4 mos old filly..how hard could it be?

[BeardedChick]

Navicular and/or roping injuries (usually tendons) get a lot of the working ranch horses in this area.

They are usually started at 2, learning to be roped off of at 3, working at 4. Pasture roping is a pretty extreme & perilous job... That deep NM sand sure takes a toll on the soft tissue.

 

[Momo]

Brahampooter, listen to your common sense. I am not trying to squash your dream, just trying to keep your dream from squashing you. Like patandchickens, I've seen it happen all too often. Yes, I've seen it go the other way against all odds, too, but where your safety and enjoyment of horse activities is concerned I would urge you to go with the odds. That little filly is really nothing special, and you can't ride her for another 3 years.

Take a pass on this one. Use those 3 years to get lessons and solidify your knowledge and skills. You are still near the bottom of a very high learning curve, and you'll have to trust us about that. In a few years when you're ready for a young horse you will also have a much better idea what you *want* and *need* in a youngster and you can go looking for the horse that you want. Both you and the horse will be happier for it. I suspect that whatever horse you get is one that you are going to keep for a long time, even it turns out to be not entirely suitable. If the horse doesn't work out well, then you will be missing out on the pleasure you could have gained from the *right* horse. I've seen it so many times!

You wouldn't marry a man you'd just met and whose temperament was an unknown; don't make that mistake with a horse either. If you buy a horse because you have a dream, because you hope that it has the potential to grow up to be what you are wishing for, you are making a mistake. At your age (I am 44 myself), it is also wasting time you can't afford to waste. You have plenty of time for this and there are a lot of horses out there.

Don't buy the hope of potential. Buy exactly what you want. There are some absolutely wonderful horses out there. You can choose breed, type, height, colour, everything. The money you save by not feeding and caring for this filly for the next 2-3 years will buy you a nice looking, decently trained, safe, fun, reliable and reasonably young horse. A horse that can teach you things you didn't know you didn't know, a horse you can be proud of and feel safe on and ride on the roads and trails, and do everything with. A horse that will almost certainly be much nicer and make you much happier than that little filly. Really!

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Quote:
My guys are not ever going to be expected to work harder than a slow trail ride or a good trot around a round pen. They were rescue horses and have ended up here because this is where they are meant to be. They ARE a challenge and I LOVE that about them. I'm learning from them (with them) everyday. If they didn't come here they would have gone to auction. (Because they aren't perfect). So I expect my horses to carry me (135lbs) down the trail (2-3 miles) 1-2 times a week. To also do some round pen work.
The 12 yr old is over 16h. He is really attracted to husband. It would be great to be able to trail ride with DH or someone else. My older horse is not okay to trail ride. So I'm kind of stuck in the middle. The good horse won't leave without the lame horse and the lame horse can't go...I've been hoping the lame horse would recover... it's not fair to the other one to keep waiting. right?
Be gentle... I'm a beginner..

 

[skirbo]

Quote:
That is definitely not the worst thing that could happen. My cousin had a yearling paw her in the face in play and the family spent thousands in plastic surgery.

Being a novice, she could easily leave the baby tied too loose and it could break it's leg getting caught in the rope or some other horrible thing.

Either one of them-the horse or the owner-could end up seriously injured or dead. I'm not trying to be a buzz kill, but you have to be pragmatic and take a realistic view of the situation.

I would not go buy this filly without having a vet look at her. I have to second whoever said that having a three year old lead a baby around is just plain irresponsible and would make me take everything the seller said with a block of salt, not just a grain.

In this market, you can get a sound, rideable, well trained horse for $400 if you look. Heck, you can get them for free right now in many places. I wouldn't give her more than $100 for that baby-no papers, iffy history, bad conformation (which translates into less usable and possibly unsound down the road).

Sarah

 

[skirbo]

Quote:
The barn I take lessons from has a 27 year old gelding that still gives lessons, occasionally even with me. There are 20 year olds doing long distance trail riding. Yeah, it's senior, but if you build them up to things these guys are priceless. I wouldn't stop riding him if he's sound.

As for the 12 year old... geez, they've regularly got teens in the Olympics and especially in dressage-they retired one of the top dressage horses in the world several years ago... at 18 I think. Maybe 17, maybe 19. It's all a question of what you build the horse up to doing.

Sarah

 

[skirbo]

Quote:
Okay... not trying to be mean here, okay, really, really really not. But if you guys can't get a horse to leave the barn and his buddy (which is a very common problem among horses that are kept with just one other horse) then you are definitely not ready to raise a baby. Seriously. Get some help getting the 12 year old to do what you want to do. He SHOULD leave his buddy. He might not want to, but he SHOULD listen to you.

Listen to that common sense. Err on the side of caution. Keep an eye out on craigslist and other places, keep your ear to the ground. You'll find a useable, safe, dependable horse that needs a good home when the time is right.

See

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Quote:
Okay... not trying to be mean here, okay, really, really really not. But if you guys can't get a horse to leave the barn and his buddy (which is a very common problem among horses that are kept with just one other horse) then you are definitely not ready to raise a baby. Seriously. Get some help getting the 12 year old to do what you want to do. He SHOULD leave his buddy. He might not want to, but he SHOULD listen to you.

Listen to that common sense. Err on the side of caution. Keep an eye out on craigslist and other places, keep your ear to the ground. You'll find a useable, safe, dependable horse that needs a good home when the time is right.

See

I know. I really do. I know that I need to deal with him first. I was kind of wishing someone would tell me that. I have researched and I know all of the technical answers and the videos help. In the spring I will hire someone to help me break these two of their dependent issues. I just really had hoped that coming fromthe same place, they would be perfect trail buddies. WOW was I stupid!

 

[CountryMom]

Well, I have a feeling after reading all these posts that you really need to take stock of the two you have and work on them. If you are not able to handle riding a 12 yr old not so perfect horse unless someone else rides him first, then I say you need to keep clear of untrained horses. I don't mean to say that to be mean either. I have seen too many people think they can do it and even push themselves without enough knowledge and end up in the hospital. Last year a friend of mine went off and bought a suppose kid broke horse and brought it home. I kept telling her I would help her look, but she was determined by herself. Said horse was there a week and reared up and flipped on top of her. Broke her leg and messed up her ribs big time, but I thanked the Lord she wasn't dead. That same leg ended up a few months later putting her in the hospital for another infection.

So my question to you is, are you willing to have major injuries and hospital bills for yourself? Babies can be really dangerous. Even the best of them can rear up and kick out, can run through fences and get tangled (trying to cut one out can be dangerous in itself) and all the other ground manners that you have to teach this one. When I did breed horses the babies started from the minute they hit the ground in training. No I didn't run them in circles and call it lunging by any means. (Ah lunging by running in circles is a whole other issues I could preach on.) Shoot, the first year of life they have so much to experience and learn and you haven't a clue what this filly has been exposed to or where to start. A seller trying to sell a horse and claiming her 3 yr old can lead it throws up all sorts of red flags in my book. Shame on the seller for a newly rescued horse of that age being led by a 3 yr old. My kids are worth a lot more than that to me.

And at our age the ground is so dang much harder - and closer even if you know what you are doing. Let's face it, babies can knock you down in an instant. More people put human emotions on a horse and end up getting hurt from the ground because they think they are reading something that just isn't right. And then undersaddle as a newly broke horse is an entirely different situation. Are you ready to be a passenger and no control the horse at first other than a very few aids? Nothing like pulling on the mouth or face of a newly broke horse to send them right up in the air and over top of you. Do you know how to feel for and control a buck? Even a horse that breaks out easy and then a month or so into it gets spooked under saddle can go into a bucking fit and dump you. And that is if you get that far. Had another friend of ours fly over a horse's head last year when he went balistic. Again, a beginner without enough assistance (she lives over 150 miles from me or I would have been there.) She spent weeks in the hospital and she was only 22 yrs old.

Why is it that so many people think that a horse is old once it hits 15? What is so wrong with an older horse - and I am talking 20+ years old. Most live up into their 30's and if you are willing to put in some good care for them you can have an old faithful to ENJOY RIDING. So many people get scared off when they first begin because they buy horses way too young and untrained for their abiltiy to ride.

And 20 is not old in the least.....my oldest daughter just placed 3rd in the American Cutting Horse World Youth Championships last year ------ on her cutting horse who has been cutting all his life....... and is 24 yrs old. My middle daughter's horse is the same at 22 yrs old. They are by no means washed up at 20.

I say save your money and look for a horse that will challange you because he is so well trained. Get one you can work with in riding lessons and advance to his stage and ability but is also safe. Don't be fooled by pretty pictures and pretty faces or markings. You should go for riding as enjoyment and relaxation. I can't tell you how much I enjoy grabbing my old pack mare up out of the pasture and just going for a ride. I don't have to teach her anything and I can actually look around me and enjoy the setting and wildlife. She is 20 yrs old and as solid as they come. My youngest son started on her at age 5 and still adores her. She is not so pretty and she is very large (stocky) and long backed and only 14.5 hands tall. And she takes care of anything on her and does everything she is asked. I can rope off her, I can pony off her, I can drag fence posts out of the ground with her, and I can stir up deer out of the brush with her and never worry I am going to have to "train" or hang on for dear life.

The worst that can happen is the baby can actually kill you. Absolute worst case here mind you. The best that can happen to you is to find a horse well trained and challanging to your ability, but not unsafe by any means. Sounds like the two you have are just stepping stones to one that is well trained. Put some money into something that has been there done that.

 

[BeckyLa]

I'm so sorry. When I encouraged you to go see her I had no idea you had horse fear issues. You definitely need to listen to the experienced folk on here and work out the issues with the horses you have before thinking of getting another. I really believe it would be a mistake for you to take a baby to raise and train until you have way more experience. If you want another horse so you can trail ride with your husband, then find one that is kid broke and ride it many times before you buy. Take care

 

[RockyToggRanch]

Thanks. You're right. The one I have that's rideable should be my focus.

I don't have horse fear issues anymore. My two guys have helped me as well as the lessons and videos. I'm cautious around horses, but not afraid of them anymore.