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[RC] Arab/Saddlebred crosses - Ridecamp Guest

Please Reply to: JennT jent@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
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I've had my NSH (1/2 Arab, 1/2 NSH, so technically 3/4 Arab) for three years, 
and we finished our first season of endurance last year with 6 LDs.  We were 
never pulled, and on the toughest ride I completed one of the vets told me that 
he looked better than any of the other horses coming through!

He maintains a very low heart rate and has had quick recovery times. Unlike a 
lot of NSH's he is only 14.3 (barely) and is light (850 lbs) and very narrow. 
He loves to GO and does not like to be left behind, so I have some trouble 
getting him to pace himself for the 1st couple of hours of a ride.  He's also 
pretty excited at the start, but not dangerously so.  He'll be 11 in May.

We're planning 50's this year, and my "mentor" says he's in perfect condition 
to do them, which is good because I haven't been religious about my 
conditioning program. (I'm way more worried about MY condition!)  I love his 
attitude -he is very fun to ride in any situation except arenas, which he 
hates.  (He's a pretty boy and I suspect that he spent a lot of time in them at 
some point.)

The only  thing I don't like is that I find his trot to be fairly rough despite 
my best efforts to get him to drop his neck, use his butt more and lengthen his 
stride.  He is slowly getting better, but a gaited horse he is NOT.  On the 
other hand, I am 51 with a badly arthritic knee, and so have a fairly low 
tolerance for a springy trot. (He also isn't too fond of children - they make 
him impatient and nervous.)

But, based on my first and only NSH/Arab cross, I would definitely recommend 
them for endurance.  I come from a dressage background when I rode a lot of 
throughbred-types, so this has been a big culture change for me.  I love my 
little NSH and am having more fun than ever riding!


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