I don’t quite understand her reference to the Eq. ring. He seems awfully young to predict success as an equitation horse. There is just so much that goes into a good medal horse, most of which cannot be determined until the horse is well under saddle. And actually jumping technical courses. With a rider aboard. We all want every horse to have a cadenced, balanced canter and eye appeal, which she says this horse does. But a medal horse? That’s a special animal. And I say this as someone with a box full of equitation medals sitting on my coffee table.
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My jumping horse was out in a 5’ tall round pen. He walked up to the fence, rocked back, and jumped it beautifully from a standstill. Then he stood there quietly eating grass.
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Anything can be an anything prospect when it’s 1, 2, or 3 years old because it has yet to become old enough to face any situation where it would disqualify itself from anything. If it hasn’t had to do anything yet it can’t have failed to show promise at doing anything yet.
The derpiest horse I know took it upon himself once when I was doing chores to jump out of his pasture and then jump in and out of 3 other pastures to get to the barn. Cleared every fence. I just about had a heart attack. Wondering why you never heard about his Grand Prix career? Because he was a basic adult dressage horse and that jumping capability didn’t translate to skill under saddle.
There’s a seller near me who that thinks every unbroke pony is a pony finals prospect and every OTTB is going to be a junior hunter. She’s never produced either (or so much as produced any show horse at all, though she did take one someone else produced as a show horse and unravel him until he’s pretty much unsellable) so I take those expectations with an glacier sized grain of salt.
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I was thinking the same. At that age predictions are difficult
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Looks like she found out how much top eq horses lease for and saw $$$$$$$$
Funnily enough, it still takes a lot of athleticism, a slow flat jump, a great hind end, and an even better brain to make an Eq horse. Jumping around 3’6" in basketball court sized rings all while doing the “tests” ain’t no joke.
I will say those babies look well fed at least, and cute enough - but making claims about them being medal horses is wild. Especially with DHH mommas and a lot of spicy sires. Harness horse + tough ride does not make me think “equitation horse”.
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Yes! I am so glad these babies look so much better fed than the last bunch that this breeder thought looked just fine to present looking how they did, but were clearly underweight.
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They may not be my cup of tea, but I generally have no issue with someone breeding mediocre horses - IF the broodmares are well cared for, the babies are well cared for and well handled, and the breeder isn’t producing more than they can find quality homes for.
For example, I know a few farms producing draft crosses of middling quality, but they consistently produce hardy, ammy friendly horses that will always be useful. They usually have a waiting list, and the broodmares always look happy and well fed. It’s hard to argue that there isn’t a demand for these babies, but it’s also important to note that the price matches the quality. Meaning, they sell because the price makes sense, and people come back for more because the product consistently meets expectations.
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I went looking for this post because I am curious about the name that is blacked out and cant find the post. Is that something you found yesterday?
She is just out there reaching for anything. NOBODY who really knows what an Eq horse has to be capable of would not touch this type of hap hazard breeding. Remember when all the horses “had Derby canters”? lol.
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Yeah, I mean I wasn’t aware that the SAME horse could be a GP dressage horse, GP jumper, 5 star eventer, derby horse, or Medal horse! Sure, there’s some crossover in most jumping disciplines but… those are very different animals, usually. And most of the time you have to actually put a record on the horse to find out 
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I suspect she thinks she can speak it into reality. And an unsuspecting/uneducated buyer may believe her.
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I honestly don’t think anybody is that dumb on this level of ridiculousness. Hope not!
I see a bunch of OTTB ads stating going to make the upper levels, going to jump the big sticks, top dressage potential, etc. No one is ragging on those ads.
It’s a sales ad, of course there is 3’ of fluff.
Tbf most riders need a low level, good brained horse with some sense. Are these horses that? Who knows… but the one posted is cute and a decent mover it seems. If it’s got brains to be sensible I don’t think high 4 figures/lowest 5s is a terrible price.
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No, I took the screenshot in May this year from a sales group.
It was a local to me person. I think something happened because within a week or two, I saw the horse re-listed as being in another area entirely. That is why I blacked out the name.
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I think these babies are really cute and I thought they were really cute when they were underfed and not groomed too- you just had to be able to see what was underneath the neglect. I like the harness horse type of aesthetic though- I always have and since getting my DHH/draft cross have really fallen in love. Why anyone cares what she is asking for them is beyond me. People will either pay it or they won’t. I’m not going to feel too sorry for someone who pays mid 5 figures for a horse and then cries that it wasn’t their ticket to the Olympics (I don’t even think there is such a person……). Whoever buys them, whether it’s for dressage or eventing or whatever, will probably really like it and be limited by their own ability to advance past a certain point rather than the horse.
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yeah none of that matches the situation here. too many mediocre horses, overpriced and not finding homes and she keeps breeding more. Unfortunately there are already too many horses needing homes.
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Right but the ad says “mid-fives”. For unproven lines, with no record of previous full sibling success. THAT is what is making me roll my eyes a little - high fours wouldn’t make me blink as much.
A little embellishment is one thing, but a lot of unrealistic expectations and wishful thinking on ads do make me think twice about the horse. Either way, buyer beware as always, and if you shell out money for something then it’s up to you to figure out how to make it work!
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Oh I’m aware. It was a comparison.
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I think these ads do get ragged on, all the time. And most of the time…
- The seller HAS produced some horse to the top levels of something so might have some frame of reference that is reliable
- The seller didn’t breed the OTTB so isn’t responsible for it existing and is now just trying to find it an appropriate second career
I don’t know how you could really guess if these horses will become nice low level mounts. Few, if any of them, seem to have become anything yet. The dams weren’t low level riding mounts. They don’t seem to have done anything. The sires, while accomplished, weren’t themselves low level riding mounts and don’t seem to be known for producing low level riding mounts.
So all you have to go by is conformation-- which is atypical for most low level sport horse disciplines, and movement which also seems not totally ideal.
And these are mid 5 figure youngsters. For that price you can buy one out of a mare who was a nice amateur mount her whole life, out of a stallion known to throw nice amateur horses, some with progeny out doing just that, with more typical conformation and movement.
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