Need some opinions/advice/help about a horse

[chicks4kids]

I need some help/opinions/advice about a horse so here's the story.......

Yesterday, I Craigslist'd a lady who had 15 dozen canning jars for sale...called her and immediately went to pick them up. As we're pulling up to her house which is WAY off the road on a dirt trail I noticed this beautiful black horse free grazing, no lead, no fence, nothing. So I knock on the door and the lady and I start talking. Well I had asked the lady if she knew about this free ranging horse and she said that they just let it run free because they can't afford to feed it.

(She also proceeds to tell me about one of her dogs that has issues but can't afford to have it taken care of either). Real sad situation there. She is ill, can no longer do much canning and it turns out she has 31 cases of canning jars and 2 large pressure cookers and wants to know if I'm interested in all of it. So of course I take her up on that offer.......$130 later, we're down at one of the quonsets loading up canning jars.

Meanwhile, the black horse (a quarter horse-I think) has followed us down to the quonset and literally is wanting to help us. She's right beside the back of the truck peeking in you could just kiss her! So my hubby says "go ahead, I'll get this" meaning go check out the horse. I tell you what, all 3 of my kids were petting this horse, squealing with excitement, and it was sooo gentle. It never moved its feet around the kids at all. Never got flighty once. It took every bit of attention that they were willing to give and let me tell you they gave it! Then the horse decided to put its head and neck in the truck, so I grabbed its halter to lead it back and before it moved, it looked back-I think to make sure there weren't any kids under foot. She was absolutely just the sweetest horse I have EVER seen.

My kids were picking clover and feeding it to her and she was so careful not to nip fingers. My husband even came over to pet her when he was done loading up everything and he was just amazed at how comfortable he felt with the horse. Well, so am I. I've always been leary around other peoples horses...but this one was different. She was so calm, never flipped her head back/up at all...

So we got to talking last night about this horse. We don't have horses now, but have talked about getting them in the future. Of course my in-laws are absolute enablers and think we should see if they're willing to sell it and go get it immediately. The lady raised this horse from a colt. Our oldest daughter absolutely fell in love with the horse and honestly so did I. We have plenty of property and the means to provide for this horse so thats not a concern. My concern is lack of knowledge in the care of a horse. This will be our first horse.

For those of you with horses, can you give me any suggestions, advice, or opinions in regards to this horse, you know, things to consider before getting it? I'd like to get everything straight in my head before I go calling her offering to buy her horse you know?

 

[Puresilk]

I would have a vet come out and look it over. The vets around here charge $40 to come out, and then whatever they do while they are out there they will bill you for. Shouldnt be much just to do an external exam. Find out how old it is, if it needs wormed, etc...although, it doesnt sound like it would affect whether you guys get it or not

. I have had horses all my life, and couldnt NOT have one, lol...there are a lot of horses anymore that could use a new home....

 

[chickenzoo]

Sounds like a good horse. You have already tested her around the kids etc... LOL.

Horses can be fun and wonderful companions if you remember a few things.

Always more hay/grass less grain - too much grain is not good for a horse, feed them only what they need to stay in good body condition, not overweight as that leads to foot/health problems.

No mold - horses can not tolerate any food with even a small amount of mold

Find a good vet and farrier, make friends. : ) Horses always get sick late at night on a weekend in the pouring rain... LOL Shots & farrier work depends on where you are. If you give shots, then even better, but still get in good with a vet. Here our vet is a good guy, and the farrier runs about $25 for trims

If a horse can get tangled, fall in, fall over, get a foot in, they will in a heart beat- like metal to a magnet. Make sure their is nothing they can get tangled or caught up in- they will find it, LOL

Horses are flight animals. Their vision and instinct tells them to run from fear.They see things closer from behind, and have to raise their head to focus on things far away. They are claustrophobic, tight spaces make them feel trapped and vulnerable to predators. You have to train them to do the opposite of their natural flight instinct, and they also lean into pressure instead of move away from it.

If you have satellite TV look on RFD TV at the horse training shows- lots of good info.

 

[Eliza]

could be a real sweetie. The problem will always be of couse $$$. And horses cost alot of $$$. Your biggest outlay will be if you don't have a shelter, and some kind of safe fencing. My two stay inside the perimeter of the white tape electical fencing - they hate getting zapped! Some horese don't respect the fencing, some do. BUT you should always have a solid fence set up for a regular penning up. Hay will be an issue, and it costs up here from $5-7/bale. I use between the two almost a bale a day. They don't work, so grain is something I buy every 3 weeks and that's about $18/ bag for a 50lb bag. Farrier for a trim is $40 every 8 weeks. If I'm lucky, the vet only comes 1x a year for shots (about $150/horse). So, it's something to consider; however we enjoy seeing them and just having them around. If you go forth, I would suggest taking riding lessons and or sending the kids to riding camp so that they can learn. Read the book "A Horse Around the House"; and remember you DON'T have to buy everything for horses that the tack store says you do. A couple of brushes, hoof pick, lead rope, halter, fly spray, and a fly bonnet with ears and you should be good to go.

 

[babyblue]

so the horse isnt in some sort of pasture or padock, its just lose in the backyard? if you dont have the time or space to take this horse RIGHT NOW. then you need to call animal control. if this horse wanders in search of food it could get in the road and cause a car accident. even a medium to large size car into a horse has the great potentional to kill all the passangers in the car. horses are great big strong animals and shouldnt be let lose ever.

now money and feed wise if you can make as big as a pasture as possible and learn a bit this horse will probebly do fine health wise with you. getting some lessons from some one experenced will help you and the children to ride. if I had the time and money I would take the horse, even if I later sold or rehomed it. I just couldnt leave such a sweet animal to that sort of fate. there are some horses, my own QH as well, that are just spectacular around children. if this horse has any training and ridding manners at all she may work out to be a wonderful horse for your family.

 

[EweSheep]

She sounds like a dream and I do agree with the others, have a vet check her out before you buy her.

You dont have to have all that equipment, sometimes owners would throw in a bridle and saddle and grooming supplies with the horse. Just ask and find out.

A heavy red mucket bucket can be used for waterer during the summer would do you in a pinch. Get about two Fortex feed pans in case one pan gets dirtied up or got wet from rain.

A simple shelter like a lean to can be used in a pinch. Electric fences are great but make sure you ask the owner how she is around them...take a look at her fencing out in the pasture. Is it broken or well maintained that a horse does not break them? Place tags on each strand so she can see them if you do not get the other kind of band electric fence.

Do not offer more than you think she is worth. A vet can tell you how much she would be priced at today's market, not the past or future marketing. The horse market is so low right now and it's a steal to get one for half of the price of a top dollar horse.

And good luck and hope you would get the dream horse!

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I didn't get my first horse until I was 45 yrs old. Read up for a year before I got one and then boarded at a Co-op barn that required chores. It was a great learning experience before bringing my girl home to my own property.

I LOVE Soul of the Horse site and blog here: http://thesoulofahorse.com/blog/

If the gal doesn't want to sell maybe you can suggest a free care lease. Those are very popular in my area. You have a contract to bring the horse to your property and care for it as if it was yours - feed, vet, grooming, and use.

Good luck to you. That girl sounds like a real sweetheart.

 

[Hound]

I'd be asking a lot more questions about the horse. The main question.... is she broke to ride? If you want a big pasture pet, she may be perfect. If you want something you/the kids can ride SAFELY that's a whole different ball of wax. Call me pessimistic, but I truly do not believe beginners should ever ride 'prospects', projects or horses that have just been started. I believe it is absolutely wrong for a novice to purchase a horse with the intention of sending it away to get started. Even after 90 days with a trainer that horse simply doesn't have enough life experience to be a safe novice horse. With young horses you simply have no guarantee of what you're getting into, whereas when looking at a mature broke horse you have a pretty good idea of what you're getting. I firmly believe that the more advanced the rider, the greater the choice of horses as an experienced person has the knowledge to rectify problems, whereas a beginner needs as close to perfection as possible. And please, please remember: gentle on the ground does not necessarily equal gentle under saddle.

 

[chicks4kids]

All of these posts have given me alot too think about...it's such a tough decision for us to make.......ugh. We're not the type to take on an animal and then pass it off to someone else when the newness wears off...when we get an animal, it's for the life of the animal.

Big decision...........

 

[redhen]

Start by calling the lady and asking her about the horse? If shed even be willing to part with it...
then, if she is... ask her more info about the horse and its temperment....
And if you think you want it..go and rescue it.... the rest you CAN learn. There are several folks on here that will help you out with horsie info....
Also.. when you bring it to the vet.. they will also be able to tell you the basics for horse care to get you started...etc...
Poor thing..she sounds so gentle...