Are appaloosa's good horses to own?

Question

Are they good horses and do you think they are pretty?

Whats good about them and whats bad? Which kinds of appaloosas do you think are pretty? I might get one but I want to know a little more about them!

Thanks! PS answer the questions how you feel about them!

Answer 1

Appaloosas are wonderful horses.  They are as intelligent, obedient, athletic and versatile as any breed out there.  

To dispel a few "myths" previously stated regrading the breed, they do not all sunburn, actually I have two few spots (all white) that stand outside 90 % of the day, their choice, and they have never sunburned.  

The sparse mane and tail is a genetic trait, it has been "bred out" of many of the more popular lines in Appaloosas.  It is linked to the appaloosa coat gene, but the exact connection has yet to be determined.  Also related to this gene is the striped hooves, scaleras, and mottling that are characteristics of appaloosas.  

As for the prevalence of blanketed and limited color in the appaloosa breed, much of this is a direct result of quarter horse blood in the breed.  

Please visit the following site for the most current genotype and phenotype research available in the appaloosa breed.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

They are very responsive and don't need shoes... they are also smooth when riding!

Ugly!Personaly, I perfer Lepards.I am not very satisfided with blankets. Well, some don't need shoes, it depends on age.

Answer 3

Well i use to have the sweetest appaloosa named ice he was black and white he was the SWEETEST horse ever but i guess it just depends on the horse ive met nice ones and not so friendky ones

hope you pick a good one !

Answer 4

Good horses are really in the opinion of the user.  I think all horses are good regardless of color or breed for the opportunities they offer us to learn - especially the human lack of patience.

Do I think they are pretty?  I think some are prettier than others.  I don't personally care for the sparse mane and tail.

I prefer the darker colored base colors with blankets of about 50% or less white spots - white markings on the leg and face as opposed to the "leopard" app.

Now that I've given you my preferences, I'll tell you that they have absolutely no value to you because they are just my preferences.

I have not sought to own one because I have never had good experiences with them due to the basic reasons they are what they are:

Appaloosas were developed by the Paluse tribe of Native Americans as functional tools for their needs.  Their colors blended nicely with their terrain offering natural "camouflage" which enabled them to hide from prey and disappear into their surroundings when pursued.

They were bred to be easy keepers, quite often which relates to a normally fatter horse.

They also bred them to have the sparse manes and tails to disallow them getting caught up in underbrush and such - the mane and tail were another item to maintain.  Breeding them to be sparse allowed lower maintenance.

To me, knowing these things, the best example I can envision of a true appaloosa is the leopard marked dark horse John Wayne rode in a few of his movies.  The bugger was big, stocky, fat, with sparse mane and tail.

The Paluse tribe also bred these animals to be smart.  these superb horsemen were able to ride without reins into battle or a hunt and had trained their horses well to intercept enemies or buffalo - and they had stamina to travel long distances as well as short cannon bones to allow quickness - quick speed, quick stops and quick turns.

The American whites have diluted this breed quite a bit, as they have with other breeds and species to become what they feel is "pretty" - they have not maintained the breed for it's original purpose.  The advent of basically "colored quarter horses" is the outcome.  these are the ones like I described as being "pretty" to me - solid bodies with a splash of white across their rumps - more aquiline body styles than compact and heavy.

Now with all that said, I have heard a saying which I feel should be given some thought:  "An Appaloosa's intelligence is signified by the number of spots it has - the more spots the smarter".  

I personally have a rough time interacting perfectly with a "dumber" horse such as a quarter horse.  Any animal of 1200 lbs that is nearly as smart as I is going to be hard to handle.

So I would suggest to you that the purer the App blood, the more difficult it will be for a person with a lower level of knowledge and experience interacting successfully with horses on their own level.  I know that's a mouthful - the "natural" method of interacting or training horses, although it's been around a while really isn't as prevalent in thinking as we might all hope.  It's difficul for people to really understand how and why a horse thinks and equate that to why they do what they do.  To those who have done years of homework that can take a horse from unbroke to well started without issues, I would say they are well equipped to take on an App of the purest blood - much like they'd be the best equipped to properly start an American Mustang.

So - determination of the bloodline - is the prospective animal a quarter horse line predominantly with a little App blood which gives the color?  Or is the horse a fully spotted, old bloodline true App?

Then compare that with your own experience, knowledge and available facilities.  Let's say you really like the type App that's representative of their foundation blood.  Do you fully understand how all horses think and why they do what they do?  If not, have you the funds to hire a trainer, buy books and videos and get this knowledge to help you interact with that horse the best way possible?  If the answer to both of these is no, then look for something else.

Apps are EXTREMELY smart horses generally speaking - they will learn both bad and good habits quickly from you whether you intend to be training them or not.  I know a lot of people who'll tell ya they're all crazy because those people weren't fully understanding of them - the horses were very confused as a result of inaccurate, inconsistent communications and/or had become quite defensive due to lack of clear leadership and communication.

I would prompt you, no matter what your answers are to these to get all the learning you can as often as you can via books and videos and even shows on RFD TV regarding horses if you can.  Soak it all up, file it all away in your noggin, then reflect back later on all the stuff you've learned - it's a wonderous experience.

good luck!

Answer 5

OMG THEY ROCK! I have an appaloosa. Give me your email and i will send you pics of her, and a vidoe of me riding her.

Yes i think they are very good horses, and HELZ YEA I THINK THERE PRETTY!

Whats good about them is that they are very smart, and listen amazingly well. What bad is that they may try to test beginers. They use there smarts to try to get out of work. Defintly dont let that happen. But once they get the hint that they cant get out of work,  they do awesome, and listen to your every command. So if you do get an appy, and use a bit, you could switch to bitless. Thats what i use on my mare. I think blanket, and spotted appaloosas are the best! I have a blanket, and want to breed her to a spotted i think, or another blanket havent decided, i have two years to lol.

I would defitly get one if i were you they are just amazing horses. They are what i will know and forever get.

Answer 6

I think they are beautiful looking animals.

You just can't go by the breed, all horses have personalities which make them special. Look at the personality to find that special friend.

http://www.saferhorseracing.com/gpage14....

Answer 7

Hi, I own an appaloosa and he is the BEST horse in the world. In my opinion all horses are beautiful and unique, but appies are something really special. i think they are gorgeous especially my horse. He is a varnish roan and spotted appaloosa.

They are very good first horses cause they have a puppy dog personality. You can really go into discipline with them from western, to jumping, to english ect. They can be ridden longer than other breeds cause they are so strong, i know people who show their 30 year old appies.

There are a few downsides to the breed. Many appaloosa go blind and loose their eyesight because of the white scelera (sp?) around their eyes. My appie went blind in his right eye a few years ago and now he is 20. You need to keep a fly mask on their face at all times when they are outside in direct sun. Another downside is that they are extremly smart and can outsmart you very easily if you dont know much about horses. they are also very stubborn (at least mine is)

I have leopard appaloosa with a varnish red roan coat.

get an appy i love em!!!

~2htoohorse~

here are pics of my horse Hap My App

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/...

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p184/...

EDIT Buffy: I thought that appaloosas were from the Nez Peirce (sp?) indians, yeah that is it for sure. Also I dont think of them as a stocky breed in fact the appies i have known have a very nice built body.

Answer 8

I had a leopard appy with a big white blanket and a star. He didn't have the typical broom tail and scraggly mane like a lot of appys have so I got really lucky. I like a lot of color on my appys.I think appys are very level headed with big hearts and lots of stamina. I barrel raced mine and he was also my JR rodeo horse, my 4-h horse and my FFA project.have fun and good luck!

Answer 9

I like blanket appaloosas. They are good horses but all of the ones that I've been around have had some kind of blindness issue. They also seem to sunburn pretty easily.  But leopard apps are disgusting looking.

I hope that I helped you. (:

Answer 10

Appy's are like any other breed- you get good ones and bad ones. Typically, appy's tend to have poor feet and need shoes/special care from the farrier. Again, this could be said about any horse, but genetically this happens often in appy's.

They can also tend to be on the stubborn side, though I understand that they are also very hardy.

As for looks, that's is personally preferance! One thing to look out for is appy's with alot of white- they have sensitive pink skin and burn easy, which can lead to melanoma cancer.

Some appy's are gorgeous, some I think can be a little homely- but it depend on what you want them for. In trail riding, eventing, gaming, etc.. who care bout what they look like if they are sound, healthy, intelligent, and hard workers!? But if you plan to do breed shows, you may want to be a little more picky!

Answer 11

Appy's are very good horses to own. They are beautiful, gentle, and willing. They often don't need shoes, and they are very good trail horses. Any Appaloosa coat pattern is pretty, but I like the blanket pattern the best.

I have an Appaloosa at my house. He's twenty years old, and is still keeping up with the younger horses in County Fair, and he has not gotten arthritis yet. He has not worn shoes since my mom bought him, and he is one of the best trail horses I've ever ridden. He's gentle, quiet, willing, and eager to please.

Appaloosa's are good at a lot of things. They can barrel race, do rodeo events, jump, be a pleasure horse, a show horse, a good kid's horse, or a trail horse.

The Nez Perce tribe founded these horses, and they were bred for their coat patterns, being quick for hunting buffalo, and having good stamina for chasing the buffalo. This breed was almost wiped out when other men found them, but a few survivors managed to band together and bring back the Appaloosa breed.

Appy's are very good horses to own!!! Buy that horse after you've tried him out, and found that you like him. Here's a good website for looking at a horse to buy.

http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/bu...

Answer 12

If you want a horse that outlives you then go with an Appy. lol. I don't have a whole lot of experience with them, but the ones I have seen have been hardy, healthy, versatile and athletic. Many of them also have quite the attitude. They can be very stubborn and difficult but seem to be very smart and easygoing at the same time. If you can deal with the attitude and the awful manes and tails they often have then I think they make great mounts. My friend has a 27 yr. old appy thats still going strong and has done absolutely everything. As far as color goes, I'm not a real big fan of any color like that but if I was to get one it would have to be really loud. If they have the really bright and defined markings I think they look great, but I've seen so many that are more like roans or their color just blends together and they look awful.

Answer 13

It's something of a myth that breed and breeding really affect how "good" a horse is. The dominant effect on "horse goodness" is training. A horse well-trained for your discipline with the amount of forwardness, emotionality and focus you need will be the good horse for you.

I've ridden some really terrible horses with great bloodlines.

Also, I'd recommending making "prettiness" last on your list. I've seen a lot of people buy poorly trained but pretty horses with difficult or even potentially tragic results (such as injury).

Have fun, and look for the best trained horse you can get.