[goneriding24]

I'm looking for another horse and about to give up.

I just got back from looking at yet another horse, a QH/TB filly this time. She had a big fetlock on the near hind, don't know if she kicked something or twisted it. When I saw her the other day, everything was fine, it's just happened. Then I noticed her lumpy knees, shouldn't be like that at three years old. The guy who owns her did the old 'little lady' routine with me and said he could only sell her to me if he doubled his money but he wanted me to have her. The upshot was I told him to take a hike. I do not care what he has in her, she's not worth much in this market.

There are some other similar stories. People are over-estimating their horses and what they are worth.

Part of my problem is I can't do colts anymore, not physically able to start a colt anymore. The older horses ALL have something wrong with them, I mean every last one. Truth be told, I still want to ride. So, I feel I need an older steady-eddie. But all the horses have something about them physically or with their training, given all the over-handling and 'NH' gone awry, they don't have manners. I have to have manners at my age. I thought of buying a foal, raise it so it's fed properly and treated the way I like to horse to act. But, that's the problem, I'd be stuck with a young horse again and then have to hire someone to start it. I've always started my own so it's new territory for me.

What has any of you other middle middle-aged horsewomen done? I've tried reading and following what others are doing but really, there's not that much info out there. ETA: Hubby said we are never taking another horse with problems, it's too hard on me when things go south.

So, ideas or thoughts??

[JumpQH]

The guy who owns her did the old 'little lady' routine with me and said he could only sell her to me if he doubled his money but he wanted me to have her. The upshot was I told him to take a hike.

Is it bad that I was ROTFL at this?

[goneriding24]

Actually, it was kind of funny. First thing he told me was he was a horse trader and I countered with how many decades I had bought and sold. I don't think he believed me. I don't look like a 'typical' horse trader, I guess. Then he tried the horse trader pushtobuyhishorse, I pushed back and said it doesn't matter to me what he has in her, it's what she is worth at this very minute. He said he has to double his money, he always has doubled his money on a horse. I repeated I don't care what he has in the filly, it's what she is worth at this very minute.

Actually, it's a centuries old game of someone trying to make a sale and being a manipulator. His mistake was thinking I'm not or look as tough a trader as I really am. Games don't work on me. He found out the hard way.

So, other than that, no one else is at that point in their lives?? I guess I'll just figure it out. HA!

[mvp]

Well... where are you in Oregon, what do you want and how much do you want to spend? I'm in the Willamette Valley and have a good pro friend up in Sisters who can usually rustle up a rideable, good-minded horse. Let me know if your specs and I'll see if she can help.

[goneriding24]

Well... where are you in Oregon, what do you want and how much do you want to spend? I'm in the Willamette Valley and have a good pro friend up in Sisters who can usually rustle up a rideable, good-minded horse. Let me know if your specs and I'll see if she can help.

Thanks. If you're on the FB pages, I am too. The problem is, which I am having trouble stating it, is I'm not exactly sure which way to go. My normal mode is young or auction horse, fix it up and sell. Physically, I'm not sure I can do that anymore. Not sure which way to go from here. Every single horse I've looked at has something physically/training-wise wrong. I am doing this on the cheap and don't have a trailer any longer. Hubby doesn't want to haul in this weather, which I can understand. We are colder than everywhere except prolly Chemult. Ice sheets everywhere, snow has melted and then refrozen. At the sale yesterday, not one horse was there, only sheep and cattle.

Actually, writing this, I can see I need to hold off a bit and get more focused. I'm sort of all over the map right now. So, for now, never mind!! HA!!

[AKB]

When I was looking for horses, as a 50+ year old who is a timid rider, I also could not find a quiet, reliable, sound packer in my price range. I bought a 4 year old Irish Draught, and paid to have him trained. He is a really good boy. Although I had no business buying a 4 year old who only had been ridden a few times, I watched his 60 year old breeder climb on him without hesitation. I knew then that he was a good boy. Buying a youngster was the right decision for me. I did have access to some very good trainers, and that was really important.

[RiderInTheRain]

I am not middle aged myself (I'm in my early 20s), but have several friends who are middled-aged horsewomen and have been/are in much the same predicament as yourself. What I have observed them do (successfully) is:

1) If money is no/less of an object, just keep shopping around and eventually paying lots of $ for an older steady-eddie who is both sound and well trained.

2) Go the young horse/foal route and do all the ground work. Have a younger/spryer rider put the first rides on him under your direction (so the rider is not necessarily a trainer, but perhaps an upper level Pony Clubber)

3) Buy a young horse and put him in training with your professional of choice until he is at the point that you feel comfortable taking the reins.

4) Redefine your version of "sound" - what minor physical problems could you live with that would still allow the horse to be serviceable for your activities?

5) Network like crazy through all horsey contacts and offer to provide a good home for a horse who might need to "step down". I have a few friends/acquaintances who have acquired nice, been there, done that types because the former owners were headed off to college.

[mvp]

Well, a cold shut-in can dream, can't she?

So what is your idea of a finished horse you'd like to ride? What were the qualities in the best auction/resale horse you ever had? What was the horse you wish you hadn't sold?

Also, how hard do you want this horse to work, and will you keep it with lots of turn out? If it can live out, as God intended, and you don't need long, hard days of work, you can accept some minor arthritis stuff. If you have a great farrier, that helps, too.

In your spot, I'd accept a horse with some mileage on his body before I'd take a personality problem or some bad training in his past.

But if you accept that you don't have to hurry, creating the ranked list of stuff you want in your next horse can be fun.

[goneriding24]

I knew I could count on you guys to help me sort this out.

Even rereading my OP sounds strange to me. Like I can't get to the point, but I am not quite sure what the point it.

This is new to me. Every horse I look at, I'm looking at '20 years ago' eyes. Also, it dawned on me, I used to have multiple horses in my barn and no two were usually alike. I mean, I had foals, a couple of 2-3 y/o's, older well broke horses, mare and geldings. What I had today would and could change by tomorrow. So, I've never really had to nail down exactly what I needed.

NOW, I can only afford two horses max (self imposed because I like to do other things I never knew I could do before, too wrapped up in horses to notice the outside world) and have to be very picky/choosy about a horse. Quite the challenge it seems. I never could understand what all the hubbub was about when others would agonize over buying one horse!! Now, I get it, I truly get it. About sending a colt to a trainer when I've always done everything myself. I get it now. About wanting to micro-manage one horses' education. I understand that too.

So, I have to do some things and I'll come back and reread these posts and then look at the list of already-looked-at horses and go over it again.

[OveroHunter]

Why don't you go for a recently started, 3 or 4 year old, good minded QH or Paint? I bought my guy 5 and a half years ago when he was a long 3 year old. He knew the basics and had a great mind. Over the years we have done everything from 3' hunters, to ranch sorting, to bareback and bridleless w/t/c and jumping.

[Heinz 57]

I don't remember exactly where you're at, goneriding, or your price range, but I've got a trainer friend in NE Oregon that should know where to find what you're looking for when the time comes. I want to say you're in SE OR, correct? I know it's a ways, but he just moved out of Baker City (I don't remember exactly where to, but it was west). He puts a good start on horses.

[gaitedincali]

You might have to bump up your price range, if you're getting too many 'no!s' and not enough 'maybe?s'.

I recently went looking for a solid, steady trail horse I could pony off of. No green beans, no fixer-uppers. Something I could just get on and ride. I thought I could stay under $1500 easy - CL is full of free and under $800 broke horses, right? Many of the ads sounded like what I wanted.

Yeah, no. If I had 5K I maybe could have got exactly what I wanted. Instead I had to spend the full $1500 and get something that's a cross between two breeds I strongly dislike, ugly as sin, with minor training issues and (manageable) lameness issues. And about 15 years older than I wanted. I didn't want a mare, either.

The market is in the crapper, but I don't think the percentage of quality horses with quality training is any higher than it's ever been. Low supply + demand...well, you know how that works. If you want it to be sound and trained by someone with at least half a clue...you've eliminated about 3/4 of what's for sale. At least that's what it seems like, after horse shopping.

It's hard to shop when you need a finished product and you're educated enough to spot problems.

[mvp]

I see that being true in SoCal. Reading around up here in Oregon, you can find more horse that someone meant to finish and didn't.

Now, do you want that breed, age, set of short little choppy-a$$ gaits? That's a separate issue as some people do actually want them.

But the non-descript horse market is quieter here than in SoCal and people who have been feeding these wannabe project horses do come to their senses at a regular rate.

[goneriding24]

It's hard to shop when you need a finished product and you're educated enough to spot problems.

This.

Tomorrow, going out to re-look at the filly. Going to get up-close and personal with the fetlock and see if it's gone down any from yesterday (it was yesterday, right?? Time flies the older I get.... ) Recheck the knees. She has a lovely attitude and very friendly.

So, we'll see. As an aside, hubby is getting perturbed at me not making up my mind.....HA!!

[TheJenners]

I'm barely in my 30s and want a steady Eddy. I didn't get one because I fell in "like" with a droopy lip on a young horse, but that's HONESTLY what I was looking for .

I bet mvp can find you something. I know they are out there, I see them all over the place here and for good prices too. I'm halfway looking because my BO is halfway looking (so if that quarter-way looking?) and I see a ton of mares, which are a no because she doesn't want a mare. So they are out there . Good luck! Don't give up or get discouraged! Tell hubby to hold his horses .

[Malda]

This. You probably have to spend more, although my recent experience showed that 7k is the starting place for a good horse. Despite the market, good horses still command good prices. I ended up spending 3500 for a very green 14 year old, sound, so far no bad habits, but I'm not sure how much he can learn at this age.

You might have to bump up your price range, if you're getting too many 'no!s' and not enough 'maybe?s'.

I recently went looking for a solid, steady trail horse I could pony off of. No green beans, no fixer-uppers. Something I could just get on and ride. I thought I could stay under $1500 easy - CL is full of free and under $800 broke horses, right? Many of the ads sounded like what I wanted.

Yeah, no. If I had 5K I maybe could have got exactly what I wanted. Instead I had to spend the full $1500 and get something that's a cross between two breeds I strongly dislike, ugly as sin, with minor training issues and (manageable) lameness issues. And about 15 years older than I wanted. I didn't want a mare, either.

The market is in the crapper, but I don't think the percentage of quality horses with quality training is any higher than it's ever been. Low supply + demand...well, you know how that works. If you want it to be sound and trained by someone with at least half a clue...you've eliminated about 3/4 of what's for sale. At least that's what it seems like, after horse shopping.

It's hard to shop when you need a finished product and you're educated enough to spot problems.

[saultgirl]

This. You probably have to spend more, although my recent experience showed that 7k is the starting place for a good horse. Despite the market, good horses still command good prices. I ended up spending 3500 for a very green 14 year old, sound, so far no bad habits, but I'm not sure how much he can learn at this age.

I also agree. I have also been shopping for something broke, small, quiet and they are not readily available for cheap. It's mostly the backyard fuglies who have had poor care and even worse training, that are available for cheap.

[up-at-5]

I'm 50, and one of the best horses I have to just pop on and ride, be it a hack or ring work, is a little 6 year old OTTB, clean legged and sane. $600 bucks. Didn't need to retrain her to do anything, just hop on and ride, even after weeks off on her part, and windy, fresh days where you think the horse might act up, this Gal just keeps on truckin'.
How about looking at some OTTB's, there are many out there for us older types

[exvet]

I'm afraid I'm one of those that doesn't mind taking on some of the training failures of others; but, I do it on a very selective basis and if I do, the horses (ponies really) are given to me so "on the surface" they are free. Having said that I found it very difficult to find sound horses/ponies without baggage when I was more actively searching in my 20s, 30s, 40s (then I was looking for my kids' next rides). So, more than a few years ago I decided to only purchase un-started animals or breed for a healthy athletic mount (for myself and my kids). I've been quite happy with that decision. I turn 50 this year and continue to follow that path and hope to be able to continue to do so for another decade. Beyond that I really don't know what I will do. With any luck my daughter will stay in horses and if so perhaps she will keep her mother well mounted as I tried to do so for her. I guess time will tell; but I sympathize. The only thing I hate worse than selling horses is searching/looking for them to buy.

[Foxtrot's]

Shopping for horses is horrible - all I ever see on first look are the negatives, so have bred my last three.

Have you looked at the Standardbred thread going on here for one that has been re-started under saddle, just waiting for a buyer?

We all know there are tons of underemployed or unemployed horses out there, but finding them is hard.