What are the personality characteristics for appaloosas?

Question

Not physically, but personality traits for appaloosa horses...

Answer 1

Of course every horse is different! But if you want to talk common threads, than here it is:



Extremely smart! Whether or not they use their intelligence for good or evil is up to the horse! Usually showing up as stubborn or the other way around.

Athletic

Unique and loud personality - usually cheeky! Don't turn your back on an appaloosa with your lunch nearby.

I find them to be an awesome breed!

Answer 2

Appaloosa Characteristics

Answer 3

Appaloosa Horse Personality

Answer 4

I've never met an Appaloosa I didn't like, but that could be because I love contrary horses.

Must admit to not cover most of the breed (Obviously every horse is different.), but I've ridden/been around several different Appys and current exercise one. All the ones I have rode are lazy and stubborn as hell. That being said I've never met an Appaloosa without lots of character! Poka, for example, will 'play a song' with her lips on a fence.



I absolutely love Appaloosa's, and if I wasn't going toward a future in high level jumping/dressage I'd be a total Appy hoarder when I could afford horses. (: They have so much personality and spunk. They are VERY intelligent from what I've seen and will work, very hard, to get out of things. But once you have their respect you have a loyal partner, as would most horses once you learn their quirks and such. I can only imagine how awesome a hard working, want-to-please Appy would be- practically the perfect horse in my opinion!



I would suggest an Appaloosa for a new owner/beginner rider, but like any horse only well schooled and trained with excellent manners both on ground and in the saddle.

Answer 5

Appaloosas are so varied because the breed itself is varied. The stud books were opened to quarter horses, thoroughbreds, arabians and morgans, so there is heavy influence from each of these breeds (with quarter horse and thoroughbred being the most common influence), as well as the foundation lines. Over the years, my family and I have owned 5 appaloosas, and each one has been a world apart from any other as far as personality. My riding instructor and other boarders have also owned appaloosas. I used to show heavily on the appaloosa circuit in the northeast and am still a member of the ApHC. I've encountered more appaloosas than I can count, and of those, there have been docile, obedient lesson horses, flashy and well-trained show horses, hot-headed jumpers and gamers. They are anywhere from spooky to bomb-proof, aggressive to timid, intelligent to stupid. But one thing that has always been common among them is that they're distinct. Each and every appaloosa I've ever met has had memorable quirks and unique personalities. I have never met a boring appaloosa. Appaloosas have a way of leaving a mark on your memory, whether that mark be good or bad. This is one reason I love appaloosas. They never get lost in a crowd, even those without a loud coat pattern.

Answer 6

It's difficult to say exactly what personality traits are characteristic of a color/breed - they're all very different. However, in my experience, I would agree with above, that they have a tendency to be very, very stubborn. The appaloosa I've had have all been very rational, fairly bombproof and smart, but have had a little bit of an evil side - they did what the wanted when the wanted.

I had one that was very time consuming to train, and very lazy. Another that was very quick, extremely athletic, and while he was honest, he did what he wanted. For example, he would jump in a 4' line intended to be 6 strides, make it an easy 5, and there was no stopping him. Nothing crazy, he just wasn't going to consider adjusting.

My first training project was an appy, and if nothing else, I learned patience.

Answer 7

My old mare was an Appaloosa and she was awesome.



I wouldn't recommend them for beginners as they can be very forward moving and can quite often have a mind of their own being that they are approximately 3/4 TB.



While I can't speak for all of them, my mare was a pleaser and would do ANYTHING she was asked and was actually a great jumper.



She was a bit aloof in the paddock but once caught was your best friend. I got her when I was 15 and she only just passed away two years ago at the age of 30. She didn't seem old at all until the last couple of weeks. She went strong until the very end and then just died in her sleep one night.



She was a hard keeper though as she was always very active. I found Speedi Beet worked well for her temperamental digestion in her senior years.

Answer 8

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RE:

What are the personality characteristics for appaloosas?

Not physically, but personality traits for appaloosa horses...

Answer 9

It really depends on the individual horse. I have a appaloosa who is the sweetest horse, but there is another at the barn who is extremely violent. It all has to do with the horse and the people it's been around. Its like saying all african americans are criminals and all southerners are rednecks. It's a stereotype and it really needs to change. With that saying i'm not discouraging you from buying an appaloosa but the fact is to know what a horse is like you have to meet them just like a person.

Answer 10

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Great horses. The true Appaloosas!! NOT the quarter breed with color. They are very smart! They are thinkers. They tend to be smarter than their riders. They are very hardy, easy keepers, not many health problems(their skin & eyes are their problems), very loving, great with children/family horses(when trained the right way), they are great all around horses. The Morgan horse & Appaloosa horse are my 2 favorite breeds. Either one you will be pleased, if trained the right way. Just look for trained first, then breed. You will have a better out come of owning horses. Much safer for you & the horse. A little about them The Appaloosa is a horse breed known for its preferred leopard-spotted coat pattern and other distinctive physical characteristics. While there is evidence of leopard-spotted horses dating back to the Paleolithic era in Europe, the Nez Perce people of the American Pacific Northwest developed the American breed. They were once referred to by white settlers as the "Palouse horse", possibly after the Palouse River, which ran through the heart of Nez Perce country. The Nez Perce was even better-suited to raising horses than that of the Shoshones, and was better protected from enemy raids. The Nez Perce became excellent horsemen and, unlike other tribes, they practiced selective breeding of their horses by gelding the inferior stallions and trading off the poorer stock. As a result, the Nez Perce were able to produce better horses than other tribes. The Nez Perce horse herds multiplied into the thousands and in an economy where horses equaled wealth, the Nez Perce became known as an affluent tribe. Meriwether Lewis, who happened to be a skilled horseman, wrote of the Nez Perce horses in his journal, “Their horses appear to be of an excellent race; they are elegantly formed, active and durable; in short many of them look like fine English coarsers and would make a figure in any country.”

Answer 11

I've known a few Appys and here's what they were like:

One was very lazy and didn't always listen. I often had to use a crop and even spurs to get him going. Only rode him once though.

Two others I know very well. One was Appy Thoroughbred and he was a great horse, but a handful. He would jump anything in front of him, very athletic and energetic. He could be rather temperamental though, would bite and kick other horses, hated to be inside, ripped up blankets, would sometimes buck and very hyper when jumping. I loved him, but a horse like that isn't for everyone. The other Appy was a great horse as well. He loved to jump, but not at such a quick speed as the other. He wasn't as fast or athletic, but very good for children. He was sweet with a great personality, loved to be ridden but a little lazy. Somewhat headstrong and wanted to do what he wanted to do, but very willing to please.

I think Appys makes great horses for anyone. I think they are all very different though!

Answer 12

I have two appys and two very different personalities.



One mare is very smart, easy to work with, out maneuvers the geldings who try to boss her around, and can jump anything she feels like. She is calm and doesn't think things are spooky at all. I have had her since she was a weanling and she is 19 this year, so we have a very solid history. She comes to a whistle, follows me without a lead, stands freely in the pasture without a halter to get feet trimmed, etc.

Kids can handle her.



The other mare came to us from an abusive situation, rescued by a decent guy who couldn't work through her issues or even get a saddle pad near her. She is athletic, fearful, very reactive, and stunningly pretty with a nice head and near perfect conformation. She would not work out for anyone but my husband whom she trusts.



You have variances in breeds no matter what. You have horses started and trained by different methods. Evaluate each horse for its individuality and trainability. Look at the specific horse's mind, not the generalities.

Answer 13

You really can't decide what type of personality a horse will have based on it's breed. All horses are different.



Its kind of like being horse-racist :P

Answer 14

My experience has been that they are similar to Quarter horses in stubbornness and take a lot of patience. But they are vary loyal, and once you earn their trust they are fabulous companions.

Gotta love the color!

Answer 15

appys are known to have bad attitudes. i used to have a appy tb cross that always had his ears pinned back and was lazy. was very honest to fences though...

Answer 16

Very very stubborn not recommended for first time horse owner one with tons of experience

Answer 17

BRATS!