# Possible project



## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Here is a 6 year old gelding I am looking at as a possible project. 

I am looking for remarks critiquing his conformation and what you might be able to see of his attitude as well, please.

I will post what I think is the best shot here, then follow with another post of the remainder of the pics for movement and such.


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

*additional pics*


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

*2 more*


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

He's cute and looks willing enough. I'm curious as to why he has two halters on.

There's nothing hugely glaring about his conformation that stands out to me. I like his short back and he's got good bone. I like his front legs (first horse I've seen in a long while that isn't over at the knee), and his hind legs are bad, either. 

Get him into work and build a topline on him and I think he'd make a nice little horse for someone.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

He only had the rope halter on for the duration of the the picture taking, my line ties on a loop which the regular one does not have.

There are only 3 horses on the property, an older mare and a gelding. This horse was born there (they bought the mother then she died when he was 4 months old). He was a stud until this August, when trouble began brewing between him and the gelding over the mare. 

He had never even been taught to lead. Just a field ornament. In August he was gelded and when he was tranquilized and laying down for that had his feet trimmed for the first time.

The other gelding was in the barn banging away at the door to get out, the mare was is the same little mud lot as I, and I thought it best to just leave the old halter on rather than have him take advantage of the split second to get over to the mare.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Was just curious about the two halters, not giving you grief over it. 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks, I've had enough grief after loosing Elwood last Saturday.

Appreciate you comments, my daughter likes him and wants me to take him (free).

I like short horses, and thought he looks sturdy enough for me.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

He looks really willing. I like that. There isn't one shot where he looks upset or frustrated.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

he looks sturdy and seems to have an attentive and trusting, (if a tiny bit pushy) attitude. I like him!


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Well, maybe I'll give him a try. They actually wanted $700 for him but I had them talked down to 'just take him' by the time I left. 

I'll see if I can get my son to drive the truck+trailer up this week before they change their minds. The truck is so old and rickety that he is our official 'horse chauffeur' since he can handle mechanical breakdowns on the spot.

This is his payback for the 50,000 hard hard miles he put on it as a teenager.


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## Boo Walker (Jul 25, 2012)

"He had never even been taught to lead. Just a field ornament. In August he was gelded and when he was tranquilized and laying down for that had his feet trimmed for the first time."

Just be sure you are up for the hard work and responsibility of helping him become a safe horse to be around!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Having done a few project horses consider this. At the end what will you have? It takes as much effort and time to train a good one as a bad one. This one is unhandled. 

He is sturdy looking and all, but he has a noticeable sway to his back, he is down hill in build, he is long through the coupling. Once you get him broke and relatively trained, what is he going to do? Will your training add enough value to make the hours of work worth the task?


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

I am capable of helping him become safe to be around.

I am not capable of making him into a valuable riding horse. 

I can probably get him to walk-trot stage as long as I have no time constraints. My daughter can help further.

I am just a backyard rider having to do pretty much with only backyard horses. That is all I'm looking for. 

I have worked with young horses, horses with problems like trailer loading or bad manners, a couple of 2-yr olds (started one of them), a RMH from yearling to 3 yrs including starting under saddle at a walk, a horse that had gone berserk from extensive showing too young, re-started several after standing in a field for years. About 30 horses altogether, not a large number, and not any but my own for a while. I may be a bit rusty.


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Elana, 

Thank you very much for posting. I have seen your posts and have a high regard for your opinions.

I see what you are saying about the sway back and down hill, can you tell me what to look for to see what you mean by long in the coupling?

Thanks


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## cowgirllinda1952 (Apr 15, 2013)

He's cute, does he look maybe a little wormy to anyone else?


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## paintedpastures (Jun 21, 2011)

He looks like a pretty sturdy & willing horse Pics are hard to judge conformation. I'd like to see a good side view confo shot, he looks best in that first pic but others he looks to not have a poor topline,not very level .He looks very similiar to a neighbor lady's horse{pali gelding too:shock:}.He could be prone to similiar to her horse:-( 
the dipped back made for saddle fitting issues causing soreness then behavioral issues:-(.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

All I am saying is he has conformation that is going to limit him. He is long ahead of his point of croup. He is going to be hard to collect. If he is to be a trail riding horse he will be difficult to keep together going down a steep hill.

When I bought a project horse it was for rehabilitation and eventual resale. I wanted a horse that left me to be good enough both in conformation and training not to end up back in a bad place. It meant leaving some horses I saw in a not so good situation because even with training and effort they were still not going to go very far. 

I also knew what I wanted in a horse if the horse was going to stay with me. Was this horse going to be too limited physically or too damaged mentally to be what I needed?

It was a tough business. It was hard to walk away from a horse in a bad place sometimes... But if that horse was little more than soap then the best place was the rendering plant or in someone else's pasture, not mine. 

In this current market there is a lot of nice horse flesh going for very cheap. It is a buyers market. NOT telling you not to get this horse as a project. Your money and time after all. Just saying you can afford to be discerning.


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## anndankev (Aug 9, 2010)

Please look at a post I made about a mare I went to see today, Iposted it in the health section because of her condition.

Here is the name, I don't know how to post it as a link.

*What would it take to rehab, then what would I have?*

Thanks


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