What Breed?

Inspired by this post over at Bel Joeor asking what your favorite breed is and how/why you have that preference.

I know you're all expecting me to say Welsh Cobs are my favorite breed ever, but honestly, no they're not. Don't get me wrong, I love my girls, but if I had an unlimited budget and was going to pick something to go look at based solely on type, it would probably be something a bit different.

I had one of those books as a kid with all the horse breeds and this guy was my favorite:

Sorry, blurry but I'm sure it's the same picture. He's either a Furioso or a Nonius, not sure.

There was obviously a Welsh Cob in the book, but he looked an awful lot like the nasty pony at the barn no one wanted to ride so of course I couldn't like him best. Years later, I ended up with Ginger because she is very much my type, but she's also quite refined and tall for a cob mare and maybe not the most typical.

What I like about my cob girls:

-Their big, healthy feet

-Pretty heads

-Round barrel

-lots of bone

-Hardy, easy keepers

-Smart!

-Quite surefooted and careful

-People oriented

-Size range is pretty ideal for a shortie like me

But in a perfect world, my dream horse would:

-have a shorter back

-not have feathers/excess hairiness

-be slightly finer built ie more athletic as far as galloping/jumping goes

No idea what this horse's breeding is, but love the heavy but athletic build. From Wikipedia

I absolutely love the look of some of the Welsh Cob/TB crosses I've seen. I also have a soft spot for some of the Connemaras. Definitely like the look of Irish sport horses (with the more ID the better), but they are mostly too tall for my comfort zone.

Steeped in Luck, RID. Please may I cross you with a small TB mare and event all the things?

I really love the "old school" type Morgans, like the ones Denny Emerson posts on his Facebook page. There was one I used to care for that was Lippitt bred very near and dear to my heart. He was a fantastic dressage and eventing pony in his day and totally sold me on the breed.

I also like the Canadian horse. Although type seems to vary widely by breeder, some look to my eye a lot like those Welsh Cobs and Morgans I'm so fond of, not to mention that horse in the book all those years ago :) Might not be the world's next big sport horse, but I'd be pretty happy looking at one in the barn!

Seriously, just my type.

Generally speaking, I don't think my "type" has changed all that much over the years!