Related Bates Saddles information

Contango offspring---any experience to share?

klr said: I'm riding a big very strong 4 yo gelding who is just walk/little trot, never cantered under saddle---BIG, strong and has the most POWERFUL MOVEMENT (OOPS CAPS) I,ve ever ridden--could use some input as to what I may expect Yes I know no 2 are the same--but trends, similarities ect. would be nice to hear about. In general he's reasonably calm and managable on ground, can try to bully but accepts discipline and very much likes training--lifelong tendency to display "puppydog" traits wants to be close (has to be "backed out" of your personal space') wants attention scritches/scratching ect. Do these big boys tend to be pro rides. TIA klr

Th*HorseProblem said: Barbi Breen-Gurley competes a Contango offspring called Octango. You could try emailing her. She's also on Facebook. Your horse sounds fab! http://www.seahorseranch.com/barbi.html

M*rshfield said: All the ones I've met have been awesome sport horses.

k*ana said: There are two at the barn I train at. Both are really nice looking horses and at PSG or above, I so want one! I've untacked the younger gelding and he seems like a sweet heart. Not much help but the two I know are nice, one went really far over a years worth of triaing time so they must give a lot.

s*egi b. said: Who is the mother?

klr said: Dam is sportbred tb successful A hunter'(Story Time '94), was res champ conf hunter at Devon as 2yo im told--has fab sport lines : Nearco xs 2, blue larkspur, eight thirty, mahmoud ect. Sire line "Time to Conquer" successful sire of a long established hunter sire line-or so it appears from what research Ive done. Nice solid quiet mare, looks more Trak than tb.While at Denny Emersons she recieved nice compliment from staff "nicest mare here" ( a generous compliment Im sure -not forgotten!! This 4yo looks pretty much like his famous 1/2 sibs. klr

C*sMonster said: I've only ridden one that I know of and he was very big, very powerful movement, and about the nicest horse you will ever meet--definitely not a pro ride attitude-wise! Seriously, as a 4 year old this guy was the babysitter for older horses on trail rides. Very willing and happy to do as you asked, nothing really phased him. I don't know how much of that was the sire and how much was the dam as warmblood breeding has never really been my thing, but that's my personal experience.

Cl*udius said: We are just in the process of starting our three year old Contango/tb mare....so far she is very intelligent and has accepted long lining , changing direction, stopping , backing etc. with NO resistance at all. She is a lofty , lovely mover. We are expecting to market her as a hunter prospect....anyone else out there going in that direction with a Contango??

C*sMonster said: The Contango baby I rode was also more of a hunter type in spite of his powerful movement. He wasn't quite a daisy cutter but he was fantastic over the low jumps we tried him on and had a flatter movement than you'd really want in an upper level dressage horse. He also had more of a natural low hunter frame as opposed to the higher upper level dressage frame. I only worked with him for his first 6 months or so under saddle and I'm not sure where he ended up, but the hunter ring is where we were headed with him, too.

*kggo said: I just picked up a Contango daughter yesterday, and so far I couldn't be more pleased. She trailered like a pro, went into her new pasture no fuss at all - sniffed noses with the others and went right to eating. She has been extremely docile and laid back about everything so far, I'm really excited to have her. Mine is most certainly NOT a hunter mover. Her dam was an upper level dressage horse, and she got the dressage movement from both sire and dam (which is what I wanted). Picture and link to her photo album are on my website under mares.

*3 said: I had a Contango gelding that we trained to Grand Prix. He was a very special horse. His ridablility and trainability were unbelieveable. He was a hot, but sensitive horse. He never did anything naughty, not in his nature. I currently have a 2 year old by Contango and a full sibling due in May. The dam was shown thru 4th level. Very spectacular and very unreliable in the show ring. We felt that ridablility and trainablity were important factors in selecting a stallion for this mare. The 2 year old has a great temperment. Very easy to work with. He is sensitive, hot, but very sensible. The dam is elegant and long legged. The 2 yr. old is tall. long legged and very handsome. Contango can throw an old type horse. However they make super riding horses. They get better with age.

m*ckeydoodle said: Close experience with a Contango big mare- very big strong girl, great movement. Not a pro ride in the sense that she was not spooky, did not buck, easy to trail ride. Very affectionate on the ground, in your space, sometimes used her size to move you out of the way. BUT- needed a pro to set her on the FORWARD track. Did not have this at a young age, thus never really got above first level, too much movement up in the air, not enough forward to do any collection. If your horse is four and not cantering I would get him with a pro for a while, to get the straight and forward go button in place. The Contangos that I have seen that have gotten past this point, and have the go forward instilled, are great horses.

Gr*ekDressageQueen said: I just picked up a Contango daughter yesterday, and so far I couldn't be more pleased. She trailered like a pro, went into her new pasture no fuss at all - sniffed noses with the others and went right to eating. She has been extremely docile and laid back about everything so far, I'm really excited to have her. Mine is most certainly NOT a hunter mover. Her dam was an upper level dressage horse, and she got the dressage movement from both sire and dam (which is what I wanted). Picture and link to her photo album are on my website under mares. Congratulations! She is absolutely gorgeous. I would love to find a horse like this. Good luck with her babies!