Haha, I had to do a double take and make sure it wasn’t YOUR Guinness!! 
I follow the motion on ranch horses. Have had three that have gone onto awesome eventing horses for AA’s. Got to love late night craigslist searches.
I’ve got two of them. My first is a PMU, nothing “fancy”. His character makes up for his build. He hadn’t been shown but once, and he was 10. But he had a great mind and knows his over fences job. I didn’t plan to event but with a brain like his, it took nothing to introduce him to it (I was not a jumper, had no intentions of jumping, but he liked it so much…). Mid-low 4 figures. I found him on a semi regional classifieds type site.
Second horse is a Canadian/morgan cross. He’s putzed around, been to some local gymkhanas, jumped a few logs in a field. Turned out to be way fancier than I expected, and all his time in the mountains makes him pretty damn reliable. He’s only been to a few outings but has gone VERY well. Again, he’s quite smart, but temperament wise he’s too smart for his own good and a bit of a pain in the ass. Not unlike many other young morgans I also found him on the same regional classifieds site (Which, at the time, I didn’t even live in that region). Paid even less than the first horse…
When a coach met my second one (she had seen my first compete over the last 2 years), her comment was “You sure know how to pick 'em, damn”. I’m quite proud of that. Had a judge at our first dressage show tell us privately after a pair of 74% training level tests that the horse could take me FEI, even without spectacular gaits.
I always check the kijiji and craigslist listings in addition to the typical dreamhorse, horsetopia, etc. Lots of people have nice horses in their backyards but just don’t realize it. When you try them out, get a good feel for their temperament, and how they handle you asking something new or different.
For lower level stuff, I buy the brain. Of course you want sound too (That’s a given), but big, fancy, etc… all over rated for someone looking to do local type stuff. Plus, good conditioning and a nice coat and good riding can make most anything fancier than it might seem in someone’s backyard. I chopped off 10 inches of mane, clipped the nasty rattail feathers, groomed some shine into his coat and took off some extra lbs, and the horse cleaned up nice!
Have you looked at the dressage horses for sale page on facebook? They often have event horses advertised on there. Some I think are just failed jumpers for whatever reason, but there was one posted recently that made ME (certified pansy, non eventer) want to start. He was this super cute grey and they showed his event video, and man the way he just trucked around the course in a snaffle, ears up, and never looked at a thing made it look SO fun.
I tried lots on facebook and otherwise… but finally found my little one thru a trainer at another farm who had good connections. Wanted something that I could get back into jumping and be able to compete at weenie levels of eventing. He is not perfect and we don’t have to worry about placing but he is safe and sane and jumps what I point him at. I looked for about 3 months trying horses every week, I also contacted everyone I knew with eventing/hunting backgrounds and let them know as well. Basically I said I was looking for a kid’s horse and it worked perfectly.
[QUOTE=2LaZ2race;7883052]
I actually have OTTBs, so I’ve gone that route before. I’m looking at a wide range tomorrow, from 5 to 14, OTTB to western pleasure.
We’ll see![/QUOTE]
Well don’t leave us hanging… how were they?? ANy favorites?
Right here!
Help me figure out why this Canter cutie hasn’t been adopted!
Started by Nelliebelle, Dec. 1, 2014 06:35 PM:
I found him!
:tickled_pink::D:):yes: <3
[QUOTE=2LaZ2race;7894250]
I found him!
:tickled_pink::D:):yes: <3[/QUOTE]
WELL SHARE MORE!!! Goodness, don’t keep us waiting…
That’s not an update!! That’s barely even a news flash…we need details. And of course pictures!
[QUOTE=B Street Tango;7894647]
That’s not an update!! That’s barely even a news flash…we need details. And of course pictures![/QUOTE]
Seriously!! Are you new here?? 
[QUOTE=PaintedHunter;7894660]
Seriously!! Are you new here?? :)[/QUOTE]
Sorry guys… had to make sure they accepted my offer first!!!
This is his ad: Chewy
This is us: first ride
I adore him!
[QUOTE=2LaZ2race;7895632]
Sorry guys… had to make sure they accepted my offer first!!!
This is his ad: Chewy
This is us: first ride
I adore him![/QUOTE]
Oh he’s DARLING!! What a sweet, sweet face. Congratulations!!
[QUOTE=PaintedHunter;7895634]
Oh he’s DARLING!! What a sweet, sweet face. Congratulations!![/QUOTE]
Thank you! He’s exactly what I was looking for personality wise, but IMO he IS flashy
Super cute! Congrats!
[QUOTE=2LaZ2race;7895641]
Thank you! He’s exactly what I was looking for personality wise, but IMO he IS flashy :)[/QUOTE]
Right?! I was like “hmm… he’s not boring, unflashy, or a non-prospect… he’s a HUNK!”
Lovely! Congratulations!
Absolutely adorable! You guys look great together.
That face! I agree, he’s not plain and boring at all!
Congrats, even if he is none of the things in the title of your post! I love him!
