you might want to look on a ranch horses for sale facebook page. Ranch horses can be forward and are very quick to respond to aids because they work the feedlots and have to gather the cattle and sidepass to open gates and stuff. Before Winter you might be able to pick one up for a reasonable price and they have been there and done that but they are Not dead heads so might be just what you are looking for.
[QUOTE=AKB;8837518]
We paid more for our horses than we would have paid for horses who only knew one discipline. However, the versatility is really nice for us. Enjoy the trails![/QUOTE]
If your dressage horse went lame, would you miss doing dressage? I also have several jack of all trades types and it’s nice to be able continuing doing different activities even when one horse is off. I have 2 warmbloods who are fantastic trail horses (can do any terrain and go quietly on the buckle) and also event at training level. Both usually win the dressage and one does pure dressage also at 2nd level (and hoping to continue to move up!)
My Morgan/bashkir curly/draft cross is primarily a trail and hunt horse now and was much cheaper than the others as a young horse but since then has competed at 1st level dressage, training level eventing and jumpers up to 3’6".
So I’d try to get a type that might be suited to dressage, but with a mind suited to trail riding, if possible!
$2,000 - $4,000 should get you a nice trail horse who is pretty and well trained in Northern California. Look in the classifieds on www.endurance.net - there is a nice horse listed who is local.
Good luck and have fun!
You can get a trail horse for $175 (BLM- look for TIPP training programs) to a “Cadillac” trail horse at $30,000 which isn’t much in comparison to the dressage world. I think with what you want to do any stock horse would be a good option which you can find a broke and trained one for $2000-5000.
I feel that Trail Riding Magazine (you can get digital on Zinio) has a lot of great resources in it for breeders and sellers of trail horses. I’m always clicking links and “window shopping”. 
we used our Morgans in competitive trail, they had no problem quickly picking up what needed to be done such as hold their breath during a P&R
Cost was nominal but we did compete against some very expensive horses
Where I live (in a very rural part of the midwest) I’ve found a few super trail horses (including the “anyone can ride” mare my husband rides) for under $1k through craigslist, word of mouth, and the local auction. Obviously, the local auction route is not recommended if you need a known quantity!
Even though it can lead to some shopping adventures, I would also recommend checking your local craigslist page. In my experience, the more forward types of horses are sometimes not as appreciated by weekend warrior type trail riders and horses like this can be found very inexpensively even though they may have many trail miles.
I’d also suggest looking for one that might have some level of basic aptitude for dressage and other activities you enjoy. My husband’s trail mare doesn’t love working in the arena, but has decent gaits for her breed/build and can jump a bit and it has been quite nice that when I’m in between project ponies or my horse needs a day off or something, I can load her up and take her to my lesson/clinic/foxhunt rather than have to cancel. She will never be a super show horse of any variety, but I do appreciate that she is versatile.
I think the suggestion to look at ranch horses is also a great one.
In terms of bang for the buck, old-style Arabs (the little bunchy ones, not the modern giraffe-looking kind) that are around 14.3hh are a fantastic value. They’re delightful, inexpensive, hard-working, durable horses. Here (in the non-urban mid-Atlantic part of the East Coast) such a horse, functionally built, no vices or unsoundness, young, competent under saddle, some mileage under its belt, suitable for an intermediate rider with reasonable balance and fair aids… a thousand dollars for a pretty one and it’ll probably even come with papers.
The sort of horse you might get for this kind of money, at age 5: http://imgur.com/yOZ4hhO
Another one of the same stamp, age 12:
http://imgur.com/04L9LYO
These are not for sale (mine! mine!) but horses LIKE these go for about a grand in these parts. Caveat: they are damn smart and they have a great sense of fairness. Your aids have to be fair and clear without being overly heavy. These are not ‘punching bag’ horses and they will object if your aids are rough or unfair.
Arabs are not for everyone. If you have no previous Arab experience, I’d strongly suggest that you try before you buy, preferably on a three-month lease or something so that you can see if the horse is truly a good fit for you.
I was just offered $10K for my trail horse, and turned it down. He’s a 15.1 hh Paint gelding, 8 years old, pretty but not show material. But he’s got a heart of gold, is mellow as can be, will lead, follow, load, tie, camp, has smooth gaits. I never said he’s for sale, but word gets around if you have a nice one and winter’s approaching.
Because he’s registered he is worth more, especially with the new Ranch Horse classes in both Paints and QH shows. It would be hard to replace him at that price, so he’s not going anywhere.
You ought to be able to pick up something between $1500 and $3K. I like the unregistered cutting bred horses - short, fairly sensible, but not dead-heads. I see them all the time on Facebook (Southern CA Horses for Sale, etc). I would look for a page like that in Norcal and just watch what appears.
[QUOTE=MysticOakRanch;8836408]
I’m a dressage rider,.
So I am thinking of buying a trail horse. My criteria -
I like a forward horse, so nothing sluggish. I understand forward horses intimidate some riders, but that is my preference.
Not too big - 14.2 to 15.2 hands.
Not too old - 6 to 10 years old.
Not too wide - medium to MW back.
NOT gaited - I want a horse that walks, trots, canters.
Does not need to be registered.
Needs to be sound!
Mare or gelding is fine.
I am in Northern California. What do you think the budget would be for such a horse?[/QUOTE]
Since you are a Dressage rider and overall appearance would be a desire I think (anyway riding a pretty horse is nice) .
We used Morgans (trail/eventing/showing) but I think you should look at some Polish Arabians as they would normally fit you requirement list to the T I believe.
or since you are in California a Morarb which was created as an attempt to create a “sure-footed mount” capable of working cattle on the steep hills of central California" would also add a bit of history to your mount to give you something to talk about out on the trails.
I am enjoying my Connemara cross. One of my daughters wants to do a little dressage with him this fall. The other daughter might do some eventing with him next year. Most of the time, he is busy on the trails with me. We plan to go to Florida for 2 weeks this winter. There are so many parks with wonderful trails in the Ocala/Gainesville area,
[QUOTE=Palm Beach;8836896]
I think brain-wise you can’t beat a stock breed horse. And while trail riding you are always in for surprises, so sitting on something that maintains composure is a super big plus. Good luck!!
And cutter99 your horse is such a cutie!! Love his color.[/QUOTE]
RE: stock horses having good brains.
I used to agree with you, and there are still some good ones out there, but in my own experience, my very best level-headed horses have been Arabian mares. In fact, my QH gelding was fine in the deep of the woods, but if you ventured out to the dirt roads where there was people around, he spooked at the dumbest stuff - kids on bikes, a person working in their garden (yes, really), a woman who simply stepped from her house to her porch. And he would spin and bolt. No thinking about it. Just vacate the area at mach speed. I much preferred riding my Arab who, if she did spook, it was a simple startle in place, and she doesn’t spook very often - not even at large vehicles, ATVs, etc.
In my area of Vermont, I’d expect to pay anywhere from $2000 to $3500 for what you describe, OP.
I’m going to chime in for the Arab also. I have had Arabs, TWH, quarter horse, Hanoverian X, and a saddlebred.
The Arab mare was by far the best, most steady and fun ride in the dressage ring and on the trail. They are sure-footed, forward and if they trust you, will take you anywhere you want to go. The ONLY thing my Arab mare ever freaked out about was a horse and cart that coming down a narrow trail around a corner at a fast trot. It was noisy and she had never seen a horse and cart before. She also was a great little dressage/combined training horse that could win ribbons against the warmbloods at the open shows.
The second best on the trails was the saddlebred. She was a machine. She lived for going on the trails and over a cross-country course. However, she detested flatwork in an arena, but I think her early training for the showring was a contributing factor.
I think you could probably get a good Arab or Saddlebred for trail in the 2-3K range.
[QUOTE=sorrelfilly721;8863290]
You ought to be able to pick up something between $1500 and $3K. I like the unregistered cutting bred horses - short, fairly sensible, but not dead-heads. I see them all the time on Facebook (Southern CA Horses for Sale, etc). I would look for a page like that in Norcal and just watch what appears.[/QUOTE]
Be very careful with those horses. Anything in So. Cal under 5K is usually very green (you might be able to handle that, I can’t) or has serious problems. If you’re looking in that area I suggest joining the “Bad horse sales, owners, horse traders in California” group. We have a lot of scammers here and several of them are on the So. Cal. horses for sale group.
There’s also the Bombproof, Broke, and Gentle California Horses for Sale! Facebook page.
Good luck!
[QUOTE=RockstarPony;8837960]
I
If you’re willing to take more of a risk, I have a friend in the area who’s bought all of her endurance horses out of people’s backyards for less than 1k each, and somehow she’s had nothing but good luck. [/QUOTE]
If you are able to give a horse a quiet, confidence building ride and in the overall course of handling him day in and day out install a “deescalation/give in to pressure” response, that is how you can turn pretty much any horse into a good trail horse and “somehow” have nothing but “good luck”.
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Hank Copeland seems to always have a few nice horses for sale that may fit your criteria.
http://www.spirittxarabians.com/index.html
Northern California without going into the hinterlands, nice size, nice age, sound, attractive, good minded solid trail horse, minimum 5K. You might find a better deal, but that’s what I’d expect to pay if you want to tick all the boxes.
ETA I reread your post, you might find better deal because you’re willing to look at pretty small horses.
My eyes have been opened lately by the quality of horses my next door neighbor buys at auctions.* She buys them for herself, her family, or to resale. IF you know what you’re looking at & can talk to the seller, that might be a possibility for you. Neighbor currently has a trail horse that I really like–a 19-yr-old mare** that’s a packer & doesn’t seem to be bothered by anything she’s found so far. Quite good looking, too.
*The auctions my neighbor frequents test the horses for drugs before offering them for sale. (That may be a CA state requirement.) Also want to mention that neighbor usually finds her buys for well under $1k.
**Maybe too old for most people, but. . .?
[QUOTE=Onetrickpuppy;8866293]
Hank Copeland seems to always have a few nice horses for sale that may fit your criteria.
http://www.spirittxarabians.com/index.html[/QUOTE]
Yes, Hank is a good guy and usually has some great horses for sale. They are mostly Arabians and geared for endurance riding (quite forward, but very brave). You can trust him.
[QUOTE=Hermein;8866668]
**Maybe too old for most people, but. . .?[/QUOTE]
yeah but we used to compete against Elmer Bandit, a half Arabian… I believe he won his last ride at age 37… that was a 55 miles over a two day weekend
