Toby1
Nov. 27, 2007, 05:03 PM
I am regretfully offering Toby to an outstanding home only.
Toby came to me 4 years ago after I rescued him from a family in central Florida who had him as a "yard pet". He was turned out in a dirt paddock with a little mare who stole all of his food. He was all bones, and the family had no idea what they were doing wrong. Apparently, they bought him from a horse camp...which one, or where, I really didn't get a good answer. He did race, as he is tattooed, but I have been unsuccessful in getting a clean reading of it, so I have not been able to find out anything about his history that way.
I was eagerly looking to get back into horses, and bought Toby the day I met him without getting on his back or even seeing him move. I fell in love with his gentle personality the moment I saw him. I did get all of their vet records which were, unbelievably, UTD and clean. I fattened him up to a very handsome man and slowly started riding him...after being out of the saddle myself for almost 10 years. We were both very rusty, but I always knew he was trying his very best and we both improved dramatically, despite the fact that we were just riding together without being in a lesson program for a couple of years.
Over the last year or two, he has had the opportunity to have SOME lessons, both dressage and some low level jumping. He does very well with consistency, and I only wish that time and money would have allowed for more training for him. For personal reasons, (which I don't mind sharing more about if you are interested), I feel that it is best to find a home for him where he can be used to his best potential. I do not feel that he is suitable for a beginner, but an intermediate rider who can devote a lot of time to him, possibly looking for a project, would be his match. I have not shown him but have been urged to by many. I am confident that he would do a fabulous job in local shows with the right person.
My ultimate goal is to have him in a safe, healthy place where he is loved and cared for. I have nightmares about him ending up in a place like where I found him 4 years ago.
He is definitely gentle enough for ANYONE to be around, groom, and play with. He will stand and let you do ANYTHING to him....really! (Rushing one day, I even blew him off with a leaf blower to quicken his drying time after a bath...he didn't even blink an eye! I know, I know...please don't flame me for that!) I have never seen him snip, kick, or act aggressive in the least bit around anyone or any other animal. He is always the low man on the totem pole around other horses, and he ends up being the one that others boss around. He has the one of the most laid-back, easy going personalities of any horse that I have ever seen. He's like a big puppy dog, and he is extremely trustworthy.
He does have a few weaknesses though that I want to be very honest about, and a few of them go along with being a "typical thoroughbred"....all of which are completely tolerable and easy to maintain/handle for a knowledgeable horseperson:
He needs all of his food! If he is being fed with other horses, he will be run off and his food will be taken. He is currently on pasture board with a run-in shed and fed with other horses. He is fed with a feed bag to ensure he gets all of his goodies, and he does well with it. He MUST be on grass (at least partial grass turn-out...he does love a stall). Perhaps this is for my own peace of mind, but I will not send him to anyone without plenty of grass turn-out for him.
He is great on trails as far as being very calm and not spooky. He doesn't mind being the leader or the follower in a pack. I would trust him with anyone (adult or child) WALKING on a trail. His biggest problem is when it comes to trotting/cantering. He can get quick and strong, but he is stoppable and is not aggressive about it at all. He does not give you the "I'm running away with you" feeling, but he isn't quickly responsive to aids as he has a pretty tough mouth as well. We have been working on downward transitions, which he does improve on dramatically with consistency. I'd be afraid that a child may not have the strength for him once he got going. A stronger woman or a man should have no problem with him trotting or cantering if they are prepared for it. Also, I've always ridden in pretty gentle snaffle bits. If you are experienced in harsher bits, this may solve the problem drastically. I hate to suggest that just anyone though because I think that harsher bits need to be used correctly under the correct training and they aren't for everyone.....which is why I haven't gone there.
If he is not groomed and pampered regularly, especially in the summertime, he does get rain rot/fungus. He is completely clear of this now, and will stay clear of it if he is groomed rather consistently. The hotter months are much worse on his skin from the sweat. He can stay clear of the fungus with regular grooming and a fungus bath every few weeks during the summer just to keep it away.
He currently has front shoes on because we have some harder and rocky areas where I trail ride now. I had him barefoot for about a year and he did well on softer ground, even when ridden and jumped. If he will be on any sort of rocks and/or pebbles, he may need shoes.
I would prefer to keep him in the North Florida area, preferably as close to Tallahassee as possible. I'd like to find a permanent loving lease for him. He deserves it, and I know someone out there will love him as much as I do.
If you are interested, please email me at BrittneyRegan@aol.com.
Toby came to me 4 years ago after I rescued him from a family in central Florida who had him as a "yard pet". He was turned out in a dirt paddock with a little mare who stole all of his food. He was all bones, and the family had no idea what they were doing wrong. Apparently, they bought him from a horse camp...which one, or where, I really didn't get a good answer. He did race, as he is tattooed, but I have been unsuccessful in getting a clean reading of it, so I have not been able to find out anything about his history that way.
I was eagerly looking to get back into horses, and bought Toby the day I met him without getting on his back or even seeing him move. I fell in love with his gentle personality the moment I saw him. I did get all of their vet records which were, unbelievably, UTD and clean. I fattened him up to a very handsome man and slowly started riding him...after being out of the saddle myself for almost 10 years. We were both very rusty, but I always knew he was trying his very best and we both improved dramatically, despite the fact that we were just riding together without being in a lesson program for a couple of years.
Over the last year or two, he has had the opportunity to have SOME lessons, both dressage and some low level jumping. He does very well with consistency, and I only wish that time and money would have allowed for more training for him. For personal reasons, (which I don't mind sharing more about if you are interested), I feel that it is best to find a home for him where he can be used to his best potential. I do not feel that he is suitable for a beginner, but an intermediate rider who can devote a lot of time to him, possibly looking for a project, would be his match. I have not shown him but have been urged to by many. I am confident that he would do a fabulous job in local shows with the right person.
My ultimate goal is to have him in a safe, healthy place where he is loved and cared for. I have nightmares about him ending up in a place like where I found him 4 years ago.
He is definitely gentle enough for ANYONE to be around, groom, and play with. He will stand and let you do ANYTHING to him....really! (Rushing one day, I even blew him off with a leaf blower to quicken his drying time after a bath...he didn't even blink an eye! I know, I know...please don't flame me for that!) I have never seen him snip, kick, or act aggressive in the least bit around anyone or any other animal. He is always the low man on the totem pole around other horses, and he ends up being the one that others boss around. He has the one of the most laid-back, easy going personalities of any horse that I have ever seen. He's like a big puppy dog, and he is extremely trustworthy.
He does have a few weaknesses though that I want to be very honest about, and a few of them go along with being a "typical thoroughbred"....all of which are completely tolerable and easy to maintain/handle for a knowledgeable horseperson:
He needs all of his food! If he is being fed with other horses, he will be run off and his food will be taken. He is currently on pasture board with a run-in shed and fed with other horses. He is fed with a feed bag to ensure he gets all of his goodies, and he does well with it. He MUST be on grass (at least partial grass turn-out...he does love a stall). Perhaps this is for my own peace of mind, but I will not send him to anyone without plenty of grass turn-out for him.
He is great on trails as far as being very calm and not spooky. He doesn't mind being the leader or the follower in a pack. I would trust him with anyone (adult or child) WALKING on a trail. His biggest problem is when it comes to trotting/cantering. He can get quick and strong, but he is stoppable and is not aggressive about it at all. He does not give you the "I'm running away with you" feeling, but he isn't quickly responsive to aids as he has a pretty tough mouth as well. We have been working on downward transitions, which he does improve on dramatically with consistency. I'd be afraid that a child may not have the strength for him once he got going. A stronger woman or a man should have no problem with him trotting or cantering if they are prepared for it. Also, I've always ridden in pretty gentle snaffle bits. If you are experienced in harsher bits, this may solve the problem drastically. I hate to suggest that just anyone though because I think that harsher bits need to be used correctly under the correct training and they aren't for everyone.....which is why I haven't gone there.
If he is not groomed and pampered regularly, especially in the summertime, he does get rain rot/fungus. He is completely clear of this now, and will stay clear of it if he is groomed rather consistently. The hotter months are much worse on his skin from the sweat. He can stay clear of the fungus with regular grooming and a fungus bath every few weeks during the summer just to keep it away.
He currently has front shoes on because we have some harder and rocky areas where I trail ride now. I had him barefoot for about a year and he did well on softer ground, even when ridden and jumped. If he will be on any sort of rocks and/or pebbles, he may need shoes.
I would prefer to keep him in the North Florida area, preferably as close to Tallahassee as possible. I'd like to find a permanent loving lease for him. He deserves it, and I know someone out there will love him as much as I do.
If you are interested, please email me at BrittneyRegan@aol.com.