According to Wikipedia DISPOSITION is a habit, a preparation, a state of readiness, or a tendency to act in a specified way. So in a matter of logical thinking a good disposition should be a good habit, a good preparation, a good state of readiness, or a good tendency to act in a specified way.
In the horse industry you hear the term “good disposition” used way more then bad disposition cause we just do not want to lay claim to one with a bad disposition. Here are some examples that I wanted to share with you of what I would consider a good disposition and something I look for in my mares, and studs as it is something I am really proud of to be able to say I have. There is nothing more fun then working with a horse with a “good disposition” and nothing less fun then working with one with a “bad disposition.” So enough of the rambling…..here are some examples. After you are done reading this I want to hear a story about what makes you say you have a horse with a good disposition.
Little Shining Sun has been the main boy at TS Quarter Horses. I purchased him in 2007 at the beginning on his three year old year. In my opinion there is nothing more important in a stallion then a great mind and a great disposition. He has that and so much more. It does not matter weither he is in a pasture with mares during breeding season or running with the other studs (ranging from weanlings to six year olds) he is the first to greet you, the first to stand there and lay his head against you and just love on you. My 10 year old son Triston has figured out a sure fire way to get on “Sayo” bareback when he is out in the pasture. A sure fire way….to work each time he assured me. He comes armed with just a little bif of grain in his hand which he drops on the ground right in front of “Sayo” and then when “Sayo” put his head down he jumps on right behind his ears. “Sayo” in turn lifts his head which allows Triston to crawl along his neck on to his back. A simple flip of your seat and your facing the right way ready to ride, and come on, it is so much easier then jumping on him. lol
Hickorys SanZ Olena is a mare that I raised and she has kinda been my baby from the very beginning. The other day she once again showed me what a great mind this girl has. I needed to get my mares in and since I wanted four of them IN the corral…..none of them wanted to be near the corral and not even the bucket of grain was enough to change their mind. The weather was cool and they were all feeling full of piss and vinegar. I cornered SanZ and while the rest of the mares shot out of the corner like a bunch of bats outta hell I put my jacket around SanZ’s neck and jumped on her bareback and rode her to the pick up to get a halter. Mind you she had not been ridden since “Baby Sayo” was a baby on her side (almost four years ago). After getting my halter and lead rope I jumped back on her and chased my girls around till they decided that they would really rather be in the pen and this running around stuff was not near as fun. How many broodmares would you feel comfortable doing that with? And just because I had to check…..her lead changes and turn around still worked great…even bareback and with a halter on and me flapping all over her (been a while since I rode bareback…not a pretty sight let me tell ya).
Miss Sunkist Fisty is a little mare that I got when she was a weanling. I rode her a little bit her two year old year but did not put more then 30 rides on her as I was pregnant with Keeley. This mare showed a TON of stop and turn around and I was so wanting to get her ready to show but needless to say time got away from me and it did not get done. She has had two very nice foals for me and after a year and a half of no riding and just being kicked out busy being a mom I caught her up last week and loaded her up to head to the branding. John used her that day and just saddled her up, jumped on and off they went in a trott to go gather some cows and just as soon as the cows were gathered in the branding pen they went. This mare did not miss a beat and did her job (even though she had only been in the branding pen one other time) like she had done it all of her life. No buck, no silly, nothing one could complain about. Be sure to check out the video from the second day of branding on this nice girl with truly a great disposition.
Elans Chic Olena ~ a picture is worth a thousand words. Elan has been part of TS Quarter Horses since the middle of his three year old year and this is the horse I go to if somebody that is not an experience rider wants to ride, if Triston (my 10 year old son) wants to go move cows, or if Keeley (my 4 year old daughter) wants to ride with mom. It does not matter if he has been kicked out with the other studs for a day, a week or a couple of month, when you catch him to go do a job or let one of the kids ride him I know I can count on him 100%. I know he is not going to cut in two with anybody, act study, or get rattled by a cow getting on the fight and hitting him.
So there they are….just a few of the many reasons that when I say that one of my horses has a good disposition I really mean it. With all that said…..it is your turn. I wanna hear your story about your horses great disposition.
There is no way I could not add this pic on my post about a GOOD DISPOSITION
