finding a horse to show-more pics added

Since Nick is still no 100% sound, I am looking for something for Rachel to show this summer. I have a couple of possibilities. I have a friend with a 21 yr old red roan gelding that has been a show horse for years. He doesn't have the greatest disposition, but if all else fails, we can have him for the summer.

I am looking at this horse this afternoon...don't even know his registered name yet. Here's what I know about him. 16 yr old gelding, no health or soundness issues. Has a few halter points from when he was a yearling. Has open show experience, but has been trail ridden the past few years. He is definitely out of shape right now...hasn't even been ridden this year at all. I can tell by the pictures that he is not breed show quality, but I'm looking for 4H/small open show and most importantly something safe and fun. His owner is pregnant. A friend of mine rode him, said he is very quiet and willing, but needs a tuneup to be back in show shape. She said he has a nice slow jog and a nice lope, knows his lead changes, sets up well, etc. Here are the two pics she sent me. I'll take more tonight. Rachel is going to ride him this afternoon/evening. The cool thing is that she is going to let us take him for a week trial period and there is a show next weekend that we're going to be able to take him to so we can see how he does. Here's the pictures:

Look at that Fanny! Woo Hoo. Sounds like a gental giant! Maybe I will be to see him show.. Ill be the one Waving! Hee hee

You should come over for the show. It is June 2...starts at 11 am. It'll be great exposure for a young horse.

I think it's awesome that she's gonna let us "test drive" him for a week.

denise

Pretty boy. Hope it all works out for you!

He might be just what your looking for! Nice color and gorgeous tail! Just needs some riding and show shape! I know from experience that most horses with good prior training can remember everything very quickly and it's definitely awesome that you can try him out for a week. I hope he works well tonight for your daughter! Let us know!

I will let you guys know. Unless he's really bad tonight or something, I'm planning on picking him up Saturday morning and we'll keep him until June 2 or maybe permanently depending on how he reacts to everything at the show on the 2nd.

We did not get this horse. He looked a little downhill inthe pictures, but he was really sway backed and saggy bellied....looked like an old broodmare that had had about 15 babies. He also didn't stand with his front legs directly under him. HE was almost parked out a little. He got into some feed as a yearling and colicked...had to have surgery. THis is where the case of the saggies came from. He had a wonderful personality and Rachel was able to jump right on, walk/jog/lope, do all her SMS stuff, but I don't need another horse with any health issues right now. And, he had never colicked again, but he also hadn't been shown and I was worried that he would colic from the stress of that.

Anyway, we ended up borrowing and may buy a big ole team penning horse. He's 12 and they are having a blast. He won't pleasure, but she's gonna ride my mare for the pleasure classes. THis horse was the Southern Ky Team Penning Assoc. horse of the year for '02 and placed 6th in the RAnch Horse Classic in Louisville that same year. He had only been ridden 3-4 times in the past couple of years, but he has done very well. We will make our decision after the show on Saturday. Here are some pics I snapped yesterday.






HEre's RAchel on my old mare. Excuse her fat and out of shape condition. She didn't know she was coming out of retirement.

Looks like a winning team! What arena are you at here.

some of those team penners can be a real handful give him a couple of rides before you decide for sure she looks like a good enough hand though!... I hope you find something perfect for her I know it is frustrating...

Triple J Quarter Horses wrote:

Looks like a winning team! What arena are you at here.

That is Spencer County's 4H grounds. We're having an open show on Saturday starting at 11:00. You should come.

denise

Lynn M. wrote:

some of those team penners can be a real handful give him a couple of rides before you decide for sure she looks like a good enough hand though!... I hope you find something perfect for her I know it is frustrating...

I've kind've become partial to team penners. Nick was a team penner before he became a "kid's horse extraordinare". I'm grateful that we're getting to try him for a week. She rode him for an hour on Tuesday night and then about 45 m inutes last night. He had only been ridden a few times in the last 3 years. On the ground, he's very quiet...loads and unloads himself, good ground manners--really respects your space, doesn't mind a bath, hasn't really looked twice at anything. We get to show him on Saturday and we'll see how he handles all that chaos for sure before we make our final decision.

He looks like a winner!! Your daughter looks like she's having fun on him and that's what counts!! Not every rider wants to be a WP and SMS rider anyway. Plenty of riders are just in the gaming and they love it. Those are probably the same riders who, if they rode English, would be into jumping!! I like to watch, but I'm definitely not the barrel racing type! Watching is enough excitement for me LOL!! Your mare looks real nice, though. Now she has two horses to ride!! Looks like you have a nice solution if this is what you decide to do!!

[quote="stockman"]Your mare looks real nice, though. quote]

"Nice" is not a word that pops to mind when thinking of my mare.
She has a tendency to be a bully and a battleaxe. Rachel rode her when she first started riding a couple of years ago. RAchel was timid and the mare picked up on it and was awful for her. Rachel hadn't ridden her since and really didn't want to get on her that day. But, Rachel's riding ability and her confidence level have grown tremendously since then. THe mare knew it and gave her no problems at all. She's definitely one of those horses that will take a mile if you give her an inch.

denise

RAchel took a barrels and poles lesson last night. She neck reins him around them, but the girl wanted her to direct rein because you get a snappier turn. He threw his head a little when she was doing that, but I checked and I think it's a teeth issue. His teeth are really long and when I called they said it had been 3 years or so since they'd been floated. I'm not planning on paying for that until we're sure we're going to keep him.

Other than that, they did great. He definitely knew the pattern. She also took him through a trail course. The walkovers and the bridge were no big deal to him at all. She needs to slow him down on the back through, but other than that he did great.

denise

sounds like it might be a nice match for her that is great! best of both worlds your mare and the gelding...