Tales of happy horse ownership

[SaddleFitterVA]

OK, we've got countless threads on how awful it is to buy a horse.

Here is a thread for the people who don't have a problem finding a horse.

I'll start.

Romeo's Salute, 1985 OTTB G, bought from ad in Houston Chronicle as a 4 year old. At 5 he attempted to remove his LH at the pastern, but failed, he sports a pirate like scar from that one. At 20 or 21 he needed to start getting some joint injections. At 25 he is still going strong, but recently mentioned that he would like his knees done again....he was $900

Pico, 1992 TB M, bought as yearling at Professional Auction Services sale at Frying Pan Park..for $450. She was very fancy and taught me a lot, after moving to the new farm, I had a bad bout of WLD in her, in 2004/2005. Then, in in 2009 she started having lameness issues, at 17. She is 18 now, and it looks like she will not even be pasture sound much longer.

Tinkerbell, 1983 POA M, bought her at 16, she is awesome. Prone to founder, but that is controlled with a scoop of Thryo-L a day. I suppose I could have spent a fortune to test her out the wazoo and find more expensive treatments, but the $10/month treatment kept her & me happy. She is currently with COTH Poster Catalina, as my son is now in college.

Sparkle, 1998 QH Appy M, bought as 3 year old(2001), from field in PA. Saw sire/dam, and she is practically perfect in every way. A friend found her ad because my husband wanted a bigger Tinkerbell. She does seem to have one of the polysaccharide myopathies, but since I've never tested her, and just manage her diet and symptoms.

Bali, 2004 Oldenburg M, bought as a yearling, she is currently doing 2nd level dressage and jumping as high as my nerve allows (3'3" these days)

Mint Julep (Then Again), 2003 OTTB M, CANTER Foster. Had some tying up issues upon arriving from the track, those were resolved with 3 months of Regumate, retrained into her new pleasure career of trails, jumping lessons and some possible local shows now with a great small animal vet.

Tanqueray (Humble Rick), 2005 OTTB G, amazingly weak stifles, particularly right, but he has built up muscles and has clean xrays (won those in the CANTER auction and used them on him). He's been with me since Oct 2009 and is now jumping and doing reasonable training level dressage.

Chrissy, ancient pony born in the 1960s, free-lease for son, sadly she just died in her sleep after we'd had her 6 weeks. But, that happens when the pony is nearly 40.

Shit happens stories.

Kamona, 1994 TB M, bought as a yearling from a TB farm in Charles Town. Not registered, accidental pasture breeding...probably sired by her grandsire is my guess. $200 I had her until she was 6. She was gorgeous and sound, but had a screw loose. She was sold after I was talked out of euthanizing her.

Shiney Diamond, 24+ pony, bought for $500, because the owners were going to take him to auction. He wasn't suitable, and had slight neurological problems with were complicated hugely when he sommersaulted in the field after tripping...he was put down, less than a year of ownership.

[jeano]

hoo, boy.

Patchy--aged Appy gelding, failed lesson horse (actually a wonderful lesson horse, just lost his mind from too many bad beginner riders and endless circles in the indoor) purchased for his canner price, then 500 bucks. A real treasure, safe, sound, would pack beginners and give anyone else a REAL riding lesson if he thought they were falling asleep on his back. Lots of stamina, always willing to go for a trail ride, could jump and do about anything. If I hadnt had to move across the country and knew horsekeeping would be impossible for several years I never would have sold him. He went to a family with a big field and hopefully never had to work a day in his life after that that he didnt want to.

Ruby, registered Appy mare, purchased as a 4 year old for 900 dollars. Pretty as a picture, sound, sweet, kinda dumb but never caused me a moment's worry when I owned her. She was sold to a teenage girl who probably made a better horse of her than I ever would have.

Hawk, my current gelding. Grade TWH. Skinny, wormy, headshy and uncatchable when I got him. 6 years old when purchased in 2007.
Paid 700. He is sweet, tireless, obedient, responsive, and a very brave and sane trail horse. He had a mild gas colic on Memorial Day, otherwise no health or soundness issues whatsoever. Barefoot, easy keeper, bugs dont bother him, heat doesnt bother him. Took him about 10 minutes to get over hard to catch, headshy took longer and he's still not crazy about flyspray but hey, you cant have everything.

I am also happy with Sadie the Satanic, who tried to kill me numerous times, but has since decided I am her Favorite Person. She wasnt the bargain the geldings were, and she really isnt as a good a horse as they are, but she owns my heart anyway. Itchy, bitchy, strongwilled and opinionated. Also barefoot and an easy keeper, but prone to skin issues.

"Shopping" for all these horses took five minutes each. I'm sure several of them could have been shown or competed if I was into that, which I'm not. Patch could jump and knew how to rein, and Ruby was pretty enough for halter and slooow and low headed enough for Wesern Pleasure. Somebody put a dressage handle on Hawk--its a real hoot when he decides its time to passage or do tempi changes down the trail, because it sure as heck isnt me asking him for that stuff.

[BCEVENTER]

Fizz- My good old mare I bought 8 years ago for $1,800. Brought her from a broodmare through the 4H program winning many overall english and western championships. I made a decision to sell her after I realized that I couldn't afford 2 horses and she would be much better headed for a good trail riding/retirement home rather than continue with me into my eventing adventures. Sold her about two and a half years ago. Got a call this winter that her owners wanted to sell her and I was in a better position. She came home in March and is chilling in the field and going for the occasional trail ride.

[SmartAlex]

Went to an auction to buy a broodmare. Saw a green two year old gelding going through in our price range. Thought "well isn't he cute". Bid. Bought. Basically sight unseen. We knew nothing of him other than his pedigree and what we saw in front of us. 5 years later he's still sound, sane and beautiful. He's definitely in our top 5 horses we've ever owned, and we haven't regreted it for a moment.

[BeaSting]

Bea Sting Blair - 1985 AQHA mare. She was an unhandled 6 month old weanling when I bought her on impulse during a horse shopping trip. I absolutely was not looking for a baby, but when I saw this lttle gal who was still recovering from a very nasty encounter in a yellow jacket nest, I could not resist. She was and still is a treasure. Sensible, born broke, and the best trail horse ever! I had to give up horses while I raised my sister's three boys. A very good friend has had her on free lease since '97, where she is treated like a queen.

Gold Bar Jetta ("Cookie") '99 Appaloosa mare. I started riding again last year. The friend who has Sting lent me her 4yr. gelding, Smoky, to ride while she was recovering from shoulder surgery. He was a grandson of Sting, and I had incredible fun with him. But, the day came that my friend wanted her horse back and I was sad to see him go, but she gave me his dam, Cookie, who happens to be Sting's daughter. She's still pretty green - had some basic under saddle training at three, then used as a broodmare until this year. It was as if she was just waiting to become my horse.

[MistyBlue]

Awww, poor Bea Sting. What a way to get a name, but it's very fitting!

Loving seeing all the awesome Appies!

Galopin: first horse in over a decade, my rerider horse. Read her print ad at the vets while there for my dog, had to go look because it not only said $5k for a 3rd level/schooling 4th 1988 hanoverian...it also said alpha mare, not for beginners! (those words suck me in every time) Only mistake seller made was that she was a KWPN. And she was everything stated in her ad, price was low due to her being a witch on wheels to handle and ride. We had an absolute blast, there was nothing wrong with her ground manners, she'd just been owned by a few too many timid folks. A few reminders...she was an angel. She passed away a couple years ago from congestive heart failure but healthy other than heart issues later on. Still miss her.

Max/Moo: (okay, actually named Ima Cool Skippa) 1991 APHA gelding. Cute as a button, purchased very inexpensively from Cother Hunter Two...she was looking for an Appaloosa trail horse, I was looking for a companion for Galopin because we were bringing her home. Moo was perfect...and one of those truly bomb proof safe sane and sound horses. You could plop a toddler in the tack and he was a gentleman. Rehomed free almost 3 years ago to a friend from another BB...a rerider who had a mini as a pet and wanted a riding sized horse. But had some timidity and back issues. Moo was perfect for her, smooth and safe. She's now happily riding again after decades off and they have another horse for her husband. He's one state away and happy as a clam. Did have one bout of health issues...stones and then RDC right afterwards. Other than that no health/soundess issues.

Petey: (Smart Pete) 1999 AQHA gelding...$3500, bought him off of my niece. After rehoming Moo we needed a new companion for Galopin ASAP. We borrowed Pete at first, but then she wanted to sell him to buy something else and he was working out so well for us that we purchased him instead of giving him back. Short stocky traditional type QH. Reining/cow bred and you could carry a drink and not spill a drop through all of his gaits. Sweet as pie and adores being loved on. Western type horse, though he likes jumping. And he gets from one side to the other...not saying it's done with panache but it's done safely, LOL! Safe, sane and sound.

Sonny: (Fireball Illusion) 2003 AQHA gelding. Bought from ac4h...at that time he was a 5 yr old ranch broke safe, sane sound and registered dude for $650. Even with shipping he was less than $1000, can;t beat that with a stick. Originally purchased to keep Pete company after Gal passed...with intent to continue shopping until I found THE horse I really wanted. (Sonny is another ranch broke speedy western dude...I'm a jumper rider, LOL) So Sonny was planned on being flipped within a year or so. Wellll...the silly youngster creeped into my heart somehow and now I'd probably feel bad selling him. However Sonny is the opposite of Pete in build and movement. He's my size (short) and moves big and sweepy and lofty. Surprisingly so considering he's 15.1...yet he doesn't feel much different under saddle than 17hh Gal did.


I still have Pete and Sonny...no health or soundness issues with either one. (knocking on wood!)

[artienallie]

Nike Temba: 1984 Arabian Gelding purchased for one dollar in 1996 from a riding program when they thought he had EPM, and couldn't afford to treat him. Spinal Tap was negative, but x-rays showed he did have severe pedalostitis. So, no more jumping, but he did dressage, western pleasure and trails with me and my sister until melanomas forced our hand, and he was euthanized in 2008. Best dollar I've ever spent.

Artwork: 1996 Clyde-TB-something mutt Gelding purchased as a 3 year old after a 20 minute trail ride. Never took a lame step in his life - even after he impaled himself on a fence post. Had some allergies (hay, grain, grass) but shots took care of it, and he lost no lung capacity. After he grew insanely too big for me (what can I say? I was hoping the smaller breeds would determine size!) I sold him. He went on to Upperville, foxhunted, did all sorts of things. They lost him to colic in Feb 2008.

Alikazam: 1997 OTTB Chestnut Mare. My husband bought her for me as an engagement present in 2001. She's the princess-and-the-pea when it comes to saddle fit, and tends to throw the occasional spaz-fit, but she's pretty darn fun to ride. Had her S-I injected in 2008, and has been going strong since. Training level dressage, and low-level eventing. Maybe we'll hit a T3D, maybe not. I'm just enjoying her.

My one whoops:

Blair (Purple Reigh): 1989 Bay TB Mare. Ex-racehorse, ex-polopony, abused and mis-used. Beautiful and very well bred, but the physical issues from her past lives caused eventing (specifically, flexing at the poll during dressage) to be completely impossible for her. HOWEVER, she was the sanest, steadiest trail horse I've ever ridden. Guinea hens attacking her as we passed "their property" didn't even phase her. She was sold to a nice lady who wanted a solid hilltopper. So, she wasn't a total loss.

[Crosswinds Rescue]

Can rescues play on this thread too? I have lots to share, but I'll include just one.

"Gerrys Mazda Miata" -- that's his 'fancy name' he was given here. Someone somewhere likely knows his real, registered name back when he was a big time saddlebred show champion, but that's lost now.
Miata's owner died in a car wreck with miata in the trailer, "hung" from his tie until cut free. Miata passed from bad home to worse, then showed up in a local sale barn, about 250 lbs under weight (1200 saddlebred), covered with mange and rain rot, a scar larger than a dinner plate festering on his back in front of his hip, and no light in his eyes.

He looked just like a horse we'd just adopted out that my oldest was still missing badly, and she talked me into rescuing him at the sale barn and NOT taking him to the Univ. to put him out of his misery.

Miata was a LONNNNNG recovery project, really truly long. And he thanked us in the most magnificient way.
We had a special needs girl out visiting -- 6 years old, had seen he family murdered 6 months before and hadn't spoken a word since. We told her miata's story as she gave him his feed. the next week taht she visited again, she took Miata's feed ot him, but didn't come back. We walked up behind Amia, to find her telling Miata her entire story, all that had happened to her, and finishing with "it'll be ok. You'll see. Good people found me this new family, and these good people will find you a new family one day, too." We all cried shamelessly.

About 2 years later, Miata found his forever home with a young man with some human-style-learning challenge who 'spoke horse' like no natural we've ever seen before. They are poetry together...the scarred horse and the gawky boy who, together, could be olympic ice skaters winning the gold.

And THAT, we remind ourselves every so often, is why we do this....

[GoodAsGold]

Courtney--17 year old TB. She was the best lesson horse at my barn, and I had the priveledge of buying her from her private owner (didn't make the trainer very happy though). She had the smoothest canter and was a great horse for me to learn on. She's now living at my parent's house at the age of 27.

Scout--4 year old TB. My (un-horsey) dad found him in the newspaper...not sure why he thought it was a good match for his 14 year old daughter (16 h chest, 4, green broke, sweet)--I guess it was the sweet? Anyway, Dad woke me up and we drove a couple hours to go see him. He stepped on my foot and the dog bit me, but Scout was indeed the sweetest guy. We took him home with us. I've still got him almost 10 years later, and he's my heart horse. We've done dressage, jumping, barrel racing, and now we're working on carrying a flag for the grand entry at a rodeo (go Thoroughbreds!). Love that horse!

[SaddleFitterVA]

Of course rescues can play!

It isn't like the majority of negative Nancies are going to even read this thread, after all, there are no ~jingles~ needed, or commiseration, or pity parties, or even the worst-luck competition contenders.

Just like the news, happy seems to get less attention than bad.

[caffeinated]

heh. I only have one, that I bought online from a picture and have had some ups and downs with, but the process was sure easy! heh.

I am not in the market now, but just being with canter I can say there are two or three in the adoption program I'd take for myself in a heartbeat. As soon as I *am* in the market again I imagine I will have to make some tough choices as it will be so easy to find horses I like, heh!

[loshad]

I've had mine on free lease for nearly four years now. I was looking for a horse to buy and his owner offered him to me to work with. In theory, he was to have been sold by now, but I adore him and she just wants him to be in a good place.

My horse is a failed racehorse and failed polo pony, but a pretty good show hunter. Beautiful mover, great jump, no stop in him. Complete and total jerk when he's in the mood for it, a saint the rest of the time. Huge personality. I've done just about everything with this horse -- he's offended that I would expect a show his of his obvious quality to go on trails (we even did a judged pleasure ride), play on the cross country course, do a dressage clinic, and all of the other random things I torture him with. (He did enjoy when we galloped in the training track, though.) Luckily for me, he just rolls his eyes, gives a huge sigh and says "Ok, crazy lady." He's packed around children (at least one in her very first show ever), re-riders, and me.

He's got a clubby front foot and stifles I have to make sure stay strong (regular hill work and a lot of transitions), but is otherwise, like SFVA's Sparkle, practically perfect in every way. Wonderful, wonderful horse.

[arabhorse2]

Alfie: 1976 chestnut Arabian gelding.
Sweetest, calmest horse I'd ever met, and he was the one who sucked me into Arabians. Not the best horse conformationally, but he was a dream to train and ride.

Sold him to a friend at 10 y/o when I wanted something with a little more 'pazzazz'. Yeah, sometimes I'm not that bright.

He was still trucking along the last time I heard from her, at 32 y/o. Retired, but well loved and cared for.

Conny: 1982 bay Arabian gelding, and my once in a lifetime, heart horse.
I received him sight unseen as well as completely unlooked for, in exchange for another chestnut Arab gelding who was having health issues. Back in the day, a breeder would take a horse back if you were having problems with it.

Nasty, illtempered, tiny, with the biggest ears I'd ever seen on an equid not actually a donkey. He thought very highly of himself and expected everyone else to do the same.

He didn't like other horses and barely tolerated only a few of them over the years. He did however, like humans very much and me especially.

Once we got past our newbie megrims, he was a kind, loyal, brave horse who would have gone through fire for me.

His work ethic was splendid, although PDAs were frowned upon. No kisses, just carrots please!

I let him go on a sunny Saturday in July 2007 when he started having seizures, and fell and broke his pelvis. I will miss him for the rest of my life.

JJ: 2004 chestnut TB gelding.
JJ and I are still getting to know each other, but he's fast becoming another heart horse.

I never expected to be so lucky as to find another once in a lifetime, so I feel extremely blessed.

Lovely beast with an even lovelier temperament, and he's the horse I will ride into my old age, God willing.

He's obviously different than all the Arabians I've had, and requires much more feed and care than they ever have.

Casper: 1998 gray Arabian gelding.
Ah, what do I say about Casper?

I love the little bugger, but he hasn't made it easy on me.

He's every stereotype the Arab haters like to drag out; spooky, reactive, and sometimes seems to have no self preservation instincts.

But for all of that, he's a very sweet horse who's extremely smart and eager to please. Doesn't have a mean bone in his body and will follow you around like a puppy, waiting to be noticed and scritched.

I ride him now, although his abilities to process new places and things are limited, and I have to take that into account.

He'll be with me for life because a horse like that would be hard to place, and because I do love him despite all his quirks.

I've left several horses out, but these are the main ones who have left an indelible mark on me.

[DressageGeek "Ribbon Ho"]

My Ted.

Bought from a newspaper ad. Went to see him, with at-that-time trainer. He was very crooked, backsore, did not like the way at-that-time trainer rode him (with good reason, as I came to appreciate). She wouldn't let me on him, however pretty he might have looked. We took a pass. She then called me, suggested we get him on trial. I found out later she was thinking I would pay the bills, she'd get one of her lesson kids to ride him, then sell him at a profit.

I brought him to the barn on a 2 week trial. Did not pass the vet test at first.

It is now 12 years later. Ted has won regional and national awards in dressage at Intro, Training and First level. Through him, and for him, I initiated Secret Santa for Horse Rescues, and from that, Special Horses.

Maybe he didn't cut it on the track. He certainly didn't cut it as a schoolie. But he has been a fabulous, fabulous teacher, and a friend beyond measure. He makes my heart beam.

[Cougar85]

Brandy (appendix qh)- school horse who taught me to jump, $1000. My trainer asked if I would like to own him, and I said yes. An absolute gem with the nastiest trot every ridden. He did it all. Hunters, jumpers, dressage, competitive trail, endurance. Broke my heart when he was euthanized for severe navicular disease that could not longer be treated effectively.

Fudge (TB/app)- only a lease, taught me to ride spins.

Cougar (Holstiener)- $1000 weanling that took about 2.5 seconds to decide to buy. A serious magnet for trouble until he was 4. I thought that I had bought the world smallest warmblood. 3 years old 15 H, turned 4 and grew 11 inches ending up at 17.3. That 4 year old year was like riding around on a drunken sailer, you just never knew where he would end up or how he would get there. I used the barn wall as whoa, cause there was no way I could stop him that year. After he found his balance, what a terrific horse. He could jump the moon. He would try anything for his rider. Sweetest temperment ever, totally trustworthy with any rider. Retired at 21 still giving pony rides and boss of all he surveys. There will never be another like him.

Alex (TB)- $1800 boy I needed another horse like I needed a hole in the head. Beautiful TB 17H. Owners so frightened of him, that they kept him sedated in his stall 24/7. I bought him the day before I moved to another state. All he needed was a rider who trusted him, what a joy. Beautiful, athletic, trustworthy. A real trooper til the end of his days.

RC (TB)-$1000 bought as a companion - nice horse that I never really bonded with. sold to a friend who pampered and spoiled him silly until the end of his life.

Lance (Dutch WB)- a weanling, took about 2 seconds to say that's the one. $3000 another once in a lifetime horse, but ended up too small for me. born for dressage - everything was easy for him, sweetest puppy dog temperment. Sold to petite rider.

Budders (ISH)- I saw his ad, got a flight to TX and bought him. Prelim eventer $$$ OMG I love this horse. Another does it all, but better than most, and he really takes care of his rider.

Biscuit (shetland)- $700 another 2 second 'I have to have this pony.' He is Budders buddy. He is in charge - all eleven hands of him. A pony who is not a 4 letter word.

Comet (Hannoverian) - $$$ and I should have listened to that little inner voice the first time I rode him, he was the only real mis-step in the whole bunch. He was jaw dropping gorgeous, gaits that made BNT's drool, and and won over some of those BNTs horses. Unfortunately, with him I learned that mental illness and the physical illnesses that go with it is not found solely in humans. Euthanized at 7.

So 6 out of 9 were love at first sight and turned out to be fabulous partners, 2 out of 9 were not in any way a mistake, 1 of 9 a very sad failure. All were snap decisions. So the message is, when you look at a horse for sale, and if your reaction is "love" act on it, you most likely will be very happy you did.

[Trevelyan96]

Travis. (TB) 2 year old rescue for $1,000. Love at first sight. Took one look at that sweet face, kind eye, and short straight back and bought him on the spot. Went on to be a champion green hunter, packer for daughter, and took me through my first dressage test with flying colors. Sadly lost to a hip fracture Feb 2009.

Rico. (OTTB)3 year old bought off the backide at Philadelphia Park for $2,000. He is my forever heart horse. Nuff said.

Inky. (OTTB) Saw a photo of him on the Finger Lakes trainer listings and something about him just drew me, even though I wasn't looking for a horse at the time. He went to another home, but still found his way to me 6 months later after losing Trav. He's a big sweetheart and a dream under saddle, and DD adores him.

Cisco. Lovely little aged arabian gelding for $1,000. He went on to be the local pony club games star with his new little girl.

Annie. (TB) My biggest failure and heartbreak. I paid more for this pretty little mare than any other of my horses and loved her so much, but was just never able to figure her out or resolve her issues, and then sadly, I even failed her when re-homing her. She disappeared less than a year later at the Va. Bloodstock auction, even though I had first right of refusal and offered several times to buy her back.

[MorganJunkie]

Shaka

http://http://picasaweb.google.com/jdupree45/PonyCamp#

Alphamore Shaka (Shaka) 1994 Lippitt Morgan. I saw his picture on the internet, and KNEW. Ridiculous first ride (My friend and I still laugh at how bad it was!), no PPE, love him so much I bought his last son. This little horse owns our hearts - if I had my own place I would find all of his offspring!

[Peggy]

The two that involved virtually no search.

Jive - L.A. Times ad. First horse I looked at. Vetted, but didn't do radiographs other than of the pyramid-shaped foot that turned out to have an old extensor-process fracture. Vet kind-of scratched his head and said he figured if he'd stayed sound this long he'd probably be OK. We were in the middle of a parking lot behind his office at the time--no digitals back then. Talked the sort-of owner down to $1500. Horse galloped all over the Palos Verdes Hills, did jumpers to 3'9", eventing thru training until he was 19. Died the same weekend as Princess Diana, albeit with less drama.

Star. Arrived at the barn for a keuring and the owner/breeder said she wanted to sell him. Trainer talked me into buying him. You know--a two y.o. unbroke stallion is the perfect ammy horse. I wasn't looking for a horse. We didn't do radiographs (and maybe his flattened stifle would have shown up if we did and that, in retrospect, would have been a great pity b/c I might not have bought him). Didn't want to be a dressage horse, but got me back into HJ and I finally have the eq horse I always wanted. So I'm a little old...

[Renn/aissance]

The interval from the day we started shopping 'til the day we found the needle in the haystack and brought Tip home set a barn record for longest time taken to find The Horse. Bought from Faircroft Stables, where he had decided he'd rather do something other than event. Probably it took too much effort. He taught me all I know about riding big eq and jumper courses, coercing horses into thinking that it won't kill them to do 20 minutes of flatwork, making sure that the table displaying photos is out of equine reach (you really only make this mistake once,) and the virtues of naps. Oh, how he extols the virtues of naps. I can jump him around the level 3's one day and then take him cross-country the next- bareback in a halter and lead rope, thank you. I've had him for four years and look forward to many more.

It's worth the wait.

[jn4jenny]

My horse literally came galloping into my life.

I was catch riding at a barn where the main clientele was elementary-and-middle-school-aged kids. Some well-meaning mother had purchased a 4-year-old horse for her 10-year-old kid. She quickly realized her mistake and put the 4-year-old out to pasture for a few months. The first time that I rode him, I had to catch him out of a 10-acre field. I asked for a description and th owner brushed it off, saying, "Oh he's chestnut with a fly sheet on, but just stand at the gate and call his name. He'll come running."

Sure enough, I called his name and this big blazing ball of overweight chestnut horse came gallivanting across the field. He stopped about 15 yards in front of me, and right away I knew he was The One. It was that easy.