The Waler horse is considered to be very typical of a warmblood horse in its temperament and versatility. Since the Waler was originally used in several different types of activities and has a wide range of horse breeds in its history it is not surprising that they would have a wide range of skills and abilities.
The pony type of Waler makes an excellent children's horse since they have a very gentle temperament and are true people horses. They seem to love to have lots of attention and enjoy interacting with children and adults alike. Unlike some of the pony breeds the smaller Walers in the pony category are more horse like in temperament and appearance and make ideal mounts for even inexperienced children once they are fully trained. Pony Club events including saddle seat, hunter seat, show jumping and dressage are all ideal activities for the Waler. In addition these ponies can be used in gymkhana type events such as pole bending and barrel racing where their shorter bodies and athletic ability make them championship material.
The light horse style of Waler is great for older children, novice adult riders or a smaller adult that wants a bit more size and also a more "horse" type mount. This slightly larger Waler makes an excellent driving horse and is perfect for a light carriage horse or a buggy horse. They are very versatile, just like the ponies. Often these light bodied Walers are used as a transition horse between pony and full sized horses when children are moving up in show categories. Like the ponies they can be used in basic dressage, lower levels of show jumping, as stock horses and even as eventing horses, roping horses and endurance horses for lighter adults and children.
The medium sized Waler makes an excellent all round horse for any adult rider from novice to highly experienced. Each horse has its own temperament and athletic ability but as a breed the Waler is equal to any warmblood competition horse of the same size. They excel at basic and more advanced dressage, higher levels of show jumping competition and are in very great demand as endurance and pleasure riding horses. Unlike many of the warmbloods these horses are routinely used in both English and western type events and may go from hunter to roping or cutting horse. Both the medium and heavy Waler are also ideal for larger adults as endurance horses, dressage horses and almost any other type of event the rider may wish to consider.
The courage and loyalty of the Waler horse is well known and helps them in both competition and in being generally all round excellent riding and working animals. The increasing number of Walers seen outside of Australia is a real testimony to the nature and athletic ability of the breed. The Waler horse is considered a rare breed, but with increasingly numbers of studs in Australia and New Zealand there will be more Walers seen at international and national events, adding to the demand and popularity of this versatile horse.
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