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I need some horse advice
Topic Started: Sep 3 2011, 10:11 PM (728 Views)
AFireInside
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Don't mess with her, she has a fire inside
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I'm feeling really torn on what to do. Little Miss has been a godsend for my mare and I have never seen her click so well with another horse. Plus my daughter rides her all the time, I hop on her bareback and it's like I am sitting on a couch, my mom hasn't ridden her yet but I don't foresee any problems with it, friends come over and they can ride her, you get the idea. She goes in a side pull or a halter or the bitless english bridle contraption I made for her. She can only go bitless because of her jaw's conformation. She is lazy as all get out, cantering is a pipe dream unless the stars align that day. Sound, sound, sound. As bombproof as they get. Love everything about her.

But she is for sale. She can't be shown other than local stuff because she is way to big for tater tot to do leadline and does not fit the hunter model at ALL, or the western pleasure one for that matter. Her purpose in life is to be someone's amazing trail horse that can go anywhere and do anything. I mean I rode this mare 3 miles down a main state road at midnight when all the semi truckers were starting to head to work. Not a blink from her. But I have a purpose for my horse life and I get horses that fit into that model. I found a deal of a lifetime on two farnley pony mares that will fit the tater tot just nicely that she can show and actually have a chance. I found a great deal on a mare that is closely related to my Stallion and my Mare I just lost, plus adds an extra performance flair that fits my style perfectly. The problem I am facing is that I have not personally met these horses and I don't know how well they are going to mesh with my mare or if they are going to mesh with her as well as LM is. Plus tater tot wants to ride and she wants to get pretty ribbons like mommy.

LM is a really good age to sell around here (eight) and if I decided to put the other plans on hold and hang on to her for a few years, it's much harder to sell something over ten than under, even just for a trail horse. It would be justifiable if my mom was a little more serious about riding because then she could always keep LM but it's just not that way. I know I am probably going to want a horse like her in about five to six years and I know that when I do sell her I will always have my pasture open to her if she ever needed to be retired. But those things aren't that easy to do these days. A hunt mare I sold two years ago was supposed to be kept forever, but I found out a few months ago that last spring they sold her to a Master of Hounds in Missouri for three times what they bought her from us for. This family loved her and they were so happy to have her, but they still sold her after telling me and my partner that they never intended to sell her even if something happened and she was a pasture ornament for the rest of her life.

I need a realistic look at all of this. My heart is telling me two things.
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gunnar
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Don't get a new horse without seeing and riding it. LM seems like such a good egg. Those are hard to find. I am confused on exactly what you want to do. But a calm gentle horse is a great thing. I would take a hard look to see why you can't keep her. Ribbons are nothing but a safe horse is something. I am confuzzled! Sorry!
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Kassandra
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Is the meadow on fire?
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I am a little confused too. But then again I gave up on the fancy horse/horse/show thing and now own a pony, and frankly could not be happier. I just don't view horses as horse show machines or ribbon makers anymore (though it's certainly fun to show and win ribbons and I am proud of those things). But having a sound, safe, fun horse comes first for me now.

If you sell her I am sure you will find her a good home if she is as wonderful as she sounds. If you want to keep her then I think you should.
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AFireInside
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Don't mess with her, she has a fire inside
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We want to show. Tater tot wants to do the pony hunters, already talked about jumping. I am going to be taking my mare to dressage shows to get her full papers with AQHA and there are a ton of little hunter shows around here that Tater tot can do. She just can't do them with Little Miss. LM could only do the shows at the local riding club because of the USEF rules at other local circuits. And if I wanted the mare I would have to buy her and she is more money than the pony I found. She would be perfect for my mom but mom is not at a place to buy a horse right now.

But maybe I should take a break from the serious horse thing. Not that I have been to a horse show in five years or actually shown in longer...
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FlashGordon
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Wait I'm so confused! Why can't tater do leadline or such on LM? Here on our local circuits there are lots of leadline classes, you see every kind of horse in them, maybe it is different there?
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AFireInside
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Don't mess with her, she has a fire inside
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She has to go bitless and I don't think that's allowed even in the little C shows.
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FlashGordon
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AH I see maybe I missed that, sorry.

Hmm yeah not sure what the rules are on that. I'd think maybe a local circuit might make an exception if there were extenuating circumstances..... it is "just" leadline after all...
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Won for Me
Is the meadow on fire?
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Sounds like you have a good problem to have. You have a really great horse at your disposal. She fits your needs perfectly right now. I think Tater Tot has a few more years before she would be ready to ride seriously. Is that right? Having a safe fun horse around to learn to walk and trot correctly is priceless (Ask MayTay).

Be very realistic about your expectations for the future. Yes, we would all like to show on the circuit, qualify for Indoors and show in the Dixon Oval. It is getting more and more out of reach for a lot of us. If your sights are set on the local circuit, do you need a Farnley pony? I lived in your area for 10 years (Fort White). There are a ton of choices for shows around other than HITS. Tater Tot doesn't need to walk in on the winning pony the first day she shows. She needs to walk in with a safe confidence building ride. Keep her on LM. If you can buy her, do so. People will always buy bombproof horses no matter what age.

There is a circuit outside Ocala that you could show her wthout a bit. I saw pictures of people going in with all sorts of unconvential tack. I want to say it is sponsored by a church????? I will see if I can find it. They have a ton of walk trot classes. Start there and see if the riding bug sticks with Tator Tot too. There is a lot of hard work behind pretty ribbons!

Good luck to you. It sounds like you have been through a lot recently.
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AFireInside
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Don't mess with her, she has a fire inside
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WFM you lived so close! We would mostly plan to do the local shows, no Ocala or Devon or even Pony Finals yet. HSITP has a REALLY good circuit with good competition that she can grow up with plus the countless 4H shows at Canterbury. LM would be great for right now, but I know that in two years my child is going to be ready to move up because of LM's limitations. I wanted to get her a nice pony, bred for good temperament, so that when we walked onto the show grounds it wasn't with a mismatched backwoods ex-barrel pony but something that could actually look the part, you know? I live in a good place for good ponies and this one kinda fell into my lap.

Pretty much I wanted to find something like my mare but pony size. So even when I sell LM I am not out of a good horse, I am just out of a spare one. If it takes time to get that right pony mesh I always have my mare she can show and do a little more with because she can be shown in a bit and she is as quiet as they get, LM just has more travelling experience. But what gets me is LM meshes with my mare so well, I would want her to keep her best horse friend. But she reminds me every day that she knows who her family is and she understands LM is just a pasture mate. I guess we'll see when it all comes down. Thanks for letting me work this out.
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MissBri
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But, I don't care - it's 5:00 somewhere
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First I would check the rules for any shows you want to take tater tot to. If they specify that a bit must be used, write or call the show organizer and explain why Little Miss has to go bitless and see if you can get a compensation. A sound gentle horse is priceless. If you still want to get a new pony for showing - look into a two year lease for LM. That way you still can take her back when you are ready, and won't have to worry about her being sold down the road.
This is the route I would take.
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BABYGREENTB
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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AFI - I am confused as to why you are looking at a horse to show? I feel like you have had several threads discussing your tenuous financial situation, and I'm just not sure where horse showing fits in the picture. I know as horse people, we want to do all the fun things (and of course give our kids those opportunities as well), but if things have been as bad as you have mentioned previously, I might put that money into savings and enjoy LM for now. When your kiddo is ready to move up or on from LM, you will have two years of money saved up and can figure out what type of horse or pony is most appropriate at that time. Not trying to be harsh or judgmental - just know how expensive horses are & the financial toll of showing.
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DairyQueen2049
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DRAGON BREATH. DRAGGIN' BUTT
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AFireInside
Sep 4 2011, 07:25 PM
We want to show.
Not that I have been to a horse show in five years or actually shown in longer...
So you're ditching the Little Miss sure thing for maybe, want to, and not done in 5 or more years. :no:

Learning good basics on a safe, sane sweet thing is just the ticket, imho. Knowing your kiddo can go out and love and enjoy SAFELY is huge.

There is always time for ribbons later.

We did a charity ride last weekend where we GAVE each child a trophy for participation - these were trophies won in the late 70's, 80's cleaned up and all the insignia removed.

Find some of those at auction - or I have 30 more here - I'll send your kid a trophy if that's what she needs.
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Barn Girl
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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I really wouldn't worry about anything right now. Take things day to day, see if LM sells and if TT keeps riding and progresses to where she'd need a more suitable mount. There are too many variables in there to make it worth worrying about at the moment, IMO. This day and age you can always, ALWAYS find a good companion for cheap/free.

It sounds to me like maybe "Momma" wants a pony. ;) I get it, I have a teeny gorgeous welsh that doesn't do a damn thing except look cute and keep my old guy company. TT is a teeny little thing, there will be plenty of time for ponies yet. :)
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AFireInside
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Don't mess with her, she has a fire inside
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Finances are under control. Created a good structure for myself with a budget. Mommy does want a pony but Mommy already has a very good pony so it's not a "reliving lost childhood" thing. I would just feel safer with her riding a pony versus a horse. With my experience I would be stupid to think that falls don't happen even on a safe horse and 12h is a LOT closer to the ground than 15h. Plus Tater tot can learn the basics safely with my mare when LM sells. When my mom wanted to start riding I had the best horse for her, 16.2h gelding who went to every show under the sun. Dead broke and he loved to go swimming. But my mom being the beginner she is, even though the gelding would never put a foot wrong, I wanted her on something smaller. So I bought a 15.2h mare and even though she had been a broodmare most of her life she had the foundation and the brain to take care of my mom.

I just want to make it clear that LM is not my horse. She is in my care until sold. If I wanted to keep her I would have to buy her. Leasing would be a viable option if it was paid but you are not going to find that for a trail horse, especially in this area. Her owner, my friend, is not going to go for a free lease for any reason because she wants the horses sold as she is moving within the year.

BG that's pretty much what I was thinking. So many variables it's best to see what happens as it happens. I sat on posting this for a few days and am still dealing with mourning my other mare's death. Even almost three weeks later it catches me at inopportune moments and I still feel an attachment to her because the mare arrived the day I gave birth to my daughter. It was such a full circle moment for me and LM has been key assistance in helping all of us. Horses are a great therapy and I am beginning to understand that LM is to help us transition and move on.
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FlashGordon
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AFireInside
Sep 6 2011, 02:02 PM
Finances are under control. Created a good structure for myself with a budget. Mommy does want a pony but Mommy already has a very good pony so it's not a "reliving lost childhood" thing. I would just feel safer with her riding a pony versus a horse. With my experience I would be stupid to think that falls don't happen even on a safe horse and 12h is a LOT closer to the ground than 15h. Plus Tater tot can learn the basics safely with my mare when LM sells. When my mom wanted to start riding I had the best horse for her, 16.2h gelding who went to every show under the sun. Dead broke and he loved to go swimming. But my mom being the beginner she is, even though the gelding would never put a foot wrong, I wanted her on something smaller. So I bought a 15.2h mare and even though she had been a broodmare most of her life she had the foundation and the brain to take care of my mom.

I just want to make it clear that LM is not my horse. She is in my care until sold. If I wanted to keep her I would have to buy her. Leasing would be a viable option if it was paid but you are not going to find that for a trail horse, especially in this area. Her owner, my friend, is not going to go for a free lease for any reason because she wants the horses sold as she is moving within the year.

BG that's pretty much what I was thinking. So many variables it's best to see what happens as it happens. I sat on posting this for a few days and am still dealing with mourning my other mare's death. Even almost three weeks later it catches me at inopportune moments and I still feel an attachment to her because the mare arrived the day I gave birth to my daughter. It was such a full circle moment for me and LM has been key assistance in helping all of us. Horses are a great therapy and I am beginning to understand that LM is to help us transition and move on.
AFI, I understand wanting a pony vs. a horse for TT. I come from a world of stock horses and OTTBs. No one here did the pony thing. I never really "got" that until I had my own kids. Also, teaching beginners and young kids the last few months has been a lesson to me. It has been eye opening to see how much safer and easier the ride pony can be.

I also understand about the death of your mare, and LM's role. When Dan died, Windsor came along and for three years he kind of eased the pain and bridged the gap between the past and the future. Maybe LM is just meant to be there to help you and TT along for awhile, and when the time is right, a new pony/horse will find you.

Good luck!
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