Im still on the quest for the decent but affordable horse (if you want to know more, just read one of my other threads) . LOL. I kind of have a picture in mind of what I want, and an age range. I have three I've been stalking on craigslist and today I went to look at one.
She's a 5 year old Paint half Arabian. She's double registered. She's a tri color and abbbbbssssssssolutely GORGEOUS. Over 15 hands and as stocky as a quarter horse but with more of the refined head like the Arab.
The gentleman who owns her has had her on craigslist, reposting DAILY for well over a month. He's had an knee injury and he literally cant hardly ride her (seriously, I watched to day and he had to pick his leg up with the support of his hands do swing it into the stirrup). He seems like he's getting pretty desperate to sell. He was asking $1800 at the beginning of his ads, but now he's open to quote "all offers and possible trades for a boat, atv, etc etc etc etc". Like he really seems to want to get rid of her.
Also due to his injury she has hasn't been ridden hardly at all in the last year. Today when we looked at her she came up, was very inquisitve, nibbling on my shirt (she NIBBLES at EVERYYYYYTHING), but then once he went to saddle her she was fine. She kinda jigged once and then stood stock still. He got her all saddled and I rode her for 20 minutes in the arena. Her PROBLEM: SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TROT OR RUN. I kicked and kicked and kicked and she wouldnt. Shifted my weight, gave voice commands, but she wouldnt get into a full trot. Then he put spurs on and got on her and SHE DID EVERYTHING HE WANTED HER TO DO.
I know this sounds bad, but I tried to do everything I could think of (mostly the things I used to do as a little kid to make my dad's horse upset) to upset and she NEVER got upset. SHe neck reined beautifully. Stopped on command. Backs up with a vocal command. Got off her and told her whoa and she didnt even make an attempt to go towards the gate (what I would expect in a barn sour horse).
After just that bit of riding, when he went to unsaddle he rshe was a totally different horse. EVEN MELLOWER. Not so nibbly. Just stood there.
She let me mess with her ears and pick up her feet and feel around. Has some big scars but didnt care a bit.
Now Im sitting here wondering...DOes she sound like a good buy? I plan to be riding several times a week, so she will be putting miles on again fast if I buy her. Also..how far can you talk a desperate person down in price, and how to do it (Im not cheap honestly, Im a poor college kid..and I dont have 1800.)
This is her. Her name's Lakota. And he's had her since she was 6 months old.
http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee466/Lakotahorse/3m03od3pb5V35Q05P0a9r6140c35d832313a7.jpg
She's a 5 year old Paint half Arabian. She's double registered. She's a tri color and abbbbbssssssssolutely GORGEOUS. Over 15 hands and as stocky as a quarter horse but with more of the refined head like the Arab.
The gentleman who owns her has had her on craigslist, reposting DAILY for well over a month. He's had an knee injury and he literally cant hardly ride her (seriously, I watched to day and he had to pick his leg up with the support of his hands do swing it into the stirrup). He seems like he's getting pretty desperate to sell. He was asking $1800 at the beginning of his ads, but now he's open to quote "all offers and possible trades for a boat, atv, etc etc etc etc". Like he really seems to want to get rid of her.
Also due to his injury she has hasn't been ridden hardly at all in the last year. Today when we looked at her she came up, was very inquisitve, nibbling on my shirt (she NIBBLES at EVERYYYYYTHING), but then once he went to saddle her she was fine. She kinda jigged once and then stood stock still. He got her all saddled and I rode her for 20 minutes in the arena. Her PROBLEM: SHE DOESN'T WANT TO TROT OR RUN. I kicked and kicked and kicked and she wouldnt. Shifted my weight, gave voice commands, but she wouldnt get into a full trot. Then he put spurs on and got on her and SHE DID EVERYTHING HE WANTED HER TO DO.
I know this sounds bad, but I tried to do everything I could think of (mostly the things I used to do as a little kid to make my dad's horse upset) to upset and she NEVER got upset. SHe neck reined beautifully. Stopped on command. Backs up with a vocal command. Got off her and told her whoa and she didnt even make an attempt to go towards the gate (what I would expect in a barn sour horse).
After just that bit of riding, when he went to unsaddle he rshe was a totally different horse. EVEN MELLOWER. Not so nibbly. Just stood there.
She let me mess with her ears and pick up her feet and feel around. Has some big scars but didnt care a bit.
Now Im sitting here wondering...DOes she sound like a good buy? I plan to be riding several times a week, so she will be putting miles on again fast if I buy her. Also..how far can you talk a desperate person down in price, and how to do it (Im not cheap honestly, Im a poor college kid..and I dont have 1800.)
This is her. Her name's Lakota. And he's had her since she was 6 months old.
http://i1229.photobucket.com/albums/ee466/Lakotahorse/3m03od3pb5V35Q05P0a9r6140c35d832313a7.jpg