# Prospective Buy - what do you think?



## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

I've been looking for a horse to purchase & do eventing with for a while now, & after going out to see a couple of duds & getting tons of ads vetoed by my trainer, I've FINALLY found a horse that she thinks sounds like he could work for me. The owner & my trainer have been playing phone tag, so they've not been able to actually talk yet, but I'm going to call the owner tomorrow & hopefully set up a time to go out & see him this weekend, since he's only about 25minutes away from me.
I took 5 years off from riding, so while I was competing in Level 1 jumpers & Novice eventing (schooling 3'6), I'm back to basics & schooling about 2'6 currently. I'm hoping to have a working student position at an eventing barn this fall, so I'd be taking the horse with me.
He's only 15.2hh, but I have short legs, so that's not an issue.
I originally found this horse over the summer, when he was of my price range. He was originally $8k, his price has been reduced to $5.5k "negotiable".









Designer's Silly Smoke ("Smoke") is a 7 year old registered paint gelding. Smoke is currently schooling 2"6' but has cleared 4"3' with ease. He is quiet enough for an advanced child and advanced enough for an upper level eventer! He is great on trails and started on Western Pleasure. Smoke ties, loads, stands quiet for vet/farrier, and travels VERY well. He gets along with any horse in the pasture, and is not scared of ANYTHING. He has never refused a jump and is a very willing horse! He has learned basic Parelli horsemanship skills, and has participated in multiple pony club functions. Smoke is always in the ribbons at every show! Smoke is also insured and comes with all his APHA paperwork. Price is negotiable. Also would consider a lease. Come out and test ride him today!! 
Here's his ad (with more pics):
Flashy Solid Black Western Pleasure or Hunter/Jumper, Reg APHA - Designer's Silly Smoke


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## MudPaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Some of the horses you have posted on here have been... sketchy. But man do I LOVE LOVE LOVE this one. He sounds great.... a little too great, but man I'd be banging down their door to see him. He sounds like he has the scope to go higher but a good level mentality.


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

You should have seen the ones I actually went out to see haha. Sooo sketchy! I finally learned to just not bother unless my trainer gave her approval first.


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

Forgot to ad these in the original post. Here are a few short videos of him:


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

...does no one else have anything to say about him? I'm going out to see him Sunday morning.


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I like his jump and he looks to be a nice mover. Definitely worth the trip to go test him out!_



_*Disclaimer....I am by no means an expert*_


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

what level are you planning on working up to ? he looks like he could be a great lower level horse !


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

Well I'm starting over at pre-beginner novice, so I just wanna work my way back up from there. It'll be a couple years before I'm back at Novice, probably, & I don't really see myself ever going higher than Prelim.


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## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

i really like him, sounds great for what you are needing.


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

I went out & saw him today, & I really liked him!He's a really sweet horse, & it was obvious that he's happy & very well taken care of. His owner said she's only had him at this barn for a few weeks, and they don't have a jump field set up yet, so she'd mostly just been trail riding him & doing a bit of Western Pleasure with him, & taking him over some cavaletti gymnastics, but that's about it. She doesn't have all her tack at the barn yet, so I had to ride him in his trail bridle, but I used my saddle on him. I could tell he really enjoys jumping - he gets excited about it, but in a manageable way. He does need to build up a bit more muscle, but I don't think it'd take much to do that. He's not completely out of shape, he's just not gotten to jump regularly since his owner had to move him across the state. She's been working with him on his lead changes, but he doesn't have flying changes down quite yet, she said he usually will get it in front but not in back. He's been ridden regularly to keep him in shape, but has not been shown in about two years. When she had him in Tallahassee, she did tadpole eventing with him, & she said someone else had taken him a bit higher than that, but she's not an eventer so she doesn't really know the levels. She said she'd e-mail me some pictures tonight of him doing cross country. She said he's absolutely fearless. There was a big puddle on one side of the field that I rode him in & he charged right through it.
She said he's an extremely easy keeper. He's out in a nice grass pasture & gets a small bit of grain & half a flake of hay each day & stays fat & happy. He's barefoot. She said he colicked once while he was living in a sand pen for a while, but he didn't have to have surgery for it. He has a white spot above his left hock, presumably from some sort of injury but she said it was there when she bought him as a 3year old & she's really not sure what it's from. He's never had any other health issues. He's had all of his shots, coggins, & teeth floating.
She said she'd be happy to let me take him on trial. I haven't talked to her about how negotiable his price is yet. She had originally bought him as a resale project, but then fell in love with him & decided to keep him, so she's only selling him now due to finances. She's really nice & seems very honest & upfront about everything. I'm having my trainer call her after I see her tomorrow.

Videos of me riding him (PLEASE don't critique my riding, I've only been regularly back in the saddle for about 4 months!)


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_I think with his proper bridle, he would have been working a bit better then what he was, and possibly listening to your hand more willingly.._

_He doesn't seem worried about getting in deep or long, but still just takes the fence. _


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

Yeah, I'd like to get him in just a normal snaffle, see how he does.
The striding was kinda wonky, so I thought he was pretty handy, considering. He definitely prefers to take a jump long than try to add. There weren't any groundlines at first, I think he only knocked the first jump we went over because he really couldn't see it very well, it was a really thin, natural-coloured pole.


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

I'm taking him back to my barn on Monday for a 1month trial!


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_Oh thats super exciting Q! Congrats on getting the trial. Keep us updated on how everything goes with him. I at least hope to hear that you purchase him. He looks like a good boy._


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

Thanks! I'll definitely be posting tons of pictures


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## MudPaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Yay! I still really like him. I'm with velvet on the bitting. Good luck on the trial. Hope it goes well. And a month is the perfect amount of time to really get to see how he does and get him vetted.


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## laurarachelle (May 6, 2011)

That's so awesome!!!! He looks like really great, it must be nice to finally find a nice horse after all that looking!
Keep us updated, can't wait to see how you guys progress!


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