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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
 
Location: Oklahoma | I clicked with a horse instantly, but found some deal breakers in a vet check. I've kinda had it in my head that when I know it's the horse I'll know immediately. I've only been searching for a couple of months, but it's hard to not get discouraged. When I think back to it all the previous horses I've had and loved they were determined after one ride. Sure, there were a few that I got and didn't get with after that, but they weren't really my choice in buying them. (they were mares, too. Nothing against mares, we just didn't get along when I was younger.. and one gelding that I hated from the get go) My three geldings that I've loved were bought on the spot (2 kids horses and 1 barrel horse when I was older). A lady told my mom that she'd know when I found "the one" and I've never really forgotten about it. I knew after one trip around the barrels that I wanted to buy the last gelding.
I'm still looking and I can't find anything else that I just click with right away.... but the more and more I think about a particular horse the more and more I'm liking him. The initial love wasn't there, but when I think back I know that he's the one that most fits my style so far... but he's not seasoned. Other than that he's perfect. I'm just not sure if my "love at first ride" is a fairy tale and I'm getting desperate and discouraged.
How long does it take you to decide on one? |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | usually right away. What were the vet check issues? Minor things or serious? I have always been told no horse will pass/fail a vet check per se, it is more what they find and what you can live with, especially a horse with any age or much use. I mean obviously a club foot on a baby is bad, but most horses have something, even if minor. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| It all depends on your price range, if you are looking for a seasoned competitive 2-3d horse with no issues under 10k, you will be looking a long time.
It takes years to season a horse properly, during those years is wear and tear on those joints, arthritis in the hocks I would say is a given. |
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 The Bling Princess
Posts: 3411
Location: North Dakota | It sounds like your trying to talk yourself into purchasing the horse because your afraid you won't find something. You said yourself that the initial love wasn't there and after you thought about it more and more you think he's perfect.
If he had deal breakers during the vet exam then I wouldn't deviate from your pre-defined list of "vet deal breakers." I'm sure you created those when you were not in a state of "desperation!"LOL
Don't get side tracked..just keep looking:)
Good luck in your search:)
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 Veteran
Posts: 133
| For me, it's always been immediate. My husband said no you need to try out 5 other horses. I did, and boy was it torture. I still went back to the one with the immediate connection. He ended up being my first barrel horse and we did so well together, he taught me so much. Every good barrel horse I have had, I've had that immediate connection with. All of them had some sort of issue but it's never been a deal breaker. Good luck!! |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| For me it's been immediate. Then I couldn't sleep on it! LOL I stayed awake thinking about my new love. :) |
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 Worst.Housekeeper.EVER.
Location: Missouri | I've had one of each...one immediate. I knew when I saw a photo, couldn't NOT have her when I saw and rode her in person. The other, I didn't like at all after the first ride. But, my friend got on him and said if I didn't get him, she was. He is still a punk in some ways, but I love him and have learned so much from him.
...and I've had two that I thought were "the ones" that I'd rather not discuss...  |
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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | I fall in love with them all... if I sleep on it I will not buy them. I have not bought a horse in years, I have looked at quite a few though lol. The last horse I bought I went and looked at a few times, just to make sure he was what I wanted. He didn't disapoint me.
The thing is I know what are deal breakers for me, but I am more willing to ignore deal breakers (going well "that isn't THAT bad") when the horse is right there in front of me. It is also easier if I take someone with me to keep some sense talked into me lol. |
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | I have immediate reactions usually. Lara for example, I saw a picture of and fell in love... went and saw her in person and it sealed the deal. I know there isn't anything I wouldn't do for that horse, that is how much I love her.
Ike and I had a connection from the get go, and he came home right away as well.. that was 15 years ago. He was a brat after I brought him home but he still grew on me. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | It's pretty immediate for me too.
and as far as failing vet check.. one of the horses I have was originally priced for 2X what I paid, but a buyer dropped out because of an old stifle injury. They dropped her price a bit… she was still expensive.. we tried her, got her records, radiographed her stifles… it didn't scare me. Glad we bought her because I won a lot on her and she just had me a really pretty baby :).
I have another one who I didn't vet check, bought her, love her, come to find out she has a gnarly hock. Might have scared me away from buying her…but glad I bought her and will maintain it just the same. |
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The Resident Destroyer of Liberal Logic
Location: PNW | I've had two horses (I still own both) that were absolute love at first sight. One was a green broke pleasure horse who desperately needed a new job - he has turned out to be the most honest, point and kick horse I've ever ran. He's not 1D, but he's priceless and will be the horse my kids learn how to run on.
The second: I saw his ad on here, called the owner, drove six hours one way to try him out, wrote a check, and brought him home. God made that horse happen for me. I wasn't even in the market, I was just trolling the ads out of boredom, but I saw him and it was the same feeling I got on my first date with my husband. I just knew.
Of course, I've owned others: a few I decided a hated to ride because they had no work ethic, that were quickly sold to somebody else. And a few that I got along with fine, and loved, but nothing like the chemistry I have with my two geldings now. I'd buy either one of them again - failed vet check or not. Lol
But definitely don't talk yourself into a horse out of desperation, especially if there are vet check issues that you had previously considered deal breakers. Keep looking, there's one out there for you. |
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| I usually sleep on it. I don't think there is a horse out there that doesn't have some kind of issues, it's just which ones you are willing to deal with rather they are maintenance, confirmation, or attitude. |
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Expert
Posts: 1414
| When I bought my good horse (seasoned, finished barrel horse) I think I fell in love with the *idea* of him more than he himself. There wasn't anything wrong with him, it just takes me more than 1 ride to know what makes a horse tick. I "liked" him, just like I do 99.99999% of all animals, and the fact he didn't try to kill me the first (and only) time I rode him worked in his favor. I didn't get butterflies in my stomach or see twinkling lights when I first laid eyes on him. lol
I've had him 5 years now and there have been MANY MANY ups and downs but he's quite possibly become my once in a lifetime horse. I hope there will be others that can fill his shoes but he's pretty special.
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 Veteran
Posts: 251
Location: Oregon | newracer - 2014-04-30 6:03 PM
I usually sleep on it. I don't think there is a horse out there that doesn't have some kind of issues, it's just which ones you are willing to deal with rather they are maintenance, confirmation, or attitude.
Are you talking about men or horses!!!  |
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 Regular
Posts: 92
Location: here there and everywhere! | My guys picture had me at hello right off the bat! When I was finally able to fly out to meet him in person to see if I would buy him I clicked instantly and bought him on the spot. I had seen his ad and just kept going back over and over. I havent regretted buying him Hes my love! |
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 I'm Cooler Offline
Posts: 6387
Location: Pacific Northwest | For me it's not. I have three horses that I consider to be my "soul" horses. The first two I did instantly "click" with, BUT I was 11 and 14 at the time...I wanted literally any horse I touched. I've grown out of that and don't expect to fall in love with every horse. I started borrowing a horse from a friend about two years ago, on the agreement of keeping her for 6 months, and the longer I rode her, the more I clicked with her and eventually decided to buy her.
However, if she had been a horse that I was just going to try out, and was only going off of videos of previous runs and my "test" ride, I don't think I would have thought she was anything special. Her record wasn't anything stellar (rarely clocked out of the 4D) and riding her around she kind of just felt like a plain ole horse. But I treat all of my horses like they're something special and eventually this horse started to show me that she had way more spark than I thought. She pretty much consistently clocks top of 2D/middle of the 1D now, which I never, ever based off of my first few runs on her thought she would have been capable of.
Go with your gut though. If in your gut you think there is something better out there, look for it. |
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 Off the Wall Wacky
Posts: 2981
Location: Louisiana | The last time I was horse shopping...
I was looking for a 2-3Dish horse I could get back into hauling with. Maybe hit a couple of rodeos without embarassing myself.
I fell in love with the first gelding I tried. We just clicked. His vet check was bad news though and we just couldn't justify it with his age, etc.
T-Bo was a chance find. His owner was a friend of a friend and in a rough spot in life. He was thin and more expensive LOL. After trying him, I really didn't like him. My mom convinced me to take him home and try him, she saw something I didn't feel. I know most people don't get that chance. He ended up being nicer than what I was looking for, and we are a really good fit for each other. I've had him almost 4 years now and he is my baby. I am thankful my mom was there to see me ride him, bc I never would have taken him home otherwise.
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 710
| Weirdly my mom picked out Oliver, she just kind of was looking at ads, she wanted something young for me to train and maybe sell. I was about 13 at the time and Oliver was 3 and when I got him home (he came from Indiana to California, I didn't try him out, I was given a few pictures, a vet check, and a video of him running) I don't know, something in my heart said that this is my horse and I knew from the first time I spent some time with him that this is my soul mate and I'd do anything for him, which is so true because he had a near career ending injury and I never gave up on him, I didn't care if I rode ever again I was going to keep Oliver because he made me complete. I can't explain it, but I look at him and something feels right, even when he's a jerk, I just feel like he was meant for me and everything he's put me through made me grow as a person. So yes, a spark is great and that is my novel for today :). |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Thanks so much. It's amazing what a difference different ground can make. I rode a horse last night I didn't think I was too interested in and I wouldn't say the spark was immediate like I was hoping, but the horse proved to be a gentleman and by the end of the night I was in love! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 443
Location: Southern IL somewhere between KY and MO | I went horse shopping a little over a year ago after being out of the scene for over 10 years. Went to look at these two horses and came home with both of them. Cash is the one in my profile pic and the horse that got my confidence back. he will be my forever horse even if he is high maintence. Jake has gate issues but I still love him and am ready to deal with that thanks to Cash. |
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