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Would you buy a TB?

5 replies

fl68 · 11/10/2020 18:44

I've been searching for a horse for my 14yr old daughter coming off ponies. She's a competent rider, loves to show jump, does rc/pc.
It wasn't what I wanted but I've seen a tb that "sounds" like what we are looking for. We are viewing tomorrow. I've just got this thing in my head about taking on a Tb.
We have connemara at the minute so very different. My daughter adamant she wants a finer bigger horse, nothing cobby at all. I was hoping for an Irish sports horse type thing but, wow, prices have shot up and it's ridiculous what people are asking for them.
Can people just help me with the pros and cons of a tb....

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RatherBeRiding · 14/10/2020 17:23

Personally no, although I've known some wonder ex-racers who were real gems. But they'd had a lot of work put into them by competent riders, and also had the right kind of TB temperament.

I have a 3/4 TB ex-show pony type. He's beautifully put together, moves like a dream and is an athletic jumper. His temperament on the ground cannot be faulted - he is loving and gentle. But ridden - if something freaks him out (and many, many things can freak him out from pigs and deer to waving branches!) and he gets his TB-red-mist-descending head on, then he's downright dangerous. God knows how myself, my daughter and him have survived over the years. He's the type that would end up in a ditch upside down (known that happen to 2 TBs).

My others (native breeds) would get to the edge of the ditch, look down, think Nah and wander off for some grass!

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Foxinthechickencoop · 11/10/2020 22:17

Like everything there are pro cons.

I would just make sure you get it vetted with a 5 stage vetting. Particularly think about ulcers if it raced. Also pay attention to feet. Are they very flat? In my experience they do lose shoes easily and can get very foot sore. It’s sometimes hard to get a shoe back on if they’ve ripped a fairly fresh one off and there’s not much hoof to stick it to.

I always say, whether it’s horses, cars or boyfriends. The faster, flashier and fancier they are, the higher maintenance and more likely to go wrong. But that’s not to say they aren’t very nice.

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lastqueenofscotland · 11/10/2020 22:03

I’d take a TB over most other horses BUT
They are bred to cover ground so tend not to be super flashy. They are often powerful and big moving but not in a way people who are used to sports horses will expect.
They are often thin skinned and a bit sensitive to flies etc
If they’ve raced they’ll have been cold shod since they are yearlings so they often have terrible feet.
If they‘ve raced they are not usually great to hack alone

On the plus side they are stunning horses who often really want to work for you.
I wouldn’t ride any other breed team chasing, they are often the boldest horses to ride across the country and I don’t hunt but a lot of hunting folk (especially thruster types) I know say they have been the best hunters they’ve owned.

One thing I would say having owned a lot of TBs is I had one who was a fabulous jumper but they can tend to get a bit flat over fences and I’m not sure I’d want one as an out and out shoe jumper especially in bigger classes.

I love them, and would never own anything else BUT I think a lot of people do buy them because they are cheap and find themselves out of their depth in whatever sense be it their care, or ridden.

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VampireBill · 11/10/2020 21:01

No, not really, but neither would I choose a thin-skinned, high maintenance Dutch Warmblood prone to thrush that is currently rugged up in a spotless stable with washed and sprayed feet right now. But sometimes they just suit the growing child more than the wonderful low maintenance connie that we had years of fun with and that loved living out. Life used to be so simple! Choose the horse, not the breed/colour/size.

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bodgeitandscarper · 11/10/2020 19:01

Pros, are athletic and able to turn their hooves to most jobs. Look attractive.

Cons, are prone to needing vets more than usual, thin skin means they can be more prone too saddle sores and girth galls, wounds happen more easily and can take longer to heal than an average cobby type. Mud fever etc can be more of an issue. Flat tb feet can be prone to issues such as navicular and pedal ostitis and bruise more easily.

They can be very sensitive and spook easily, although I have known pretty laid back tb's.

They will take more care than a native, requiring rugging and extra food in comparison. In short you can expect to spend more on feed. Also worth thinking about your daughters commitments over the next few years, a tb is likely to need more time and consistent work which can clash with studies and wanting to do other things.

The best bet is to go and look with an open mind, each horse is an individual and it might suit perfectly.

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