Advice on evaluating a new horse.

[near horse]

I have an acquaintance who e-mailed regarding a young 3 1/2 yr old Belgian/quarter mare she’s interested in. If I recall my friend has experience with horses just not drafts so my initial advice is to expect all the same behaviors you’d demand from your riding horse. Good ground manners etc

Any other pointers for her? Thanks in advance.
I’ve posted the ad and e-mail she got from the current owner –

We have a gentle broke mare that needs a more experience trainer and more room to play. We are housing her as a rescue horse. She lost her home in a foreclosure and needs a new home soon. We bought her for $350 to save her from an unknown fate. She is a big, stout girl who has had 30 days of professional training. She saddles fine, and is mostly bullet proof, but has not been “rode” by us. I sat on her with a friend’s saddle on in the pature of her previous home, and have been handling and playing with her from the ground

I still have her. She is just at 15 hands. I beleive she is 50/50 Belgian/Quarter. She has been in pasture for the last 6 months. Here training was most likely at 2.5 yrs. I rode her the other day. She was slightly offended, but got with the program easily. I am not highly experienced with these guys, but have been handling her as much as possible and she does well. Checks to see if I seriously am boss when I bring the food, LOL!

She seems healthy, but has not been vet checked. She was not abused. I am not a foot lifting person, so I have lifted them just to do so, but have not cleaned them. They look good. She knows I am uncomfortable, so I haven’t pushed it much. She trailered beautifully with no problems. She has not had founder or colic to my knowledge.

She is a sweet girl, and comes to you at the gate all happy. She will make an awesome partner for someone. You are welcome to come meet her.

[Michael Colby]

I see many red flags in this ad. First, they call the mare a “gentle, broke” mare but then admit to doing next to nothing with her. Sorry, but you can’t call a horse gentle and broke just because it comes “all happy to you” at the gate. It’s also a bit concerning that they go back and forth about knowing little about the horse but then trying to assure you about her health. Again, can’t have it both ways. These folks may well be good intentioned but it doesn’t seem like they know what they’re talking about.

If they can’t put a harness on this horse in your presence and drive it, it’s not gentle and broke. And your friend should know this. But if your friend wants to roll the dice with what sounds like a project horse, go for it.

I’ve seen too many people’s draft horse dreams get unnecessarily wrecked by first purchases like this. My advice is always the same: The first step in the draft horse dream should never be the purchase of a draft horse. Instead, your first step should be to find a draft person you trust to help teach you about draft horses. It saves money, time and injury.

That’s my two cents.

[near horse]

Thanks Michael. I’m really not even sure what this friend has in mind for said horse. I agree the ad has lots of the “buzz words” that make one question the reality of the situation. I’m not sure how long said owner has even had this horse since it apparently some type of rescue.

I also think that for the “best” likelihood of developing a satisfactory experience/association with drafts is to start with both animals and a teamster that knows what they’re doing.

I think my biggest concern about the ad is that all of the other comments made about the horse go out the wwindow when the owner says the horse “knows I’m uncomfortable” – if she’s uncomfortable around the horse then I don’t feel very confident about her ability to evaluate much more about the horse.

[grey]

The whole ad is screwy but the assertion of “mostly bullet proof“, in particular, made me chuckle because

1.) The term is “bombproof” and not “bullet proof”

2.) There’s no such thing as “mostly” bombproof. Either is or isn’t. And

3.) How on earth would they know whether she is or isn’t bombproof if they haven’t really done anything with her?

So maybe I’m mistaken and she actually *is* bullet proof. Comes with Kevlar turnout?

I wouldn’t try to deduce anything from this ad except that the horse is probably a little pushy right now and the seller’s assessment of the horse cannot be trusted. It will be entirely up to the purchaser to evaluate the animal’s ability and personality. Which, I suppose, is good to know up front so that one isn’t tempted to cut corners and take the seller’s word on things. Not that the seller is dishonest, just not knowledgeable.

[Rod44]

I’m with you Grey!

[Author]

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