Help with buying a horse

[irwin]

This one is half way here from CA. Should be arriving by fri. names Calipso. He's 6. Guess I'll be the one to find out how gentle he is....




This is the wife's real "old man". Emmett is the name. He's 23. A real "he77 raiser" when younger.



Just wanted to be part of the horse thread.

 

[tallyho8]

OK, I guess I better post a couple pics of my family too. The first photo is the younguns. The second is my herd doing what horses do best.

 

[elalexander]

Good evening Tim, Cottonhawk and Appygirl. We really enjoyed the pics of your horses Tim. Appygirl your place is heaven, and Cotton...you couldn't ask for a better friend. I needed some shelled corn and sweet feed for the deer today so while at Tractor Supply I checked out the horse "hardware...aka tack" and the horse books. My god, I felt as though my brain was a BB in a boxcar. I have so much to learn. You horse owners have been great and helped us get the horse in front of the cart. We still have a huge learning curve, especially with our grandaughters being so young. We just have to trim our sails to the wind, but I see us getting there. It may take awhile but we think it is worth it. Thanks to all for such great advice and pictures, EL.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Elalexander,
My granddaughter is three (3) feet tall and four (4) years old and she loves our horses. Being a grand parent I think that it is our responsibility to spoil the grandchildren as much as we can and whenever we can! One thing we do for them every year is that we send them to children's horse camp to take private lessons. They learn rules, how to ride, and how to take care horses from their coach. Given a good learning environment, young kids become good rider over night and having great time doing it.

 

[Jimbrown]

Well here is one of two off the track throughbreds I am getting. They are in Fl waiting on a truck. UnTraining retraing two race horses is gonna be fun!!!

 

[hitekcountry]

Jimbrown
I got the chance to ride a throughbred ex race horse back when I was a kid, two things were memorable, first that horse was very fast and the second thing I remember is that it was a very smooth ride. I really enjoyed that ride. Yea you’re gonna have fun!!

 

[Jimbrown]

Ain't no way I am getting on one of those things. Its the wifes toy she is gonna have to ride it.

 

[tallyho8]

Just be sure not to ring any loud bells around it.

 

[elalexander]

Jim , Thanks for posting. I may have found a friend less then a 1/2 mile away, just out of city limits that would let us keep a horse on his property. As for the Twins, age 7, and Katlin age 6, they came across a cat and named it Bob.. Happy as He**. Thank god Ole Dad didn't go nuts yet. Beautiful horse you have there. I hope your wife enjoys him. As for us, we think our Grandaughters are happy with a cat named Bob.

 

[Spiveyman]

Jimbrown
I got the chance to ride a throughbred ex race horse back when I was a kid, two things were memorable, first that horse was very fast and the second thing I remember is that it was a very smooth ride. I really enjoyed that ride. Yea you’re gonna have fun!!

One thing very noticeable about a T-bred compared to the quarters we normally ride is that it has such a long lope, no doubt due to the long body and long legs. I think I posted a picture of me on Willie somewhere in this thread, but the first time I rode him it was like riding in slow motion or something, it felt like I just hung in the air waiting for the next stride. And when you open him up, you better hang on to your hat. Lots 'o fun.

 

[Soundguy]

We picked up a t-bred mare one time.. kept it all of 4 hours and took it right back the same day... I'll stick to quarter horses.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[Appygirl]

There is a place that I know of called Canter. They rescue ex race horses and retrain them; it is doable, but it does take alot of time depending on personality and how hot they are. They sure are beautiful animals and yes pretty darn smooth!!
Jim what are your wife's plans with them?

I'm surely enjoying see all the nice horses here. More Please!

Good to hear you have a friend close by Elalexander to keep the future horse!
Cotton has a great idea about horse camp. I enjoy going to clinics; its like an adult horse camp . I'll have a couple scheduled for next year. One will be with Buck Brannaman roping cattle; should be fun! I'm lucky that its only a couple of hours from me. Elalexander are you going to get some riding lessons? Could be a new adventure for you It would help you be more comfortable. Just a thought I had.

 

[Spiveyman]

We picked up a t-bred mare one time.. kept it all of 4 hours and took it right back the same day... I'll stick to quarter horses.. etc..

Soundguy

Ha! I can understand why for sure. While a neat experience riding one, I would have to agree with you. I'm more of a quarter horse man. I want to check out the appaloosa's at Appygirl's suggestion, and I like the paints. Just depends on what you want in a horse I suppose. Around here the T-breds are the standard, but it's racing country and commercial cattle country for the most part.

 

[elalexander]

Hi Appygirl. Yeah, we are going to do some reading & research before making any commitments. Also there are two that we know of stables in a 20-25 miles area of where we live so we want to go and take to these people too. It is going to be a time investment up-front but should make us happier and better owners when and if that day comes.

 

[Reg]

There is a place that I know of called Canter. They rescue ex race horses and retrain them; it is doable, but it does take alot of time depending on personality and how hot they are. They sure are beautiful animals and yes pretty darn smooth!!
Jim what are your wife's plans with them?

I'm surely enjoying see all the nice horses here. More Please!

Good to hear you have a friend close by Elalexander to keep the future horse!
Cotton has a great idea about horse camp. I enjoy going to clinics; its like an adult horse camp . I'll have a couple scheduled for next year. One will be with Buck Brannaman roping cattle; should be fun! I'm lucky that its only a couple of hours from me. Elalexander are you going to get some riding lessons? Could be a new adventure for you It would help you be more comfortable. Just a thought I had.

CANTER is a wonderful organization for sure.
My experience of OTTBs {off the track thoroughbreds} is that they have been disciplined and will respond well to continued discipline. They load and trailer well, its part of what their "job" has been. I think any horse will try it's new owner. If you LET it walk all over you guess what ? - it WILL walk all over you.

 

[Jimbrown]

There is a place that I know of called Canter. They rescue ex race horses and retrain them; it is doable, but it does take alot of time depending on personality and how hot they are. They sure are beautiful animals and yes pretty darn smooth!!
Jim what are your wife's plans with them?.

She hopes to retrain them into dressage or or hunter jumpers. The hardest part is going to be to get them used to the open space and Barb wire. I am sure they have never seen a barb wire fence.

 

[Appygirl]

Jim I'm sure they'll love the open space, but I do caution you on the barb wire. It could be a future vet bill for you.
Sound like your wife has some good plans for the horse. I wish her a safe journey towards her goal.

 

[riptides]

She hopes to retrain them into dressage or or hunter jumpers. The hardest part is going to be to get them used to the open space and Barb wire. I am sure they have never seen a barb wire fence.

I am still in the process of removing barb wire from my property. Two years later I have about 30 acres to go. We are not fans of barbed wire.

-This week I am Chigger man
- Darn wire.
-Mike Z.

 

[Jimbrown]

Well out here in the west where it is no unusal for ranchers to own 50 to 100 miles of fence it is the only cost effective method. If we could just get the dang illegals to stop cutting it. Counting cross fences I have two miles of fence.

 

[tallyho8]

Lucky you don't have property like mine. I only have 14 acres and have over 2 miles of perimeter fence. I am trying to buy 6 more acres. If I get it I will have 20 acres and then only 1 mile of perimeter fence.

Really!