What are everyone's favourite (and least favourite) crossbreeds?

[maxelly]

I'll start... I'm a fan of crossing a TB over pretty much any cold-blood or native, and my absolute favourite is the connie-TB cross, my best horse ever was out of a pure Connie mare and by the local old fashioned stamp of a TB, and he was a super example, everything you'd want in an overgrown pony, smart-looking, hardy, bold, agile and very very clever (and just sharp enough to keep a keen teenager on her toes!). I wish I could find another like him...

My least favourite is a pony on my yard who is a Shetland/Welsh D Cross and he's exactly the kind of nightmare you'd imagine if you take the worst qualities of those 2 breeds and combine them, he's 13hh of pure devilment (pretty though!). I'm also a bit wary of anything crossed with a shire, they seem oddly hot and sharp for a draught cross (I'm told that's possibly an issue with the pure shires too?) and prone to breaking down young too

I think its interesting to compare the attitudes to crossing horse breeds with dogs, in the dog world cross breeding largely seems dictated by fashion, and generates so many ill bred, ill tempered sick dogs that anyone who just wants an ordinary family pet is strongly advised to stick to pedigrees only (on MN anyway!). Whereas judicious, deliberate crosses of horses seems to me to usually produce very nice, very useful animals for the amateur/leisure market, I just wish more people did it (the difficulties faced by small scale breeders could fill up a whole thread on its own I suspect)

So anyway, share your favourites please!

I like Shire x with most things (I'm porky!) we had a shire x Haffy on our yard! Looked like an 18.1hh Haffy.

The yard I rode at as a youngster had a Highland stallion at stud and they had a couple of Highland x thoroughbreds I admired, lovely colouring and nice conformation, possibly a bit lively so more thoroughbred temperament than highland but they were quite young when I was there.
I also had a pony on loan who I was very fond of who was part highland who was a lovely kind gelding.
I think Connies are very desirable (big fan of natives) but I don't come across them very often, they seem to be thin on the ground where i am.

My friend's Ma bred Anglo-Arabs. I was lucky enough to ride them and found them biddable, intelligent, kind and, occasionally flighty! I have seen Shire crosses - anyone remember Judy Crago and "Bouncer" - and the Shire / Thoroughbred / Eventer seems to work well. I cannot comment on long term soundness problems though.

A true Ish (IDxTB) with no warmblood breeding, can’t beat it.

I like TBx with Connies/cobs etc, my friend has a TBx Shire and it’s divine.
I hate Welsh Ds and anything crossed with one I know I won’t like

Our old boy is a TB/ID so a traditional ISH and he is lovely - definitely takes more after his ID sire’s side than his TB dam though - he’s quite chunky, wonderful temperament but has ridiculously sensitive skin especially at coat change time and his summer coat especially is very fine and he absolutely loathes being wet.

Our new horse is a ISH x Holsteiner - she’s quite a bit daintier and more compact body although they’re both exactly the same height (a smidgeon under 16hh). She’s also got a lovely temperament, is food-obsessed but very curious and interested in the world. She has a fabulous jump and is a XC machine

@Pleasedontdothat the thin coat is definitely from the TB side, my full ID grows a coat like a mammoth

@Pleasedontdothat nice to sneak in news there that you've found a new DHorse, congrats! I know it was a long/difficult search, she sounds great, just what you were looking for. Holsteiners are beauties and how lucky to have one with the paces and athleticism of the WB but the sanity/personality of the ISH, a perfect combo

@maxelly yes we have finally found a new horse - just managed to sort out viewings in between lockdowns... she’s absolutely lovely, is settling in very well to the new yard and she and dd are quietly getting to know each other. Funnily enough she ticks all our boxes better than the two horses which failed vettings did so despite the wait I think this was meant to be

Our old boy is being turned away for a few months and we’re going to try to bring him back into light work in the summer. We know much more about what’s NOT wrong with him but frustratingly we’re still not clear about what IS wrong. So we’re keeping our fingers crossed that a few months of mooching around in a field just being a horse might help

The best horse I've ever had was a TB x shire. I like TB crossed with pretty much any native type though.

My last horse was a TB x Welsh D and he was amazing. He had the best of both breeds and I would get another in a second.

@EmmaC78

My last horse was a TB x Welsh D and he was amazing. He had the best of both breeds and I would get another in a second.

We currently have a TB and have had a Welsh D in the past. Having the best of both breeds would be amazing but I'm having a little chuckle to myself at what you'd get with the worst of both 😳😳

@soppyspanieleyes it doesn't bear thinking about

I've owned a Arab , Irish Draught , Tb all have been sane and sensible .
I also had a mixed breed of the worst kind I've never come across another mix and I'd advise it not a good mix really my gelding was a Hanoverian x Anglo Arab sadly passed on now .
I ended up with him to sell on but I ended up keeping him as I was worried he might end up in the wrong hands as he had a certain way about him and liked a routine and if you went out of it he would have a melt down he was very very hot headed and very demanding!
He came across as crazy and some thought he was dangerous he was not though as he was a good horse to ride but would want to jog trot everywhere out hacking with head nodding nothing wrong with him !
He was just opinionated and stubborn but he was the best horse I owned he taught me so much he did chill out in his 20s but still would have his hyper moments he never retired from being a riding horse either he went on as he was not that kind of horse always acted young but when he did go pass on he went really quick.
After him I decided I'd never have a mixed breed again too mixed up for my liking !
But each to there own I suppose .

My Clydesdale X TB 😍😍

@Polkadotties

A true Ish (IDxTB) with no warmblood breeding, can’t beat it.

This! All day long.

Also love Connemara X Arabs.

I loan a Welsh D x TB and he's a gem most of the time. Very flashy and knows he's stunning, turns heads! He is very sweet to the other horses in the field (shares his hay with others down the pecking order) and affectionate to people but will boot you if he doesn't fancy being caught . Also he's a shit having his bridle on (we have to have clips for the bit and do it separately) and having his feet done.

I’ve got a Welsh x TB (looks waaaaay more Welsh than TB). She’s a prize idiot 😂 - sharp and spooky, but generally a nice “person” to be around, moves like a dream and will try her heart out ❤️

I had an Arab x New Forest growing up and he was an absolute superstar.

Crossbreeds I've had:
3/4 TB, 1/4 Cleveland Bay gelding - great riding horse, really tried his best, loved work. Was vicious in the stable/field. Better in a quieter yard.

1/2 TB, 1/2 Hannoverian mare - front end Hannoverian, back end TB, long in the back like a TB. It took a lot of work to muscle up her skinny rump, and she always looked a bit heavy on the forehand. Took a long time to mature, not forward going.

My sister's Connie X TB was a fabulous little mare, proper pony club schoolmistress in her later years, turned her hand to anything, very affectionate.

Currently I have an Irish mare of unknown breeding, sold as 'Irish Sports type'. 4.5 years old and still growing. Looks like an overgrown Connie (15.3hh and still very bum high), full of character, lovely friendly horse, moves beautifully, great work ethic, very intelligent. Haven't jumped her yet, but seems to have loads of potential.
I'm planning to write to the first address in her passport and see if I can find out more about her breeding. I suspect she's a bit of a Heinz 57 pony!

I agree that some mixes are better than others, and that TB x native works well. I've also seen a couple of lovely ID x Connies. However it also depends what comes out in the wash with the genetics of each horse. As with cross-bred dogs, there's no guarantee which characteristics you'll get.

I love an arab cross- I've known a couple of really great anglo-arabs, but also an IDxArab who was super cool!

I had an coloured cob x TB x ID.. He was by a coloured sports horse out of an ISH.. potentially lovely but it did not work out well 😂
16.3 of chunky ID body on spindly legs, ID/cob size feet with TB horn, not forward going at all to work but with TB panic/explosive reaction to fear.. Good job I loved him..

I have an enormous soft spot for the highland / thoroughbred cross. They’re lovely, reliable landrovers with huge guts and enough lightness to be fun.

As a teen I had a Morgan X TB, what a fantastic little horse she was. Never found anything similar again.

Arab x anything!!

My first horse was arab x TB x welsh. Fantastic oversized pony (just a smidge under 15hh) who could turn her hoof to anything. She excelled in endurance, completing distances up to 120 km. Never going to be fast or light as the pure bred arabians but her recoveries were fantastic. The pony breeding made her very tough and able to find a 5th leg to get us out of some tricky spots.

I currently have a pure-bred arabian but when the time comes to find another, I will be considering arab x native. Someone else mentioned arab x connie, and I think that has potential to be a fantastic horse.