My sister and I used to joke that when it came to horse shopping, we had been ruined by owning nice horses. 
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Thatās so true! I always tell my husband when I look at horses, I look for three things. Movement, temperament, and soundness. I can only afford two of the three. 
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Oh, yeah, this is where Grundy falls out. Sheās probably a 5-6 mover Iād think.
Nothing wrong with that! Sheāll be a fantastic all-around pony.
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Very nice! I would never turn down a dressage-type Morgan.
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Exactly the same for me, just donāt have the set up for a baby. If you end up with one of theirs, I hope youāll share more here! I like what theyāre producing.
I bought a really nice 5yr old Morgan from Wisconsin earlier this year but I am more interested in trail/endurance than being in the ring. And to the points above, temperament was my #1 priority since I ride a lot of solo trail miles. So far I havenāt been disappointed 
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There are a bunch that require a plane ride to seeā¦ Its a VERY big country. Iāve been to ohio twice. Trying to stop buying plane tickets for now. I may have to make another trip somewhere to expand the pool of horsesā¦
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That does make it hard. I went to Europe about 20 years ago to shop with a friend. (She was buying.) We were able to see so many horses within a small radius. Iām loathe to fly all over the country because so many horses are not as advertised.
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Everything is crazy hereā¦
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If you are OK spending five figures and up, then you can look at horses being presented as sport and riding horses, started and with some experience, and/or sport specific bred. If you are looking to spend less than that, you have to look in less popular and less āmarketedā places. You have to ārepurposeā a horse, where the seller is not involved in your specific sport or pastime, and does not recognize or can not develop the potential value in the horse. The seller needs to be in a position where they MUST SELL, not in a position where he may well keep the horse if he does not get his price. Then the horse is priced accordingly, and the seller may well accept an offer in order to move the horse off his feed bill.
The classic spot to look for an affordable prospect for just about any sport or recreational discipline is at the racetrackā¦ an OTTB. Buying direct from the race owner, trainer or breeder. Because horses who are not performing well at the track MUST be sold on, and new prospects need the stall at the track. To do this successfully (as it has been done for many decades), it is necessary to cultivate friends and contacts at your local racetrack, to hear of upcoming opportunities to purchase a horse that fits the bill for what you are looking for. When such a sale is made, everyone benefits, including the horse.
If you are looking for a smaller stature horse, they are there. And the bonus is that you are not bidding against those who are looking for the large horses or chuckwagon horses. Your competition may be polo people, the ānot richā polo people, which there arenāt a lot of.
The OTTB has several advantagesā¦ he is broke to ride, to some extent. You have to make some changes, and teach him some new things about being ridden. He may have some short term injury issues, that need some time to heal. But thatās OK, as long as any issue he has is not permanent.
The TB horse is suitable for many different disciplines of sport, the breed has been bred for soundness and athletic ability, which can be channeled in a variety of directions, with training. TB horses, before the development and promotion of the WB breeds, have successfully competed in every aspect of sportā¦ and still can. The promotion of the āsport specific bred horseā has been very successful in producing some nice horses, but has been even more successful in jacking up the purchase prices due to the marketing and multiple ācommissionsā paid throughout the network of promoters, trainers, coaches. If you can avoid participating in this game, the purchase price of a horse is much more affordable. The early race training (which other breeds of horses without the early neuromuscular development do not get) drives superior development of bone density and joint surface and tendon, ligament and muscle development, and which makes for superior long term soundness, which is a huge advantage to whatever purpose you have in store for the horse. If you are looking for an athlete, look at a TB horse. If you are looking for soundness, look at a breed of horse who has been developed to withstand the toughest sport of all. They are not expensive to purchase, and will do the job you have for them with some training and time.
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Great post. I have owned five TBs; two came off the track One from Colorado, one from California. I belong to a number of OTTB Facebook groups. All my TBs were very good movers and trained in dressage. Two competed extensively. Both ex-racers flexed clean so I didnāt x-ray. Both had bone spurs in their hocks, so I am wary.
The other issue is finding a smaller TB with the uphill conformation and movement for dressage. Those horses are extremely rare.
Repurposing a horse is a something I am happy to do. I have known a number of nice dressage horses who were former show jumpers or eventers. A few were trained to FEI. Even some western pleasure horses can be retrained. I look at everything.
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If youāre open to Arabians/crosses (I think you said you were earlier in the thread), I suggest reaching out to Wendye Gardiner at Solstice Training Center in Texas. She seems to specialize in good-minded, nice moving, quality but not obscenely priced horses of all ages. Youād have to ship, but Texas is a pretty good starting point for hauling logistics.
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Thanks! I am interested in Arabian crosses. Some have been very fancy dressage horses.
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I just looked at a Percheron/Arabian gelding, 14 hands and two years old, super cute mover although flattish, mid-fours
Happy to send you the info and trot video I have. Heās not mine nor do I gain anything from the sale.
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UVM has a breeding program and sells horses. I looked at the stallion UVM Nobel and he was lovely.
UVM Morgan Horse Farm | UVM Morgan Horse Farm | The University of Vermont
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I knew someone with the cross in the 80s. He was a nice all-around horse, about 16H and very solid.
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Thanks, but I am looking at some Andalusians/crosses in California. I just missed out on a gorgeous 14.2 cross. She sold a few days ago. The same seller has a gorgeous purebred gelding, but Iām sure he is not in my budget. Both horses are very nice movers. Here on the west coast, especially California, Andalusians and Aztecs are very common and many are under 10k.
I also decided I need something going W-T-C. Starting a youngster at my age is something I do not want to do.
There is a very nice imported Welsh Cob available with bloodlines I like, but he is only two. He is also a cryptorchid and I donāt know if he has had surgery.
When I do buy, you all will be the first to know!
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I stopped by there in September, they have a really lovely gelding but heās not yet started and I donāt have the resources to put the first rides on something so Iām looking for lightly startedā¦ I was very tempted to enter the raffle. That filly is GORGEOUS
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If you like the horseā¦there is always āa wayāā¦to get what you want. I buy young, unstarted since that is what my queenās taste can afford on the pauperās wallet. It isnāt that difficult and it will improve your horsemanship that is applicable to all horses.
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I love her!!
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