My quest to find a horse

TennesseeMama23 · #1 12/03/10, 06:19 AM

I've been looking hard. My dd is 10 and has been taking lessons all summer. I'm looking for her a horse. We have never owned a horse, I have only ridden a little, dh hates horses, this will be dd's and my thing. I've looked at many and have a contender. I just wanted to tell you guys about it and see if I could get some imput.

The number one contender "Tucker". Tucker is 14, 14hh quarter horse gelding. His previous owner was a 13yo girl. From my encounter I found him to be friendly, easy to catch, picked his feet up for me easily, he neck reigns, stood still while I mounted, stopped well, slowed good when he got moving too fast, steered easily, looked to be in good shape, just had his teeth floated, stood still good, jumps *I didn't try this, I'm a novice. Negatives- Tucker is for sale by a horse trader, not where I wanted to get my horse and he has a bad spot in one eye. It looks like an old injury that affects the tear duct area, I don't know how much he can see out of it. It is easily noticed when pointed out, this didn't seem to affect him at all. Least he'd take for him is 450. Did I mention I reallllly like Tucker? He is the black one. http://nashville.craigslist.org/grd/2077619031.html

A second horse I'm looking at (for myself) is a TWH (I cannot stand a bumpy ride). This horse is also 14, she is a big horse, she has numerous show awards. She comes running when called by name. They said they paid 1500 for her and paid 500 for her training. She is a lovely horse, but hasn't been ridden at all for 1.5 years *and not ridden regularly in 5 years. They put a saddle on her for me and she was antsy, but did ok. They rode her around once and then I got on. She has a wonderful walk, minded me, i loved riding her. She did awesome for lack of practice. Negative- She didn't like being messed with (though she obeyed and didn't act up, you could just tell she had rather be in the field) she was impatient, she didn't like having to stand still when I was on her, or while we stood by her. She pawed the ground, and while I was on her back in a coral, she stuck her foot through the panel. They said she would be a great kid's horse, I trust these people. I loved her, but the impatience and being less than thrilled by standing there with us and being handled bothered me, I am concerned she won't want to go out trail riding or spook easily since she hasn't left her farm in so long. She is at the place that that has had her since she was young. She is registered, blue roan color, though she looks black since she is just field kept, no barn.

SFM in KY · #2 12/03/10, 07:14 AM

The first one sounds great. I'd ask if you could have him checked by a vet and get a vet's opinion on the eye (you pick the vet of course) and it will be at your expense but it is, I think, worth the cost. I suspect the spot is just scarring from an injury and doesn't actually affect the vision much at all, probably isn't an issue but with no history, better to check first than be sorry later. As far as being a 'trader horse' ... ask around about the trader if you can, get a feel for how people feel about him. Good traders do exist and I wouldn't write the horse off simply because of who has him.

I'd pass on the second. You don't say what they are asking for her, just what they have in her, but IMO with the market as it is, she should be priced very much like the gelding, $1500 or $2000 is way too much for her.

I am not familiar with TWH although I've been exposed to a lot of them since I moved to KY. I've only owned one and I don't do the "gaited horse" ride well enough to keep them in gait or make them comfortable with me, since I've never been trained to ride the way the gaited horse people ride the gaited horses. That said, the things you mentioned ... impatience, pawing, not wanting to be handled ... seems to be pretty common with the breed. I've seen a lot of the impatience/pawing behavior which seems to go along with some "attitude" ... if you don't ride me like I'm used to, if you don't let me go how I want, when I want, I'm going to resist ... and from what I've observed a lot of the TWH have a lot of "show horse hot" bred into them now. They are not the calm, laid back horse the breed used to be known for.

TennesseeMama23 · #3 12/03/10, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SFM in KY

The first one sounds great. I'd ask if you could have him checked by a vet and get a vet's opinion on the eye (you pick the vet of course) and it will be at your expense but it is, I think, worth the cost. I suspect the spot is just scarring from an injury and doesn't actually affect the vision much at all, probably isn't an issue but with no history, better to check first than be sorry later. As far as being a 'trader horse' ... ask around about the trader if you can, get a feel for how people feel about him. Good traders do exist and I wouldn't write the horse off simply because of who has him.

I'd pass on the second. You don't say what they are asking for her, just what they have in her, but IMO with the market as it is, she should be priced very much like the gelding, $1500 or $2000 is way too much for her.

I am not familiar with TWH although I've been exposed to a lot of them since I moved to KY. I've only owned one and I don't do the "gaited horse" ride well enough to keep them in gait or make them comfortable with me, since I've never been trained to ride the way the gaited horse people ride the gaited horses. That said, the things you mentioned ... impatience, pawing, not wanting to be handled ... seems to be pretty common with the breed. I've seen a lot of the impatience/pawing behavior which seems to go along with some "attitude" ... if you don't ride me like I'm used to, if you don't let me go how I want, when I want, I'm going to resist ... and from what I've observed a lot of the TWH have a lot of "show horse hot" bred into them now. They are not the calm, laid back horse the breed used to be known for.

They want 400 for the second horse. They told me I'd have to discipline her for the pawing. I was hoping, just daily handling would help her since she has been a field ornament for so long. If I can get them to come down even more for her, do you think she'd be a good one for me (an adult novice)? Or should I run the other way?

SFM in KY · #4 12/03/10, 09:03 AM

My advice would be pass, but you may want to factor in the fact that I am, generally speaking, not a fan of TWHs. I've only owned two, one gelding I traded for a Haflinger mare and I didn't ride him "right" for a TWH rider so he would not gait. When I was trying to sell him, he pulled tricks on a novice that backed her off, which he didn't do with me but then I'm not a bit "hesitant" with a strange horse either, but it was obvious he'd try with someone that wasn't confident. The other was an old mare that I never tried to ride, just got her as a tease mare for the stallions and she was fine to handle on the ground with no issues there.

And it's not just a TWH thing, really. I absolutely do not recommend that a notice ever start with a horse who has things that "need fixing" before they ever get the horse. And "pasture ornaments" that are people friendly/people oriented are not going to get standoffish and "don't like people" attitudes just because they've been out in the pasture for a year or two.

2horses · #5 12/03/10, 12:10 PM

I would involve the person your daughter had been taking lessons with in the purchase of any animal for her. As for buying a horse that needs disciplining, you don't (from what you've posted) have the expertise to really accomplish this well, so I wouldn't get that mare unless you commit to working with a trainer or someone else that can help you work with her.

Molly Mckee · #6 12/03/10, 12:24 PM

I had a really nice TWH as a kid. Great horse, not a show walker but great pleasure horse. However, her gaits did not match my friends horses so it was hard to ride together. If you want to ride with your daughter, I would get either two walkers or two non gaited horses. It will be much more fun.

farmergirl · #7 12/03/10, 06:26 PM

If I were in your shoes, I would make darn sure DH got over "hating" horses before I purchased one or two.
If my DH said he "hated horses", whooboy....let's just say I'd miss him.

TennesseeMama23 · #8 12/03/10, 06:58 PM

Dh is fine with me getting them, he just made it clear he wasn't going to be involved with the riding/care beyond bring hay for them. Hate was too strong of a word for how he feels about horses, he is a farmer, his work is livestock, he works with a 1000 head of catttle and 75,000 chickens. Livestock is not something he is interested in for fun. He just sees more work.

I decided to pass on the twh. I've looked at a lot, and I am very drawn to the first one I mentioned.

I decided to bring him to a great horse person/friend. They have 6 kids from 4-15, all ride all the time, they have 9 horses I think. Several of the kids got right on his back, bareback with no bit/bridle, just a halter(not lead/they controlled him just by neck reigning and their legs) and rode him in the yard. He did fine with all of them. He stood unheld in their yard, a dog ran up and he ignored it. After seeing how great he did with all of the kids, I bought him.

They are keeping him for me until christmas, and will ride him a bunch to see if there is anything I need to know about him. We are going to go up there next weekend and I'll bring my dd and let her ride him (without knowing he is hers).

I feel good about him.

SFM in KY · #9 12/03/10, 07:39 PM

Think you made a good choice ... and an excellent "trial run" with the 4H kids.

TennesseeMama23 · #10 12/03/10, 08:06 PM

I am very excited about him.

The only thing that I have to watch, so far, is he is sensitive to leg squeezing, if you squeeze much at all, he will go, but he will stop great, too. She'll have to learn to keep her legs out. I guess it's from the previous owner running and jumping with him.

I think I might have paid a little too much for him, but he is worth it to me, so I'm happy anyway. I just wish he wasn't black, we wanted red, but I couldn't get my mind off him.

It is love. (don't tell him that I didn't even want to look at him, it might hurt his feelings)

Is there a good training/horse info book you would recommend for us beginners? Dd has read almost everything horse related at the library, but I've not and would like a good recommendation.

farmergirl · #11 12/03/10, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TennesseeMama23

I am very excited about him.

The only thing that I have to watch, so far, is he is sensitive to leg squeezing, if you squeeze much at all, he will go, but he will stop great, too. She'll have to learn to keep her legs out. I guess it's from the previous owner running and jumping with him.

I think I might have paid a little too much for him, but he is worth it to me, so I'm happy anyway. I just wish he wasn't black, we wanted red, but I couldn't get my mind off him.

It is love. (don't tell him that I didn't even want to look at him, it might hurt his feelings)

Is there a good training/horse info book you would recommend for us beginners? Dd has read almost everything horse related at the library, but I've not and would like a good recommendation.

Being sensitive to leg pressure is a GOOD thing. Much better than a deadhead horse. And your daughter just needs to lay her legs quietly at the horse's sides, no need for her to keep her legs out.

He really does sound like a keeper. Congratulations!

Stonybrook · #12 12/04/10, 11:59 AM

I was thinking the gelding would be a better choice for you that then TWH from the description of their behaviors. I know you wanted a "red" horse, but color is a lot less important that temperament and training.

Is your daughter is involved in a pony club? If you have a good one in your area it might be worth joining. It is a good place to ask lots of questions and learn.

jill.costello · #13 12/04/10, 01:49 PM

I think you got a GREAT deal; I would pay $1200.00 for a horse that I could TRUST not to hurt my kid!! And he sounds like a guy that really LIKES kids; he put up with several rides from several strangers in a strange place with a strange dog! And he came away from it all his good-natured self! Good Boy Tucker!

TennesseeMama23 · #14 12/04/10, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jill.costello

I think you got a GREAT deal; I would pay $1200.00 for a horse that I could TRUST not to hurt my kid!! And he sounds like a guy that really LIKES kids; he put up with several rides from several strangers in a strange place with a strange dog! And he came away from it all his good-natured self! Good Boy Tucker!

I think Tucker just likes people, the horse friends said you can tell someone has spent a lot of time with him. I can't imagine why he would end up at a horse trader's though. I fell in love with him and it just really bothered me that he was there at that place....

I found a guy that knows him (trader guy), and he said I'd be ok buying from him, but told me to drop his name and tell him HE said to be good to me.

You should have seen the littlest boy trying to get on his back, the boy wasn't hardly as tall as Tuckers back and he tried for the longest time before he got high enough to throw his leg over (finally had to have help from his older brother). Tucker didn't mind that at all.

I cannot say how thrilled I am with him. Yay!!

bluebird2o2 · #15 12/04/10, 06:47 PM

Congratulations!Sounds like you found a good one.You never know how he got there.I once had a very well trained Morgan mare.i put ads in the paper no responses.I needed too sell her fast.I contacted a horse trader i knew and she paid me cash.i know i took a loss but i had no choice.

6e · #16 12/04/10, 07:09 PM

Congratulations!! I think you made a good choice too. And I'll second that sensitivity to leg pressure is a good thing. You can ask us about the headaches of dealing with the all four feet firmly rooted to the ground thing. LOL

6e · #17 12/04/10, 07:10 PM

Oh, and on the color thing, I'd kill for a solid black horse. LOL