Four years off?

[Kristin]

The weather is so nasty today I’m stuck inside and I’m full of questions.

Mark and I are still looking for a team for this coming season. Just talked to someone who has a mare and gelding, 12 and 10, described as quiet, sound, about the size and type we’re looking for. The owner got the horses from a dealer four years ago and has never hitched them. The mare was supposed to have come from a carriage business and the gelding from an Amish farm. Assuming they were well-broke when she got them, what would a four year vacation be likely to do to a team’s working ability? Is it worth going to take a look?

-Kristin

[Plowboy]

It never hurts to look. We got a horse once that hadn’t been driven in 5 or 6 yrs. we knew the original owner and he said she spread alot of manure when she was young. She was a little awkward to begin with but settled right in on the first hitch and got better from there. She worked for us until arthritis set in at 26. Provided they were well broke it should all come back but I would hitch them seperately with a good horse until you know what they’re all about. Good Luck!

[Donn Hewes]

Just kidding, actually I have been working the whole time. I think in alot of cases the horses would go back to work with little problem, and in a few you might find problems that were a result of the four years off or a cause of it. I think you could tell alot if you could drive them before you bought them.
When I brought them home I would go through all the training steps as if they were green horses. Some might say I was waisting my time if they are already trained, but i can accomplish several things. First off, if they turn out to be well trained and ready for work they will go through the beginner training very quickly and show me what they know. Next it is possible that well trained animals have gotten a little rusty and this is a good time to introduce your self, set new ground rules, and give them a refresher. Finally it is a safe way find out if they have real lapses in training that can be corrected now, before it becomes a problem.

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