My best advice when looking at horses is, go with what your gut feeling tells you. If someone else (trainer or whatever) tells you something is for you and you really feel it isn't, don't buy it. You have to buy what YOU like and want...after all, you will be feeding it and riding it.I had a Morgan that I loved as a teen/ young adult. I used to ride him 50-60 miles a week and was training to do endurance riding. I eventually had to sell him (out of my control) but he went to a great home.
Fast forward 13 years; I was fortunate enough to find a riding buddy who has taken me out for the last year and a half roughly two times a week, I have also got to take some lessons at her place. Fast forward another year and we are now living on the same property as said horse friend! She has 4 horses but they are older and hers.
I think I am finally ready to get another horse! I have been dreaming about the day when I could get another one. So, I have been looking on craigslist and on some local ads and also the equine rescues. I want to be very particular about the horse I acquire as I really want it to be the right one for me. I plan on keeping this horse until it dies of old age!
I am a very confident intermediate+ rider and I REALLY want to do some of the local endurance races. There are quite a few 15 and 20 milers around here. So I am POSITIVE that I want an arab or arab cross. But I am running across a couple problems (maybe you folks could help me out)... 1. I am a big girl, 5'9 and 180 pounds (trying to lose), which is pretty big for an arab, and especially because they say the weight with you and tack should not exceed 20% of the horses weight, so I would need at least a 1000 pound arab? 2. I have inquired about a lot of arab ads, but EVERY single one has said "yes it's an arab, it'll be good for endurance"... I get it, but how do I REALLY know that that one is a good one and not just another arab...
I would love any help/ suggestions/ advise or anything else! Thanks in advance!
Look to see if the people you are buying from might be open to a week or month long trial so you can see how the horse works out for you, even if you have to pay a fee to lease it for a period of time. I can tell you from having been on both sides of the fence that no seller wants their time wasted without compensation, but no buyer wants to buy something that isn't a good fit either. If you are buying locally, this is much more likely to work for you because then the people selling the horse won't have their horse far away. Good luck!