Today my husband and I looked at 3 horses (out of the many I've seen for sale, about a dozen were worth making a trip to look at and test ride), 2 of which I find suitable, but I'm having trouble deciding which one. I'm waiting to hear back from my trainer and wanting a few other informed opinions.
On me - I've been riding English since I was 9, but took a 15 year break off until I turned 30 this year. I'm an advanced beginner and want to do jumping, hunting (raw beginner there) and a little showing. Below are the two horses that I viewed today and I need your opinion on which will be a good fit.
GoGo
From the owner: "GoGo is a 13 yr old double reg Paint/QH. He is 16 plus hands tall and is fairly stout. He is predominantly white, but has Chestnut patches as well. I think his coat pattern is Overo, but I am not sure. I dont really know a whole lot about paint patterns. The horse was bought as a yearling from Nebraska I believe, and then shipped to SC by some friends of mine. He was professionally trained and then they just used him as an extra trail horse. He has been all over SC and NC trail riding. They have taken him to the mountains, swimming, you name it he has been there. Their daughter became very involved with barrel racing and he just kind of sat out in the field for a bit after that. Then another friend of mine bought him from them. He is overweight and has a barrel full of serious health problems. He only rode GoGo several times before his health became to bad to ride. He had another horse that was out there with GoGo that absolutely beat the starch out of him and ran him off his feed. Poor GoGo literally hid behind the barn for about 2 months. I went to visit my friend and saw his condition and offered to take him. When GoGo came in here in the Spring, he was literally a frame. Probably a 2 on a body scale for a horse. He has gained so much weight!! There is not a mean bone in this horses bady and he won't run my mini horses off their feed! He is definitely low man on the totem pole as far as dominance goes. Anyway, I have only ridden him twice since he has been here, mainly because my focus was weight and calories rather than exercise. He rode fine the two times I rode him though. Once I rode him in the arena for probably 30 mins and put him through his paces and he was a little jumpy putting the tack on, but rode fine and settled nicely. The second time I rode him approximately 3 weeks ago bareback in the field for probably 45 mins. He was fine then too. I jumped up on him from a log and we rode all over the place, and away from all his friends and he did fine. He walks very quickly, as fast as a gaited horse travels."
Me:GoGo - REALLY liked this fella undersaddle. He was worried about my English tack and nervous, but not mean about it. Just didn't understand. He responded quickly to my leg pressure and was very willing to please. A kind horse with a TON of potential!
Juliette
Juliette is a TB Mare 12 years old ex-racer Dark Bay with a star. 16.1 hands. Trained for Jumper/Cross country/little Dressage. She needs a firm hand who is an intermediate rider but she is a fast learner. She is a lovable horse and needs someone to advance her potential. She competed in California in Jumping shows up to 4 foot fences for 2 years, and won several ribbons (including Blue).
Me: Juliette - Fun personality and a jumper at heart! Definitely been there and done that. Outgoing and silly, she moves well in the round pen, but I ran out of day light to get her undersaddle.
On me - I've been riding English since I was 9, but took a 15 year break off until I turned 30 this year. I'm an advanced beginner and want to do jumping, hunting (raw beginner there) and a little showing. Below are the two horses that I viewed today and I need your opinion on which will be a good fit.
GoGo
From the owner: "GoGo is a 13 yr old double reg Paint/QH. He is 16 plus hands tall and is fairly stout. He is predominantly white, but has Chestnut patches as well. I think his coat pattern is Overo, but I am not sure. I dont really know a whole lot about paint patterns. The horse was bought as a yearling from Nebraska I believe, and then shipped to SC by some friends of mine. He was professionally trained and then they just used him as an extra trail horse. He has been all over SC and NC trail riding. They have taken him to the mountains, swimming, you name it he has been there. Their daughter became very involved with barrel racing and he just kind of sat out in the field for a bit after that. Then another friend of mine bought him from them. He is overweight and has a barrel full of serious health problems. He only rode GoGo several times before his health became to bad to ride. He had another horse that was out there with GoGo that absolutely beat the starch out of him and ran him off his feed. Poor GoGo literally hid behind the barn for about 2 months. I went to visit my friend and saw his condition and offered to take him. When GoGo came in here in the Spring, he was literally a frame. Probably a 2 on a body scale for a horse. He has gained so much weight!! There is not a mean bone in this horses bady and he won't run my mini horses off their feed! He is definitely low man on the totem pole as far as dominance goes. Anyway, I have only ridden him twice since he has been here, mainly because my focus was weight and calories rather than exercise. He rode fine the two times I rode him though. Once I rode him in the arena for probably 30 mins and put him through his paces and he was a little jumpy putting the tack on, but rode fine and settled nicely. The second time I rode him approximately 3 weeks ago bareback in the field for probably 45 mins. He was fine then too. I jumped up on him from a log and we rode all over the place, and away from all his friends and he did fine. He walks very quickly, as fast as a gaited horse travels."
Me:GoGo - REALLY liked this fella undersaddle. He was worried about my English tack and nervous, but not mean about it. Just didn't understand. He responded quickly to my leg pressure and was very willing to please. A kind horse with a TON of potential!
Juliette
Juliette is a TB Mare 12 years old ex-racer Dark Bay with a star. 16.1 hands. Trained for Jumper/Cross country/little Dressage. She needs a firm hand who is an intermediate rider but she is a fast learner. She is a lovable horse and needs someone to advance her potential. She competed in California in Jumping shows up to 4 foot fences for 2 years, and won several ribbons (including Blue).
Me: Juliette - Fun personality and a jumper at heart! Definitely been there and done that. Outgoing and silly, she moves well in the round pen, but I ran out of day light to get her undersaddle.