Critique on a Few Potential Buys :)

Alrightey... so I've started my search for my rescue horse, and so far I've found these few. Please feel free to be brutally honest, I honestly don't have my heart set on any of these horses:

"Quest":

http://www.equinehits.com/horses_show.php?id=193185
Yearling Grade QH Filly, halterbroke and learning to lead/tie. $325

"Ike":

Icarus (Ike) is a buckskin 3 year old colt, very flighty still, but he'll come around. He comes right away for his grain, I have haltered him and started handling him a bit. He had distemper but is healed up now, I can approach and pet him in the paddock.Adoption Fee: $300

"Marty":

Marty is a buckskin 2 year old colt, a little quieter than Ike but probably never handled. Marty is getting quite friendly, has taken food from my hand. He's been haltered once and had his feet trimmed.Adoption Fee: $300

"Sox"

Sox is a Shetland paint pony. She is probably somewhere around 5 years old. She is halter broke, more friendly every day. Sox went out to be worked with for a couple of months. Found out she is in fact broke to ride, has a sensitive mouth and is well behaved once caught. Seems like of case of someone had her and she got away with a few things and it went to her head! She has been used to chase cows, run in a group, a really good girl! Needs someone with experience though.Adoption Fee: $500
*JDI's note: I'm 5'5"... do you think I'm too big?*

The last 3 horses can be seen at http://www.bearvalleyab.org/availablehorses.html

I'm living in the Calgary area of Alberta, Canada if anyone wants to add to my list :)

EDIT:
Just so you know, I'm not expecting these horses to be my next GP dressage horse or anything, I just want to be able to develop a bond and eventually do some basic riding... basic dressage, jumping low fences, and trails.

None of the pictures are entirely good for conformation, but I'll try my best

Quest: appears to have a short neck and possibly long pasterns

Ike: other than his hooves seem long, I can't see anything wrong about him

Marty: can't tell anything from that picture

Sox: over at the knee a little bit.
Well how tall is Sox? As long as the pony can hold you with no difficulty at all, your fine. You more than likely will look big on her though

Go for Ike!

Do you know why they are adopting them out as colts? I am not trying to offend anyone, but that sounds a little irresponsible for horses in the $300 range. Is this a rescue?

Anyway, I really like Quest's face...it is really hard to tell much about them with winter coats...they always look worse that way. :) I know you are not looking for your next GP dressage horse, but you still have the right to be very picky so that you have a steady and reliable friend for years to come. :) You might as well find the best rescue out there that you can find. I would avoid the shetland (even though she is cute :)), because I think you will likely look really big on her...and that may get old. :) At a glance, I like quest the best, but her photo is more appealing than the colts' photos. Her neck does appear a bit short (could be angle some), but does it seem to you short to the point of interfering with what you might want to do with her? She looks pretty sporty though. :) She could be a fun ride later. She does appear to have a worm or hay belly though.

For rescues not only conformation is important...... what I would really worry about was their history..... that makes a huge difference, and most people and rescues will cooperate with you

Thanks, everyone!

Sonny: I agree, those pictures are not good at all, they're just basic "here's what the horse looks like" pictures.. I might go see some of them next weekend, I'll try and get better pictures.

FGR: I'm having a hard time choosing between Ike and Quest as being my favorites... as a first impression that is :)

AKPaintLover: There's a gelding clause in the adoption agreement that states that colts must be gelded as soon as possible - these colts aren't halterbroke, so I'm guessing that's their excuse? Either that or some people call young horses "colts" and "fillies" regardless whether or not they've been altered... Regardless, if I do end up with either one, they'll be gelded. I really like Quest's face too :)


Thanks for the comments so far guys :) Anyone else?

Ooh, I just read this on Ike's writeup:

He had distemper but is healed up now.

Should this be a big red X on him?

Quest is my favorite. She looks like her build is decent, plus she is a cutey! All of them look pretty good for what you want. PS, how tall is the shetland. I am 5'8" and just trained a 12.3 hand pony. It may sound crazy, but I am below 20% of her weight so I am ok to ride her. I am way to big for her, but I just leased her out to a little girl since she is now well broke. But if this is something you want to ride yourself, I wouldn't go below 13.2 hands, this way you don't look like a giant!

I would not say that just becuase he has distemper that he is a not buy. Once they have distemper once they can never get it again (sort of like chicken pox is for people) I have done exclusive research on strangles. I was broading a horse at a stable and they had strangles there and I didn't know it. Unfortunatly my little guy died from stangles (he got a rare strand called bastard strangles) Anywho...back to the point... Horses are only contagious if they are still leaking the "strangle fluid" once they are not they are no longer contagious. Just be sure that know one else out there has it. Ask them how long ago he got it, did anyone else get it, was he qrauntined (?? I can't spell...lol ??) Stuff like that then you sould have a good idea!

If you want more to add to the list my appendix mare(red roan) was due to foal yesterday to my foundation quarter horse stallion(blue roan) and if she has a filly it will be for sale for $500. Registered AQHA.

FGR - thanks for all the info!! For some reason it didn't click that distemper=strangles. When did strangles go through your barn? We had it go through my old stable gosh.. 7 years ago now or so? We lost one to bastard strangles and just about lost another that also got bastard strangles because he had a reaction to the antibiotics they were treating him with... so sad. The mare that died was a young Warmblood that had a ton of potential.... Luckily the mare I owned at the time didn't get it badly at all.
And about your possible filly - wow, that would be awesome! Keep me updated! Which mare is it that's foaling?