Minouri
04-30-2006, 01:17 AM
Ok, so my neighbor decided not to keep his new horse. Even after lowering the grain the horse is a little too hot for him. So he is taking him back to the place he got him.
Today he went over there to try two TWHs she had. He brought me along to see them with him. He knows that I'll be shopping for a large gaited horse in the near future. I rode the 9 year old twh and he rode the 15 year old.
I know that some horse salepeople are like carsalemen.....and this woman could sure talk up a horse. I found nothing appealing about either horse but tried not to say too much. My neighbor wasn't asking for my opinion really.
The horse he wants looked weird to me. One back hoof was much longer than the other three hooves. Now, I'm no expert...but if something looks weird to even me.....it's probably a problem. I pointed it out to him. He pointed it out to her. She said......oh, that's how they shoe TWHs. I laughed outloud and then clamped my hand over my mouth. I'm not 100% certain that they don't shoe twhs with one long back foot to help it gait.....but it sounds crazy to me.
I think, however, the story worked on my neighbor. He seemed satisfied by her answer and said he was still considering the horse.
He did ask me what I thought of the one I rode. I thought he was lazy, stubborn and in general unresponsive to cues outside of stop and go. Doesn't move off the leg....won't bend......started freaking out when I tried to put him on the rail. I'd say he was just trailridden and not ridden in a ring.......but even when I took him out on the road I found him in general unwilling.
My neighbor said he didn't think he was quite that bad.
When I came home I hopped on Scooter and rode around. It was like night and day. Scooter responds to the slightest of cues......eager to do whatever.....moves off the slightest pressure. I hopped on my Appy and played around bareback for a bit.
And when I put them away I gave them each an extra hug. Riding that TWH today made me realize how lucky I am to have the horses I do. I feel bad for the person who buys that barn sour horse......unless it's someone who can turn that around.
I saw my neighbor this evening and he was still talking about maybe getting that TWH. He said he really liked him. I told him that he should probably ride out alone with him before making that decision. We rode in a group but my neighbor rides alone all the time. He told me not to worry because the horse was an ex police horse.
I see no proof of that.......and to me the horse looks like something just saved from a kill pen.......skinny......scratches all over...dull. I wonder if that police horse story is true at all.
But unless he asks me.....I should keep that opinion to myself........right?
Today he went over there to try two TWHs she had. He brought me along to see them with him. He knows that I'll be shopping for a large gaited horse in the near future. I rode the 9 year old twh and he rode the 15 year old.
I know that some horse salepeople are like carsalemen.....and this woman could sure talk up a horse. I found nothing appealing about either horse but tried not to say too much. My neighbor wasn't asking for my opinion really.
The horse he wants looked weird to me. One back hoof was much longer than the other three hooves. Now, I'm no expert...but if something looks weird to even me.....it's probably a problem. I pointed it out to him. He pointed it out to her. She said......oh, that's how they shoe TWHs. I laughed outloud and then clamped my hand over my mouth. I'm not 100% certain that they don't shoe twhs with one long back foot to help it gait.....but it sounds crazy to me.
I think, however, the story worked on my neighbor. He seemed satisfied by her answer and said he was still considering the horse.
He did ask me what I thought of the one I rode. I thought he was lazy, stubborn and in general unresponsive to cues outside of stop and go. Doesn't move off the leg....won't bend......started freaking out when I tried to put him on the rail. I'd say he was just trailridden and not ridden in a ring.......but even when I took him out on the road I found him in general unwilling.
My neighbor said he didn't think he was quite that bad.
When I came home I hopped on Scooter and rode around. It was like night and day. Scooter responds to the slightest of cues......eager to do whatever.....moves off the slightest pressure. I hopped on my Appy and played around bareback for a bit.
And when I put them away I gave them each an extra hug. Riding that TWH today made me realize how lucky I am to have the horses I do. I feel bad for the person who buys that barn sour horse......unless it's someone who can turn that around.
I saw my neighbor this evening and he was still talking about maybe getting that TWH. He said he really liked him. I told him that he should probably ride out alone with him before making that decision. We rode in a group but my neighbor rides alone all the time. He told me not to worry because the horse was an ex police horse.
I see no proof of that.......and to me the horse looks like something just saved from a kill pen.......skinny......scratches all over...dull. I wonder if that police horse story is true at all.
But unless he asks me.....I should keep that opinion to myself........right?