# Critique Potential Buys



## Clementine (Sep 24, 2009)

Okay, so I am unofficially looking for a horse. Meaning that I am working on re-convincing my parents, and finding potential buys. I finally found an inexpensive (because it's self-care, not because it's low-quality) boarding facility, and now I have to find a horse to put there! LOL.

I am looking for a horse with some basic dressage training (yields to leg pressure, can get together "on the bit" and perhaps the start of collection), that jumps 2'6"+. I have done mainly dressage for the past 3 years of my life, and I really want to get into doing some lower-level eventing. Right now I'm thinking Beginner Novice level for next year, perhaps some Novice events if the BN level works out well. 

These are my top three horses. I have not been to see any of them yet.

*#1 - Thunder*

16.1hh 7 y/o Chestnut Thoroughbred Gelding
Asking Price: $5,000

*#2 - Prime*

15.3hh 9 y/o Bay Thoroughbred Gelding
Asking Price: $7,500

*#3 - Dolce*

16.2hh 5 y/o Grey Thoroughbred Gelding
Asking Price: $4,000

Opinions?


----------



## Kiki (Feb 7, 2007)

I like the grey just because i am biast lol. but try them out and whichever u fit best with.


----------



## Gillian (Aug 2, 2008)

I LOVE Dolce. If I were looking for another horse (and lived in Kentucky) I'd be all over that, ha ha.


----------



## New_image (Oct 27, 2007)

The grey is absolutely stunning!


----------



## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

The grey is beautiful.


----------



## HalfPass (Jun 12, 2009)

I am with everyone else....Love the grey!


----------



## AnnaLover (Sep 27, 2009)

I liked the first haha


----------



## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

I like the grey the best. Has same kinda training as the other two (maybe not as much) and he is cheaper. I just like his looks. My second choice would be the first one. But i say go out and ride all three and see which one you like the best.


----------



## wintec (Jun 5, 2009)

I really love the grey and the dark bay


----------



## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

I really like Thunder. Seems that Dolce is a little green. haha


----------



## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

The first one (Thunder) looks oddly muscled and pretty hot--in his jumping pictures he seems very eager and there's hardly any slack on the reins. His odd muscling comes from the fact that he's pulled into a 'frame' or 'headset'.

The last one looks _very_ green, and I would suspect that his training is pretty poor, as the owners have placed pictures that make this horse seem terribly green (As in they don't know any better!). He seems to have a lot of talent (though seems to have more of a hunter jump then an eventing jump), but looks like a serial 'over jumper'--which can cause a lot of wear and tear on joints, and if he doesn't train out of it, he'll waste too much energy on jumps to be any good for upper level competition. 

Prime is absolutely the most relaxed and trained of the three and has a nice, relaxed bascule (not perfect, but Thunder jumps with a straight, tense back, and the grey over jumps or jumps from almost the wrong spot in every photo)--clearly why he has the highest price tag. He looks like a great horse--the best one out of the three you've posted.

If you have no problem training and working with a chronically hot horse, Thunder still doesn't have a A+ jump. The grey would be my second pick, if you were VERY comfortable with re-training a horse.


----------



## PechosGoldenChance (Aug 23, 2009)

Agreed, Dolce did kinda look a little green but as stated above ^ if your all for basically training than go for the grey one. But my personal favorite is Thunder, only because I love chestnut colored horses and he reminds me of my girl, Dee she is chestnut colored and just all around amazing!. Prime looks like a calm horse also, as stated above lol ^ but I don't know, just try em' all out and see which one you fit best, or should I say, best fits you lol. GOOD LUCK! And let us know who you pick.


----------



## SuperStarsSugar (Sep 9, 2009)

I like Dolce, just because he looked uphill, responsive, and talented, like he had potential for what you want to do. Thunder looked down hill and a bit sloppy with his movement, but it could have been the pictures. Prime was a lovely looking horse, and looked balanced and what not, but nothing about him said "eventer" to me.


----------



## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

_Dolce_ is only 4 years old, he seems to have done an awful lot for a baby :-(

_Thunder _looks good

_Prime_ looks very small and on his forehand...


----------



## Clementine (Sep 24, 2009)

Thanks for all the critiques so far! Here's some more info on Dolce that his owner sent to me this evening: (I'll just include the whole email)

"Thanks for your interest in our horses for sale. I have all of my horses offered for sale right now, as I need to decrease by one or two... Client business is really good and I need a few less of my own! I'm very up front when selling horses and I'll give you all the info.  I had him completely vetted for myself by a top sporthorse vet, so no surprises to be had. He's a terrific guy. 

Dolce is a terrific 5yo 16.2h steele gray TB g, priced very cheaply at $5,000. He is incredibly sweet and very people oriented, and always the first horse to come to you in the field. He is drop dead gorgeous, with a 10 canter and terrific walk. He is very, very talented, and has incredibly impressive jumping form, with knees up around his eyeballs. I took him to the Maui Jim HT last year to compete in the 4yo Young Event Horse competition.... They maxed out the course at 3'3" and he hadn't jumped a course at 3'3" really, but he was brilliant and very game, with just one green rail. He finished 3rd in incredibly impressive competition (judged on international potential). Then I took him to the Richland Park HT in August 2008 and had him in the 4yo YEH there as well. There were many major four star riders riding in the YEH, and yet he handily won the 4yo YEH. He scored the highest score for the entire event on his gallop, which is incredible. His sire won the Canadian Triple Crown. These were the only two events I did with him last year, as I've always intended to keep him and gave him a light 4yo year so he could come along slowly and with confidence. I let some of the kids in the barn take him to a few mini trials, the first of which he won! He has also shown a little in the 2'6" and 2'9" local jumpers and was absolutely darling. 

Dolce is an amazing guy... Very brave and bold, all phases in a snaffle, and no vices. He LOVES to jump. He has tons of scope and terrific form over fences. He is very, very uphill and has the most amazing canter. He is an INCREDIBLY fancy horse, and drop dead gorgeous. 

He has been pre-vetted by a major sporthorse vet for me. He has one mild club foot on the front foot, and in the entire set of 36 xrays found just a little arthritis in the right hock. Overall, pretty good there. He has a habit with the club foot that he will hitch slightly in the trot, taking a slightly longer step with the regular hoof than the club foot. The vet told me he should be able to go Preliminary just fine (3'7" jumps and lots of galloping). But the habit of hitching comes especially if he's nervous, as he'd just like to canter (like he learned on the track). Because of this, I think he'd be far better in jumpers than eventing, as he wouldn't be judged on the rhythm and regularity of the trotwork like in dressage for eventing. He wears normal shoes and hold shoes well, and we only have front shoes on him as so far his back feet haven't needed shoes at all. Dolce has no vices and loads, clips, and ties like an absolute love. He is a VERY nice horse---I had him priced at $25k last year before deciding I probably want to keep him. But I'm in the middle of a very sudden, unexpected divorce and need to sell off my lower level horses. I have him priced very cheaply at $5,000, fully disclosing that he's a very, very fancy horse and a very talented jumper, but he does have these issues. 

Not only is Dolce brave and fancy, but he's really quite forgiving... Even if his rider makes a mistake, I have never seen him buck or lash out. He has a very comfortable canter, and is pretty quiet with a good work ethic. He is honest to the fences, and tries 110% to please his rider. He goes all three phases in a snaffle, and has never had a stronger bit in his mouth. His personality is like that of a golden retriever---he is SO friendly and people oriented. He is an absolute joy to be around. Dolce loves to hack out and trail ride, and is a really darling guy who is very gorgeous and will make his rider look like they spent big bucks!!"

Thanks again!
BTW, I am definitely a little uneasy about the fact that he's 4 and has mild arthritis...and I definitely think he's done too much...if I wound up with him I would definitely cut him back to dressage and only 2'6" jumping for a year or so.


----------



## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

he already has arthritis!!! I would pass on him. If already has arthrits he is jsut going to get more and more. I mean yes there are things that can "help" but it doesnt prevent arthritis. I would pass on him.


----------



## Clementine (Sep 24, 2009)

> he already has arthritis!!!


Yes, that is what I was thinking. Granted, with this horse, at least he's already had a full pre-vet, so I know what I would be getting into...every horse is going to have something wrong with them, and it's highly possible that any other horse could have something worse. This guy could stay sound for most of his life. Who knows. I think I'll still go see him - if he's "the horse for me", I'm certainly not going to let mild arthritis stand in the way.


----------



## blush (Feb 10, 2007)

mayfieldk said:


> The first one (Thunder) looks oddly muscled and pretty hot--in his jumping pictures he seems very eager and there's hardly any slack on the reins. His odd muscling comes from the fact that he's pulled into a 'frame' or 'headset'.
> 
> The last one looks _very_ green, and I would suspect that his training is pretty poor, as the owners have placed pictures that make this horse seem terribly green (As in they don't know any better!). He seems to have a lot of talent (though seems to have more of a hunter jump then an eventing jump), but looks like a serial 'over jumper'--which can cause a lot of wear and tear on joints, and if he doesn't train out of it, he'll waste too much energy on jumps to be any good for upper level competition.
> 
> ...


 
I agree with you 100%. Prime is my pick too. He looks like a super nice horse...no wonder he is the priciest of the group. In this instance, you get what you pay for. 
I personally don't mind Thunder too, too much. And even though I am a compelte sucker for greys, I'm not too keen on Dolce. 

...and c'mon. Dolce is what, *5?* *And he* *already has arthritis*. He is freaking 5! This right here tells you to pass him up. In a couple years or so he'll be done when the arthritis becomes more severe. If you really like him because he rediculously over-jumps things and because he's a "grey" with a pretty color, then go for it. But don't be surprised when in a couple years you have a *crippled* *7 year old* because of arthritis. Especially if you want to do eventing with him. That will be way too much stress on his joints...only encouranging the arthritis to become more severe faster. Plus, I also agree with Lobelia, it seems he has done way too much for a baby. Personally, it's 100% not worth it.


----------



## LoveTheSaddlebreds (Jul 9, 2009)

I like the bay the best.  maybe cause I owned a bay for three years who I loved and am a tad bit biast as well.


----------



## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

Going by that email I'd give _Dolce_ a miss. I dunno what a club foot on a horse is, but that's worrying me!!


----------



## mayfieldk (Mar 5, 2008)

Dolce very clearly has too many problems to be a sound horse for a long period of time. He has that 'seems too good to be true' vibe--and his owner knows it and is trying to offload him on someone else so she can avoid the hefty vet bills.


----------



## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Agree with the others about Dolce, I don't know enough about jumping/eventing to tell you about his jump, etc. But he's done too much too young (IMO) which is showing up in arthritis at 4/5 yo. Not a road I'd travel down with a horse you want to compete with. And a $20K price drop? Huge red flag! 

I can't see Thunder's pics, so can't help there. I really like Prime though, he looks like a good horse that you could really enjoy and would prob fit in with what you want to do.


----------



## Clementine (Sep 24, 2009)

> If you really like him because he rediculously over-jumps things and because he's a "grey" with a pretty color, then go for it.


First of all, of course he over-jumps, he's still young and green! Secondly, I find the implication that I would buy a horse just because it's "a pretty color" insulting, as I was really just trying to have an open mind so as not to miss out on something that could potentially still be a good opportunity - and, of course, I would get a second opinion as far as his future soundness from another vet. I'm not one to rush into buying a horse. More than likely, he will be a no. But if all I have to waste is a drive out there, there's no reason to not go check him out, just in case. 

I wrote back to his owner, asking for conformation shots, particularly of those feet - I'll post them as soon as she writes me back.

As far as Prime goes, he was really only my third favorite. His training looks very "hunter-y" to me, and he definitely doesn't have any eventing, or actual dressage experience. But I imagine I will go and see him and Dolce on the same day, as their in the same area.


----------



## Clementine (Sep 24, 2009)

Here's another potential buy:

#4 - The Brit
16.1hh 10 y/o Grey Thoroughbred Gelding
Asking Price: $5,500

He looks like a sensible, experienced horse. I haven't heard back from his owner's yet - will post the info as soon as I have it.

Thanks


----------



## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

I really like him. He sounds like a great buy for the price. I mean i dont know anything about english lol. But i do like him.


----------



## Lobelia Overhill (Nov 3, 2009)

Clementine said:


> Here's another potential buy:
> 
> #4 - The Brit
> 16.1hh 10 y/o Grey Thoroughbred Gelding
> ...


He looks quite good!


----------

