Evaluating large pony purchase long distance (Weatherford Fort Worth TX) - very difficult process - anyone else?

[shortstuff]

https://busterhorses.com/buttons

Anyone know of this sale barn - could you PM me experiences good / bad. I am very interested in this large pony but being a consignment sale it is very difficult getting information out of state. Minimal details provided for health / soundness hx so basically like a used car - what you see is what you get (maybe?). I sounded like a crazy person when I mentioned a PPE. This site is about fast sales…

Anyway, I’m an older petite rider looking for a large pony with lower level dressage and trail riding experience. I am not interested in greenies and youngsters - no more bucks, bolts or spooking for me. Been there, done that and now my safety is higher priority plus having fun. The show record is not important but nice gaits and obedience are for lower level dressage. The pony in this advertisement checks all my boxes for sex, age, size, temperament and riding background. The big question is this for real? What should I look out for (being out of state and probably unable to travel soon with holidays)?

I’ve had bad experiences in the past with sellers no doubt like others have too. Viewing old videos and photos only to realize it after driving long distance. Twice literally turned around and got back in the car.

So if anyone near Weatherford TX interested is interested in taking a look for me? I would reimburse time and gas. Or should I simply drop this guy off my search list??

[cutter99]

Not near Weatherford, but he looks taller than 14.1 to me from the video, and looks like your typical cow horse rather than Morgan or Welsh.

Where are you located? Maybe some of us can make recommendations for sources for small horses/ large ponies closer to you.

[shortstuff]

NJ - I may have mentioned that I do not show but enjoy taking lessons. However, I’ve encountered some sellers who require a show home only. Another trainer/seller shut me down when I mentioned that my horses are kept at home. The conversation immediately ended as she would only sell if I boarded at a full training facility working with a trainer. The video had shown a child student at the end to present the horse as safe. It made no sense as I could certainly ride better than the child.

I’m not looking for a specific breed but the temperament and experience with comfortable gaits to do lower level dressage - plus trail riding. If the horse/pony cannot be trail ridden then I am not interested no matter how highly trained. I thought this sounded like a nice basic pleasure horse to do some ring work, ride trails and have fun. Is that so hard to find? The large pony at this sale barn clicked my check boxes and I don’t mind the cow pony look. I like his brain.

[AKB]

I would not buy sight unseen. I am a timid, 65 year old who trail rides almost daily on my 16h Connemara Cross. I can’t manage a horse who bucks, rears bolts, or is seriously unsound. The only way to minimize the chances of getting an unsuitable horse is to buy from a reputable seller after riding the prospective horse several times, including on the trails. In the past, I have looked at horses who have been represented as quiet, experienced and sound, but who terrified me. An experienced professional can buy from a video and then deal with whatever problems come up. I am not a good enough rider to ride a problem horse.

[wsmoak]

He’s adorable in the video!

I would edit your original post and put Weatherford TX (Ft Worth) in the title to see if you can find someone to go see him for you.

[cutter99]

Sent you a pm shortstuff!

[Marla_100]

Send a pm to our member Clanter. I think he and his family live near there and he has a daughter who trains/rides Morgans.

[Willesdon]

Purchasing a new horse is always such a difficult thing to do and, personally, I would not make it harder by doing it long distance. There must be suitable animals closer to home that you can see in person.

My worry is a picture of a palomino horse being described as a sorrel. Generic image stuck up for any horse on the sales list?

[4horses]

Wait until you find something closer. Talk to your friends. I had a horse on lease that tied up badly. Was fine at supper feeding, at night check was in a full blown episode of tying up. I called the vet and the owner. The owner didn’t want the vet out and came and picked up the horse.

So i was without a horse. By the end of the week my friends found me a pony and delivered her to me. My friend had sold her but the new owner wanted to give her back. My friend already had a new horse and didn’t want 2, so he dropped her off here. A few months later, i picked up a 2nd horse on trial from the same person who had the pony. I finally sent her a check for Christmas with a bill of sale for both.

”‹”‹”‹”‹”‹I lucked out that I did not buy the horse i had on lease. She had something wrong with her. I was pouring food into her and could not get any weight on her. I should have known that was a warning sign. I thought she had gastric ulcers, because sometimes she looked depressed but it was nothing i could put my finger on. Until she had an attack.

I ended up with a nice pony and a really perfect horse. My horse calls to me every time I step outside. She even calls to me if i leave her alone tied to the trailer. As soon as I’m in sight, she gives a neigh. She loves people, loves being petted, and is super laid back about everything. She is the horse you can take anywhere and do anything. Want to go swimming in the ocean? Ride in a parade? Chase cows? Pony a young horse that is misbehaving? Put the kids on for a pony ride? She will do anything you ask. The only problem is she isn’t very excitable so if you wanted to gallop for miles, she would be really lazy about it. Probably not dressage quality but a nice all around horse. You could not ask for a better personality.

I don’t know if I will ever outright buy a horse again without a trial or lease first. Maybe if I had several rides first or personally knew the owner.

[eightpondfarm]

Good luck in your search. I don’t want to tell you what to do, i can only tell you what i’ve done. I know that any time i’ve been horse shopping there are just so many available that it’s mind-boggling. When i think it will take me months to find the right horse, ends-up it has never taken so long. There are just SOoooooo many horses available. I want an emotional connection. I want to find the horse beautiful. I want a decent price. I want one or less owners (ie first home or breeder) And i do not want a broker. I’ll take a random horse from a rescue and give it a good forever home in my pasture, but a sale barn…nuh-uh. no way.

[shortstuff]

Thank you all for your considerate replies and experiences. After long consideration, I realize I am very uncomfortable with a long distance purchase without a visit. This is a consignment sales barn and as a business they want to make a fast sale within a month or less. They want fast turn over of these sale horses. They cannot provide any detailed information for medical or soundness hx - nor will they provide additional photos for legs, hooves or other short soundness videos. They want fast buyers who do not do PPE and simply select a horse, make payment and transport out.

My current pony age 19 is managed for Cushings, who thinks he is age 10 and injured his hind ankle a few months ago. It has been a long rehab and it is not over. I hope to get him sound in the spring but was warned it is the type of injury that could happen again. I’m age 63 and we were schooling 2nd level dressage plus we love trail riding. I ride for enjoyment and that bond I have with my pony. He always calls to me on sight and will run across the paddock to greet me. I had recently retired and I believed he would be my last riding partner - maybe he will be.

I’m as owner like eightpondfarm described - I want that bond and emotional connection. I have never resold a pony or horse - I make the commitment to take care of them and when necessary will PTS. So, I’ve kept them until retired with geriatric issues into their late 20’s and even 30’s.

I’m someone who could look at a hundred horses/ponies and maybe 3 - 4 would appeal to me. I have very specific check boxes and this pony in TX clicked all of them for: size, sex, age, sane, some dressage background and trail riding. Now, I need to get him out of my head because I started to get emotionally invested - because I really liked his description and pictures. He would have been EXACTLY what I wanted provided it were real with no hidden problems. So it is time to move on. Thank you all for taking the time to read my posts. I really appreciated the feedback because I always learn something new or what never occurred to me. It kept me grounded too. I wish everyone Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year.

[anon38350891]

OP, I think you decided correctly. This horse looks like a very common Texas type: QH, barrel-trained, good on trails, rather downhill in build, a good soldier. Within Texas, such horses sell for much less than $5000 - usually in the $1-3K range.

Also I have some doubts about the sale barn - they seem like the Amazon.com of horse sales. They may be on the up and up, but their hypey website is making me skeptical.

[FatDinah]

OP, check out a Morgan for sale on dreamhor se.com named Kings Crescent Iris. she seems exactly what you are looking for and is relatively nearby Massachusetts.

[Equibrit]

New Jersey; http://www.casmaranstud.com/forsale.html

And many more; https://www.iaswww.com/apr/Sports/Equestrian/Breeds/Welsh_Pony_and_Cob/Breeders/North_America/United_States/