Asking for friend, but seriously I am asking for a friend. She has a lovely hobby farm and has been around horses since childhood. She competed through training level, has not ridden for a few years because she retired her horse ( and he recently passed) and just hasn’t gotten back into it yet. She has an old retired Arabian that she will care for until he passes. She’s looking for a companion for him. Has to be a gelding, she is leaning toward a pony, but she is open to suggestions. It just MUST be a gelding as the old Arab is a horn ball with mares. Ultimately she wants to find a horse for herself to start riding again, but that’s not the present goal.
she has been looking at rescues, but there seems to be an abundance of mares or they are Minis and she doesn’t want one THAT small. More like 13 to 14 hands. Also she doesn’t want a gaited pony.
She is tiny, so she’s thinking that she might like something that she can just sit on and trail ride and maybe just get back into riding slowly. I think losing her competition horse has knocked the wind out of her sails a little bit, but she wants a friend for the old Arabian.
She takes exceptional care of her horses, like annoyingly exceptional care! 24/7 turnout with run in and stalls if necessary. Hay 24/7… You get the picture
Located near Huntsville Alabama, she would probably drive two or three hours to pick up something perfect. I don’t think she wants to pay big bucks for anything, I think she’s looking for more of a rescue/companion situation. But she would definitely pay something for the right one.
How about a TIP trained mustang?
I don’t know what TIP stands for but I have thought of the mustang thing. Could you give me more info
TIP is for “Trainer Incentive Program”, run through the Mustang Heritage Foundation. TIP horses are tamed enough to lead, groom, have feet handled, and load/unload from a stock trailer. https://mustangheritagefoundation.org/tip/ It’s a great option for people that are interested in a mustang but don’t have the facilities or skillset to get over the first hurdles with a totally wild one. If she wants one with more training, is willing to drive a bit farther (or arrange to meet halfway), there’s a Mustang Makeover at the KY Horse Park in June. If she starts following that event through FB, she is likely to find trainers relatively near her, and a lot of times trainers drop out for various reasons and need to re-home a horse that has a really solid start, well beyond normal TIP guidelines, so she might be able to score a real prize without driving to Lexington or getting in a competitive auction.
AWESOME! Lexington KY is not horribly far and who doesn’t love a trip to KY!! We all head there in April of course!
I will pass this along to her.
There is a mustang TIP trainer in Leeds, Alabama. Contact Babbie Styslinger on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/babbie.styslinger
Probably a little late for your friend, and there may or may not be any horses with trainers looking to re-assign, but there’s a TIP challenge competition this weekend in Columbia THIS weekend. https://www.southerncrossranch.net/tip-challenge
The TIP challenges are like “Makeover Lite”. Trainers pick up horses, have “x” time to train them, and present them at the competition, but it’s all in-hand, like the Youth division of the Makeovers. The other big difference is that the horses aren’t automatically auctioned at the end, like they are for the adult Makeovers. The trainers can keep the horses if they like, or re-assign (if it’s an adoption horse) or sell (if it’s a sale authority horse), as they like. I think a lot of the people who compete in these smaller competitions are intending to keep the horse/burro, but there are some trainers who are more dedicated to the idea of getting as many horses out of holding and into good homes as they can, and like showing off a little and getting some ribbons along the way. Or people plan on keeping the horse but it turns out they’re not a great fit for their long term goals (anybody who had adopted my guy looking for their next barrel racer would have been sorely disappointed, for example). Might at least be a chance for your friend to check out what the Mustang community is about and see what 100 days of training can do!
There are some wonderful connemara breeders in North, Alabama. They have yearlings to 3yos. Their young ponies are priced between 5-10k, but I can share their information if she is interested.
She loves Connemaras! Please share
I live in HSV and am hardcore wondering if I know her now :lol:
PM if you want, I know a ton of people in the area and might be able to help her find something!
Sent PM with details or check out Rivendell Irish Sport Horses & Connemaras on Facebook.
(Hope I can list their name.)
