Recreational horse
Horses that are not used in tournament sports are referred to as recreational horses . A horse can in the course of his life, both as a leisure horse as well as a competition horse can be used. Often older sport horses , which for various reasons can no longer be used in sport, are sold as leisure horses . Recreational horses can therefore have very different levels of training . A former dressage horse has a different level of training than a leisure horse that was only ridden off-road.
There are horse breeds that are particularly popular in the leisure scene, for example Tinker , Friesian , Haflinger , Icelander . Depending on the intended use, the character of the horse is important, for example a rather calm temperament may be desired. Many recreational riders want horses that are balanced, calm, persistent, uncomplicated and friendly.
Typically leisure horses are primarily in the area riding. In contrast, sports (also: competition) horses are often trained on the riding arena.