 |
Re: [RC] starting horses late - rides2far@xxxxxxxxI am curious about those of you who would buy an unstarted 7 year old and start riding or working.....how many months or years do you >>figure in for "legging up", etc. This horse found me, I wasn't looking...but then, that's exactly how I got Kaboot. :-) 7 was on 30 acres with 2 other stallions. The field was pretty flat, but had lots of woods and maybe some swampy areas. The back of the field ran right down to the Tennessee River. His water was backwater from the river, just below the sewage treatment plant and the place where barges unload. Friends who paddle the river tellme there is often a thin layer of diesel on top of the water in that area. Perhaps because of the water situation wehre he was he started out at first plunging his nose deep into the trough to drink...guess that would have avoided the layer of diesel on the river water...but he LOVES CLEAN WATER too! First horse I've seen that acted starved for good water. When you bring a fresh bucket to his stall he drinks while you're walking by. When he put on his first bridle he immediately drank with a bit in his mouth. He seldom passes good water without getting a little. His owner quit sending horses to the track about the time he was born, but would drive over there and sit in a lawn chair "visiting his horses". 7 just seems to think all people are there to see him and visit. He greets you with ears up curiosity. He was a little iffy about anything but petting on the nose & neck at first but quickly warmed up to being rubbed & scratched everywhere. He seems to have *excellent* herd manners causing very little ripple in the herd when he entered but holding his own when necessary...maybe from his natural bachelor herd upbringing. His legs are as stout as any Arab I believe I have seen... Perhaps because of being hungry in the past this horse LOVES FOOD. I mean, you'd all better not set up *near* me at a vet check because he's an eating machine. I got on his back the first time while he was eating grain and he never took his nose out of the bucket. He's just no nonsense, nothing's a big deal, he's seen worse times and if having a silly woman climb on you is the price for a bucket of grain he's happy to pay it. My soundest endurance horse I suppose was the one I called Isaiah, (Count Moonjur). He was 7 when I got him and had only been piddled with a little but nothing athletic. I could't *make* him lame and finally gave up and sold him sound since I didn't like riding him much. >g< As far as "legging up". We'll be going slow to get him trained so that can leg him up at the same time. Easier not to take off trotting if you figure you'll get bucked off if you do! :-) Right now we're ponying hills. Hope to use him for riding along with someone marking trails early on, & trail clearing (Longstreet's Charge is back you know) On the worming thing...I've read studies where horses in crowded situations that were wormed often had heavier loads than horses with plenty of room who weren't wormed at all. I'd rather have one whose feet had been left to break off on their own than one who'd have a bad farrier for years.It's all give & take I guess. Just hoping I stay as happy as I am right now with my boy. :-) Angie This horse =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|