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Re: [RC] How do you pick the horse? - Chris Pausi know it sounds silly, but I go by gut feel. when I was starting to look for my first endurance horse, I looked at a big Appy gelding. something told me this was a bad match, but I wanted a new horse so badly, and he was so handsome, I went for it anyway. three months later, I was in the hospital and he went down the road to a rodeo string....
My next endurance prospect was Star, whom i still ride. He was sold to me as a QH, ROTFLMAO.. nothign against QHs at all, but he's not one.... I told everyone I wanted anything but a bay and anything but an Arab... Star is a bay Arab...His conformation, legs and feet are fabulous, but he, well, he sees poltergeists.....We've been competing for 8 years and it's a lot of work to ride him!
My next prospect was a little gray desert bloodline Arab. People laughed their heads off at me when I brought him home. He was cowhocked, knock kneed, has a dippy back and looked like a real sad sack of a horse. Almost a cartoon caricature. Something just told me to bring this horse home. Well, he's turning out great! Good groceries and good exercise and he looks like a completely different horse. He's got a great rear engine now, the muscles built up where they needed to be have straightened out his legs. He can go all day. He eats well, never neglects his stomach and he doesn't care if he's in the front, middle or back of the pack. He just goes where I ask him without much fuss. His heart rates and other metabolics are always great.
when my farrier first saw him, he told me, "here's your Tevis horse." I thought he was joking. but Zab does CTR and LDs and will soon be moving up to endurance distances. He does parades and horse shows and he's our lesson horse. He's now my grandson's horse and he packs that 10YO kid all over the place safely. He just spent a week at a big city type county fair and of all the horses there, everyone wanted to see Zabbie and he just ate up the attention from kids. (Can you tell I loff this horse). So to all the people who laughed at me ... pfffffffffftttttttt.
I'm now starting my homebred mare. I wanted a horse with Zabbie's disposition and Star's conformation and speed and I think I've got it... except for our little episode on Monday, she's been a gem.. pretty brave and willing to go anywhere and so smooth I don't hurt after a ride!
I too usually look at legs and feet first, then rear engine, then back, and finally head. disposition is absolutely a must. But if I had made conformation my sole criteria, I would have passed up Zab and missed out on a wonderful horse!
chris
Carol Suggs <limofunder@xxxxxxx> wrote: Its a crap shoot...but seems that odds may be better in selecting 3 year I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship. Louisa May Alcott
Chris Paus
BayRab Acres http://pages.prodigy.net/paus
Lake Region SWA http://lakeregionswa.fws1.com
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