Horse shopping trips out west?

[GreenMilesGirl]

Is there such a thing as an organized horse shopping trip out west, where the young stock are typically started on ranches and exposed to many things from a young age? A place where you can go to see and try many horses in one area, all at one time?

I’ve been shopping around for a low level all around (dressage, trail riding, tiny jumps) type horse for awhile now. While my budget is decent for what I am looking for, I also really want something a bit less looky/flighty/reactive than what I can find around here (in the Northeastern US). The other problem I am running into as a busy professional is that I’ll spend two days driving all over God’s green earth with 5 or 6 horses scheduled to try, and by the time I get there, 2 are sold, 1 is lame, and the others are a little bit misrepresented or simply a non-ideal match for me.

Recently I’ve ridden a few friends’ horses that were started as ranch horses, and I’ve found that they have been excellent confidence builders for me! And while each horse is an individual and they won’t all be so easy, I feel like I might be on to something.

There has to be an easier way than spending every single weekend driving to a new place just to be disappointed, right?
Any recommendations? I have no breed preference. Just looking for a quality, steady horse to enjoy in a forever home situation.

[clanter]

@GreenMilesGirl

I’ll spend two days driving all over God’s green earth with 5 or 6 horses scheduled to try

maybe but I would not think so unless all 5 or 6 head were at the very same place

Distances here in the west are usually thought of in hours rather than miles…and some speed limits are 85mph

[LilRanger]

There are local auctions of ranch horses, you may find a horse there?

https://www.clovishorsesales.com/
Can’t vouch for any prices, but with hay prices up, there may be some nice horses there

The closest airport is probably Lubbock, tx.

[173north]

You may not have to go west, have you been up to Pond Hill Ranch in VT? They bring in horses from the Midwest to lease out to camps and sell as lesson horses, all-around types, etc. I know lots of folks in MA that have been buying horses from them for 20+ years. Visited once as a kid, they had a few hundred horses on the property.

[islgrl]

Pond Hill has very few horses available right now and they are not inexpensive… (I have a friend looking who just spoke to them)

[Paint_Party]

I would suggest several ranch horse production sales, but their selling prices are often quite high. Ranch broke horses, even green ones, that have solid conformation and 30-60 days of riding on them are not cheap. Their skills are highly valued.

Not sure what your budget is, but there’s a gal outside of Ojai, Calif. who usually has a half-dozen or so all-around, nice looking horses (usually fancy colors, since that’s what sells) that will ride around the neighborhood quietly and are also pretty well arena broke. She used to advertise on Dreamhorse. There are also a couple places out here in Arizona, like Horsebreakers Unlimited, but the availability of their horses varies.

[GreenMilesGirl]

Thanks for the recommendation. I am definitely willing to pay for quality, I just can’t justify 30k for lame/quirky/runaway types. I’ll check them out.

[GreenMilesGirl]

Good to know, thanks

[GreenMilesGirl]

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll check them out.

[walkinthewalk]

If you’re looking for Quarter Horses, there is such a thing as online auctions and I’m sure the ranches also hold the auction live.

WYO Horses held their final auction May 21, 2022, but this will give you an idea. You could always find a ranch of interest, then plan your trip around the auction.

I have heard thru forum grapevines the WYO Ranch horses are good quality. However, I don’t like that all of the sale horses are tacked up for their catalogue photo.

https://www.wyohorses.com/

[Scarlet_Gilia]

Saddle Mountain Elite Horse Sales | Premier Horse Auction - Colorado

I just saw an ad for this sale, but I don’t know anything about the people running the sale or the people consigning horses.

[clanter]

@GreenMilesGirl

Thanks for the recommendation. I am definitely willing to pay for quality, I just can’t justify 30k for lame/quirky/runaway types. I’ll check them out.

Ask the sellers for a list of clients, they could say no but if they provide some do your diligence asking them how their purchase worked out. Also with this being an internet world check past sells, if it is a ranch auction find the prior sells and look up those horses to see if any came about with them.

The primary reason we buy from breeders we know is that we have a fairly good understanding of what their stock will and can do. To date we have not been disappointed.