Reasons to never own a TB.
So if you're an avid TB lover, best not read this. I personally hate them, and will never own one..my reasons are as follows. I realize not everyone shares the same opinions as I do and I do not expect them to, and I hope no one will take offense to this..these are just reminders to me to never ever think of owning one. These opinions are formulated off of my own experience with thoroughbreds and I realize they do not necessarily apply to ALL thoroughbreds - but in general with my experiences.
1. They're ugly. Not just in a personal preference stance, but just look at that conformation? Have you seen a TB lately that doesn't have leg problems from conformational issues? Plus they're just plain ugly. I have seen a total of ONE attractive Thoroughbred in my entire life, and it was a picture from Australia where they've managed not to completely fuck up TB conformation.
2. See above, conformational issues. No, the TBs today are built to be run hard for 2-3 years, then break, totally, making them entirely useless. So sorry I want a horse that will last me more than 3 years.
3. Is it just me or is it that all TBs are prone to colic? How many times do you hear that "Oh my horse colicked...it's a TB!"
4. They cost a fortune in vet bills..see above, colicking, leg problems, and the thing is that people will actually pay to keep these unsound, conformationaly wonky that are prone to colicking even though in a few years they're going to be completely useless or just fatally colic anyway.
5. Anything that can be done with a TB can be done by another breed that is less likely to die or have to be put down in it's first five years. Ten, if we're lucky.
6. They have no brains. So, apparently some breeds don't either, but the majority of them are actually somewhat attractive.
7. They have agendas against people's arms. Apparently, people's arms are EVIL and therefore should be yanked out of the sockets.
8. Between their craptastic conformation and the above arm-hating thing, they make for the most uncomfortable ride ever, leaving you wondering "why the hell did I just get on that thing?" Of course, this is if they haven't had a stupid TB moment and bucked you off already.
9. What do people do with TBs? They race, jump, do dressage, event and things, all the time spending OODLES of dollars shooting them up with drugs and injections so they can make up for their conformational issues and crappy legs, and on colic surgery, all of what adds up to WAY more than the horse is actually worth.
10. See what I described above? Any of those things can be done just as well by another breed of horse that's sounder, more attractive, and have more of a brain...that you don't have to spend oodles of money on.
11. Where's the personality? Other than crazy or evil, I haven't met a personable TB.
12. WHO THE HELL decided short manes were "in"? EW EW EW. All you're doing is making your ugly horse even UGLIER. There is such thing as a braid, please utilize it if you must have your horses' mane out of the way, and then it doesn't have to be as ugly the rest of the time.
13. How many TBs are capable of looking at a cow without their brain imploding? Not many. However, there are still several breeds that can do everything a TB can do who can ALSO successfully work a cow without having a meltdown.
14. They're hard keepers, holy crap. You spend just as much money trying to get it not to starve to death as you do on vet bills when it colics despite the fact it's getting a huge bucket of grain, rice bran, beet pulp, 600 different joint supliments and an entire bale of hay a day..and it's STILL losing weight!!
15. Why would you want a horse that tall when you know it's going to have constant meltdowns and buck you off? There's just farther to fall..
16. They seem to think they're giraffes. Yes, for some reason their head must be reaching towards the sky and when you ask them to collect and use their back, they take offense and decide to rip your arms out of the sockets by head flipping. Who would want to deal with that? Then of course there's comformational reasons they can't either, seeing as a lot of them are ewe-necked..then with that stupid short mane makes it look even worse..yuck!
17. They're slow. It takes them forever to learn anything, and even if they have learned it, they like to pretend they don't.
1. They're ugly. Not just in a personal preference stance, but just look at that conformation? Have you seen a TB lately that doesn't have leg problems from conformational issues? Plus they're just plain ugly. I have seen a total of ONE attractive Thoroughbred in my entire life, and it was a picture from Australia where they've managed not to completely fuck up TB conformation.
2. See above, conformational issues. No, the TBs today are built to be run hard for 2-3 years, then break, totally, making them entirely useless. So sorry I want a horse that will last me more than 3 years.
3. Is it just me or is it that all TBs are prone to colic? How many times do you hear that "Oh my horse colicked...it's a TB!"
4. They cost a fortune in vet bills..see above, colicking, leg problems, and the thing is that people will actually pay to keep these unsound, conformationaly wonky that are prone to colicking even though in a few years they're going to be completely useless or just fatally colic anyway.
5. Anything that can be done with a TB can be done by another breed that is less likely to die or have to be put down in it's first five years. Ten, if we're lucky.
6. They have no brains. So, apparently some breeds don't either, but the majority of them are actually somewhat attractive.
7. They have agendas against people's arms. Apparently, people's arms are EVIL and therefore should be yanked out of the sockets.
8. Between their craptastic conformation and the above arm-hating thing, they make for the most uncomfortable ride ever, leaving you wondering "why the hell did I just get on that thing?" Of course, this is if they haven't had a stupid TB moment and bucked you off already.
9. What do people do with TBs? They race, jump, do dressage, event and things, all the time spending OODLES of dollars shooting them up with drugs and injections so they can make up for their conformational issues and crappy legs, and on colic surgery, all of what adds up to WAY more than the horse is actually worth.
10. See what I described above? Any of those things can be done just as well by another breed of horse that's sounder, more attractive, and have more of a brain...that you don't have to spend oodles of money on.
11. Where's the personality? Other than crazy or evil, I haven't met a personable TB.
12. WHO THE HELL decided short manes were "in"? EW EW EW. All you're doing is making your ugly horse even UGLIER. There is such thing as a braid, please utilize it if you must have your horses' mane out of the way, and then it doesn't have to be as ugly the rest of the time.
13. How many TBs are capable of looking at a cow without their brain imploding? Not many. However, there are still several breeds that can do everything a TB can do who can ALSO successfully work a cow without having a meltdown.
14. They're hard keepers, holy crap. You spend just as much money trying to get it not to starve to death as you do on vet bills when it colics despite the fact it's getting a huge bucket of grain, rice bran, beet pulp, 600 different joint supliments and an entire bale of hay a day..and it's STILL losing weight!!
15. Why would you want a horse that tall when you know it's going to have constant meltdowns and buck you off? There's just farther to fall..
16. They seem to think they're giraffes. Yes, for some reason their head must be reaching towards the sky and when you ask them to collect and use their back, they take offense and decide to rip your arms out of the sockets by head flipping. Who would want to deal with that? Then of course there's comformational reasons they can't either, seeing as a lot of them are ewe-necked..then with that stupid short mane makes it look even worse..yuck!
17. They're slow. It takes them forever to learn anything, and even if they have learned it, they like to pretend they don't.