How would you market a horse with a stop?

[Against_All_Odds2]

This article really makes it sound like the horse was fine and they were kind of gunning for Ward? I might move a leg with constant poking too…

[1929Gatsby]

Mine stopped. turned out he had arthritis in his neck. he’s fine now. no stops

[rulex]

@BeeHoney

Since you haven’t put the horse on the market yet, I would consider adding to his resume a little bit before you do. Don’t expect buyers to assume the horse is suitable for other disciplines, it’s better the horse actually has done some other things. Consider having a dressage trainer school the horse a few times, do some trail rides/hunter paces, and even see how he does as a lesson horse (in a situation where he won’t stop over familiar jumps).

Agreed. As a dressage focused rider shopping on a budget I looked at my fair share of hunters/jumpers looking for a career change. Not all horses who don’t want to jump make for a good dressage prospect. Seeing video of a horse being ridden by a dressage professional will go a very long way to help buyers assess suitability. I remember one particular horse who was stopping with a pro aboard but was nice enough otherwise on the flat. I had a nagging feeling about those stops and turned out there was some arthritis that turned up.

[Baybear]

That’s difficult,but would need to say something along the lines that horse needs to be schooled/prepped. I bought a horse like that and didn’t really understand what the seller was saying that he needed to be prepped and he wouldn’t sell him to me if I didn’t have a trainer. He was stunning which completely clouded my brain. Great mover and perfect form over fences - but had that issue with stopping at whatever jump he felt like - next round he’d be text-book perfect.

Depending on his age and size and what else he does really well maybe dressage or just pleasure horse - little jumping.

[BAC]

@NoSuchPerson

Years ago had a former lower level dressage horse turned lower level jumper. One time at a horse show, the schooling ring was overrun with insanity so we just slipped into a nearby empty ring that was set up for hunters later in the morning to work on the flat and get warmed up. Tons of fill in all the fences. He could hardly trot around the ring for staring and snorting at the jumps. He was absolutely certain something was going to come popping out of that vegetation and come after him.

Does anyone remember the brush jump used in the hunter classes for the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden? It was a slab of dark green wood, triangular shaped similar to a chicken coop fence with a row of green plastic or synthetic bristles running along the top. Every year the National had exhibitions, (Foxfield riding team/Reiner Klimke/Canadian and NYC mounted police etc) and one year it was Jay Trump and Tommy Smith, recent winners of the Grand National Steeplechase at Aintree, England. The ring was dragged and one “brush” jump was set up in the middle of the ring. Tommy and Jay cantered calmly around the ring a couple of times and then headed down the middle towards the jump. Jay stopped and Tommy somersaulted over the brush fence, landing on the other side. I think the entire audience was in shock,I know I was, this horse and rider combination that had won one of the most demanding jumping competitions in the world but wouldn’t jump a simple hunter fence.

[Tini_Sea_Soldier1]

Honestly, considering horse prices these days… there’s a market for this horse.
Does it take some strategy? Absolutely. But there is a market.
You would need to find shows where there’s a low hunter/schooling hunter class where pro gets the unfortunate job of cowboying him around in the morning, but then am/jr gets the horse pre-schooled for the later classes where things SHOULD go smoothly if it just needs a strong ride to build some confidence. In some cases, they smarten up and realize that less is more and end up jumping around. In some cases, this is just their permanent life. Will it work out at finals or any regionals where they have to go in cold? No. But if you have that weekend warrior that just wants some ribbons and a good time, this might be your budget pony.

[BITSA]

Market it as a dressage horse. Stopping (other than self preservation) is a confidence killer for many of us.