The horse industry is a vast and ever-changing one. There are many different breeds of horse out there and many that specialize in various events including show jumping, dressage, eventing, and even 4-H and youth-only disciplines. The most popular breeds for eventing include thoroughbreds, warmbloods, and the Dutch warmblood variety. In recent years, though, the eventing landscape has also seen a rise in popularity of non-traditional breeds such as the Appaloosa, Morgan, and Peruvian Paso.These non-traditional eventing breeds offer unique advantages for both the rider and the horse in certain disciplines such as cross-country or stadium jumping where traditional types struggle. Let’s take a closer look at some of these breeds and explore their advantages and disadvantages...

The thoroughbred

Created by breeding the highly valued Thoroughbred mare with the fast-running and powerful English stallion, the thoroughbred has become a staple of the eventing world for almost a century now.Due to their excellent athleticism, power, and strength, thoroughbreds are excellent jumpers who can clear almost any fence out there with relative ease. They are also capable of carrying a rider at a high speed and are great for cross-country courses with their ability to go from flat to fences with ease.However, the thoroughbred is not a perfect horse for every discipline and event. They are less comfortable on rocky and rough terrain, and struggle to maintain a high-enough canter speed to be competitive in cross-country.

Warmblood / Dutch warmblood

The warmblood has become a very popular eventing breed over the last few decades. Their origins lie in the mares of the cold-blooded Dutch and warm-blooded Arabian, with the bloodline of the former dominating. As such, warmbloods are known for their incredible athleticism and strength combined with the calm temperament of the Arab.Warmbloods are excellent jumpers and are capable of clearing almost any fence with ease. They are also great cross-country horses who are able to maintain a high enough speed to be competitive even over some of the more difficult cross-country courses.Their biggest disadvantage is likely the lack of jumping ability in the Standardbred, which is the other main variety of warmblood.

The Appaloosa

The Appaloosa is a type of horse with a unique combination of markings. The horse has a dark grey body with a white stripe down their face, a dark grey tail, and a white stripe down the side of their body.The Appaloosa breed was bred by Native American tribes in the United States, and their markings are the result of selective breeding with the intention of creating a horse with a calm temperament and strong instincts.The Appaloosa is a great choice for dressage, but they do not excel at jumping. They are too laid back to be competitive in the cross-country disciplines, and are too small to jump in the stadium-style disciplines. However, they are excellent for 3-day events with their excellent temperament and jumping ability.

Morgan

The Morgan is a horse breed that is often associated with the American South. They are often colloquially known as “Cow Horses”, and are a spooky and sensitive breed that is great for beginner riders.Their one-of-a-kind markings and large size make them a very unique horse that is excellent in the 3-day event. However, they struggle to jump in the larger stadium disciplines.

Peruvian Paso

The Peruvian Paso is a hybrid horse breed that is often mistakenly referred to as a miniature horse. They are an athletic and beautiful breed that is excellent in 3-day events, but not very good for jumping.Their excellent jumping ability makes them a great choice for cross-country and stadium jumping, but they are not suitable for the dressage disciplines.

Conclusion

There are many different eventing horse breeds out there, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to do your research and choose a type of horse that is best suited to the disciplines you want to compete in.If you’re looking to begin your eventing journey, the best place to start is with a thoroughbred. These horses are great for the beginner, with their excellent jumping ability and calm temperament.