Horse Search Progress

[velessa]

I'm going to use LJ to chronicle my horse search; it'll help remind me what I've already seen.


January 19th
Confetti

Mare in need of some serious training! Refused to even be saddled. I'm definitely not looking for a project like that.

Eddie

Really sweet and big, well trained, but old at 15 and kind of lazy...would definitely prefer something younger I could get more years out of.

January 26th
May

Nice, good looking mare, but recovering from a cut on her leg. Looking forward to the chance to ride her when she heals.

Red
{No Picture}
Awful! Completely emaciated, I refused to even attempt to ride him because I didn't think he could take it! The guy said he had rescued him and a bunch of other horses from Oregon; all were severely underweight and in need of a lot of recovery time. Would have been nice to know this before wasting my time trying to come see him; I couldn't believe the guy was actually showing him to prospective buyers in that condition.

Mystery

Huge (17.1 hh)! Nice gaits, but hadn't been ridden in a long time and had been cooped up for weeks due to the rain, so was way too excited to be out and would barely come to a stop! Would probably be really great with consistant exercise. Young, too, only 6 years old; definitely doesn't like leaving the company of other horses.

Dinaro

Beautiful, sweet, very well trained, kind of lazy though. Owner raised him from birth and didn't really seem all that into selling him anymore; I think I would feel bad about buying him!

Melody

Off the track and a total PITA to handle and ride. Barn sour, spooked by puddles, didn't listen to bit or rider, just wanted to go go GO home! Terrible.

Grace

Cute, comfortable 7 year old mare being professionally trained at a really nice jumping barn. Very nice controllable gaits once she was told she had to listen the rider. Kind of small at only 15.3 hh, though, and she kicks the wall of her stall.

That's all of them so far. Out of this group Mystery and Grace are my top choices so far, but I really want to ride May and see how she is as well.

I'm lined up to see about 8 more this weekend, so I'll try to have more updates when I get back Sunday night.

Comments

[bayareajenn.livejournal.com]

What does "barn sour" mean?

[velessa.livejournal.com]

It means all they want to do is stay in the barn. They don't want to leave home base for anything, and when you take them out to be worked, the only thing on their mind is breaking away and getting back home as quickly as possible. So you end up fighting them and their attention is not focused on you or doing what you ask.

[ex-aria-sta.livejournal.com]

Oops, I had this page up for a while before replying, and so it didn't show your reply. Sorry!

[ex-aria-sta.livejournal.com]

A horse that doesn't want to leave the stable, kind of like a human who is a hermet and is uncomfortable/scared when leaving and over-eager to return.

[ex-aria-sta.livejournal.com]

I didn't realize you were looking to get a horse. I'm glad you're putting so much thought into it. :) I'm hoping to weed out the people who put thought into puppies and you are into this horse from those who didn't.

Would you and Josh like to come over on Sunday? We're having a small Super-Bowl potluck. Can't do anything too big because of the puppies. They grow so fast!!

[thomasj.livejournal.com]

Christy probally won't be back until late Sunday, and I've got projects... but thanks for the offer =)

[jennifer.livejournal.com]

I don't know a whole lot about horses, but I know pretty when I see it, and your top choices are both gorgeous!

[hungry-worm.livejournal.com]

Mystery sounds and looks promising (as much as I can tell as a not-really horse person); eagerness sounds better than being stable sour.
Kicking the stanble walls isn't good, is it? Doesn't it raise the chances of injuring themselves?

Anyway, good luck in your search and decision process.

[velessa.livejournal.com]

Exactly, which is something that would cause me to hesitate. She also already has an old injury to her rear leg that doesn't affect her for what I want to do, but it could be aggravated by the kicking. However, the horse I get would most likely be kept in a paddock, not a stall, so it might not be a factor in the long run.

[hungry-worm.livejournal.com]

Ah, that might work, then. Is it even known why horses keep doing that, and if it's possible for them to lose that habit again?

The only bad habit I know about is cribbing (from when I went on checks with my ex the vet); someone who bred arabian horses happened to have a pretty foal that was doing it, and the owner was extremely displeased. It seems to be hard to get them to stop once they pick it up.

[velessa.livejournal.com]

It's a really nasty and annoying habit. It's also bad because it wears down their front teeth to practically nubs. I don't know of a way to get a horse to quit once they've started; about all you can do is make them wear a cribbing collar which prevents them from tucking their head under to suck in air by jabbing them in the throat.

[allevil.livejournal.com]

Mystery looks really nice. I had read though that horses 17hh and over can develop lameness issues more so then those under that height. Don't know if its true, but it would be worth discussing with a vet maybe.

The barn sour horse sounds incredibly bored with her lot. If you varied up her activities, her attitude could easily change. Or not, heh. Theres no way to know for real.

May looks cute.

[rainstorm159.livejournal.com]

Dinaro is quite cute. Having a horse that's already well trained is a big bonus. If all you're going to be using him for is trail riding and that sort of stuff, then a somewhat lazy horses isn't so bad.

[toshirodragon.livejournal.com]

Don't know horses, but I DO know animals in general and I'd agree on the ones with bad habits.

I fell in love with the white on Dinaro, but I'd feel bad about buying him too!

Grace is lovely! So shiny and sleek looking!