# Please critique this gelding



## Dressage10135 (Feb 11, 2009)

Alright here goes... Well I think I finally was able to convince my parents that I would be able to afford leasing a horse from my trainer and that it is something I really want to do. I am 18 years old and I know I am responsible enough to take care of a horse. The reason I am leasing instead of buying is 1) This will be my first horse; 2) I am in college and more than likely wont have as much time in the winter for riding; and 3) If anything goes wrong, my trainer will be able to keep the horse. 

So without further ado, here is Pete! 

This is the ad:
DreamHorse.com Horse ID: 1369313 - Pretorius or Pete

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv333/Liz123_08_2009/PetePaperboy045.jpg?t=1241570897

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv333/Liz123_08_2009/PetePaperboy028.jpg?t=1241570934

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv333/Liz123_08_2009/PetePaperboy035.jpg?t=1241570954

http://i697.photobucket.com/albums/vv333/Liz123_08_2009/PetePaperboy033.jpg?t=1241570968

Thanks so much!


----------



## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

He is sooo super cute, little skinny but nothing hay and grain cant fix. =)


----------



## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

You got my opinion in chat - just wanted to write a little note here saying that he's super cute; but you know my opinion already.


----------



## EternalSun (Mar 29, 2009)

Wow, he's a great-grandson of Secretariat! Awesome bloodlines! And his ad makes him sound really nice. I agree with ReiningGirl, he needs some weight, but I'd go for it.


----------



## pepperduck (Feb 14, 2008)

I think you are being really smart about your options, and have a great job thinking it all through. Have you ridden this horse at all? He looks so thin and awful in the ad pictures, they should use your pictures he looks a ton better! I think as far as a lease goes, if he is the type of horse you are looking for and the lease price is good, then I say go for it.


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

He really looks nice. Hope you're not planning on trying bareback with those withers! Your logic is sound, and you already know what I think from your other post. Go for it!


----------



## Chuckface (Apr 25, 2009)

He looks really pretty. congrats on your first horse!


----------



## shellyshoe (Mar 12, 2007)

i think he looks like a great horse, i like the way is put together ..... just not a fan of those riding pic's he has that 3rd vertibra (speeling sorry) brake in his neck from being strapped down with those side reins to get his head down. i thick once he has some hay in him he'll be super doper 

good luck


----------



## Skyhuntress (Sep 9, 2008)

He's cute. A bit too thin. Long backed with a weaker loin connection, but the appearance and stength of it could could likely be improved. The picture of him being ridden is an awful one, because he's really on his forehand, and the rider is making it so much worse, but I bet that with some decent training where he learned to lift himself a bit, he'd be quite pretty.


----------



## KTSpeedhorse (Mar 10, 2009)

I also owned a Secretariat great grandson. He was a supper cool horse. Nice disposition, but I always had problems keeping weight on him.


----------



## Dressage10135 (Feb 11, 2009)

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement!  I talked to his owner today and found out that he has been raced. They got him and a few others like him from a racing farm that wasn't feeding them so that is why he is so skinny. She told me that Pete has had about 6 months of professional training after they got him but she has no idea how long he has been off the track. Her trainer wanted her to sell him for $3800 because he has such great movements and potential but she just doesn't have the room for him and wants to find him a good home. So does any of this information sway what you guys were thinking? I still really want to try him out, but I would love your opinions! 

Oh! She lowered his price to $700!!


----------



## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Two words: vet check. 

$700 is a good price for an OTTB with some retraining, I would strongly encourage you to try him out a couple times if at all possible to see if you like him, and see if his training matches your ability. 

Please do keep in mind that a horse is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it; if he couldn't sell for the higher price, there is a reason. Just words of caution - I really do like the looks of him... you have a good head on your shoulders and I'm sure you'll do us all proud with whatever decision you make.


----------



## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

He needs alot of groceries, that's for sure, but overall, I think he would be a lovely first timer, especially if you have worked with, and ridden him previously. 

He does look like he would have alot of potential, he just needs some weight and muscle building to bring that out of him; right now, it would be difficult to determine how much he could give you, because he doesn't have much in the area of decent muscling.

eta: just noticed that you haven't ridden him yet. I would definitely try him out, and make sure to get him thoroughly vet checked before you make your final decision.


----------



## shellyshoe (Mar 12, 2007)

mm the great price drop would ring bells in my head, at to why??? def go with the FULL vet check... spend the extra money and be sure.


----------



## lovemyponies (Jul 26, 2008)

how much do you have to pay to lease him? (just pay board?) Keep in mind that as he fattens up his disposition my change LOL I know I have survived a skinny TB turning into beautiful nut.


----------



## Dressage10135 (Feb 11, 2009)

Great news! My dad said I could go try him out this weekend!! I am so excited!! If you couldn't tell.. :lol:

But seriously, I am going to get a vet check. I really don't want there to be something wrong that my trainer or I don't see. I think the only reason she dropped the price was because she doesn't have room for him anymore. However, it is a little suspicious because if he was an "amazing" horse, there would be no trouble selling him right? 

Either way though I am super excited and really really hope he works out! 

lovemyponies- I think I would be paying around $100 a month to board him. I believe that includes feed as well. 

Oh and one more thing. I looked up his name on the jockey club site and saw that he had 64 starts (and won a few). Is that a lot? It seems like quite a bit to me, but I don't know that much about racing.


----------



## eventerdrew (Mar 13, 2009)

wow he's super thin. Seems like a good horse though. Definitely worth checking out if you're really into him!


----------



## MyBoyPuck (Mar 27, 2009)

64 starts? That is a lot! Definitely vet check, but I wouldn't worry about the "amazing" price. This economy has produced some incredibly good deals. I can't believe what I paid for my OTTB 2 years ago compared to what I probably could have gotten for him today.


----------



## Skyhuntress (Sep 9, 2008)

Dressage10135 said:


> Oh and one more thing. I looked up his name on the jockey club site and saw that he had 64 starts (and won a few). Is that a lot? It seems like quite a bit to me, but I don't know that much about racing.


 Usually, they have (at absolute max) about 8-10 starts a year. It's not uncommon for them to only have 3-4 starts a year. But if he was racing from 2-9 year old, he could quite possibly have that many starts.


----------



## back in the crosby again (Feb 4, 2009)

With that many starts, very few horses out there would be perfectly sound afterwards. I know you are going to do a vet check, but also take into consideration what you want to do with him. Do you want him as a pleasure horse or to be heavy into showing. If it is the later then you may want to be wary of a horse with potentially a lot of wear and tear, but as a pleasure horse or something in between it would probably be fine. 

Also, if they have had him in professional training for 6 months, even if he was really skinny to start he should have gained more weight in that time. I would inquire about his feeding and ask more questions about his weight.


----------

