Appaloosas?

Every appaloosa i have met has been an absolute sweetheart. I own one and she is my baby girl and she is so calm and willing. yet every time i tell someone she is an appy they laugh and say they are the meanest horses around and don't believe me when I tell them how sweet she is.and i mean everyone, and they don't believe me until they actually meet her then they are still scheptical and act like she will jump on them at any moment. do appys have a bad rap I don't know about, like pits or dobermans? what do you personally think of the breed? good horse or bad horse?
Answers:
I have owned,bred, raised, trained and campaigned Appaloosa horses all my life. Appaloosa horses are the most forgiving horses that God ever made. You can do things on and to an Appaloosa horse that you couldn't to any other breed I know of. The Nez Perce Indians had bred the Appaloosa horse into a Colorful, gentle, useful mount that was the envy of anyone that happen to cross paths with the Nez Perce. I have heard that when Chief Joseph surrendered, That the remaining Appaloosa were handed out to the settlers and that the Appaloosa was bred with anything and everything, Mules,Draft Horses,Etc.... Over the years the bloodlines were deluded But the color was never lost. What a powerful breed to be able to recover from such a low point in their history. In the 50's and 60's the Appaloosa horse was not a long tailed beauty, in fact they didn't have much of a tail (or mane). Some of the Appaloosa were to say the least knot-heads, But I also think that the gentle nature was mistaken for dumbness, or slow laziness I once heard, that the reason the Nez Perce Indians rode Appaloosas to battle, Is because by the time they got there, they were so mad, they were ready to fight. I also heard that the Appaloosa horse is the only horse that can drink out of the bottom of a 55 gal drum and look over the rim at the same time. But at the end of the day, the Appaloosa horse is the greatest breed there is and the world is full of sad, little, narrow mined people that will never know the joy of owning the greatest breed that God ever created. You have a nice Appy. to brlracer when your horse acts like an airhead that just the quarter horse in her/him coming out.

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good horse

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they are good I have met a lot of appy owners and all of them were nice the one I loved the most was bell she is the cutest

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I don't think you can classify a horse's personality by its color. I have never heard people knock Appaloosa's behaviors, so I am surprised to hear the reactions you get.
I do see differences in different breeds of horses, with the larger horses being gentler and the littlest ones (ponies) having a tendency to be naughty or mean. So much of a horse's behavior comes from how they were raised, trained, and treated, though, and to me, you judge each animal on its own merits.
Have fun with your sweetie, she sounds great, and I am sure she is beautiful.

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There are good and bad in all breeds.
I've owned several appys and appy crosses. Mostly what you see anymore are appaloosa-colored quarter horses. The QH has been bred in for so many generations that the original foundation appy characteristics are lost other than color.
I've never come across a truly mean appaloosa, but I've known a few knotheads. They can sometimes be slow-thinking and downright sulky when asked to do something they don't want to do. But those individuals are well balanced out with the sweet, honest individuals like your mare.

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Well I don't know much about Appaloosa horses. Even if they supposedly have a bad temp that doesn't mean they all do. They are very pretty and I would have to say they are a good horse!

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AWESOME horses! I have owned many apps and not once have I ever had a problem with them. It's all in how they are raised and treated. My last app mare was 28 yrs old and anybody could ride her, lead, brush, even my 7 yr old daughter would take her out of the fence and let her loose in the front yard and Star wouldn't go anywhere.

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beautiful horses the only thing prettier are the Clydesdale's in my opinion. but hardly ever have i seen a mean one.

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Appaloosas are a breed not a color! ( though I have to agree that a lot of them now are spotted Quarter Horses unfortunately) I've owned several Apps over the years, and yep, some of them were knotheads, though all of them were pretty gentle and kind. I have had 3 that were real "thinkers" though, and very smart...sometime too smart for thier own good and mine (-:
I think how a horse "is" is a combination of bloodlines, dams temperment, experiences both current and past, and handling, rather than specifically by breed. I will say this though...people are very opinionated about Apps ( and Arabs) they seem to either love em or the hate em.

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I've worked with many appaloosas. I personally have found that they tend to be mild mannered and typically easy to get along with. I have worked with horses for a good ten years and have never come across a mean appaloosa. I would personally even suggest an appaloosa as a first horse for any one.

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A well-bred Appaloosa is a joy to own. A friend of mine raises them, and I've seen the prejudice many have against the breed, which is too bad. I personally think there are a higher percentage of bad-tempered Quarter Horses out there than Appy's these days, but you don't hear much prejudice against the QH's.
The reason Appys developed this prejudice is as follows: in the early/mid 1900's, there were very few Appaloosas left. The Appys that were left comprised a very limited in the gene pool, and some of those horses were not very nice-looking and had poor temperaments, but were bred from since there weren't many other options. Consequently, many people retain that impression of the Appy (most were old enough to have met the 'nasty appy's' or have been made prejudiced by old-timers). There are still a few of those 'old type' horses out there, and I've met a few, with completely unpredictable temperaments. Generally, however, today's Appaloosas (both 'colored Quarter Horse-style' and 'foundation style') are very nice horses with excellent temperaments, toughness, athletic ability, are people oriented and have a lot of heart. It sounds like your mare is one of these :-)
Don't let others' prejudice influence your opinion of your horse. She sounds like a nice mare for you.
"A good horse is never a bad color."

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I own a half qh half app. She looks nuthing like an app, in fact she is a solid sorrel. But anyways I have always known appys to be air heads. But there are times when my mare gets that way too! So honestly im not interested in getting any app's at this time, but if they please you then by all means..

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Most are totally calm. They can be such sweethearts your right BUT there are always the few that arent. Maybe your friends just didn't get to meet the nice ones yet. So they may just think they are bad. Yes I do believe they are good horses

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Hahaha, yeah, sorry hun, but they have almost as bad a rep as Arabs. I'm speaking from experience here: I have an Appy mare myself (sweetie pie most of the time and I'd die for her, but she definitely gets her Appy moments. :P). Appies, as a rules, tend to be moody, stubborn, brattish (is that a word? o.O), way too smart for their own good, and all around a pain in the you know what to work with. But, those same traits can help you: their intelligence makes them a quick learner, they're very loyal, and their stubborness can help them not give up on something until they get it right. :D But, as you know since you own one, GREAT HORSE!
Oh, and I should add~ She's more of a foundation than a spotted QH, which I think adds to some of her mental... roadblocks. :)

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everyone has an opinion. i have an appy mare and yes she has "appytude" i think they all have it. but that doesnt mean that they cant be sweet too at the same time. they are a very stubborn, smart, resillient breed. they are great, but just like any breed there are those bad apples. once they learn something they dont 4get it, whether it be right or wrong!

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My friend has one on loan with a woman who breeds them. I know this horse is sweet in the stable but she can be a real pain under saddle, on the other hand she has good days too which makes me think they are about the same as any horse mood-wise. As far as I know they don't have a bad rep.
As long as you and your horse get along and enjoy each other's comany - that's the important thing not what other people think.

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From my own expierence, training one in college for my degree ( had her for 3 years), she was a bit unpredictable, flighty and not a reliable mount, but as far as manners, she was a sweet heart on the ground and you couldn't help but love on her.
Now on the other hand, I have seen some Appys that I would die to ride just once in my life time.
I don't think it would be fair to judge the breed, there are good horses and bad horses despite what breed they are.
Yes Appys do have a bad rap, I just started back into horses after a 6 year break, and I told another horse person at the barn I was looking into some appys, and they laughed at me and said I must have wanted a lifelong project horse. So yep, they have a bad rap, but they don't deserve it, I have seen far more good appys than bad ones.

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You can't really say that ALL are nice or ALL are mean. I would say that the ones I have met are nice, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a mean one in the world.

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I have Appaloosas and do a little breeding. I prefer the foundation type. If I wanted a colored QH, I'd have Paints.
My experience with Apps is that people love them or hate them depending on their prior experience, and most riders have met at least one Appaloosa in their life. I believe that the foundation type and Arab crosses are smart horses and depending on how they are handled, you will get out what was put in. If they are mistreated, they will remember it. If they are trained with understanding, they will work with you. My horses are very affectionate and just looking for someone to be their special person.

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i get the same thing! my gelding is the sweetest family horse i have ever been around and yet people still say "o why did u buy an appy" i have heard some bad stories with appys but that is with any horse.

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Nanneke, Apaloosa is not a color - its a breed with specific color patterns - and often an Appaloosa can be solid due to infusion of Thoroughbred, Arabian and Quarter Horse blood.
The interbreeding was to improve the breed's conformation. The foundation Appaloosa often had a big head, pig eyes and skimpy ratty mane and tail.
Natasha, Appaloosas are highly intelligent and don't put up with things other horses will. They think more like a mule - and can be as stubborn. That's why some people don't like them, plus a lot of people will form opinions just because they've heard others say things.
Appaloosas can be aloof, especially the stallions. Some people regard this as mean. But you know, it's unfair to stereotype horses ... there are variations in all breeds.
I prefer Appaloosas for their personalities, their unusual color patterns and their endurance. They're good honest horses, for the most part.

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I love Appaloosas! I have never heard anyone bad mouth Appys but then again I really don't listen to what anyone says about one particular breed. Even if they do have a bad reputation, I'm glad to hear that all the ones you've met and all but one of the Appys I've met have beaten this steryotype. But I've never heard it before..

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I like this breed a lot because some of them that I have been are so calm and I have a friend that has a wonderful appaloosa that looks like a brown and white paint people are always mistaken uit for a paint

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well its the same thing with dalmations... pll say there mean, but of course some are. and i have met appys that are mean,most of them are but my cousin used to have one that was very nice, he didnt like to do much, but was perfect as a kids horse. i really dont thinkl there is such thing as good and bad breeds, its all in how the horse is treated at home.

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hon appys are either crazy or lazy, very very rarley will you find a good appy. but if you like her and she does good for you it shouldn't matter whst other people say.

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I feel first I should say, you've got a really nice looking Appy there! :) Also,I don't think I've ever heard anything bad about Appaloosa's behavior. There are obviosuly no perfect breeds with no flaws of anything but I think Appy's are real sweet!
The only Appy I know who can tend to be a little cranky and stubborn sometimes is a horse named Buttons who I ride for a friends but she's a 25 yr old pony who's slightly artharitic but she's definantley not mean!I'd think more of old age in her case:)

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I've had the opportunity to work with a wide variety of horses in my life...Appaloosas, Quarter Horses, Paints, Arabs, Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, Drafts, Paso Finos, plain old grade who-knows-what-they-are...and my experience is that horses all have their own individual personalities. There are good characters and bad characters in every breed, believe me it's not limited to just one breed. Personally, I think you can more accurately pin personality on bloodline than you can breed.
I'm not sure why the prejudice exists so prevalently againts Apps (and Arabs here in West Texas), but then again why does any prejudice exist in the world?