09/04/2021
Are standardbreds easy to ride? NO!
Over the years I’ve seen this question asked allot, often passionate people jump to defend them because they adore the breed, I do too!
Standardbreds aren’t breed for riding, their first purpose is to be a racehorse. I have watched the breed develop for this purpose for a long time and for their purpose they are better than ever. However this first purpose can raise some issues moving forward as a riding horse if they are not carefully considered.
In the cart they can move in a disengaged way and it’s ok because they aren’t carrying weight on their backs. When Standardbreds move to ridden work we want the horse to engage the hind end so the back is supported to carry the weight of the rider and connect the hind end to the front, freeing the front end. This creates balance and rhythm.
With out connection a standardbred will feel extremely wobbly under saddle. A lack
of connection will cause the shoulders to be restricted and mis steps will result in a stumble. A stumble will happen when the diagonally paired foot fall has been badly placed, leaving the next foot fall unsupported.
Standardbreds are what I would term, hypermobile, this means they are very flexible with weak backs....some of the strangest contortions I have seen, have been Standardbreds. Standardbreds MUST have good foundations of ridden work to go on and have a good sound ridden life unless all you ever do is walk in straight lines hacking.
Standardbreds are one of the hardest breeds to organise and get truely correct work from, off the forehand and pushing from the hind.
This being said, they are also one of the most willing and forgiving breeds. Their nature is what makes them extremely trainable! So if you take the time to really understand and train them for correct work they will give you everything they have. You can produce work as good as any other breed, the rider and their knowledge is the limiting factor. Education on the foundations of riding and mechanics of movement is the key to starting your journey with your horse.
Behavioural issues start to creep in if the work is constantly being made hard for the horse, it becomes uncomfortable for them. Remember that every time you ride, you will either have a positive impact or a negitive one. You are training a living breathing animal that has feelings and a malleable body you can either weaken or strengthen with the postures you ask for.
So in summary, like any breed they have good points and bad points. But I’d take trainable over naturally talented any day because the horse has to want to work for you.....Standardbreds have this in spades!
To follow training standardbreds please visit the standardbred charity we operate
https://www.facebook.com/StableToStirrup/
Happy riding.
Edit: standardbreds only have weak backs coming off the track because they have been conditioned for race work not because the back is weak by bred. They can through correct work become as strong as any horse as per their conformation.
