[Nootka]

dead, I have always have had to pay to get them removed

OMG that made me roll!! LOLLOLOL

[fairtheewell]

Tied-in and back at the knee....and, of course, the dead one..LMAO

[Snowflake]

My mare was a tough sale for the seller I got her from. She was just plain NASTY. She had a bite and kick and was quick with both. Her training was sketchy. She was 8 and had already been through 7 auctions. I think the only reason she didn't get shipped to the feed lot was that she had color (and a uterus).

[RedmondDressage]

One of the sales barns I went to told me they never accepted chestnuts because no one wanted them. Couldn't give them away.

Well people are ridiculous then! Chestnuts are the best nuts! I'm a HUGE sucker for a redhead with a lot of chrome

[GotMyPony]

Snowflake - I have to ask... why did you buy that delightful-sounding mare? And were you able to turn her around?

[atilthia]

One of the sales barns I went to told me they never accepted chestnuts because no one wanted them. Couldn't give them away.

Aww man, I love chestnuts! The funny thing is when I was horse shopping I told my trainer at the time that the only color I didn't like was a chestnut -- so murphy's law I ended up with one! And now they're one of my favorite colors.

[Snowflake]

Snowflake - I have to ask... why did you buy that delightful-sounding mare? And were you able to turn her around?

I like a challenge. LOL! And yes, 12 years later I still have her. It took a good 3 years before I could trust her but she had turned into the best babysitter horse I've ever owned. I love her to bits today but back then if she wound up as meat, it would have been an appropriate end for her. She had the real potential to kill someone.

[Simbalism]

I once bought a very flashy black and white app gelding. He had been a breeding stallion till about age seven and then had been passed around alot due to bad behavior. For the first six months I had him, I carried a short riding crop as protection. You never handled/groomed him in the stall or the pasture. You got the halter on as quick as possible and put him in cross ties. He would try to bite or strke if you were near the front of him and cow kick if you were towards the back of him. The plus was he was pretty quiet under saddle and while green, a cute jumper. I guess he could have been a hard sell, but my trainer and I felt we could deal with him. He turned out to be the best boy and I had him from age ten to 24 when he died. He was also only 15h. Most people want their horse to be a pet as well as to ride, so I guess one that is grumpy, not easy to handle would be a hard sell. I'm another lover of the redheaded girls preferably in the 15h-15.3h range

[maunder]

I have my beautiful, gentle and kind Thoroughbred because he couldn't find someone to buy him, nor would placement agencies take him. The reasons - and I was told this many times.....

Too small (15.1).
Too plain (bay with a touch of white).
Too old (at the time of his retirement from racing - 8 years).


There were (and continue to be) simply fancier, larger and younger horses available and he was overlooked.

[KiraSophia]

So why is there a prejudice against chestnuts, anyway? Surely it can't be old wives tales about behavior that don't take into account the individual in any way, shape, or form? Do people just find it unattractive?

[ReSomething]

There's a saying that a good horse is never a bad color but lots of people choose by appearance and chestnut is sort of plain, everything is the same color. And there's a darned lot of them in some breeds, a high pecentage in ASB's and I think QH.

[bathsheba8542]

I have been adopted by a chestnut with some bling, and while I spent the first 6 months thinking 'blech', I have really come to love how beautiful he is, and he has an unbelievable work ethic!!!

But, I also had an impossible to sell horse...soiid liver chestnut, stepped on your feet whenever he could, would rear from a canter with no warning whatsoever, and frequently walked on his hind legs during dressage tests at horse shows...finally found a poor soul who thought she could deal, but then came the phone call after 2 weeks: "I've been hunting for 25 years, but I've never had a horse stand up like that .. I walked 5 miles back to the barn - I'm bringing him back".

[uphill]

The one that just *knows* when buyers are coming to look at him/her... ;-)

I had one that would go 3 legged lame when someone ( she didn't like) came to look at her. Person would offer to 'take her off my hands...free' I'd say no...they leave and she gallops off sound as a ( I was going to say Dollar)...never taking a wrong step!!! Smart cookie!!And she was chestnut - a gorgeous shiny chestnut.

[Cluck]

Pasture ornaments, especially younger ones.

Spoiled ones of these with lousy temperaments.