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Think I found a good TWH ranch.....

5K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  randomrider92 
#1 ·
Hello all! Well, I think my search is over at trying to find a good TWH ranch to buy from, but iwould like some input. I was wondering if anyone here has bought a horse or heard of Dityland ranch. They seem like a real nice, reputable,honest place, but I was just wondering if anyone here has dealt with them. I found a beautiful horse I wish I could buy now, but don't have all the money...dangit! Thanks all for your help!
 
#2 ·
PH Ranch out here in ye ol' Missouri breeds dang fine Foxtrotters and Walkers. Their Walkers actually look like horses you can sit on, not those narrow ******s you see a lot :D I went on a trail ride with one of their Walker broodmares, that mare has the biggest rump I've honestly ever seen :lol: Hadn't been ridden in three years, went out without so much as a peep. Trainable, personable, and well built!

Couldn't find a website for Dityland, but they seem to breed the more narrow 'showy' type. Their horse 'Famous Amos' walks kinda funky on the video they have up of him. But, I wouldn't judge a book by it's cover. I'd visit them first with a critical eye and form an opinion then.
 
#4 ·
twogeldings; thanks, and PH ranch sounds nice too. Where in missouri? cause I live about 2 1/2-3 hours from st.Louis. So, it's not that bad of a drive. I honestly do prefer the stockier built ones, but the ones on Dityland ranch seem nicely put together too. My main thing is price. I found some amazing walkers I'd love to have, but they were priced in the 5-6,000$ range! And that is way outta my price range. My absolute limit is probably gonna be 2,000$ And it just seems really hard to find a nice walker for that or under. But if you can find me some in that price range,please tell me!!! thanks!
 
#5 ·
Price wise, horses are dirt cheap. You can find giveaway Walkers all day long in TN. Of course you'll get what you pay for. :)

Realistically, you should be able to find a good horse with decent training in the $1500-$2000 range anywhere in the Midwest. At this price somebody is taking a licking 'cause it costs about that much to put a good foal on the ground (plus the stud fee). To get the horse under saddle add breaking, training, etc. The equine economy is so bad that folks are willing to take "hits" just to keep some good stock fed and lighs on. As a breeder I think this is really awful, but there it is.

Negotiate any purchase with a "sharp pencil."

G.
 
#7 ·
I know nothing of these ranches, but I'm sure you can find a decent walker in your price range. It just might take a bit of looking, and it might not be with a big breeder that is still trying to get top dollar out of their stock.

Out here in Arizona, people were asking TONS for gaited horses (like $3500 was practically the minimum) and the market has dropped so low that my friend and I bought registered Fox Trotters for $500 & $800. I would never have believed just a few years ago you could get any half-way decent horse for $500, much less something gaited. But these didn't come from a place specializing in gaited horses. They came from a place that was breeding/selling trail horses and sort of downsizing due to horses not selling like they were. So we basically bought a couple of registered broodmares but they are also broke to ride (and came in foal :shock:). Maybe they were diamonds in the rough, but they are great horses in my eyes. I took my girl out for a 6 hour ride in the mountains a few days ago and she was fabulous. :)

Anyway, keep your eyes peeled for Walkers in places you might not otherwise look, like the newspaper. That is where the bargains seem to be. It seems like breeders are still asking the same prices as before the market sunk. But maybe that's just what I see out where I am at. It seems like gaited horses are like gold out here. I wish I lived closer to the gaited horse epi-center. :lol:
 
#8 ·
OP, if you're still in Southern Illinois, you aren't that far from southern Middle Tennessee when it comes to horse shopping.

The Taylor Brothers have been on horses since they were little boys. They told me things about the ancestors on my senior Walking Horse's papers (the stocky guy in my avatar) that most of the modern day breeders probably aren't aware of because they're too busy crawling over top of of each trying to be King of the Celebration Hill. It pays to know your ancestors-------------

This is Billy Taylor twhheritagesociety.com

And his brother Danny twhheritagesociety.com

Both raise Heritage Walkers for pleasure riding. They are honest folk that love their horses.

You would probably love this 15.3H talkative Big Suck Up-in-your-pocket guy but he's not for sale - lol lol His 12 yr old self is insulin resistant anyway, so he requires extra attention to keep him healthy.

This was his first ride in four years (that backbrace I'm wearing is no joking around - I'm not even supposed to clean stalls much less ride). I got on him and he went out the driveway like he'd been doing that every day:)


He was bred up in Wilson County Tennessee. I could try and locate his breeder to see if she still has any of her herd left. Last I knew she was really downsizing because "younger she wasn't getting" :)

Just so you know, Tennessee Walkers ARE on the predisposed list for metabolic issues. The chunk in my avatar and the chunk in this pic both suffer from them. My big lanky athletic built TWH does not but, that doesn't mean he can't, someday. They don't need pumped full of any sort of grain unless they're being worked really hard. All three of mine are easy keepers.
 
#9 ·
Back a number of seemingly few short years ago I had the opportunity to own a 13 year old TWH gelding that was double registered in both the TWH Association and the Racking Horse Association. He was not the stocky built horse, but not real narrow either. He had a "million dollar" personality and so very kind and gentle. He originally came to SW Missouri straight from his native Tennessee because of a job transfer by his owner. Then another job transfer made it necessary for his owner to sell him. His owner was a novice rider and I had the opportuntiy to observe her handle and ride him before he came up for sale. The selling price was only $1000, to a good home only. I bought him before the owner had a chance to 'pert near blink her eyes. My then 12 year old Granddaughter rode him on trail rides and I rode him in two parades.

Then a middle-aged acquaintance bought a horse that was to much for her being inexperienced in handling and riding horses. This horse was a very nice grade stock type horse that had been used for ranch work and roping. Underneath this horse's just being fresh I could see another kind gentle fellow. So to keep my very nearly discouraged acquaintance/friend from losing interest in owning a horse I had her come ride my TWH. Long and short of it we traded horses straight across and we both were happy with doing it. Sadly enough though, first the friend passed away of cancer and then I find out that the TWH died of Liver disease. I am happy though I had a hand in finding a friend a horse and a happy horse.
 
#11 ·
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