I know that’s a weird title but it’s true. Where does one find a horse for lower level eventing that’s not really that flashy, big, or talented?
I look at Sport Horse Nation or facebook groups and I see these amazing horses that are 16.3, ready to move up the levels, etc…
or
backyard, barely broke, barely sound horses.
I just want low to the ground, slow, a bit older, safe and fun!
Where does the simple Adult Ammy (smurf, non-blip) find a safe, fun horse?
Hunt field? Word of mouth? Pony club?
I’ve some cute little draft crosses or honies in the hunt field that probably could easily convert to low level eventing. Or already are doing it. Most of those types don’t have monster price tags, either.
Hmmm… maybe that’s my problem. I don’t hunt and I never did pony club. I have the wrong connections!
Don’t necessarily need connections, just need to know where to look!
Check out your Area website or Facebook page - there’s often any number of that horse posted ( particularly in eventing hotbeds). Pony club is a great resource for these horses too - though there is often a waiting list for the saints. Also look for coaches or trainers who focus on kids or amateurs, as many know of or have in the barn a decent set of these horses that may be available as kids age or adults have life changes.
I would say look at horses for sale from pony club kids. They usually have a nice safe, boring horse that is not winning, so they sell it to buy the flashy one and within 6 months they are usually out of horses. Where if they had stuck with the first one and learned with it, they would have been winning within a year or two on it. Just my experience with going through Pony Club and running an agistment Property.
I know of a couple in KY if you’re anywhere near. One is my 5 year old’s half brother, who is as level-headed as they come!
[QUOTE=2LaZ2race;7872774]
I know that’s a weird title but it’s true. Where does one find a horse for lower level eventing that’s not really that flashy, big, or talented?
I look at Sport Horse Nation or facebook groups and I see these amazing horses that are 16.3, ready to move up the levels, etc…
or
backyard, barely broke, barely sound horses.
I just want low to the ground, slow, a bit older, safe and fun!
Where does the simple Adult Ammy (smurf, non-blip) find a safe, fun horse?[/QUOTE]
About what do you expect to spend for a horse like this? Just curious.
[QUOTE=tja789;7873085]
About what do you expect to spend for a horse like this? Just curious.[/QUOTE]
Seeing as how I have a pretty wide range of options my price range is flexible too. 25k is not an option though! I just don’t need a horse that’s worth that much!
[QUOTE=McVillesMom;7873076]
I know of a couple in KY if you’re anywhere near. One is my 5 year old’s half brother, who is as level-headed as they come![/QUOTE]
I’m in DE 
I would expect a proven Novice/Training horse to run you in that neighborhood honestly, unless it’s MUCH older. Like 18+. A TB long off the track, QH, or draft cross who’s maybe been a kid’s horse or done some local hunter/open shows would be priced more agreeably and most likely do what you want, though whether or not it will take to ditches/banks/water would be a bit of a gamble.
Have you tried non-eventing specific sales sites and Facebook groups like good old Dreamhorse and horseclicks? My mare was on one of those sites in the low four figures and is exactly what you’re looking for (except she doesn’t quite do slow) but she didn’t have a show record and hadn’t been formally introduced to xc.
One of my students just sold a nice sensible TB, 12yo Novice packer, done a couple Training events, good dressage, needed hock injections and wedge shoes, for $2500. Area is important. Prospective buyers in Southern Pines were like “that’s a $7500 horse” but that’s a 2 hr drive away and we are in an area where you either buy your kid a $500 horse and they learn to survive or a $50k horse (with ‘cocktail recipe book’) and they learn to collect ribbons…
Jennifer
I’m sorry… I should have been more specific. Low, LOW level eventing. Unrec BN is fine for me!
[QUOTE=Scaramouch;7873124]
I would expect a proven Novice/Training horse to run you in that neighborhood honestly, unless it’s MUCH older. Like 18+. A TB long off the track, QH, or draft cross who’s maybe been a kid’s horse or done some local hunter/open shows would be priced more agreeably and most likely do what you want, though whether or not it will take to ditches/banks/water would be a bit of a gamble.
Have you tried non-eventing specific sales sites and Facebook groups like good old Dreamhorse and horseclicks? My mare was on one of those sites in the low four figures and is exactly what you’re looking for (except she doesn’t quite do slow) but she didn’t have a show record and hadn’t been formally introduced to xc.[/QUOTE]
I sold a 10yo sport bred TB with mileage through training, and a proven track record of packing new eventers to training to a junior in my barn barn for mid 4 figures. He was for sale for almost a year and in that time he had exactly one person come to look at him, despite extensive advertising and networking. Why was he so tough to sell? Unless receiving a a pretty great ride, not the dressage winner. But whatever dressage score he got, he finished on it 90% of the time. But that wasn’t good enough for most people.
At every show he’s been to this year with his kid I’ve been asked if he’s for sale. Makes me nuts. Point being: evaluate if you are truly open to the right horse, or if you are clinging to a particular vision of how that horse looks or moves. Those horses are out there. But they aren’t winnibg every division.
I’m not worried about winning. I would take a bottom dressage score with a safe, enjoyable x-country ride any day!
Things I care about: good ground manors, not silly spooky, not herd bound, safe to ride in an open field, willing to learn x-country and honest.
Things I don’t care about: natural movement, breeding, ability to move up levels, potential to jump tall things, will attract attention b/c of how fancy he is, etc.
Here’s a nice one in Annapolis for $8000 or less (the first one on the “for sale” tab):
http://marylandregion.ponyclub.org/
as well as some others available from MD region Pony Clubbers. There is nothing for sale on the Delmarva region PC page, but there are links to individual clubs on there, and maybe some of them have a sales section.
I found my little oddball horse on Dreamhorse.
Just did a quick dreamhorse search for Maryland and came across these – smallish, mid-4 figures, and all listed as being brave x-country, easy on the ground, etc. They’re out there, you just need to be ok with non-TB/WB breeds! QH tend to be fabulous low level packers!
http://www.dreamhorse.com/ad/1907163.html
http://www.dreamhorse.com/ad/1966575.html
http://www.dreamhorse.com/ad/1965667.html
http://www.dreamhorse.com/ad/1959095.html
http://www.dreamhorse.com/ad/1956518.html
ETA: Whoops! For some reason I read DE then thought “Maryland!” – Doh. But they are out there!
SENT You a PM…your dream ride does exist…
I think you are looking for a trail horse who can jump. You should be able to find that!
However, I do want to warn you that if you start taking your horse to unrecognized shows, you have an inner competitive drive and you WILL eventually care about winning! It’s much much more fun to compete, when you have a competitive horse (even a BN one!) and frustrating to have poor scores all the time when you are doing it right.
So I think you should spend the top of your budget and look for a beginner h/j horse who is bold enough, safe enough, on the trail and will walk through water. Just a guess - but I think you should budget $10,000 and try to spend it all.
It is funny that these horse often are out there and don’t get snapped up. For example, there was a horse in Florida called Slim Jim. He had done preliminary with a teen. I first laid eyes on him the first day I competed him (as a sales horse with my trainer) and was 4th in the BN that day. He was for sale for almost 2 years before a local rider bought him and had a lot of success at BN and Novice. Another is for sale locally now, http://www.waredaca.com/steph/Steph_Butts_Eventing/Sales.html and is priced under $20k. Don’t look for too little or too much. Just look for nice horses that have done some of the things you want. Don’t overlook horses in school-like programs.
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