RE: QH/Arab cross

[Karen Webb <kwebb@GSSB.com>]

I interrogated one of the vets working at the GERA Classic this weekend, Doc
Otis, who vets several endurance rides a year and asked him about endurance
and Arabs and Arab-crosses.  He stated that if you want to be really
competitive, then ride an Arabian.  The crosses do fine and can be
competitive, but the more infusion of Arabian you have the better.  The
Arabians stay sounder and recover better.  However, I would think that if
you just want to have fun and maybe like a bit bigger (taller and/or fuller
bodied) horse, then a cross can work out very well.  The Quarter/Arab
crosses are usually very nice.  As with any horse, you need to look for
balance and proportion.  An "uphill" horse, i.e., higher at the withers
rather than higher at the croup is always perfereable.  

-----Original Message-----
From: Karen Sullivan [mailto:greymare@jps.net]
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2000 12:03 PM
To: dan_hutchinson@msn.com
Cc: ridecamp@endurance.net
Subject: RC: QH/Arab cross


Hi Diane
 
I have three Arabs and
 
Three half Arabs....  One Arab/mustang, one Arab/Walker, one Arab/Paint (QH)
Just sold an Arab/morgan
 
They all have their good and bad points. My Arab/Walker is about 15.2 and
very heavily boned.  I am almost
6 ft., and currently weigh 160.  
 
My Arab/paint filly is already 14.3,  a yearling, and will be very
big.........
 
That said,  I have mixed feelings about Arab crosses........I have seen some
truly  horrible crosses with awful comformation. Since many Qh and paints
these days seem to have these huge butts sailing up in the air, far higher
than the withers.........this will NOT make a good riding aniimal.
 
the pure Arabs seem to have the best recoveries, and a small Arab may be
able to carry you better than a bad cross......that said, best advice is to
NOT narrow your search, look at every Arab cross and pure Arab you can find,
for comparison sake.  I DO believe that my pure Arabs are smarter than the
crosses, and for some reason,happen to be more laid back and sensible!
 
IF all my horses dropped dead tomorrow and I had to look for the one perfect
horse to be a companion, good trail horse, camping, trail, whatever, I think
I would tend to look for a pure Arab, at least one where my feet didn't drag
on the ground.....I "dabble" in endurance, not an serious competitor.  My
goal, for ANY of my horses, is that they be well trained and sensible enough
for the kids to ride.......as well as go 50 miles!
 
I DO  believe than as a generalization, Arabs seem to be sounder than other
riding animals..........
 
I also don't happen to believe that "big" bone is necessarly the number one
criteria........Arabs traditionally have
HARD and FINE bone...just becaue an Arab is crossed with some sort of
heavily-boned breed and produces a critter with big legs.......is no
guarantee it will stay any sounder than the fine-boned Arab.
 
Any comments, ridecampers?
 
Karen Sullivan