Are we losing the genuine all-rounder?

I couldn't agree more with you. What a terrible waste. It seems like the more valuable/highly bred a horse is, the more specialized he becomes. So many times I have heard people say that they "can't" take this or that horse out on a trail ride "because they're a warmblood/friesian/etc." - and they didn't mean because the horse was spooky or untrained!

My ideal horse is, and always has been, a horse that I can learn on, enjoy dressage with, and also enjoy hacking here, there and everywhere on. Like a dressage ATV. :) If I can't take the horse out of the lettered arena, then I don't want it - it would be a waste of time and money for me.

Ironically enough, despite the fact that SO many people seem to regard specialization as a status symbol, an all-arounder seems to be in demand when people are horse-shopping. (Or at least, among the people I know.) Maybe everyone wants to *say* their horse "could" do anything, but that it "prefers" passages to bridlepaths? Sounds kind of boring to me...

What a good point to bring up. I'm in the dressage scene and see so many grumpy burnt out horses because they never get out of the ring and school the same things every day. People wonder why the horse doesn't go forward, or doesn't want to do the work. Don't they realize horses get bored. I'm lucky enough to have one of those "fancy" warmbloods and one of the first things I learned with her is the need for variety. Two days of the same thing and she'll start to sour, so she hacks out on the trails, jumps, rides bareback, does some games, and lives outside with shelter. She needs this variety for her brain and I believe all horses do. The best horses I ride know how to do lots of things, they shouldn't be terrified to walk 5 feet from the barn like some horses I know. In fact I've seen horses that can't even be ridden in an arena that's not indoors! How can they ever succeed in the show ring like the owners want them too? Bring back the all arounder I say!

I think a lot of people are focused on being the best in whatever discipline they choose. Because of this, a lot of breeders are focusing on creating an animal with one specific use. I show AQHA, and the Western Pleasure horse typically only goes into classes like showmanship, trail, or western riding if they want to add new classes. However, most people think that adding trail (where the horse has to lift their feet more), or western riding (with all the lead changes adding some speed sometime) will affect how well their horse performs in the pleasure class in a negative way. With the Hunt Seat horses...they might go into Eq, showmanship, etc. Very rarely do you see a horse that is capable of doing it all. Its not just the owner opposed to mixing the classes, but due to the fact of breeding and what the judges are looking for. How can you breed a horse for a huge sweepy stride up front for the Hunt Seat classes that can drop its legs underneath itself for the little Western Pleasure lope?

Is it the judging criteria? The breeders? The owners? The trainers (who make more money if they have to sell you 2 horses so you can show in multiple events)?

Even though my horse is more of a Western Pleasure horse, I make him walk over bridges and polls to teach him to watch where he's going. I make him move out and gallop to engage his hind end, and I take him on a trail ride now and then so he's not always seeing the fenceline of the arena.

I am not sure... when I was looking for a young dressage horse (on a budget!) I saw a lot of lovely potential all rounders. I now have a horse that was bred to jump but became sour with an owner who bought him for dressage. He now does a bit of everthing now including dressage!!!

Many top trainers give their horses variety - I know I have read that Ferdi Eilberg jumps all his youngsters until they get to a fairly advanced standard. And I am sure that I have read about others hacking out and taking them on gallops.

I think the real problem is snobbery and people overhorsing themselves. They buy a big flash horse for a particular discipline and are then unable to ride it anywhere but in an arena!

Horses like people get bored. I had an old AQHA gelding who was my rope horse, my fence horse, flat horse and long before it became popular, my dressage horse and my trail horse. If it looked like fun, the two of us at least tried it. My current favorite lesson horse, we've used huntseat and western for years and he's a former reining horse!

I've ALWAYS wanted my horses to live a well rounded life, the more they can do the better chance of maintaining a good home and owner. I don't understand these horses with just one particular discipline. Even my prized Hunter Under Saddle TB horse, went both western and English, went team penning with the kids and trail riding.

The more they learn, the better off they are in the long run.

A lot of them do. Look at some of the big western pleasure horses. Their careers end before they are 10. They become demoted to beginner mounts after they turn 5. I worked in a professional Morgan barn and you want to see burnt out. None of the horses were over like 6 and half of them had blown splints on their legs. They had huge feet and never got to go outside. Your heart would just break for them.

My niece has her show Arabs and they do not do trail rides. One does not even like walking in grass over 5 inches, then they wonder why she has issues in the ring.

I love my horses that I spend more time out on the trail with then in the ring. Yet they always do well at the shows.

I guess just take the best care of your own horses and give them as much different varity as you can. Both of you will have a lot more fun. I know that is the case with me.

haha i see where you are coming from and its an interesting point. i think as people get older they choose the discipline (yes i know i cant spell!!!) they love and find a horse to either train to it or already great at it. if you want to succeed in your chosen sphere it's really a case of being focused. i think younger children and ponies are more often well rounded as they get bored with only one thing so they like to shift about. i think variety is so important - i have clydesdales that are show horses but they also drive, hack alot, jump - the variety in their work keeps them fresh and willing. certainly the "too posh to hack" type is losing out a huge deal on experience, relaxation, excitement and getting their horse used to all sorts of things but i do realise that if someone has chosen something they want to do and they plan to get to the top - or as far as is possible for them - then they must focus their own and their horses energy on this goal. the fact is that an all-rounder will be "good" or even just "ok" at many things but the team who is driven towards one sphere have the chance to be "great" at this one thing. but there's always time for a nice hack or a change in the schedule to keep the horse fresh and loving his work.

I put it this way, I have show horses, that when being campaigned will only show in a certain discipline to either gain points or experience. I also have horses that I use for many other things , because of a past injury, or have retired from their show career ect. These horses do everything from being our trail riding horses to ponying horses to lesson horses to gaming or gymkhana, working cow horse and reining. Now i dont do alot of jumping but do not discourage the merit of dressage and HUS work for all my horses, even my WP show horses. I dont think we are losing all-round campaigners at all just look in the Youth genera just in AQHA very versitle, I see kids doing 6 events on One horse. i guess in my world i try not too become one of these type of owner/trainers.....I have allways believed in using the trail to teach a young horse, to have most if not all horses on a natural pasture and turn -out routine. I choose not to breed, but Look for very athlectic and working type horses for myself and customers. I do agree with kate, LE, RED, paintgirl..and CRS too..who .I always look forward to hearing from!!!!! An awesome experienced horseperson. but try not to be that person.

All around what???

You see, I have to say that because in my breed area(AQHA) they no longer exist. A da*mn shame!! AND those with a ton of money will spend upwards of $85,000 for one(rail horse) that can only lope circles in the dirt. Total insanity. Try taking that horse outside on a trail ride ... it's laughable.

I had an all arounder who did eight events, horse camped, trail rode, haltered and was a high point mare and a world qualifer. You won't find those any more, any where!!!

Yes, by god we are.

When I was young everyone I knew except for the "rich" kid had a GRADE horse. One of dubious parentage, but it was able to swim the creek with us one week, fox hunt the next and might just be doing judged trail rides after that. They lived naturally out in Huge fields with only a run in shed for protection.

They were never expected to excell in only one sport, and we had fun with them in everything we did. But then, shows also had gymkahana classes back then, where we did such "dangerous" and "stupid" things as Rider Pick UP races.. Pulling a partner on a feed sack around a course.. We had Pairs and Triplets over Fences out in a unfenced field in the hunter clases ( yup THREE horses jumping in unison over the same course trying to be airborne at the same time)..

Todays horses are kept caged and captive for the most part, never spending more then a day at most outside and heaven forbid they go out in winter without a blanket. I wonder, do horses tell stories to their foals of what freedom was.. of how it was to run free, to eat what they wished, and to paw at a water hole till they were covered in mud? Is there some racial/species memory or instinct that they now remoately remember but cant concieve of