ravelyan wrote:
EagleViewArabian wrote:
I think the biggest problem for beginners and Arabs is that Arabs are incredibly smart.  You can find the mellow ones for beginners but for the most part I don't think they are a good breed for them.  I know a lot of Arab owners will disagree with me.   I just know I don't have any that would be good for a beginner and I have one that you have to practically beat into a walk.Laugh
No offence to Arabs, but I have known many who were as dumb as bricks, lol. Although in all fairness to bricks, I've never seen one of them spook at their own shadow. There are plenty of smart Arabs out there, but IMO no more so than any other breed.

Every Appy I've known bar one was a bucker, and that one was a cute little 3yo with an attitude - I liked him, but I have no doubt he could and would learn to buck under saddle if he thought it would get him out of work. I keep inviting the Appy fans I know to convert me, but so far no one's come through.
Interesting. Most of the buckers I knew were QHs, and the only horse to actively throw me off (as opposed to me falling) was an Arab. My part-Appy's idea of bucking is to put her head up and hop her butt around. More like, "WTF are you doing, you weirdo?!" than "OMG bucking!" She hasn't done this in years.

I have found Arabs to be usually quite intelligent. The "dumb" impression seems to come from their general sensitivity and interest in their surroundings as well as their attention to their rider. If they look, and then you look, then they're going to think something's up. But if they're well broke, they're no more spooky and "dumb" than the average horse. Spookiest idiot I ever rode was a TB.

I think this just goes to show that you can make some generalizations about a breed in terms of temperament, but when looking for a suitable horse for a beginner (or anyone else), you have to go on an individual basis. Everyone has their breed bias, but in the end it comes down to training and individual temperament.