Since I had searched all the big websites, I decided to just go ahead and cruise through craigslist. It saddens me to see how many ads there are for "I have two horses that need to go....just come get them please".
Then I was also saddened for how many really horrible ads there are. Bad pictures, poorly written ads, ads that are clearly out right lies. You know the routine.
Every once in a while though there was a decent one. Most are also listed on horseclicks or equine now. I don't know if this one was or not. But I kind of like this one too. No video this time, but some decent photos I think.
Again, seems awfully cheap, for a well trained horse, but then perhaps there are people out there who believe in fair prices.
My horse was free. ;) He's a 2002 registered AQHA gelding, gorgeous Bay, has some skin issues-sweet itch-but very treatable. Never lame, super sound, well-trained, awesome bloodlines, from a big ranch out in MN, his brothers rope and go for $5,000+. He just got the short end of the stick, ended up at an auction where my aunt got him and then he got skinny and bald because they couldn't afford the feed after financial difficulty 9 years after getting him. Like I said, free, now he is amazing and I've been offered quite a lot of money for him. (Of course, he's STAYING, lol!) and we got my mom's barrel racing Appaloosa, not registered but very well trained and smart, gorgeous, well-built, sound, for $800. Just depends, I suppose! I wouldn't personally spend over $1,000 unless I was into HUGE showing. My horse is capable of doing quite a lot in shows and I didn't have to spend too much. ;)
ReplyDeleteThat ad does sound honest, and you can tell that the seller cares about the horse and isn't willing to let it go to a beginner in order to protect the horse.
ReplyDeleteI emailed her and got a response. She has had several offers on her. Good offers, but has turned them down due to rider inexperience. I told her my whole story, sent her a couple of pictures of my horses and asked if I could see her. If she says I am not experienced enough, I will totally respect that.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like the mare better. The gelding seems like a really nice fellow, but I think will have soundness issues, if he doesn't already. I'd want a very thorough vet check and a talk with his current vet to make sure he isn't already being treated for joint problems, especially at that price. He is very heavy on the front and his hocks look stiff, particularity the RH. If he started doing a lot of cutting at three years old, it is almost inevitable, especially with such a long backed, wide-bodied horse. I've very rarely seen a QH built like that stay sound past middle age, I suppose it could happen, but I'd look real hard at him.
ReplyDeleteFrom the sound of the ad, I doubt the mare has the same training level, but is built a better for long term soundness - from the pictures anyway.
I don't know what the prices are like where you are, but the gelding seems high to me and the mare about what I would expect. Of course, it's different everywhere.
My $0.02 worth anyway. Good luck and God help you if you really are horse shopping:)
After what I have been through with Sassy and what I still go through with Trax there are two really big things at the top of my list, when...I mean IF I was horse shopping.
DeleteFirst of all, is just like you said. Long Term soundness.
Second is a horse that will stop when asked. I don't care about big sliding stops, but a real stop would be nice. Granted I want one that is safe and well mannered. Broke is always good too.
Prices here are all over the place, but pretty much any horse that is what professional's call "broke" is 8 to 10 grand. But to me broke is a relative term.
I don't know what I am doing DD, I love Trax, its not like he is going anywhere or that I am going to stop working with him. I think that maybe I just wish that I had a horse that did have a ton of baggage to practice on too.(as in addition to the horse with all the baggage) Sometimes I feel like I am never going to learn "soft" on a horse that only knows "run like hell". Plus it would be nice to be able to go on a family ride rather than either TC or Simon.
I know what you mean, working with a horse who has baggage gets old and it's hard. I know all the clinicians say they can fix it, but in real life, I have never seen a horse forget it's past. You CAN work through it (usually, although I have known some horses who were so messed up that the kindest thing for everyone would be a clean end. I know that isn't PC right now, but true anyway.), but it doesn't ever go away, the baggage will always be there. You do great with Trax, he is lucky to have you.
DeleteI can see why you like the gelding and if he really is all he appears to be in the video, you might want to check him out anyway. If he does have some soundness issues, they might be something you can both live with in exchange for the knowledge he might be able to share. His value really depends on what he can teach you and what you can afford to pay for it. What prices are going for in other parts of the country are irrelevant.
The best thing to do is probably go look at both of them. No horse is ever quite what they appear to be in an ad no matter how honest the ad because we always project our own desires onto it. The only way to know is to meet the horse in person.
My only other thought is, if neither horse is what you want, maybe try to find a place to take some lessons on other horses. It IS hard to learn how to be soft on a horse who doesn't understand it. Are there any lesson horses you might be able to practice on somewhere?
The last thing to keep in mind is that "soft" is often a relative term. I know the whole image of the draped reins and riding bridle-less is all the rage right now, but it is a bit of a myth. You don't see the dirty tricks often employed to get the horse to that point and no horse is totally soft 100% of the time. Every horse gets wound up or spooks and you have to be able to communicate with them. That really can't be done effectively if your reins are down around the horse's knees or you aren't using a bridle of some sort. It looks good in the show ring, but I personally think it's a bit irresponsible and dishonest. It's kind of like airbrushing a supermodel, the result is not attainable and not real.
Ah well, enough of my blather. Good luck wrestling the demons. We all do it and the fact that you have gotten this far in the horse shopping process says to me that maybe you are ready for something different. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you can feed them all:)