info on hancock horses

[C-E]

Looking at possibly trading for a Hancock bred mare. Never been around any Hancock bred horses. Just curious what your thoughts and opinions are. Thanks.

[Bruce]

I would be hesitant to compare a bloodline in Alberta with one in Kansas.....that being said I have found a large percentage of them will buck a little and stay with it for a while. Very impressed with their work ethic, as in lot's of bottom, lot's of try and the odd one with unbeleivable stamina.
They don't seem to work out very well for the "grab out of the pasture every couple of month's for a Sunday afternoon ride with the grandkid's" they need a job to do and the steadier the better. Same as any other bloodline though I'd look at how much Hancock, how far back, what else is on the paper's? Anybody close up that's proven? (to me that could be the neighbor's old stud that never traveled more than 50 mile from home, if I like him : )
Then I'd throw that all aside and judge the horse on it's own merit's, which can be a little hard if your talking broodmare, due to age, injury, lack of trainning.....

I did a colt starting demo for a local club a few year's ago and they had a little grey mare all spit and fire. Hancock and Blue Valentine breeding. It was.......interesting, and probably entertaining to watch After the demo they raffled the horse off and I thought "great now I'm going to be known forever as - you know that guy that started that colt that maimed 3 people"
As luck would have it she went to a guy that's just a tad tough, you know wear's his boot's out from the inside? They get along great, he told everyone she was better started then any 30 day colt he's had, after 5 session's (3 ride's in a 50 ft pen)
More than you wanted to know but hey you didn't HAVE to read it all

[Chimenea]

[ranch hand]

Blue Valentine horses have some buck. Have owned lots of Hancock, a all day traveling horse, bigger bone, and loves cows. Have had very few that want to buck, ones that do really enjoy it.

[gcreekrch]

Those that don't make tough long-riding ranch horses have a good place in bronc pens at the rodeo.

That said, I've seen a lot of good Hancock bred horses under saddle in this area. WHR would be able to shed some light for you if he will.

We have a home raised Blue Valentine/Peppy San/Baldy Barnes bred gelding that is a real sweetheart to ride.

[txbobcat]

Take a look at http://www.gisthorses.com/

My brother, Rusty Rodgers, is the ranch manager at the Wagon Wheel Ranch in Lampasas, TX.

[LazyWP]

I would say if you are man enough to get the horse going, you will have a great horse. We tried starting a line bred Hancock horse, and never could get the run out of it. It probably had the best handle of any horse we have started, but you couldn't get off of him with out someone else having a rope around his neck. 4 more people tried getting him over it. Last I knew he went to the Corsica horse sale.

[WHR]

As gcreek suggested, I do have an opinion on Hancock horses but can really only comment on the line that we had, which was linebred Hancock, Leo and Grey Badger. Neither the stud or any of the 8 or 10 colts that I rode had the slightest buck in them. We kind of got away from those horses to more popular cowhorse bloodlines and I haven't been as well mounted since. They were tough and cowy and could travel. I've seen others though, that are so hard to the Hancock that they can get a bit heavy footed for my taste. I haven't ridden any Blue Valentines but would like to try some sometime. Anyway that's my two cents worth.

[katrina]

My two cents is what everyone else is saying..... If you're a backyard horseman I would pass... But if you have country to ride you will love them.. They are easy to get mad.. I had one that all of a sudden after years of riding decicded he didn't want to back up... Would of been fine but he was my 4H horse so a nice back was neccisary... I don't know what set him off, neither did any of the other hands who wittnessed this.. Thirty five years ago I would of jumped at owning one.. Now I'm to old

[WHR]

[C-E]

I spoke with the gentleman again this evening, and this mare isn't heavily Hancock bred at all. Really not sure why he said that, she does go back to blue valentine on the top side but is not line bred Hancock. Here is her pedigree http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/ruby+ranger+jpt Still plan on going to see/ride her this weekend. Please feel free to let me know what you think of the rest of her pedigree. And if I can figure out how to get a pic from my phone to here I'll try to post it.

[gcreekrch]