Horse for Daughter?

[kolanuraven]

ILH....have YOU ridden him? Has your hubby been on the horse?


I'd get on the boy and ride the crap outta him, through or past every
" horse monster" obstacle I could find FIRST before I'd let her on.

I say this cause my cousin bought a horse for his daughter. It was the most dead broke acting thing I'd ever seen. In fact if he walked any slower gravity would have pulled him over. The girl rode him a bit but the Daddy never got on. The Dad and the seller were ol friends from HS. so seemed OK.

I was called to haul the horse home as I was closer with the trailer. We just about had to push/drag him on & pick up his feet to get him on. He was soooo sweet and seemed to be the ticket.........UNTIL...................


2 days later when Daddy got on the horse for the first time, << this was after he caught his daughter out trying to catch up the horse by herself

I guess the sedative wore off but this thing turned into a man eater. He'd stand for saddle calm as kitten but then when it was time to get on.....it was fine . But, let you butt get settled in and all hell broke loose. Crow hoppin....squealing....would lay down and roll to get you off.....it was a mess.

Turned out, he'd just run and lap the pen, hours on end. He'd come in for feed and that how they caught him to saddle.

He got sold to some poor smuck!



. There are plenty of horses in the world....but this your daughter and there's only one of her in this world!

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

What is she gonna be usin this horse for? Just ridin out with the cows? or is she plannin on usin it for 4H horse events?

The reason I ask is. Because alot of people have horses that their kids have outgrown. They start out with an older experienced horse, and then their kid improves past the level of the horse. So if you talked to someone in the 4H club you might have better luck findin a true kid's horse.

[I Luv Herfrds]

No kola I haven't gotten on him yet. Husband refuses to step up on any horse ever again. (Stories for another time.)
Sounds like a mare we once owned.

jersey-lilly he will be used for theraputic riding and confidence building. I have looked all over trying to find a good kids horse around here and every person that has one has already promised the horse to someone else or is keeping them for the next generation.
Don't know about the 4-H yet.

[nmhighdesert]

ILH there are so many horses available today, I bet you can find one that fits FH formula better. That little girl is way to special to be trying a young horse on. IMO a couple years on an old pensioner would be worth ten times the money. Take care of her

[I Luv Herfrds]

nm we were given a 25yo mare last fall for my daughter. Even with the hay, senior feed, blanket and shelter she didn't survive the winter. Was also missing 5 teeth.
Hardest thing I ever had to do was tell my daughter that her horse died.

I already checked the horse rescue sites here, but couldn't find any horse that would work for her.

Everyone keeps saying there are plenty of horses out there, but where?
Buy private treaty from someone I don't know and get burned again? Buy from the lying horse trader I met? Buy from the dishonest sale barn?
At least this lady will take him back after 30 days if he is not working out and has offered to do tune ups on him if needed. She has worked with handicapped kids before and if she thought he wouldn't work she wouldn't sell him to us.

[Faster horses]

I'm telling you flat out...do not buy that horse until SOMEONE RIDES HIM and you see them do it. Get the lady who wants to sell the horse ride him and you watch, if nothing else!!!!!!!! You are buying a pig in a poke until someone rides him and you see them do it. If this lady is so sincere about this horse, why hasn't she ridden him to show you how gentle and well-broke he is?

And I'm telling you, gentle is a pretty color, and he appears gentle. BUT HOW BROKE IS HE? If he isn't broke well, for your little girl you have (another) huge problem on your hands. One of the worse things is a horse that was fed on a bottle. They are drop-dead gentle on the ground--actually dangerously gentle cuz they have no respect--but you get on them and start riding them, then you see all the problems that that drop-dead gentle creates.

I cannot stress this enough. SOMEONE NEEDS TO RIDE THAT HORSE before you buy him for your little girl.

And as far as getting your money back, easy to say, when you are selling a horse. A little different if you want to get it back. How about this, you take the horse for 30 days and then if he turns out ok, then you pay the lady. Or pay for half. I'm old, and I've seen just about everything as far as buying/selling horses. What we are ALL telling you here is to
protect your daughter. Please, please have someone ride him before you buy him.

[the_jersey_lilly_2000]

Amen to what FH just said!!!!!!

Lil Lilly is 18 years old. And to this day, when we look at a new horse, I want the owner on it first. I wanna SEE how the horse acts. Even tho I know she can perdy much ride anything with hair, I want to KNOW how a horse is before lettin her swing a leg over.

We just got a new one the other day. And yes......she took her saddle, and a few headstalls and different bits to try on him. But....the fella that owned him got on him first. Lil Lilly watched, and when he brought the horse back she then got on, and rode. Didn't take but about two laps around a huge round pen, and she stopped him...took the bit outta his mouth the fella was usin, and put her choice in. His headset was much better with it, than the one the guy used. More relaxed, and responded much better. We've had him now for about two weeks. He's as calm as they come. But had that owner not been willin to leg up and ride him. I'da got back in the truck and drove home without him.

[Turkey Track Bar]

I strongly third what Faster Horses says too, and second Lilly's thoughts.

ILH, you do not, and I repeat, do not want your daughter hurt or killed. Or her confidence and like of horses forever broken.

It is your responsibility to protect her...I know you know that; so take proactive measures to do so. Buying a horse without someone riding it, is not doing so. Buying a horse that is too much horse for her is not doing so.

I went to college at Colorado State University with a talented, great ranch/horse gal named Lisa Cowan, from Havre, MT, which I'd guess is near your part of the world. From what I know of Lisa, her integrity is golden, and if she doesn't have a horse that is fit for your daughter, I think Lisa would know of someone who does.

One thing ILH, no price is too much to pay for a safe kids horse. I don't know if that is an issue or in this case or not. But I hear time and time again, I'm looking for a good, cheap kids horse...there generally is no such thing. Good ones are worth their weight in gold. You typically get what you pay for.

I was lucky to grow up on my Dad's old ranch horse Buck, and then graduated to a little "more horse" several times. Ol Buck was a grand ol trooper, who took wonderful care of me; his only fault was he was well over 16 hands tall, so it generally took some creativity for me to get on by myself. I ed Buck with all I had, and still have fond memories of the ol' cat...God rest his soul.

Good luck...maybe it would be good to take some time looking.

Cheers---

TTB

[kolanuraven]

We all understand what you feel about your daughter and her wanting a horse and the relationship that will follow......BUT.....BUT....BUT...don't get in hurry.


You may feel the pressure from her ' wanting'....but we all wanted things when kids and we had to wait a bit and lo and behold...we usually got a better deal in the end.

She's heard NO before...

You drive a car before you buy it, a tractor or truck. Try on shoes and clothes also!!!

[burnt]

Saw the title of this thread and my first thought was "bad trade".

[I Luv Herfrds]

We are going back so I can step up on him this week.

I have been listening to what everyone is saying and I agree with it.
I did find a "good" kids horse a few years back. Nice quarter horse, retired due to a bowed tendon. He was 11 yo.
Son rode this horse bareback with a halter and a lead rope. He went to the owners private auction and sold for $3500.00
I was willing to pay it, but the husband wasn't.
THAT was the kids horse I wanted.

[Nicky]

Although I do agree with all the advice you have gotten so far, I think it is very important to have seen another child riding the horse. I would like to have seen her ride it with a saddle and out of the round pen however. There are alot of horses that are 'dead broke' with an adult on but a completley different horse with a kid on them. If you know the lady and trust her that counts for alot. JMO