern is drilled into them.

Thoroughbreds have really big engines...(depending on what they're used for) and a ton of heart...they'll go till they drop; does this make them crazy...no, this is what they're bred to do.

Some cow horses are intensely bred and you could say they've got a hot spot..their focus on a cow is incredible.

So, did I think the horse that fell on the barrel pattern was nuts? Nope. I did see that horse wait on his rider. That's not crazy.

I did see two riders who couldn't ride and had no business working a pattern...no wonder they either fell off or the horse went down. Are these horses nuts? Nope. You've got riders who cannot ride. Both fell off...and made their horses off balance in the process.

It's just stereotyping. No different than people saying Pit Bulls are bad dogs, Dobermans are bad dogs.... yada yada...

Notice how sterotypes are always negative? (TBs are crazy, Paints that are more than 50% white are crazy, chestnut mares are B-I-T-C-........, Appaloosas are stubborn,..... the list goes on and on and on.)

It is true, at least in my experience and opinion, that TB's are not for everybody when they are right off the track - I spent 4 years retraining also-rans, and I could tell you stories about what I went through with those horses! But, a well-re-trained TB can be a PERFECT horse for a beginner show person, a trail rider, you name it. Things just have to be done well with them.

Also from my experiences, I've met plenty of Quarter Horses that were wild, hard to handle, difficult to ride, and just generally not well trained.

Personally, I don't care what breed it is, if it is not well trained, it's not going to be a good horse, but that shouldn't ruined the breed.

I have a 5yr OTTB and he is calm as he can be, anyone could ride him but after he gets warmed up he ready to go no matter what! We have a walking track across from my house and I take him out there to ride sometimes and he is really good walking but if you ask for a little more its like he snaps back in to race horse mode and he ready to go but I dont mind it one bit thats why I bought him beacuse they have sterotype for being "HOT". He is a wonderful pleasure horse and has done good in local shows you just have to keep a tight rein on him! My friend that I ride with has a Quarter Horse and I am the only person that he will let ride him, when she got him home he was acting crazy and I rode him and he was fine! well she got on him 2 days later and he almost killed her, I rode him after that and he was fine....Which all breeds of horses have some in the bunch that act like this Im sure I hope this Helps

First I will back up Just Mee, because I DO KNOW HORSES!

I am one of the top Hunter/Jumper Trainers in the State of NY,own my own barn have competed extensively here and abroad. Now with that in mind I will explain.

The TB actually has various crosses from Arabian (Hotness) to different type warm bloods for size and strength. TB were crossed with larger warm blood type horses to be used in BATTLE, Jousting etc..and the history is pretty in depth.

The Quarter horse is an "AMERICAN" breed given the the true name cow horse it was bred for the western cowboy generation to have a very steady mind, large boned but short for the workers to be able to step up and down with ease while building miles of fence. The quarter horse actually has TB blood in them example one of the older lines 3 BARS had a lot of TB in him.

Quarter Horses also are faster to the quarter mile than a TB but the TB will take over after the quarter mile.

I personally own 14 TBs, 5 Quarter horses and 7 imported Warm Bloods.

The Quarter Horse should be respected as the back bone of AMERICA and its hard labor. When teaching beginners I choose my trusty quarter horses to get the job done as great teachers.

I think it comes from seeing Thoroughbreds on the race tracks and on TV. People see how excited they get and think it's their all around nature. But that's not always true. Like you said, I've seen some Quarter Horses who are nuttier than a few Thoroughbred. Where I used to board my horses they had a quarter horse mare who was trained for pick ups at rodeos and I swear the second she had a saddle on she went crazy. She'd run the entire time no matter how hard you tried to keep her at a walk and prance sideway when you tried to mount. I also know the most mellow calm good spirited Thoroughbred mare. She'd rest her head on my shoulder while I cleaned her stall and was the sweetest horse I've ever met. I owned a yearling Paint/TB filly who was the most bad tempered and difficult to train horse I've met. I think it all depends on the individual horse.

I ride a OTTB and have worked around many TB that were racers so I like the breed quite well.

I do not think they are carzy but they are more reactive to things at times than QHs. BUt not all the time and it depends on the horses personality.

I have seen some pretty wild horses of many breeds.

One of the craziest was a welch pony cross with something. That little filly was nuts. She had two speeds stop and run.

My daughter has two horses. 20 yo QH mare and 12 yo TB gelding. Both are incredible in their own show classes. The QH and the TB gelding are level 1-2 temperament. Calm. She test rode 8 other TB before we bought this fellow. TB love to go. Forward. Athletic. Strong. Big stride. Great for the right class.

You are right. There can be insane QH.

Each horse needs to be judged against itself.

In different environments with various riders.

It is a generalization... think about it, if people see more insane TBs (especially OTTBs) then that is what they are going to think. Yes there are other insane horses, but the fact is that racing TBs are trained to....well... run. Alot of the people who generalize are the people who see these OTTBs (alot of them are messed up mentally). A generalization does not mean it is true. For example, a generalization is that Arabians are high strung. Yes I have seen plenty of calm kid-friendly Arabians, but I can see why it is a generalization.

I have worked with both OTTBs and off track quarter horses also. The Quarter horses for me have been much easier to work with. I can also see why the generalization that TBs are not as sane is perpetuated.... just my opinon. :-)