# Gelderlanders



## Revena (28 June 2011)

I have a lot of questions, sorry! 
Firstly, Gelderlanders, are they a type or a breed?  If they are a breed in their own right how would you register them:  how would you breed a purebred (I haven't heard of any Gelderlander stallions standing in the UK)?  
If they are just a 'type' I assume that they would be registered as a dutch warmblood: if they are bred to say a Hanoverian, how would you go about registering them?  
Sorry for the dim questions but I'm an Irish fan usually  . Any other info on Gelderlanders would be gratefully appreciated.


----------



## GinnieRedwings (28 June 2011)

They are a breed as I understand it. They are relatively rare because they are carriage horses, not riding horses. Not sure about registration. I kow they are used as an add-on occasionally in the breeding of KWPN horses, but we have one on the yard and I have to say that altough his trot is very impressive, all I can say is that his conformation is very fit for purpose = driving, and not great for riding


----------



## 9tails (28 June 2011)

I have a Gelderlander.  As GinnieRedwings said, they are very definitely carriage horses.  I can only speak for mine, but she has very expressive paces; she goosesteps in walk, has a high stepping trot that is VERY bouncy and covers a lot of ground.  Other horses can canter to her natural trot.  Canter is also very expressive and covers a lot of ground.  Head carriage is naturally high.   Conformationally, many Gelderlanders are slightly cowhocked as they have a lot of power in their hind end, they make very good jumpers I've found.  They're not the most comfortable to ride but they are very beautiful :totallybiasedopinion:


----------



## SammyLuff (28 June 2011)

I find them very pig headed, obviously that's a general opinion and I'm sure there's some co-operative ones!


----------



## GinnieRedwings (28 June 2011)

Meet Pinkie and his impossibly high head carriage - and very fat & unfit in this pic, he normally looks much more athletic.













I agree with everything 9tails said - 3 expressive paces, though the canter is that of a horse not actually bred to canter, hind legs coming impossibly far underneath him considering he is built upside down, and a very good jump... however, the head carriage means he finds it difficult to come round through the back and extend over a jump - possibly akin to riding a stag  . 

Would just add that my experience is only based on that 1 horse, who is not pig headed as SammyLuff said, rather not particularly clever, though very sweet, a bit bolshy, not very sensitive (if he were a dog, he would definitely be a labrador ) & still thinks after 3 years of living next to a small wood that there is a tiger in there. 

Now, without wanting to sound rude, and accepting that it takes all sorts, Revena, may I ask why you want to breed one/from one/use one in your breeding programme and what is you aim in doing so?


----------



## Revena (28 June 2011)

Thanks for the responses! Ginnie, you certainly don't sound rude! I'm asking for a friend of mine.  The mare in question is a lovely mare in her early teens, my friend wants to breed something for herself and was looking to either put her to a Gelderlander (hence the purebred question) or a Hanoverian (she likes the look of Wolkenderry in particular).  As I said she is a lovely mare and moves beautifully.  The only problem conformation-wise is that she has a flat croup.


----------



## eventrider23 (28 June 2011)

The Gelderlander is definitely a breed and was in fact one of the foundation breeds for many of our current WB breeds - most especially the Dutch WB.  It is still bred in Europe as a driving horse on it's own.  I would agree that they tend to have expressive paces and high head carriage (from teh driving breeding) and tend to be slightly hot tempered but trainable.  I used to own a PB Gelder who could jump the moon.

Here is some more basic info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelderland_horse


----------



## magic104 (28 June 2011)

Isnt the dressage horse Mr President pb Gelderland?  Not a fan of the full Gelderland as riding horses from the ones I have met.  Nothing wrong with their temperments but as said they were bred as carriage horses.


----------



## 9tails (28 June 2011)

GinnieRedwings said:



			possibly akin to riding a stag  .
		
Click to expand...

The advert for mine actually stated that she jumps like a stag.  I didn't realise at that time that they meant literally!  With practice though, this is getting better and I have a little video that shows us learning very basic (and small) gridwork.  

http://s654.photobucket.com/albums/uu262/9tails_2009/?action=view&current=IMG_3206.mp4

I don't find mine bolshy or pigheaded, she is a quick learner and eager to please.  Thrives on praise but gets terribly worried if reprimanded.  Mine also believes that there are tigers living in the jump pile beside the school, again 3 years she's shied past it and those tigers still haven't jumped out and eaten her.  But they MIGHT DO if she lets her guard down.


----------



## ZJR (28 June 2011)

my boy is full gelderlander and is my horse of a lifetime!
he was newly backed and gelded when i got him as a 9yo 4 and half years ago.. and after a lot of hard work and lessons, in the last year we got placed at BD Petplan area festival, got placed at Aintree dresage champs, won highest percentage of the season at riding club, we competed BE80 & 90 (certainly not disgracing ourselves i might add ) and hunted the season with CFDH...
who says gelderlanders are only good at driving?!?


----------



## JanetGeorge (29 June 2011)

SammyLuff said:



			I find them very pig headed, obviously that's a general opinion and I'm sure there's some co-operative ones!
		
Click to expand...

I've only met one close up - and he was a total pig.  Not necessarily his fault - he'd had a bad life - but he failed to recognise when things changed for the better.

I discussed him - and the breed generally - with probably the most experienced driving trainer in the country and his opinion of them was pretty unprintable.  Apparently if you get them young and keep on top of them, they are ok.  Once they get to 10, they don't change!


----------



## Shelleystrain64 (12 August 2020)

i used to own a gelderlander , yes they are a carrage horse but i used to jump mine BSJA RULES also xc and dressage .loving , kind horse with brillant manners now jumping in hungry .


----------



## 9tails (13 August 2020)

Gosh, a post from nine years ago!  My Gelderlander is alive and well, now 20, still not pig headed nor uncooperative.  Still amazing


----------

