# Comments on this Paint Mare?



## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

What do you think of this girl? 

She's 3 years old, broke to ride, has done some ring work and trail riding. She's gentle and quiet, has been used to give rides to children. Still too young for a beginner rider?


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Hard to tell how she is conformationally from this pic. Can you get side pictures?


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## PaintsPwn (Dec 29, 2009)

I certainly wouldn't call her a beginners horse, but that's me. There are people who have plenty of luck with green/young horses, but they're usually 100% under a trainer.

You can't tell much from the picture you've provided, but her legs look crooked. She's got a weird neck, but I can't tell exactly what's going on there. Looks like she's long through the back and her shoulder's steep. 

I cant tell you for sure unless you provide a photo of her from the side.


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## PaintHorseMares (Apr 19, 2008)

Plenty of good dispositioned 3 yr olds are fine for beginners. Our mare lady was started as a lesson horse at 3 yrs and was great with kids. I think she's a beauty and will certainly fill out as she gets older.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I don't think anything is wrong with her neck, I bet you anything it's just her markings. My mare has markings like that on her neck, and if you look at it a certain way it makes her neck look goofy, but from any other angle it's a perfectly fine horse neck. =]

I think she's really cute, and as PaintHorseMares says, there are tons of 3 year old horses with enough brain for beginners. =]


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

Try this pic. I know you can't see the feet in this one. I will try to see if I can find something that shows lower down.


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## PaintsPwn (Dec 29, 2009)

Riccilove; the neck bows out in that first pic. It's not an illusion from a marking. I can't tell if it's an upside down neck, ewed, or improper muscling.

Ladywantsahorse; That's still a very poor picture to judge conformation on.

You need one like this, but with the horse looking straight forward;


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I still think it has a lot to do with the markings making it stand out, as well as the way the horse is standing and holding her head. I stand by my opinion that her neck, from the pictures provided, appears just fine to me.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

A couple more angles. Yeah I know the bum pic doesn't show her neck. LOL


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

I see what Paints does, the underside of her neck... sags a bit. Need better pictures though to be for sure.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

I'm hoping to get out and take some more pics of her tomorrow or Sat.
I'll make sure I get a good angle.




PaintsPwn said:


> Riccilove; the neck bows out in that first pic. It's not an illusion from a marking. I can't tell if it's an upside down neck, ewed, or improper muscling.
> 
> Ladywantsahorse; That's still a very poor picture to judge conformation on.
> 
> You need one like this, but with the horse looking straight forward;


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## PaintsPwn (Dec 29, 2009)

First things I can tell; Ewe neck, straight shoulder. Probably not a very good tie in with the throat latch area.


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Cant wait to see em!

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-riding-critique/confirmation-photos-question-42127/

Here is a thread on photos for critiquing.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

Great examples, gives me a good idea of what to shoot.
I'll bring hubby along to hold the tail. ****!


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

So if it is upside down or ewed, would that be of concern if I just want to use her for light riding? 

And is he asking too much if he wants $2000. for her?

He told me he had wanted her for a penning horse but she's too slow for that, so he wants to sell her.




PaintsPwn said:


> Riccilove; the neck bows out in that first pic. It's not an illusion from a marking. I can't tell if it's an upside down neck, ewed, or improper muscling.


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## fourtwentyam (Dec 5, 2009)

Green horse + green rider = black and blue, haha.

She's cool though, she's like a paint and an appaloosa!


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## Honeysuga (Sep 1, 2009)

Ladywantsahorse said:


> So if it is upside down or ewed, would that be of concern if I just want to use her for light riding?
> 
> And is he asking too much if he wants $2000. for her?
> 
> He told me he had wanted her for a penning horse but she's too slow for that, so he wants to sell her.


1. No, it should not be a problem for light riding.

2. The price is only too high if you are not willing to pay it, if you are, then it is fine. JHer actual worth depends, how does she ride? What do you plan for her in the long run? What are her bloodlines?How well is she trained? Better pics will help out nominally.

3. I always take the sellers word with a grain of salt when buying a horse. They will usually say anything to unload it. Take a trainer (if you have one) or a more experienced horse person when you test ride her, get their opinion too. It all comes down though to the fact that you want her and feel she is right for what you want. If the answer is yes, buy her.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^Ditto to that post. The neck isn't a big thing, more of a vanity issue. The one thing that really bothers me out of all the pix is in that first one, her right hind fetlock looks crooked but I can't tell if it is just how she is standing or what. I will reserve judgement until you are able to get some more pix.

As for a 3 year old being suitable for a beginner. Yes it does happen, some horses are fantastic and completely trustworthy from day 1, other times it is an accident waiting to happen. I agree that taking an experienced horse person along when you try her out would be a very good idea.


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## Curly_Horse_CMT (Jun 8, 2008)

She is a nice looking little mare. I love her expression and face. 

My friend was eleven when she purchased her mare, who had just turned three at the time (the girl is now almost twenty and the horse will be eleven in April) and they did fine together; however, my friend had been riding since the age of three and had plenty of experience. 

It all depends on the horse and the experiences he or she has had. It is totally different letting a kid loose on a horse on the trail and/or the arena rather then just leading them around on a circle.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

Yeah, that's what I'm worried about. LOL



fourtwentyam said:


> Green horse + green rider = black and blue, haha.
> 
> She's cool though, she's like a paint and an appaloosa!


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## kevinshorses (Aug 15, 2009)

If you want a horse for a beginner then your money could be better spent elsewhere. For $2000 you should be able to find a nice, well broke older horse that will suit you better. In my experience very few 3 yo horses are trustworthy enough for a beginner. They may be gentle but every young horse has holes in them that have not surfaced and been dealt with.


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## PaintsPwn (Dec 29, 2009)

> if you want a horse for a beginner then your money could be better spent elsewhere. For $2000 you should be able to find a nice, well broke older horse that will suit you better. In my experience very few 3 yo horses are trustworthy enough for a beginner. They may be gentle but every young horse has holes in them that have not surfaced and been dealt with.


that. Right there!!!


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## HorsePoor_n_BigSky (Dec 19, 2006)

I agree with the two posts above mine. 

As stated green + green = black and blue. Take that to heart it is said for a reason. 

Find an older well broke been there done that horse that will teach you the ropes and be more forgiving. They will be able to figure out what you want without having the exact ques. Also don't have to train on them as much. 

Good luck with your search for a horse.


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## kiwigirl (Sep 30, 2009)

This is based on my own experience and watching friends with young horses, three year old fresh broke horses can be wonderful and quiet, then they hit four. They have gained some confidence in their balance carrying a rider, feel more able and then decide too act like a teenager and push bounderies. Three year olds can be great - it is when they turn four that you need to worry LOL.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

LOL! Well, by then I'll have gotten in more practise and will be prepared for it! (I hope lol)



kiwigirl said:


> ...... Three year olds can be great - it is when they turn four that you need to worry LOL.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

Well, there is this one. A 5 year old Grey Tobiano Curly. A little older, and supposed to be really quiet too. A gelding.


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## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

I usually like curlies, but that one is looking pretty wonky... he looks like he has the head and neck of a pony and the body of a tank. 

And I think by "older," most people mean 8 or so. 5 is still kinda young.


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## PaintsPwn (Dec 29, 2009)

Wonky is one word o___O

Steep shoulder, weak hip, short ewe neck, really strange head... The mare is better built.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

LOL! That's funny, I kinda thought the same thing. I'm getting frustrated trying to find what I want. 
My heart is pretty much set on a Paint though, but I'm having a hard time to find one that's older and beginner rideable. Most of them are either very young or brood mares. I haven't seen any 10 and older beginner suitable Paints for sale.




riccil0ve said:


> I usually like curlies, but that one is looking pretty wonky... he looks like he has the head and neck of a pony and the body of a tank.


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

LOL!
I thought by starting early, during the winter months, I'd have a better chance of finding something nice for a lower price because people are wanting to sell to make room for spring arrivals and others not so eager to buy at this time of year. It seems to be a bigger job than I thought.







PaintsPwn said:


> Wonky is one word o___O
> 
> Steep shoulder, weak hip, short ewe neck, really strange head... The mare is better built.


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## Ridehorses99 (Dec 23, 2009)

Ladywantsahorse said:


> LOL! That's funny, I kinda thought the same thing. I'm getting frustrated trying to find what I want.
> My heart is pretty much set on a Paint though, but I'm having a hard time to find one that's older and beginner rideable. Most of them are either very young or brood mares. I haven't seen any 10 and older beginner suitable Paints for sale.


I hear ya. I have friends looking for a well trained, some show experience paint horse for their daughter and can't find anything for less than $7,500. I think the economy has pushed a lot of people to sell off the young horses and keep their seasoned ones. With that said, the price for that mare is pretty high in my opinion for a young, unregistered (?) horse. The lady who runs the boarding stable where my horses are has 10 registered young horses (3 and 4 years old) for sale, all saddle broke, good ground manners, good bloodlines, and good confirmation with prices starting at $1250. 

Regarding the age, my sweet, gentle paint gelding hit his "terrible twos" at the age of 4. Some of the previous posts hit the nail on the head....he had been ridden for a year and finally decided it was time to test the waters. Luckily, I am working with a trainer and we worked through everything. Zip is now a wonderful show horse, but I still wouldn't let a beginning rider take him out of the arena. Not that he ever got mean or threw me, but he knows how to test whoever is riding him. 

Good luck to you !


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## Ladywantsahorse (Nov 4, 2009)

Thank you.
I'm taking everyone's advice, and as sweet as she looks, I'm passing on her. I never did get to go see her last weekend, so didn't get any more pics, but I'm already on the trail of something else. 

I contacted someone who is a long time Paint breeder and has contacts all over the country, and he agrees that it's going to be a long wait if I hold out for what I want.

So, I'm going to check out a couple of QH that are more suitable for me.





Ridehorses99 said:


> I hear ya. I have friends looking for a well trained, some show experience paint horse for their daughter and can't find anything for less than $7,500.......
> Good luck to you !


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## I love Arabs (Nov 19, 2009)

Sometime you need to stretch your boundries... A friend of mine HAD to have a registered horse she just HAD to have one and they needed a "forever horse" well I had to break it to them that there are no "forever horses" if there were then I never would have gotten another horse! But they never did listen to me aand what did they buy??... A REGISTERED!, 4 year old FOREVER HORSE who was just perfect when they tried him but the seller wouldnt let them have a trial as he needed to go RIGHT AWAY well the 11 year old girl (whos barely had lessons but loves(ed) horses and is very green and dose not know very much about keeping and feeding) got bucked off broke her arm and wont get on the horse. They paid ALOT. Its kind of sad if they took the time and found a good solid horse (or or or just took and year or two of lessons!) this never would have happened.

My advice to you is make sure your ready for the horse as it is a HUGE commitment, get a good, solid horse who has TONS of miles AND if you can PLEASE (this is HUGE for me) please please get ATLEST a weeks trial.
Good Luck I know this is hard and sometimes you wish you could snap your finger and a horse come out but you cant  so have fun horse shopping and get something safe and enjoyable!


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