Source to Find OTTB to Make Into a Field Hunter

[monalisa]

I hunted about 15 years ago and want to return in the fall of 2014. Thinking about trying to find a young prospect that I can hilltop, show locally, trail ride and over time make into something to hunt. Don’t want to spend a lot of money ($5K or less). I am petite, so the 15.2 hand horse that most people don’t want, well I can ride that. I am an experienced rider with my own farm and lots of turnout in Virginia. I am ok with an OTTB that needs to be turned out for a bit but I don’t want to rehab a broken horse. Been there done that over the past 18 months with a horse I bred.

Can anyone recommend a good source? I would prefer a 3-4 year old, TB/WB preferred. My main criteria is that it must be quiet and not ugly.

[lpcutter]

Call Elizabeth Wood at bitsandbytesfarm.com. She has an extensive network of contacts at the track and her horses are top quality. I have sold several of my retired racers through her, and she is not a rescue.

[bathsheba8542]

Look at Steuart and Erin Pittman’s Retired Racehorse Training Project…

[WildBlue]

It’s a little far from you, but Friends of Ferdinand has an OTTB available for adoption (cheap!) who already has hunting mileage. I know CANTER Mid-Atlantic will also get horses out and exposed to the hunt field when they can, so you’d at least know the horse is a decent match for the job.

[Bogie]

Definitely better to find a horse that’s hunted a few times to see if they are suitable. I hunt my OTTB and he’s great now, but it took me awhile to get him there. He was very competitive when he arrived and would NOT follow another horse. Hard to explain that one to the field master!

After that experience I vowed that I would not buy another horse that hadn’t already hunted because that’s what I want to do. I’ve seen several friends buy horses who just didn’t cut it as field hunters (TB and other) and it was very frustrating for them.

Now, they are out there. I found a horse this year for a friend. He’d hunted a few times as a staff horse and was being given away by the huntsman. He was a very classy racehorse and is now my friend’s much loved hunt horse! Just happened to be in the right place at the right time for that one.

[Hunter_s_Rest]

My brother in law manages a big farm in Middleburg and is a trainer (elite-end - BP, GP, Kee, SA, etc.) with dozens of lovely turf retirees coming thru him, then thru me, to hunt and show homes.
Contact me privately thru my website.

[FatDinah]

This mare at New Vocations might be a candidate:

http://www.horseadoption.com/horseprofiles/pentagirl/

Or this nice 15.1 filly at CANTER Kentucky

http://www.canterusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=258&Itemid=342

[judybigredpony]

I sent you a PM since Advertising on here is forbidden…

[gypsymare]

I’ve purchased directly from trainers at the track through CANTER… I would not hesitate to do business with Marcia Wolfe again (Penn National). Very nice lady with a great reputation and honest about her horses… they all tend to be A+ in the conformation department. I don’t see any active listings for her, but it’s worth giving her a call to see if she has any coming up for sale.

[Benson]

Jleegriffith (Jessica Morthole)

Contact Jessica here on COTH. I’ve gotten two from her who have turned out to be stellar (Top Punch and No Time for Love). A friend has one from her (Estrella Corredor) , our neighboring Hunt has also gotten two and those are the 5 I know about and see out Hunting on a regular basis.

She has an excellent sense of what will Hunt and an even better sense of what an ammy needs in a horse.

[anmoro]

Sent you a PM

[Belmont]

Gosh, wish you were on the west coast! I have great contacts there.

[foundationmare]

Sent a pm.

[sthrncamellia]

Call Stacy Emory at Camalou Farm http://camaloufarms.com/ She is an eventer, but has a good working knowledge of most disciplines. She will definitely be able to help you!

[Flash44]

Sent you a pm. Horse is in MD at Bowie right now.

[judybigredpony]

Did anyone get a reply to their PM??

[Calamber]

Very brief asking for a website and saying she had a horse to look at after Christmas.

[monalisa]

Thanks everyone! I have been away for the holiday and offline. Will do some follow-up this week. Found a horse that I really liked but could not get there soon enough to see her and she’s sold. The good ones go quick.

[gypsymare]

Within 24 hours quick for the really good ones! You have to act fast!

[monalisa]

Yes, she would have been great too. But no more trips planned for the immediate future.