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Regular
Posts: 93
| I'm a college student and just had to retire my barrel horse which had lasted me 5 years now. I'm on a budget so looking for a prospect. I'm not looking for a futurity/$15000 colt that isn't started lol, a realistic 3D potential horse to have fun on. I'm going to look at a 3 year old gelding tomorrow and just curious what to look for when I'm there! I want to know what others do to ensure you are buying the right one. Any conformation tips or tricks you do when looking at a new horse. Thanks!
pedigree of potential new dude: http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/freckles+in+thestorm |
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  Semper Fi
   
Location: North Texas | Physically check via running one's hand over the skin to verify there are no 'needle bumps' related to tranquilizers to calm said horse being looked at. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1062
Location: Probably On the Road to the Next Barrel Race! | I'm looking for one, too. Its a bit maddening. I'm looking at OTT horses ( no more than 10 outs), for several reasons. They are in shape, they look good, they are bred well, and the owners dont care if they lose money on them, so you can usually get them pretty cheap. Look for a short back and a long underline. Look for hocks set relatively close to ground. Look for good, heavy bone and good feet. Especially, look at the slope of the shoulder, indicates a long stride. Nice round butt with a beautiful angle on hip is good. If they don't have all of that, keep looking, they are out there.Good luck |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| check the conformation, look at what you cant see so if the horse and you dont get along you can sell. look at the whole picture.
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 Georgia Peach
Posts: 8338
Location: Georgia |
Ok so here's my 2 cents...dont get a 3 year old. If you are in college you arent going to have the time to worry about training on one every week. I would buy something over the age of 6 or 7 that has been patterned and maybe consistely clocking 3D/4D times...you can work up from there. Usually at that age they just need seasoning. In a year or two you could have a really nice 2D/3D horse.
As far as once you are there looking at a potential buy, make sure the horses is fresh. If it looks like it has been rode that day, there is a reason. When you get there, the horse should not be tacked up in any way. No saddle on. No leg boots on. Nothing. I always ask to saddle them because I want to see how the horse reacts to being saddled, cinched and bitted up. As far as riding goes, watch out for soreness issues - popping out of stops, head bobbing, tail swishing, etc. Check for sore points after you finish the ride as well. Also keep in mind that if something bothers you on the first ride, chances are its going to really annoy you later.
Good luck! Horse shopping is fun. Just dont get too excited and end up with the wrong horse.
Edited by Runninbay 2016-02-14 11:05 AM
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | If you want to have fun do not purchase a young horse!!!!! Don't even purchase a patterned horse! I suggest you purchase a ranch horse!!!!! They have seen everything and have the handle a horse truely should have!! It is lots of fun to take a broke ranch horse and pattern them on barrels!! They are way cheaper than barrel horses and are trained right with a good handle!!!!!!!! Being in school you will not have time to train a youngster and become aggrevated instead of enjoying the ride!! Ranch horses usually are priced way below a barrel horses price and have way more riding experience and handle!! |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| Good feet, straight legs be picky I've paid for it on down the road looking over bad shoeing a crooked leg but a great set of papers, I've had my heart broken a few times when i new better |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 509
| Good feet, straight legs be picky I've paid for it on down the road looking over bad shoeing a crooked leg but a great set of papers, I've had my heart broken a few times when i new better |
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 Expert
Posts: 1261
| CrossCreek - 2016-02-13 9:09 PM
I'm looking for one, too. Its a bit maddening. I'm looking at OTT horses ( no more than 10 outs), for several reasons. They are in shape, they look good, they are bred well, and the owners dont care if they lose money on them, so you can usually get them pretty cheap. Look for a short back and a long underline. Look for hocks set relatively close to ground. Look for good, heavy bone and good feet. Especially, look at the slope of the shoulder, indicates a long stride. Nice round butt with a beautiful angle on hip is good. If they don't have all of that, keep looking, they are out there.Good luck
I have been looking for about a month now. This has also been my experience very maddening lol! I have yet to actually go and see anything in person yet but hope to this week. People are so flakey about getting back to you it's ridiculous really lol.
Where do you find these race Breds for a good price? I have one contact I am hoping to go see that has 5 for me to look at but other than him I haven't found anything race bred under 7k and that is much above my budget! |
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Expert
Posts: 1261
| I have a 3D horse that's is really fun if that is what you want. I want to be more competitive and just don't seem to click with her. Knows all the speed events and can run 20 sec poles. Probably could hit the 2D at times she has more speed that I haven't been able to get out of her for whatever reason but I have won quite a bit on her. She's got the best feet you could have and pretty too, rides like a Reiner but she's little. Located in Oregon PM me if you would be interested. I don't have her for sale and keep thinking I should keep her I really love her and my two year old rides her but I would consider selling to a great home. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 762
Location: NC | Coming from someone who bought a 3yr old before college, dont do it! She def taught me to be humble and had all her firsts with her. But it was hard. I had my older gelding there as well and it was tough to balance everything.
I agree with others either get something broke and teach it barrels or something patterned. Theres alot of firsts with youngin's |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Besides conformation, I look at attitude from the ground and in the saddle. I personally don't like hot heads anymore. If they ride nice in the arena, I like to ride out in a pasture or down a road to see what they are like away from home. If possible, I like to ride a horse at a different arena to see how it acts at the trailer and in a new environment. If you want to jump on and have fun, don't look at a 3 yr old. Maybe look at reining or cutting rejects. Ive seen some nice 5-10 yr old priced around $5k-10K. It wouldn't take much to put a horse like that on the pattern. |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| some of the furtity people start culling and the have some that are behind but they are going been hauled some. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | angelica - 2016-02-14 11:38 AM
If you want to have fun do not purchase a young horse!!!!! Don't even purchase a patterned horse! I suggest you purchase a ranch horse!!!!! They have seen everything and have the handle a horse truely should have!! It is lots of fun to take a broke ranch horse and pattern them on barrels!! They are way cheaper than barrel horses and are trained right with a good handle!!!!!!!! Being in school you will not have time to train a youngster and become aggrevated instead of enjoying the ride!! Ranch horses usually are priced way below a barrel horses price and have way more riding experience and handle!!
THIS THIS THIS!! In the long haul you'll definitely be happier and the horse will too. |
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 Take a Picture
Posts: 12838
| Before I say anything, I have a son of Jody O Toole that money could not buy. He is the kindest horse I have ever owned. (1D horse). Every other Jody O Toole horse that I have ever seen was a nut job. There was one at the LG Pro Classic sale that was tranqued. (think he was a grandson or great grandson) When he got in the sale ring he started rearing then bolted and got away. They brought him back in with another horse and when the horse was removed he started rearing, bolted and demolished the sale ring on his way out. My trainer said "There's you a Jody O Toole horse, you gonna buy him?" A close friend had a grandson and I really felt that she had a good one. He bit her the first week when she was clipping him. He would duck off on barrels. I was going to claim one on the track and his trainer said "nut job" I would say improper handling but they can't all have improper handling.
With that being said, I would be wary of the horse's disposition. Personally, I like the horse's pedigree but after seeing every one but mine be a nut job I would be careful. Just a heads up. |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | I agree with "if you want fun, don't buy a 3 yr old". I always keep some that are fun and easy. Good luck shopping. Sometimes it's fun, other times it's not. It's all a gamble, but I've been lucky more than not. :) |
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Regular
Posts: 93
| Well, the 3 year old most definitely did not work out. His ad made it seem like he was so broke, but had no more of a handle than my friends gelding with 3 rides on him. He was also very thin and was worked hard before I got there. People suck.
Next potential new horse is a 9 year old cutter reject, lightly started on the pattern. Link to pedigree below. I've heard horses with peppy san badger on papers can be quite the buckers. Anyone have experience? Her videos make her look extremely broke and well rounded.
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/quixote+florraine |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| abrad12 - 2016-02-17 7:59 PM
Well, the 3 year old most definitely did not work out. His ad made it seem like he was so broke, but had no more of a handle than my friends gelding with 3 rides on him. He was also very thin and was worked hard before I got there. People suck.
Next potential new horse is a 9 year old cutter reject, lightly started on the pattern. Link to pedigree below. I've heard horses with peppy san badger on papers can be quite the buckers. Anyone have experience? Her videos make her look extremely broke and well rounded.
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/quixote+florraine
We have a peppy San that we can't get to quit bucking. She is such a nice mare, really well broke, super light and soft, but she just comes uncorked out of no where and bucks. It's also her reaction when she's scared. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| If it is an x cutter or cutter reject, make sure you xray all joints as they are started early rode hard, and generally finished their career at 5. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1035
Location: TN | abrad12 - 2016-02-17 8:59 PM
Well, the 3 year old most definitely did not work out. His ad made it seem like he was so broke, but had no more of a handle than my friends gelding with 3 rides on him. He was also very thin and was worked hard before I got there. People suck.
Next potential new horse is a 9 year old cutter reject, lightly started on the pattern. Link to pedigree below. I've heard horses with peppy san badger on papers can be quite the buckers. Anyone have experience? Her videos make her look extremely broke and well rounded.
http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/quixote+florraine
We have a granddaughter of peppy San badger who is a heel horse and we absolutely love her!!! Super athletic and natural. She would hump up when fresh up until last year when my fiancé really started hauling her and now she never does it anymore. It's like she just wanted to play when she was fresh but now that she's getting seasoned it never happens even with very little warm up. I would take another one anyday. If the mare is broke they will know if she's a bucker or not. She might be a nice project for you. |
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