# 13 y.o mounted patrol gelding



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

This is the only confo type photo we were given, but what is your thoughts on this handsome fellow? I am on a first horse searcgh for a friend who is in need of a confidence booast after a nasty fall from rearing and bucking gelding sold to her as beginner safe. Her 10 year old mildly autistic son will also be riding occasionally, but has been taking lessons for 3 years. Registered paint, +-15hh, 13 years old. No vices and will wtc , side pass, back up, will ride through and over anything, keeps a steady gait until asked to stop. Rides double, bareback, English , western. Currently in use as a mounted patrol horse in very active and loud environments and sleeps through it all. Trailers, trims, worms, vaccinates easily. Does wear shoes because they are required with his job but went without them and sound for years. Good doer, puppy dog attitude and just loves to be around people. Only being sold because his owner needs a bigger, sturdier horse for the job.

See anything particularly worrying about him that I am not catching? His withers may make him hard to find a saddle for but we will ask his owner what he is currently wearing. Rides in a snaffle most of the time. Then there than that I don't see any glaring problems that would cause him to be unsound for what she wants. She just wants a walk trot horse (mostly trot) to ride trails and neighborhood roads or bareback in the pasture on 4-5 days a week as a recreational activity.

If he is all that the say he is he is priced for a song and we plan to snatch him up! Horses like this with this much experience just don't come around often.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

I like him a lot! A lot a lot! 
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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

I see long toe/low heel hooves. Will need a good farrier and several trims to correct, but not a deal breaker. He looks like he may toe out, which is also not the end of the world, but is a flaw. I think personality and training sound much more important assuming the horse is reasonably sound given his intended use.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I KNOW Drafty! Seriously, if I had the finances to own again this guy would already be sold to me...aghhh <3 but I do get to go test ride him so ha!!! I hope he is what we were looking for.

Viranh, I was seeing that too.I am going to take a good long look at his feet when we go to test him. Needing a few good trims to get him where he needs to be is not a problem at all, but if his feet look like they won't hold up to bring barefoot for any reason or they look poorly, we may keep looking. Shoes on a pleasute gelding is an expensive thing to do, especially if that horse will be living in a pasture with other horses and wears back shoes.


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

It's a super common problem, though. It's often easier to fix barefoot, but he may need hoof boots to be comfortable when riding in the mean time. My only long term concern would be that if he's been that way a long time, he could be at risk for navicular. If he's clean now, though, the risk is significantly reduced once the hooves are balanced. As long as he's sound on them, I don't think the feet would scare me off because I have fixed worse on many different horses.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

absolutly has no heal. I would say he is a good candidate for navicular.


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## Jumping4Joy (Jan 29, 2014)

I would make sure he's mentally stable and suitable for beginners. A horse at my job was a police horse and he has major trust issues, dislikes most men, and he occasionally has huge melt downs when riding. Now, after being worked with with a trainer he is a lot better, and he has a super sweet puppy dog personality. I believe many of these mounted patrol horses are abused, so I would be careful.
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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Im going to suggest that we have xrays done on his feet, I think.

Jumoer, thanks. I an an experienced rider and will be riding first so I will watch for any signs of poor training. I know a few patrol and ex patrol horses here in Houston and all agree well cared for and trained but I guess you never know!
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## DreaMy (Jul 1, 2014)

Second Jumping, I knew a horse that was a phenomenal mounted police horse, was absolutely amazing for his owner/handler but was downright nasty if the owner wasn't there.

OTOH, I know several other police horses that would pack anyone anywhere and my own mare has gone through all the mounted police training because her owner was a mounted policeman and she's pretty solid


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Aside from his feet, which look fixable (send the farrier pics!) he is a pretty darn nice horse.

For a w/t horse. Especially one "proven" bombproof he's fantastic.

So if his temperament is what it sounds like then go for it!

The only things I can think of- if he's used to more he may get bored with less, and he may of had a "hard" (work wise) life, but shouldn't be an issue for what is needed.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I like him a lot too. The only thing I can really pick out beyond the needed hoof care is that his shoulder and pastern angle may make him a bit of a rough ride. Hope not though as he looks like a winner .


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

I saw that too smorbs but hopefully it won't matter.


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Those feet are my only concern. This is a very nice horse.


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

I like him and if his training/personality is what they say it is I wouldn't be wasting time before going to check him out. I'd also be prepared to at the very least put a deposit down on him that day because he won't last long (again, if the ad is being truthful).


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

If he is going for a song I would question soundness. If he can pass a PPE then I'd say you found a gem for your friend.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Well I guess 'a song is relative.' He's more than she originally wanted to pay, but he is priced VERY nicely for the area. I think that has a lot to do with it being winter. A basic broke horse here costs $1000 or so. One who is labelled 'super broke' and family friendly is $1800-$3000 depending on its experience. Most have just been arena ridden or trail ridden most of their lives. Many aren't registered. This guy is $2000, and not only registered but very experienced. So IMO he is super reasonably priced if he is what he is stated to be, especially since he is 'colored' and registered, which seem to cause prices to skyrocket around here where a chestnut or bay would cost half of the price of a paint or appy. I told her to expect to pay at least $2000 for a basic safe beginners horse. He's pretty much a 'delux' beginners horse, and $2000.

We're doing a basic PPE plus hoof xrays on him at very least. If he is in ANY way unsound we will pass him up, but hopefully he comes back clean. I also hope that he has at least a decent walk and trot, but hey- a bumpy trot just means more of a work out for his rider! hahaha. Like I said, the entirety of his job with my friend will be w-t on level, well maintained ground, and maybe occasional canter. He'll have a lot of stimuli to deal with though, because this is a bustling equine community.

You make a good point though Yogiwick. He could very well get bored of the easy life after his years of working actively. I'm trying to decide how I'd find that out though. Hmm....


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## flytobecat (Mar 28, 2010)

I like him too and that price is not that bad if he is as bomb proof as stated. If he vet's out ok, I would go for it.


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Figuring out if he's bored and needs 6 days of actual work and stimulation a week.... I would ask the owner. I would also pay close attention to his personality, is he one to get edgy if he is bored? He's bombproof but is that by training or is he just that laid back? He may not care. Ask how much work he is currently getting..his minimum?

I would try to get a trial too, maybe 2 weeks?

There are ways to guess but ultimately I think you won't know until you're there.

If he is a real people horse that may help since it sounds like he'll be getting plenty of attention!


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## rbaker0345 (Nov 2, 2014)

Definitely get a good barefoot trimmer, that angle is so negative, its scary. Otherwise, for what you're talking about. If he had two heads but was still a real solid guy mentally, I would still say go for it.


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## churumbeque (Dec 20, 2009)

Update?


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Thanks for reminding me to update!

We went to see him and really like him. He has a great handle if you know what youre doing and if you are beginner he is super forgiving and chill about fumbling around. I rode hi m saddled and bareback at all gaits and Smrobs was right. He is ok at a walk but his working trot and his canter are a work out! hahaha. I nearly slid off bareback cantering. But my friend said 0 % chance she will ever canter bareback so it doesn't matter. Lol. Very still for mounting, lets you sway around in the saddle, doesn't break gait. His feet are still a bit underrun so the vet is coming out Wednesday to xray those and his knees for a PPE, abd we will go out one more time and let her son ride him to be sure they do ok together, but if he passes he will officially have a new home!!!
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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Good update!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

Boo. Unfortunatly we are on the hunt again. The gelding did not pass his hoof xrays and we decided it was too big of a risk.
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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Dangit!!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I know! He was so perfect otherwise. He doesn't have navicular yet, but the farrier showed me where he was looking very iffy on his back hooves and we agreed that especially for a first time owner looking for a low maintenance beginners horse, this was not something she should take on. We let the owner know about his hooves though and she actually didn't even know about underrun heels so she's going to get on top of his feet and hopefully stop this in its tracks. I'm glad we could help her even if my friend is out some money on the PPE.


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## Viranh (Apr 7, 2013)

Aw, boo. I was hoping they would not have damage yet, although they were looking pre-navicular.


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