Ok, so I know I said no TBs or WBs, but….I made the appointment to see this horse prior to coming to that realization and he was only 30 minutes from me. His ad read nicely for 90% of it and then BAM!…at the very end “needs an experienced rider”. Huh. I messaged the owner to see why when the rest of the ad was perfect, ammy friendly blabber. Turned out she put that in there to put off lesson program types. Or so she said.
You get no media of this horse because I wasn’t in the mood.
D is a 16.1H WB/TB cross and is 11 years old. Currently schooling 3′ at home with a nice jumping record. He had been cross country schooling with a can do attitude. Great w/t/c. He was being sold due to her daughter getting out of horses.
I sent her my usual blast of questions: can he handle a 2 day a week home ride/2 lessons a month/2 shows a year life style? Is he confident over fences? Any major vices? Etc…I’m pretty specific and annoying, but it has weeded out a lot of horses that I would have otherwise wasted my time seeing.
Everything came back peachy, so I made the appointment to see him. Then it got rained out. And rained out again. Finally last weekend it was sunny and the ground dry enough so Dusty, Wyatt and I made the trip.
As soon as I saw him I knew it was a nope. He was big, he had a worried look in his eye, was petrified of Wyatt being anywhere near him and it turned out her daughter wasn’t getting out of horses but was in fact scared of him. Lovely little lie there in the ad.
Since we made the trip I let her show him off. Only the girl would only flat him. She was too scared to jump him. Red flag!!! No way I was going to if he owner wouldn’t. I also found out from the BM, who was present much to the chagrin of the seller, that he does best in a 5-6 day a week program, tended to bolt between fences and would probably be best in ears plugs.
Thanks for all the lies lady. I mean, what did she expect? I’d see a horse and buy it anyway just because?? Good thing they were close.
I did get on and walk/trot but was way too nervous to do anything else and I sure wasn’t gong to jump him. I got off telling her that there was no way I was buying this horse.
Ugh.
But…the nice thing is that it confirmed that I do not want a flashy TB or WB or any variation thereof. I’m sure that horse could clean house at shows with the right rider, but I am not that rider.
I’m continuing to search but honestly I feel a bit deflated. There is just nothing out there that I want. I have time. I keep telling myself to be patient. Its getting old though and I only just began!
The Roaming Rider 
well….that would be annoying. I would not even have gotten on him. I hate that what is the point of lying in ads. Jeez.
you will find the right horse. Sorry it is so frustrating but at least you have Gem to keep you from getting lost in the woods (Ha her expression is hilarious in that one photo).
Love all the photos of the dogs and Wyatt on the farm 🙂
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Isn’t it though? She is totally frustrated that we were lost. It is like she is standing there going “blah blah blah…lost again”
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You will find the right horse. It may take a while, but you will find the right horse. Sorry it’s so frustrating. I’ve never really been horse shopping and I dread the day when I do have to shop (I’ve sort of came across my horses when I wasn’t shopping and didn’t have the pressure to buy and then suddenly NEEDED the horse and had to figure out how to make it happen). But, eventually, the right horse will come into your life.
But, you know what you don’t want, which is a lot more than most people can say.
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I hate that. I was an observer at one of those. I’d performed massage therapy on a horse that had an injury to his poll, and he had a lot better movement by the second day – seller was going on and on about how he had “just worked with getting the horse softer by bringing his nose in” to the buyer. I was very frustrated and disgusted. I would’ve bought the horse, too I just didn’t have the money at the time. If I end up going on a horse hunt I’m pretty nervous about ads like these. Good call on you to not jump. Glad the BM was there, too and gave you better info for that. Ugh, I’m so sorry.
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Ugh. That experienced rider on an otherwise unicorn sounding horse always gets me. Last horse shopping i had a lady string me along on a really cute buckskin til night before wouldnt give me address. Finally next am she messaged saying he hadn’t been ridden enough and needed some work before selling. Thx for waiting til I had rearranged my whole life to see him plus my trainers. You will find the right pony, hang in there.
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Ugh yes I absolutely empathsize the various emotions/and horse buying fatigue you are going through. The right horse will come along, sometimes it just takes a while!
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Horse shopping is one of those things you think should be fun, but never is. I’ve just come to expect that people are lying. I wouldn’t have even gotten on that horse.
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So frustrating. But I think you’re going about it the right way of just having patience, and keep casually browsing. You know what you want, and good for you for not compromising or rushing into something you won’t be happy with.
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Ugh I hate that ppl lie so much. The sad truth is tho that some ppl will show up and just fall in love even despite the red flags and take the horse home. The sellers figure if they can at least get someone to come look at the horse maybe they’ll change their minds…. still tho. What a waste of time 😦
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What a bummer- like they thought you were asking the questions for fun and wouldn’t find out the truth? Ugh. They were just hoping someone would see how fancy (or whatever) the horse is and take it home anyway.
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