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 A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
 
Location: Southern Oregon | My daughter is now 8 years old. Man, that makes me feel old! She has so far gone through 1 almost 2 horses. The first horse being my HS rodeo mare that is in her late twenties, we RE retired her a few years back. She is now riding a Stink Pot of a pony.....well he is amazing, but still a STINK. He is about 12 hands tall and my daughter is an extremely tall 8 year old. She LOVES this pony, he works alright for her. He has given her a few bad habits thanks to his ponitude. He is somewhat competitive in her age division. He is consistent, so she places well at year end or series end awards. He is also who knows how old! lol. I am really wanting to buy her a YOUTH horse. One that myself and my trainer friend can work with her with and she will start getting the great basics that I so want her to have. I really want to save up some more money for the RIGHT horse. As of right now I have about 4k saved and I would like to add another 2k to it. My realistic goal for that is not this year coming up, but the next one. I know she could probably keep competing on STINK pony, but I really want her to start riding correct and learning on a correct horse. A close friend of mine has an awesome 19 year old gelding that has been there and done that. He is awesome. Although he looks older then he is, he has some roughness about his appearance. Including an old injury to his chest muscle that left a split muscle, he seems to not necessarily limp, but off stride a touch on that one front leg. It's only noticeable at the trot if you really know what you are looking for. He also must have "bumped" his knee on the opposite leg at one point in time. He has a golf ball sized calcified lump on that knee. I really think he has alot that he could teach my daughter. plus be a little more competitive then the pony. I am having a hard time looking past all of these issues......Am I just picking him apart. She wants to make me a pretty decent deal on him, as long as I take on two of her rail horses for tune ups. But , I am not sure if this is heading in the right direction for us? He is a really easy guy to be around, I'm just not sure what to do....... Break into my savings to put a small dent in it to buy this guy to "get us by"? Or to hold out and just keep plugging along on the stink pot pony? Any input would be great!
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
  
Location: Texas | IMHO. You need $6500-$8500 to buy a decent finished youth horse. Coming from a girl who has never owned a finished horse please make sure this one you are saving up for is solid and finished, it will boost her confidence by miles when she starts training her own and helps with learning to feel lameness. If you could get that horse for $1500 or less I think it's a yes, IF your daughter tries him and likes him. Any more money than that I say just keep saving, and if the price range I posted early won't be reachable if this horse is bought then no. | |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| If the gelding is cheap I would get him if stink pot pony is causing a couple of bad habits. We all know how hard it is to break old, bad habits. But it sure can be hard to get kids to let go of a beloved animal. | |
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A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | When it is all said and done I am hoping to have around 6k saved for a youth horse. And I can pick up my friends gelding for next to nothing as long as I put tune ups on two of her rail horses. I almost starting to think it might be ment to be. I use to keep this gelding legged up in the winters and spring and I know how great he can be. My daughter has ridden him several times and she is comfortable on him. Alot more buttons and way more "fancy" broke then she is use too. But he is a good enough good ole boy to be ridden how ever she needs too and I think she can learn alot off of him. I have taken two other families out to look at him, and both passed on him. Mainly because like I said he looks a little rough. Be well used. I think with some TLC he would look amazing though.
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  Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | I'm going to give a little different point of view on kids horses. Growing up both of my parents rodeod successfully. Mom trained barrel horses, dad trained rope horses, won the Congress, the Southeastern Circuit, etc. As a child I always had something to ride that was safe, but it was never a "barrel" horse. It was a rope horse or a gentle riding horse, but I had to learn to manuever my horse and get him to the right spot even as a youngster. In middle school I showed horses in all english events....still didn't have a finished horse. Had a mare that was a nice riding horse, but I taught her how to collect and to ride in the bridle, how to jump, and ended up going to the youth world in 3 english events and ran barrels on the other weekends on another horse that my mom helped me train, but he by no means was a finished horse. By the time I got to high school I had a horse that worked every event at the rodeo and ended up winning Horse of the Year for my region for the NIRA and qualified to the CNFR 3 of the 4 years at school on a horse that we did buy, but he wasn't finished.
I never rode a horse that was competitive at the top level until I was a senior in high school and through college. Until then I had to learn to somewhat train my own. As a child I hated this. I hated running in the 3D while everyone's parents were buying them the big time horses and the big time rigs. All I wanted to do was be competitive. Now I am so thankful that my parents did this, as I am able to train my own and get along with any style of horse. I learned to ride off of feel and learned to be a horseman instead of a passenger. I think this is something alot of kids miss out on and never learn to do.
I know as parents we all want our children to be successful and to be able to compete, but I think that it is so valuable to have to work for it too. I know my advice may be unpopular, and I sure hated it growing up myself, but i'm so happy that my parents saw the value in teaching me how to train and be a good horseman and keeping me in something safe and appropriate to learn that on.
Edited by Herbie 2014-10-14 10:11 AM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | Wait and get the horse you want, but make sure that horse matches your daughters riding ability. Be honest about that ability. I have a 9 year old daughter and a 7 year old son with very different riding abilities. My daughter is an excellent rider, but not very aggressive in her riding. My son does not ride as well, but is a very aggressive rider. We have had 9 different horses in 4 years. Their riding abilities change quickly at this age.....And before you go and say that cost too much....They are riding horses that did not break the bank. My son actually won a saddle this summer riding a horse that cost less than a good hat.
Trust your gut. If you are having a bad feeling about a horse before you buy it, don't buy it. | |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Herbie - 2014-10-14 10:05 AM I'm going to give a little different point of view on kids horses. Growing up both of my parents rodeod successfully. Mom trained barrel horses, dad trained rope horses, won the Congress, the Southeastern Circuit, etc. As a child I always had something to ride that was safe, but it was never a "barrel" horse. It was a rope horse or a gentle riding horse, but I had to learn to manuever my horse and get him to the right spot even as a youngster. In middle school I showed horses in all english events....still didn't have a finished horse. Had a mare that was a nice riding horse, but I taught her how to collect and to ride in the bridle, how to jump, and ended up going to the youth world in 3 english events and ran barrels on the other weekends on another horse that my mom helped me train, but he by no means was a finished horse. By the time I got to high school I had a horse that worked every event at the rodeo and ended up winning Horse of the Year for my region for the NIRA and qualified to the CNFR 3 of the 4 years at school on a horse that we did buy, but he wasn't finished.
I never rode a horse that was competitive at the top level until I was a senior in high school and through college. Until then I had to learn to somewhat train my own. As a child I hated this. I hated running in the 3D while everyone's parents were buying them the big time horses and the big time rigs. All I wanted to do was be competitive. Now I am so thankful that my parents did this, as I am able to train my own and get along with any style of horse. I learned to ride off of feel and learned to be a horseman instead of a passenger. I think this is something alot of kids miss out on and never learn to do.
I know as parents we all want our children to be successful and to be able to compete, but I think that it is so valuable to have to work for it too. I know my advice may be unpopular, and I sure hated it growing up myself, but i'm so happy that my parents saw the value in teaching me how to train and be a good horseman and keeping me in something safe and appropriate to learn that on.
Wow,,, theres alot of wisdom here  | |
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A Gopher's Worst Nightmare
Posts: 5094
Location: Southern Oregon | Herbie - 2014-10-14 8:05 AM
I'm going to give a little different point of view on kids horses. Growing up both of my parents rodeod successfully. Mom trained barrel horses, dad trained rope horses, won the Congress, the Southeastern Circuit, etc. As a child I always had something to ride that was safe, but it was never a "barrel" horse. It was a rope horse or a gentle riding horse, but I had to learn to manuever my horse and get him to the right spot even as a youngster. In middle school I showed horses in all english events....still didn't have a finished horse. Had a mare that was a nice riding horse, but I taught her how to collect and to ride in the bridle, how to jump, and ended up going to the youth world in 3 english events and ran barrels on the other weekends on another horse that my mom helped me train, but he by no means was a finished horse. By the time I got to high school I had a horse that worked every event at the rodeo and ended up winning Horse of the Year for my region for the NIRA and qualified to the CNFR 3 of the 4 years at school on a horse that we did buy, but he wasn't finished.
I never rode a horse that was competitive at the top level until I was a senior in high school and through college. Until then I had to learn to somewhat train my own. As a child I hated this. I hated running in the 3D while everyone's parents were buying them the big time horses and the big time rigs. All I wanted to do was be competitive. Now I am so thankful that my parents did this, as I am able to train my own and get along with any style of horse. I learned to ride off of feel and learned to be a horseman instead of a passenger. I think this is something alot of kids miss out on and never learn to do.
I know as parents we all want our children to be successful and to be able to compete, but I think that it is so valuable to have to work for it too. I know my advice may be unpopular, and I sure hated it growing up myself, but i'm so happy that my parents saw the value in teaching me how to train and be a good horseman and keeping me in something safe and appropriate to learn that on.
That is how I grew up as......trained my own. Had somewhat reliable riding horses that tested me to no end. They did make me who I am. The gelding I am looking at is not a top quality horse. Yes, he could be competitive if she learns to ride him properly. The main reason I am looking at him to get her by is because she is a TALL girl, I am really not sure how much longer she will fit her pony.
When I say I am saving for a YOUTH horse......I am planning on purchasing something that fits her level riding, but has room to improve. I am totally againist "paying" to win. What's the fun in that? lol.... but I do not want see her discouraged by a rotten horse or learn bad habits that will stick with her. I have had to over come soooooooo many bad habits from some of the horses my parents had me riding lol. I would like to give her the tools to become a great horsewomen. :) We love her pony and he is going to be handed down to her little brother. I really think it is time for her to move up and this gelding right now is in my price range for something to get her by that she can learn on. He is NOT a push button horse by no means. You have to ride him.
I really am on the same page as you.  | |
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Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | Cause you're a good mama!!!! Good for you that you know the value of a horse like that! | |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | cowgirl_3207 - 2014-10-14 10:58 AM Herbie - 2014-10-14 8:05 AM I'm going to give a little different point of view on kids horses. Growing up both of my parents rodeod successfully. Mom trained barrel horses, dad trained rope horses, won the Congress, the Southeastern Circuit, etc. As a child I always had something to ride that was safe, but it was never a "barrel" horse. It was a rope horse or a gentle riding horse, but I had to learn to manuever my horse and get him to the right spot even as a youngster. In middle school I showed horses in all english events....still didn't have a finished horse. Had a mare that was a nice riding horse, but I taught her how to collect and to ride in the bridle, how to jump, and ended up going to the youth world in 3 english events and ran barrels on the other weekends on another horse that my mom helped me train, but he by no means was a finished horse. By the time I got to high school I had a horse that worked every event at the rodeo and ended up winning Horse of the Year for my region for the NIRA and qualified to the CNFR 3 of the 4 years at school on a horse that we did buy, but he wasn't finished.
I never rode a horse that was competitive at the top level until I was a senior in high school and through college. Until then I had to learn to somewhat train my own. As a child I hated this. I hated running in the 3D while everyone's parents were buying them the big time horses and the big time rigs. All I wanted to do was be competitive. Now I am so thankful that my parents did this, as I am able to train my own and get along with any style of horse. I learned to ride off of feel and learned to be a horseman instead of a passenger. I think this is something alot of kids miss out on and never learn to do.
I know as parents we all want our children to be successful and to be able to compete, but I think that it is so valuable to have to work for it too. I know my advice may be unpopular, and I sure hated it growing up myself, but i'm so happy that my parents saw the value in teaching me how to train and be a good horseman and keeping me in something safe and appropriate to learn that on. That is how I grew up as......trained my own. Had somewhat reliable riding horses that tested me to no end. They did make me who I am. The gelding I am looking at is not a top quality horse. Yes, he could be competitive if she learns to ride him properly. The main reason I am looking at him to get her by is because she is a TALL girl, I am really not sure how much longer she will fit her pony. When I say I am saving for a YOUTH horse......I am planning on purchasing something that fits her level riding, but has room to improve. I am totally againist "paying" to win. What's the fun in that? lol.... but I do not want see her discouraged by a rotten horse or learn bad habits that will stick with her. I have had to over come soooooooo many bad habits from some of the horses my parents had me riding lol. I would like to give her the tools to become a great horsewomen. : ) We love her pony and he is going to be handed down to her little brother. I really think it is time for her to move up and this gelding right now is in my price range for something to get her by that she can learn on. He is NOT a push button horse by no means. You have to ride him. I really am on the same page as you.
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1161
| I have just gone through this with my 8 year old we have gone through 2 Ponys and 2 horses. I was up on the fence about getting her something new her current horse is good but has a few quarks and will not take her any farther in her riding... I have been looking here and there not being to serious cause I justa wasn't sure. I did just find her a really nice horse over the weekend that I hope will last her a long while. She's a nice horse needs some a little riding time but has tons of training and bloodlines to boot! She is not a barrel horse but we are doing 4-h and my daughter wants to just trot around the barrels for now.. We also do some trail riding and this horse it an excellent trail horse the people were wonderful that sold her we even have a two week trial... My daughter cannot wait to get her as they are delivering her next week .... I will have to post photos later I'm a bad mom and forgot to take pictures when we went to see her! Good luck
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 A very grounded girl
Posts: 5052
Location: Moving soon..... | My daughter started off with a welsh pony. She was great worth every penny ($750). My daughter rode her until she was 10. I purchased 2 more horses for her and if I had to do it over, I would have shopped for a very long time.
It doesn't hurt anything to wait because the right horse will come along for you. I paid a lot for two horses that had MAJOR issues and the sellers never said anything to me except that the horse never did that before. | |
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