Flyin Catfish - 2015-05-07 10:28 AM

THIS. Sums it up perfectly..

I just had to have my 2 year barrel prospect put down 2 nights ago.. Impressive on both sides of her papers. She was the most athletic, cattiest, quickest horse I've had. Very HOT, very sensitive, light and reactive. Smart as a whip, and an extremely fast learner. Like someone else on here said, not one to hammer on. Had to keep our ground work sessions short and sweet.

Flyin Catfish - 2015-05-07 10:28 AM THIS. Sums it up perfectly.. I just had to have my 2 year barrel prospect put down 2 nights ago.. Impressive on both sides of her papers. She was the most athletic, cattiest, quickest horse I've had. Very HOT, very sensitive, light and reactive. Smart as a whip, and an extremely fast learner. Like someone else on here said, not one to hammer on. Had to keep our ground work sessions short and sweet.

~rodeojunkie~ - 2015-05-07 10:34 AM

The horse in my avatar is impressive granddaughter. She is a super all around horse. She can get hot and on the muscle at a race but she takes super good care of me. She's hard to time only (which I need more then her) because she will play and act colty. She will find things to look at like she wants to spook. But her has been through many parades including the CA rose parade and the Portland rose parade. She is not spooky at all. She is sensitive and in the wrong hands could get spooky or worked up. I also can put super beginners on her at home and she is the calmest thing around. She has her quirks but is well worth it. I'm planning on breeding her to a very expensive race bred this next year as a future replacement.

Here's a picture of her with a 4yr learning to ride. Addie weights all of 34lbs.

smmthbr - 2015-05-07 10:40 AM


I am so sorry for your loss!  I still miss the gelding in my avatar so bad I can still break down in tears thinking of him.  
 

Flyin Catfish - 2015-05-07 10:50 AM


Whoops, I meant to quote your post on page 1 in my previous post... Its been a looooong time since I've posted here.
Anyways, she spooked at a trailer load of roping steers being unloaded in a pen neighboring hers... she just lost it so bad and did some really extensive damage to herself. I'm trying to upload a picture of her, she was literally the nicest looking 2 year old I've ever seen.

Flyin Catfish - 2015-05-07 10:50 AM Whoops, I meant to quote your post on page 1 in my previous post... Its been a looooong time since I've posted here. Anyways, in response to what happened.. she spooked at a trailer load of roping steers being unloaded in a pen neighboring hers... she just lost it so bad and did some really extensive damage to herself. I'm trying to upload a picture of her, she was literally the nicest looking 2 year old I've ever seen. https://scontent-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/10458724_102...

Oh dang - she was nice!   Double Triple sorry for your loss!  Are there any others with her breeding?   

Edited by smmthbr 2015-05-07 12:02 PM

CallMeSkidmark - 2015-05-07 10:46 AM


She's beautiful. I have a love of red horses with chrome!

But I feel the same about my mare! My niece has ridden her and my daughter loves to give her hugs and sit on her. There's not another horse I trust as much as I do her.

Can't wait until my little girl is old enough to really ride her around like your little girl!

Her with my niece... half asleep.

and my daughter and her last night

~rodeojunkie~ - 2015-05-07 10:58 AM


Your mare looks just as sweet as mine! Addie started riding at 2, but its just been this year she is able to walk and trot on her own. As much as I trust Scarlett she is all business in front of a pattern at a race. So I think we are a few years off from being able to let her complete.
Currently I'm looking at breeding Scarlett to Ivory James, but i'm almost tempted to go with a chromey cowbred like Big Chex to Cash.
Congratulations on your future mare's baby as well.

smmthbr - 2015-05-07 9:50 AM

This topic has come up a hundred times or more and every time it comes up, I have to get on and defend Impressive bred horses.  The horse in my avatar (Impressive grandson) was the most responsive, wanting to please, kind horse I've EVER owned.  I lost him 2 years ago but am riding his paternal half brother and he too is a joy and a superb athlete.  Impressive bred QH's remind me of Arabians, I rode, bred and showed Arabians for many, many years.  Some people say they are HOT, I call them sensitive.  Such quick learners and they don't like being hammered on.  Make your point with them and move on.  If you treat them FAIRLY they are fantastic.  If you go getting macho on them, you're going to lose.  They require horsemanship and logic and reasoning.  And yes, ask June Holeman about Impressives!   My theory: why not ride a PRETTY athlete?!?!?!   AND, too many people forget that Impressive was bred to RUN.  Who doesn't like Three Bars?!?!?!   

BTW CallMeSkidMark:  LOVE LOVE LOVE your mare!   

CallMeSkidmark - 2015-05-07 5:46 AM

I love them. I've had two and have gotten along with them amazingly. Can't hardly fight them on anything. Despite them being a bit hot, if you just ride them quietly, they respond well. May be why I get along with them so well, because I'm a pretty laid back rider and do a lot of different things with my horses.

My current barrel horse is also Impressive bred. (Out of a Conclusive mare)
Her personality is summed up with the word GRITTY
I absolutely love this horse. She is definitely a little spicier than most, but is incredibly reliable. When I got her, she had only been on barrels for a few months. In the three years I've owned her she has won money ranch sorting (This mare is cowy as hell), money earner as a heel horse and won her first big jackpot (after only 2 days of heeling work), and has paid for herself as a barrel horse. This year will be exciting to see what she does in the barrel pen after almost 2 years off.
Also adding, she's not spooky. If she tries to look at something, I can almost always just push her right through. She's an epic trail horse and will do anything you ask of her.

When I was preggers, she had time off and I decided to start her for ranch horse/reining stuff. While she did really well with the training, barrel races are just infinitely easier to haul to with a young child, so I've just switched her back to barrels in the last month.

I realize she may be unique, but because of her I will NEVER over look an Impressive horse. I've found in the two that I've had, that they have incredible heart. Both of them were similar in work ethic and grit, despite being out of different sons of Impressive crossed on different types of lineage.

I'll post a few pics of this mare. She will be bred to a son of Colonels Smoking Gun next year because of just how **** athletic and gritty she is, for a NRBC hopeful. If you can't tell, I pretty much think she hung the moon. lol

If you came across one, don't overlook the potential there. But like many bloodlines out there, I think they need a specific type of rider to be able to tap into what they have to offer and not everyone gets along with them.









Have even done some over fences and hunt seat stuff with her... shes mighty cute over fences. In fact, both my Impressive horses were honest good jumpers. Although, these days I do it more for me than my horses.



Sorry for the pic overload. I'd really like to see what this horse you got looks like. What is the Impressive crossed with in his lineage?

~rodeojunkie~ - 2015-05-07 9:43 AM

I wanted to add to OP that I'm in Oregon too and if this mare doesn't turn out to be what your wanting, please contact me. I love my impressive mare so much that I wouldn't mind having another just like her.
It also sounds like your new mare has a similar background to how my mare was started. :-)