Buying from Bowie “kill pen”?

[Bluey]

@Kinda_Kooky

Horses are often sold for reasons that have nothing to do with them.

Life changes like death, divorce, college, etc.

Plenty of reasons that are not directly related to the horse. Not unlike the story of Black Beauty.

This 2 year old in particular is lovely and has a nice start to her, she is obviously tolerant of the silly things people ask horses to do.

I think this filly is a great find, and someone is going to be very fortunate to own her.

Right, that too.
As for that dark pony cross looking filly, we will not know why she is for sale.
That means we do have to remember to look at her as she is there, as she is presented, why the handler didn’t turn her loose and show her moving freely, as he has done with most every other horse he presents, she seems to be hyper flexing on her pasterns, which would worry me.
Another presented horse the handler himself pointed directly to a questionable front foot, that was lacking farrier care, with obvious deviation and fullness on the outside of the pastern, that when walking seemed to be limping, not below, from the foot, but moved stiffly from the shoulder.

Such a minutes long video shows much that may be correct, or misleading, that a few more minutes may have given a different impression, but is all we can go by.
My point, remember we need to consider all we think we can see there, since we don’t know why a horse is there.

[CanteringCarrot]

The Welsh x Andalusian is a pretty little pony. That cross has the potential to create a very intelligent horse, but could also be sharp and mischievous granted, most ponies are!

This mare is older, but she has nice movement. I can’t recall if they said that she’s broke to ride or not, and at that age, I’m not sure if it’d be worth pursuing. She’s kind of a weird category as a 19 year old, and there are several other QH mares there of the same age. She’s likely at the end of her career as a mare that you could use for breeding and riding. So I can see how a horse like this could end up in a sale (not sure what her situation is exactly). Granted, I know many horses that have been bred or ridden into their 20’s.

https://www.bowietexaslivestock.com/product/4967-2006-aqha-mare-mi-way-mckeag/

I don’t mind this little mare either.

4971 Cute Morgan X Mare - Bowie Livestock

This gelding seems sweet. I’m not sure that his trot is so comfortable to ride, but seems like a chill dude. https://www.bowietexaslivestock.com/product/4976-gentle-stb-wildartiscape/

This mare seems nice to be around and could be good just to plod around on some trails or other light work. https://www.bowietexaslivestock.com/product/4980-pretty-and-easy-going-morgan-mare/

None of the above are free from flaws. Bluey brought up some good points too regarding the pony cross mare.

I guess for me, when I buy a horse that’s in the four figures, I expect flaws, imperfections, and issues. It’s just a bonus when there’s not or when they don’t have a substantial impact. So I guess if I were to buy from Bowie, I’d know that it could be me completely throwing my money, time, and energy away. Sometimes it all works out though.

[Kinda_Kooky]

I hear your cautionary words, Bluey. Some are better at reading horses than others. That’s for sure.

We have to consider what we can see, since that’s all we have to go on.

As far as this 2 year old filly is concerned, I suspect she was not run loose because of the trick training.

Let’s remember she is only 2.

If you watched the video of her, O’Dwyer shows you she was trained to rear and lays down, but didn’t ask her to lay down. She is very obviously sick of the tricks.

I think the pony would misinterpret being asked to run loose because of prior trick training. If you wave at her, she rears. That’s not her being naughty, someone taught her that.

Also, as far as Bowie goes, there are some horses that don’t get run loose, are just ridden. It just depends. I watch too many Bowie horses to know this. Lol

There are no perfect horses.

To quote the Bowie Man, " that’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s going to be".

[Bluey]

@Kinda_Kooky

I hear your cautionary words, Bluey. Some are better at reading horses than others. That’s for sure.

We have to consider what we can see, since that’s all we have to go on.

As far as this 2 year old filly is concerned, I suspect she was not run loose because of the trick training.

Let’s remember she is only 2.

If you watched the video of her, O’Dwyer shows you she was trained to rear and lays down, but didn’t ask her to lay down. She is very obviously sick of the tricks.

I think the pony would misinterpret being asked to run loose because of prior trick training. If you wave at her, she rears. That’s not her being naughty, someone taught her that.

Also, as far as Bowie goes, there are some horses that don’t get run loose, are just ridden. It just depends. I watch too many Bowie horses to know this. Lol

There are no perfect horses.

To quote the Bowie Man, " that’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s going to be".

Her attitude seemed a bit defensive when asked for tricks, he didn’t want to point to that, as it may not be her, but her training, as you say.

All we see there is a few minutes, some times reflecting what the horse is, others, only how he is there, in that very stressful situation.
Always an adventure what you may have bought, once at home.

[Heinz_57]

@Bluey

Maybe is reflecting the current market, the economy prospects are scaring many and, while sales of top horses are still strong, those buyers have plenty of resources and can weather longer sketchy times, most that buy the lower end horses to turn them around are wondering if they better sit on their hands right now, until the economic future seems more stable than it does right now?

The flippers are still flipping, traders still trading heavily…while I think the amateur one horse owner is probably pausing for the economy, business is chugging along as usual for the pros who deal in numbers. And honestly he seems like pretty easy money. Take him home, get him trimmed up and cleaned up and I bet not more than a month or two of good feeding and a little training and he’d be a knockout. Tons of buyers out there ISO “fancy on a budget” prospects.

He’s a gelding and his breeding is fairly obvious by his movement, so the lack of papers only deters the true snobs

Needless to say I am truly flabbergasted that he’s still there. The only reason I can come up with is that his headline says “COLT” so people are passing before realizing he’s actually a gelding.

[CanteringCarrot]

DH’s/DHH’s aren’t my thing, but I am also surprised that two of them are still there. Not my typical cup of tea, but I do like the Chestnut.

[cayuse]

You know, I thought she was defensive too. She struck me as one not to take lightly. I love ponies, she’s the type I like, but my gut was a instant “no” on her. If you asked me to analyze further I couldn’t as it’s just a hunch.

[Paint_Party]

@cayuse

You know, I thought she was defensive too.

Me too.

She’s a beautiful, fancy pony. But I didn’t like the way she pinned her ears when walking or jogging alongside the guy. I would guess she’s sour and just basically pissed off at life. She’s only 2 and does tricks? Eh, a lot of ponies do “tricks” naturally (if you know what I mean).

So despite being a pretty color and possessing a Barbie mane and tail, that pony would be a hard pass for me.

[Paint_Party]

@CanteringCarrot

She’s kind of a weird category as a 19 year old, and there are several other QH mares there of the same age. She’s likely at the end of her career as a mare that you could use for breeding and riding.

A few years ago, my trainer’s mom bought a small herd of cast off AQHA former broodmares that were being dumped at an auction. They’re all still beautiful with great conformation, but old and barren. All foundation bloodlines. My favorite is a silver gray Hollywood Dun It mare. These gals are lucky that they’re spending the rest of their lives on the ranch, well fed with shelter and vet and farrier care. But so many are just tossed away when they can no longer produce.

[Aussie_2020]

The Clever Cowgirl bought an old quarterhorse mare from an auction. The mare was in horrible condition. Used up as a breeding animal and dumped. The Cowgirl has done a wonderful job bringing her back to good health. It’s been interesting seeing how she handled feeding and vet care. I’d never seen enteroliths (sp?) before. She thought the mare must have had quite a few because of the size of her belly. The vet preg tested the mare several times because they thought for sure she was in foal.

Anyway, she kept checking the poop piles and she enough, the stones started coming out with proper feed and I think something like psyllium. This pic isn’t of the stones she found, it’s just one I found online to show how big these darn things can get!

[Paint_Party]

I was going to say, I’m not sure how a horse could poop those out!

Enteroliths are indeed amazing. Some of them, if you crack them open like a geode, have a small foreign object in the center. Years ago my vet showed me one that had a piece of leather fringe, like off those old style fly fringes you put on a halter, in the center. The enterolith had formed around it like a pearl inside an oyster.

[Aussie_2020]

I imagine if a horse had stones this size in their gut they’d die from impaction.

[Kinda_Kooky]

Guys!!! Those cute DHH boys are 780$ a piece.

Someone needs them and the price is pretty good.

Surprised they are still available, honestly.

ETA: the beautiful rearing pony sold, I hope she gets restarted and spoiled.

[Heinz_57]

@Kinda_Kooky

Guys!!! Those cute DHH boys are 780$ a piece.

Someone needs them and the price is pretty good.

Surprised they are still available, honestly.

I am going to poke my eyes out so I don’t have to keep looking at them.

My saving grace is that Bowie is 4 hours away and I do not have time to make that drive between school hours on a weekday.

[Kinda_Kooky]

They quarantine at Bowie…to make it more convenient for you to get there.

I am sitting on my hands, I just got a llama and don’t want to push Mr. Kooky into an apoplexy.

They look like such nice horses, can we gift them to Tom Neese or something?

[Heinz_57]

@Kinda_Kooky

They quarantine at Bowie…to make it more convenient for you to get there.

I have two empty fields right now, no need to pay someone to quarantine heck, I wouldn’t even have to feed hay with all the grass I’m currently trying to mow down. But it would be very irresponsible of me to buy ONE more, let alone two. At least they aren’t old enough to be ridden.

[Paint_Party]

Hmmm… It sounds like you’re beginning to rationalize purchasing one or both of these boys.

Just let us know if you desire some encouragement in that direction.

[Heinz_57]

Rationally speaking, it would honestly be a terrible idea for me. My hands are pretty full with the horses I’ve already got, and I’ve gotten bad about keeping my projects instead of selling them. I’m just a sucker for potential, and those boys have it.

I am even more flabbergasted that they have not been snapped up now that they are half off.

[Paint_Party]

@Heinz_57

I am even more flabbergasted that they have not been snapped up now that they are half off.

They obviously are not reaching their ideal demographic.

I realize that DHH of questionable lineage are not everyone’s cuppa tea in the sport horse world. But if of a certain type, with nice movement, they could be an affordable option for someone on a budget. And, dare I say it, in my opinion the bay seems to be just as nice as some of those bred and promoted by a certain notorious woman who occasionally posts on COTH.

[2bayboys]

I do not need another baby. I do NOT need another baby. I DO NOT NEED another baby.