17 Yr. Old TWH Versus 4 Yr. Old SSH? Choices...

I've been looking at two horses, but I can't decide which would be a better fit for me without putting in too much emotion and not enough sense.

I'm a 15-years-old and an intermediate rider. I've ridden both these horses extensively and can handle them. I'll be keeping my horse at a boarding barn, where I had an excellent support crew. The trainer has promised to help me should I hit any snags, the BO will keep an extra set of eyes on the horse, and the horses' current owner lives only a few miles away and we frequently trail ride together.

I want a horse that I can do a little of everything with (jump for fun, show a bit), but specialize in NATRC rides and endurence.

The first is a 17-year-old TWH mare. She's 14.3 hands (I'm 5.1). She's an "old style" Walker, so she's kind of bulky, for lack of a better term.

Positives:
Older and more experienced (will teach me well)
Good manners
No bad habits
Incredible gaits
Perfect height
BOMBPROOF

Negatives
A bit too old for endurence (?)
I don't like her personality (very apathetic towards people)
Has one gear: fast
Will be hard to re-sell
Not as trainable as other horse


Next up, the Spotted Saddle Horse.

She's four-years-old and 15.1 hands.

Positives:
Love her personality
Also has great gaits
Younger
Smart and trainable
Very willing
I can finish her how I want

Negatives:
Pushy and disrespectful (definitely curable though)
Younger
Inexperienced


So, any thoughts on this novel of a post?

I think considering your a intermediate rider it'd be a better bet to go with the 4 year old. As an intermediate I assume you have fairly good balance, you have fairly steady hands. I'm also assuming you know the aids for w/t/c and are starting or know some high stuff like bending etc.

I like how you wrote out the positive and negatives of each horse I forget to do that.

Go with the one that you like the best. Which to me is obviously the younger of the two. : )

It really depends on which horse you think you want the most.

If it were up to me, I'd go with the younger horse. Why? Because you can probably learn more from this horse because she is not as inexperienced and you're likely to come across something new with her that you could teach her. Plus, you can grow up with her which is always fun. :)

Honestly, I've always prefered the four-year-old, and am glad that y'all do too. :) I'm going to make an offical offer on her Friday and hope for the best.
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Good luck! Let us know how it goes. :)

The walker bowed a tendon, so she's no longer an option. But that seems to be only my openion, because my BO is trying to convince my dad to buy her for me. This has caused my dad to hesitate, so no offers have been made as of yet.

I don't want to buy a horse that will be layed up for six months on minimum exercise, especially for ENDURANCE. Re-injuring it would suck, rehabing that tendon will monotonous, and the whole process will bore me to tears. I can't just walk forever. I'm buying a horse to RIDE.

Hesitation is good. If you have doubt, don't settle! Look to see what else is out there. You wouldn't have a problem finding another potential horse. I agree completely that 6 months of layup would not be what I would want to buy.

Your BO might be a great person, but don't let her convince you to get an injured horse if you don't want one.

What happened with the 4 year old?

My father is in charge of buying the horses, and he knows nothing about them, so he takes what ever advice he can find. Since the BO is for the walker and she is more experienced then me, he's decided to wait to make any offers. So... I'm in horse limbo again.

I still want the four year old and she's still available. I just have to convince those-who-know-best.