No, silly! I am not talking temperature as in whether the horse feels hot or cold, but I am talking about the temperament or personality of the horse. After all, all horses, like all mammals are warm-blooded.
When we talk about a horse’s personality, we can rate their temperament on a scale of 1-10, with 1 being cold-blooded (calm and gentle), 5 being warm-blooded (even tempered and willing) and 10 being hot-blooded (high energy and excited).
If you purchase a horse rated between a 1-3, you can expect him to be what is known as a “steady Eddie.” He will be calm and collected, not easily startled by strange sounds or sudden movements and you will need to use a little more leg effort to get him moving since he will be more on the lazy side. However, these horses are reliable and dependable and not likely to bolt out from under you. A great example of cold-blooded horses would be the Draft horses.
If you get a horse rated between 4-6, he will be considered warm-blooded with an even temperament. He is willing to do work and doesn’t need as much effort as a cold-blooded horse does to keep him going at the walk, trot and canter. These horses are great for all around trail riding and work that does not require high energy. The Quarter horse would be a great representative of this temperament.
A hot-blooded horse is rated between 7-10 and you can expect him to be full of vim and vigor. These horses are usually high performance ones and are always jittery, trotting, pacing, tail high, side-stepping, ready to go. You will see their riders holding them back as best they can, but these horses want to run! The breed that comes to mind first in this class of horse is the Arabian.
Who knew that hot, warm and cold temperaments would play a huge role in choosing a horse for a rider and a specific event? Knowing this information is important since it allows a trainer, owner or rider pick the right horse for the job at hand. Now you can show off your knowledge of horse personalities next time you have the chance. Pass it on!
