Standardbred Tips, Tricks and Information

Standardbreds are typically quieter and more tolerant than Thoroughbreds. These horses are accustomed to standing patiently in crossties for hours and are satisfied to leave the premises alone. They have been bathed, shipped and shod extensively and usually have exceptional ground manners. These horses excel on trails and do not spook easily. Standardbreds are very durable and have exceptional endurance. They can cover miles of trails with little effort. However, this breed has a well-developed trot or pace and does not canter easily without additional training. It takes some collection and occasionally a heavier shoe behind to swing them into a rack. Their trot is long and rough to sit, so posting is advised.

Standardbreds have hundreds—some even have thousands—of miles in harness. Most can be used for pleasure driving with some schooling in driving etiquette and manners, but some will be too spirited in harness for this pursuit. The good news? Horses that are too “spicy” for pleasure driving typically do not carry those unsavory traits under-saddle and will not develop bad habits unless allowed by their rider.

The transition from harness to saddle is easy and natural for the Standardbred. They are already well-trained in turning, stopping and moving forward. However, they must learn to accept a rider on their back, give to the bit and respond to leg pressure. A slow, gentle approach while mounting with a calm person at the horse’s head is reassuring. After a few minutes of adjustment to seeing a rider on his or her back the horse can be led around. During the initial rides, verbal commands and a tap on the rump are usually sufficient to get them to move forward.

Standardbreds are a hardy breed and not difficult to maintain if fed sufficiently. They can often be ridden without shoes. Due to their extensive harness training at an early age, these horses do not get rusty or “wild” without work. Once a Standardbred is going under saddle, he or she is generally the same obedient horse whether ridden once a week, once a month or once a year.

Most of the Standardbreds at New Vocations are still green under saddle unless they were previously adopted. Therefore, we do not recommend these horses for beginner or novice riders. They still need additional direction from a competent person to establish themselves as pleasure mounts. In time, many will become safe for beginners, but at this point in their transition these horses do not need the door open to bad habits that can come with novice riders. To learn more about the breed and transitioning Standardbreds from racehorse to riding horse, check out our founder, Dot Morgan's book Track to Trail: A Simple Guide to Transitioning Standardbreds from Racehorse to Riding Horse.