# My New Horse!!!!



## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Okay so after a 5 hour drive I FINALLY found the horse that I want. I had been looking at her for a while but never went out to see her. I called the guy up and he mentioned someone was coming out to take her for a 10day trial tomorrow so I asked if I could come out. He agreed.

ducthes - Bay Paint for Sale in Lakebutler, Florida FL - FREE Ads

I REALLY like this mare! She marks out when you saddle her. You can walk away from her and she'll stand forever. When you move the pommel she immediately moved to get under it. The guy walked her side ways by just moving the pommel left or right.

She is currently a cutting/roping horse. I'm hoping to make her into an english pleasure horse.

I know my riding sucks!!! LOL She IS beginner safe but she hasn't been worked in around 3 months so shes a bit hot and for being hot shes really not bad.
I tried to keep a loose rein but it was either not loose enough or I was giving mixed signals somehow with the way I was sitting. When I tried to get her to trot she would start out and then stop shortly afterwards.

Duchess is a registrable 10yr 16h paint mare.

Her feet are needing to be done but shes not shod and they look pretty good.

What do you guys think of her? (Video to come as soon as it finished loading onto YouTube)


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## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

she looks like my duchess, built wise, lol. Nice buy lucara and congrats!!!


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

She definitely needs to lose a few pounds, but over all, I like her. 

I'd say if her trial doesn't work out, go for it; especially if you have a trainer who can help you work out the glitches, and aid you in becoming a better communicater with your seat.


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

I've all ready purchased her. I think shes just too nice to miss out on. I think with a lot of round pen work she will be much calmer under saddle when I start riding her. YES, I'm not sure what I'm doing (hopefully someone can tell me from the video) but we were definitely confusing ourselves. LOL


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

great looking horse, I hope she is as good as she lookes. and Congrats!!!


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## SFMoneyMarket (Sep 20, 2008)

Yay lol I'm so thrilled that I found this ad for you!

She's gorgeous! Congrats!


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Okay so I FINALLY got the video uploaded.

I know my riding sucks!!! LOL She IS beginner safe but she hasn't been worked in around 3 months so shes a bit hot and for being hot shes really not bad.
I tried to keep a loose rein but it was either not loose enough or I was giving mixed signals somehow with the way I was sitting. When I tried to get her to trot she would start out and then stop shortly afterwards.

The guy even mentions in his video that hes riding her straight from the pasture without warming her up so I can see her at her worst. He also mentioned later on that he never rides his horses this rough, he did it show what she would put up with.







Sorry about the sideways part of the video!!!! I havn't figured out how to fix that yet =/. LOL


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Sorry for the double post...

Does anyone have a critique for how shes put together?


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## Gidji (Dec 19, 2008)

She's very pretty. I think she does have lots of potential as an english horse. Her walk is really pretty, and I think with a bit of work, she'll be awesome. I didn't really like how she moved when they guy was trying to hop on her though, but I guess you can fix that.
For a horse that was just pulled out of the paddock, she did really well. I've ridden horses that even after being lounged just wanna go fast, fast, fast and outta control.
With a good farrier you can fix her feet, and they aren't really that bad. 
How'd her tail get so short? Did she rub it or did he cut it like that? Either way, you can just put a falsey in it when you show.
You two looked really good together. I can't wait to see her in an english saddle.
Good luck.


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## AussieDaisyGirl (May 21, 2009)

I like her! I'm of course rather partial to bays! I think she's a great buy. Her feet will be an easy fix by a good farrier. I think she's well put together from what I can see. For coming straight out of the paddock with no work for 3 months she did great.

Congratulations!!!


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## andysgagirl (Aug 6, 2009)

Shes beautiful, congratulations! And as far as your riding goes, I liked your riding alot better than his! He just yanked her around and she responded (IMO) alot better with you on her back. You just need a little confidence in yourself!


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

Lovely horse. I think she is a good choice. She seems calm and reasonable for a not so experienced rider but I think she will still be challenging and interesting to work with. 

I think she went much better with your riding, I did not like the way that man was with his hands. I say this in most threads but I really think with a change of bit and lots of circle work she'll come pretty good. It looked to me like she cut corners a lot when cantering with that guy so you are really going to have to work on her bending around the leg. She looked really tense with him so just getting her to relax will do wonders. 

Also please teach her another way to back up rather than continually jerking on her poor little mouth. Having a back button (first on the ground then in the saddle) can do wonders for diffusing stressful situations, getting out of trouble or just getting them to listen. All my horses back up very well. 

She's very fat but constant work should help with that. 

Good luck though, she's really sweet looking and I think she will do great in english.


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## Kentucky (Aug 2, 2008)

andysgagirl said:


> Shes beautiful, congratulations! And as far as your riding goes, I liked your riding alot better than his! He just yanked her around and she responded (IMO) alot better with you on her back. You just need a little confidence in yourself!


 
I agree but he was doing that to get them worst of of her. It is common idea, The owner will be a harsh on that horse to make it misbehave, and it doesn't you willl be fine. My only problem is if she was so good with a snaffle, why did he use a that bit, that is the only problem, I saw. 

If I was in the market for another horse and lived in Florida, I would buy her for myself. 

Lucara, your riding is really good and you do need alittle more confidence in yourself.


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

I agree with everyone else, you ride a lot better then that guy. I am sick and tired of watching these 'cowboy' types yank around on a horse's mouth. She did seem to respond well to your quite hands which is good. I am currently having to retrain two horses that have a lot of issues now due to prior bad riding like that.

As far as her conformation, she is heavy and needs to lose weight. On the upside if she is that big and has not coliced or foundered that means she will be an easy keeper. She looks cow hacked in the back. Her top line will probably improve with some muscling up. Overall a good looking horse.


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

She did colic once but it was due to kids feeding her Jolly Ranchers.  The guy said he never walks his horses. He feeds them a bucket of bran and then rides them until the poop. (Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing? I've always heard of people walking. Same effect though I suppose?)

She only gets 1 cup of feed a day so she will be a VERY easy keeper!

I think her tail may be short up top because she rubs posts when shes in heat. They mentioned that and they said that is the only way you'll know when shes in heat. I believe they said she was in heat when I went to see her. (Hooray for so psycho witches!)

Yes I plan to do a lot of round pen work with her. I agree, I think when she relaxes and lowers her head she'll be absolutely perfect under saddle.

Hehe Yeah, I need more confidence, I agree. I do think I was mixing signals with her during the trot but we'll figure out whose doing what and fix it. I'm fairly uncomfortable and unsure on new horses but I think we'll warm up nicely to each other. 


I'm so impatient to get her home! I want to go out and see her today...


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## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

Lucara said:


> I've all ready purchased her. I think shes just too nice to miss out on. I think with a lot of round pen work she will be much calmer under saddle when I start riding her. YES, I'm not sure what I'm doing (hopefully someone can tell me from the video) but we were definitely confusing ourselves. LOL


Ahhh...okay; I saw the part about her being trialed, so I was confused! :wink:


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## FGRanch (Feb 9, 2008)

I have a couple of things to say...

First-NEVER EVER EVER do up your breast collor OR your back strap before you firmly do up the cinch. 

That guys has no idea how to ride...bending your horse? Come on, you aren't teaching her anything. 

She fights bit contact, so put her in an easier bit until she learns not to lean on the bit or fight it. Her head is also WAY in the air, have someone help you bring that head down, you will have much more control and she will be much more responsive when her head is down. 

I didn't get to watch much of you riding her, my computer sucks but she did seem to do alot better with you. She is a pretty mare and I think that with them she will be a really good horse.


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks. I think because I was a calmer and not so GO GO GO with her, she started to kind of relax and lower her head. 

I'm not sure what bit my instructor suggested but its like an eggbutt snaffle but leaning more towards english or something or another? I'll have to ask her again what it was called.

I think a nice calm warm up in the round pen before riding would do wonders with her too to help her relax and actually enjoy what shes doing!


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## binkyhoo (Jul 13, 2009)

I though you did much better than the dude. He was yanking her all over the place. She looked much more happy with you. She might not need that strong of a bit. Love the blaze. Be happy and work on some basic stuff.


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

I noticed the same thing about that guy doing up the breast collar before the cinch. I know better then that and I have never put a western saddle on a horse before. I think we can pretty much agree that as long as you do the opposite of that guy you will be fine. I would put her in a french link snaffle to start, eggbutt or whatever you prefer for the ring style.


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## Crimsonhorse01 (Sep 8, 2009)

Id make sure shes never foundered...


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Tiff, you took the words out of my mouth. She does have some issues becuase of how she has been ridden (I am willing to bet that is how he rides all the time, not just for show). Slap her back into a snaffle and work on suppling and relaxing her and she will be a really nice horse. One problem that you may have a real issue with is getting the vertical flexion like you will need. He was talking about giving her head to the bit and flexing but she never did relax and she kept laying on the bit. It looks like her mouth is a bit hard but you can fix that with training. As for her confo, she reminds me so much of my QH Denny. A little short (body, neck, shoulder, croup) and angular but very stocky. She looks like she will be a really nice traveller when she relaxes and drops her head.  Congrats, she is sure a beauty.


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks! I'm really excited about doing a lot of ground work with her and seeing her relax without a saddle before I attempt it again in the saddle.

I believe Jan said it was the french link she wanted to use.


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## 7Ponies (May 21, 2009)

Congrats on your new horse, she looks wonderful and I think you are a good match with her.

Did you have her vet checked?


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

I know I'm really going to get hell for this but no, I didn't and don't plan on it. The vet is coming out next month to UD all her shots and coggins.


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## 7Ponies (May 21, 2009)

I only asked because my last horse I did not have vetted, and she has heaves and it's going to be a lifetime of special, costly care for her. I don't know who I'd give her to that would care for her correctly.

Hoping your new horse will pass your vets exam when the time comes.

I'm certainly not going to give you "hell" because I'm sure you know the old saying of "let the buyer beware." I've bought more than one horse with no vet exam, but I'll never do it again since I ended up with a problem horse.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

*looks around secretively* Sshhhh, I have never had any of mine vet checked either. I have yet to be burned but that is not such a common thing anymore, more sneaky people around these days. LOL


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## reining girl (Jan 30, 2009)

lol smrobs, i never had my duchess vey checked either. You are getting a very nice horse for the price, deifnite steal. LIke everyone else is saying, put her back into a snaffle and i think you will really get her going good. He is very hard on her mouth and that is not a good bit for that guy to use. But with you being soft, you could definantly see a difference in the way she acted, with him she acted high strung and go go, with was more laid back calm, listening starting to supple and what not. Congrats on your new mare!


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## Beloved Killer (May 23, 2009)

Question, if you're an English rider, why did you buy a western horse?

Just out of curiosity.


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## thesilverspear (Aug 20, 2009)

Lovely horse but I didn't like how she kept flipping her head up, especially in the canter and rein back and went around inverted. Nothing that can't be fixed with training, though. Seems as if she as a great temperament.


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## Ilovemytb (Sep 12, 2009)

Niiiiiiiice horse!


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## dominoschica (Sep 1, 2009)

Gorgeous mare!!

I think she is going to be very happy that you are her owner/rider now, no more heavy hands. Watching him ride made me cringe. He was just making her worse, you can see how much more responsive and calm she was with you riding her with light hands. 

Don't want to repeat everything everyone else is saying, so I'm just going to agree about the snaffle and lots of lateral work. It works wonders. 


She's beautiful, congrats!


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Thanks!! She should arrive in roughly 2 hours!! I'm psyched! I'll try and snag a video and some pics of her prancing and racing around in front of the other horses.


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## Lucara (Apr 5, 2008)

Beloved Killer said:


> Question, if you're an English rider, why did you buy a western horse?
> 
> Just out of curiosity.


I wasn't too worried about what discipline they were. I just wanted a safe and patient horse for a beginner. My instructor can help with re-training to english but over all shes everything i was looking for. 


Here is a question. I'm not interested in breeding NOW but maybe somewhere down the line I might want to. Do you think shes put together nicely enough to consider breeding to?
I'm not a big fan of most paints (but i love her colors) and I prefer a much taller horse. Do you think an Irish Draught or a Warmblood would come out looking funky from her?

She most likely will be registered since they said its already been paid for.


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## Skeeter9 (Sep 3, 2009)

Wow! What a beautiful girl, and what a huge difference with you riding her!! The way she was moving while her previous owner was riding her, with her head stuck up in the air and very bracey, she is definitely used to being grabbed in the mouth (in other words, I think he was not quite telling the truth about how he normally handles her)! I think you will be very happy with the way she moves once you have had a chance to work with her, and she learns to trust your nice soft hands, etc. It makes me sick to watch people ride like that guy was - it gives all of us "cowboy/cowgirls" a bad reputation!!! 

Congrats on your new beauty!!!


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