# Opinions on a possible paint prospect?



## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

Hey all! I was wondering if I could get some opinions on a gelding that I'm interested in. We're moving onto a property (huge work in progress) on the first of November, and will be turning it into a horse facility complete with training, lessons, cattle, etcetc. I want to get into rodeo competitively, but my little mare just doesn't have the energy for it anymore - so, seeing as we have the space and I'll need an active and working horse, we figure we might as well get a deal, train up a horse, and see where we stand. 

The gelding is a registered paint, 10 years old, and unbroke. Sounds like a red flag, but he wasn't started solely because the woman was keeping him as a pet and has a job where she can't risk getting hurt. He's done ground-work, has been saddled, trailers, is "farrier approved", but needs an experienced handler. He's healthy too, by the looks of it, and the owner said he hadn't been given the chance to pick up any bad habits. That said, I'm expecting he'll come with a few. The ad said he was 17hh, and he looks very lean with little muscle. Definitely would take a while to build him up to his potential - but, with that said, this is a horse I and my stepdad would be working with daily. The pictures aren't the greatest for conformation, but I'd love to get some opinions. 

To make matters better, he's *free*. Which, around here (BC, Canada) is rare for a decent find. Horses are insanely expensive, but that's another rant all-together....

And without further adieu, "Blaze" (the first thing I would do is change his name; so _original_).


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Other than the fact that he is ridiculously light on bone for his height (looks very much like a heavily-TB influenced paint), I don't see anything glaring from the pics provided.

His hocks are a little high and he is tied in behind the knee, but there are much worse faults to have.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Yogiwick (Sep 30, 2013)

Unbroke/17hh/needs experienced handler/free together make a red flag for me. But if you click and think it's a match and legit I'd say go for it.
I agree he looks more TB, and not loving his legs. What are you doing to use him for? I think he would be fine for most things. Other than the legs he looks good.
I don't know if it's the way his eye is or what but I am getting the impression he is hot, and probably herd bound (is he with anyone?) from these pictures. Must mention. Dog picture is ADORABLE. That is so my shepherd haha.

But yeah if you think it's a match I would go for it!


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LOL, holy long legs, Batman! Like others have said, his confo certainly doesn't look ideal, but in those pictures, I don't see much of anything that would prevent him from being a sound riding horse....other than having to climb up on that enormous height. I have enough trouble with my 16.2 monster LOL.

His shoulder looks upright so he will likely be a rough mover, but sometimes those are great horses to ride. After all, if you can sit a rough traveler and look good doing it, you'll be able to make any horse look easy :wink:.


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## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Other than the fact that he is ridiculously light on bone for his height (looks very much like a heavily-TB influenced paint), I don't see anything glaring from the pics provided.
> 
> His hocks are a little high and he is tied in behind the knee, but there are much worse faults to have.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Yeah, I definitely thought TB when I saw him the first time. He's got very little substance to him. And, seeing as he's never actually been _worked_, it makes him look even lankier ahahaha. I'm willing to bet he'd look a hell of a lot better with some muscle! 



Yogiwick said:


> Unbroke/17hh/needs experienced handler/free together make a red flag for me. But if you click and think it's a match and legit I'd say go for it.
> I agree he looks more TB, and not loving his legs. What are you doing to use him for? I think he would be fine for most things. Other than the legs he looks good.
> I don't know if it's the way his eye is or what but I am getting the impression he is hot, and probably herd bound (is he with anyone?) from these pictures. Must mention. Dog picture is ADORABLE. That is so my shepherd haha.
> 
> But yeah if you think it's a match I would go for it!


Yeah, we're definitely treading with care on this one. With that said, we don't have too much to lose. I plan to use him to work cattle, take on trails, do gymkhana, perhaps get into barrels with, etc. I know barrel horses are usually tiny, but if he can turn like a little one can then he'll be good in my books, haha! We'll have to see. And yeah, I have a feeling he's going to be pretty hot, not sure regarding the herd situation though. And I know! Love that image. c': 



smrobs said:


> LOL, holy long legs, Batman! Like others have said, his confo certainly doesn't look ideal, but in those pictures, I don't see much of anything that would prevent him from being a sound riding horse....other than having to climb up on that enormous height. I have enough trouble with my 16.2 monster LOL.
> 
> His shoulder looks upright so he will likely be a rough mover, but sometimes those are great horses to ride. After all, if you can sit a rough traveler and look good doing it, you'll be able to make any horse look easy :wink:.


Tell me about it! I actually laughed when I saw the one picture, because his legs just look ten times as long as they should be.(; The height will be absolutely HILARIOUS, considering I'm only 5' and have issues getting on my 14.3hh little mare. But, hey, I'm open-minded. Maybe I'll feel tall for once in my life! Thanks!


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

He definitely looks like the sort that will keep you on your toes. If you like that type of horse (I do, and I adore riding the high-energy TWH that I work with), fantastic. If you want something that won't require all of your attention all of the time, you might want to pass him up. He's definitely a pretty boy and TALL. I'm not so sure how well he'll do with cattle and barrels since you usually want the opposite of him (short, stocky, and close to the ground) for those types of thing, but you never know. He might just have a knack for it.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

I think 17h is going to be rather tall if your looking for a competitive rodeo horse. I'd also be a little concerned about how those legs will hold up to hard work.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

Endiku said:


> He definitely looks like the sort that will keep you on your toes. If you like that type of horse (I do, and I adore riding the high-energy TWH that I work with), fantastic. If you want something that won't require all of your attention all of the time, you might want to pass him up. He's definitely a pretty boy and TALL. I'm not so sure how well he'll do with cattle and barrels since you usually want the opposite of him (short, stocky, and close to the ground) for those types of thing, but you never know. He might just have a knack for it.


I really, really enjoy horses that keep my full attention. The mare I have at the moment is very much the opposite (even though she didn't start that way, haha!), so I'm really looking forwards to something that will challenge me for sure! And that's what I'm thinking, definitely. He's not your stereotypical western working horse, but there's always that chance he could end up loving it. I usually go for shorter, stockier mounts, so it'll be very interesting to see how it goes! He's a monster compared to what I'm used to, haha! c:



SlideStop said:


> I think 17h is going to be rather tall if your looking for a competitive rodeo horse. I'd also be a little concerned about how those legs will hold up to hard work.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


By competing, know I mean at pretty low levels! I've never ridden competitively before (even though I've been riding since I could walk), so I want a horse that will let me ease into it with a fitting intensity level. I'm not expecting any sort of big cashouts or anything of the sort - if he and I get there, great! If not, he'd at least leave me with more knowledge. c: And yeah, we'd definitely take that into consideration. Thank you!

You're all wonderful! c:


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## amp23 (Jan 6, 2011)

While he looks like a good horse to hop on and mess around on, even if he does turn out being hot tempered, I would not push it with his tiny legs and try to do anything strenuous with him. I'd definitely steer clear of barrels and such with him, but that's just my opinion. He just doesn't look like a horse that could get down and turn/work doing any cattle work or gaming and stay sound for it.


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## LyraFreedom (Jan 13, 2013)

*Noo*

NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! You could maybe get this horse to be sort of ridable in around 6 months but no where near trustworthy for another 12! and not anywhere near ready for competing for another 2 years. 10.000 dollars latter...

If you want a project horse you need a four or five year old sturdy QH gelding who is from a reputable sire that has a history of rodeo competing. 

and if you are inexperienced when it comes to horses you need a 9 to 10 year old dead broke horse!!!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Seems like a nice horse, very light bone but for general riding I don't see a problem. Looks like he has been saddled and played around with in that one pic. Have you trained a horse before? If not, he would be a good one to start with and get some help with as well. A free, not lame, registered horse in BC is pretty rare.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

LyraFreedom said:


> NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! You could maybe get this horse to be sort of ridable in around 6 months but no where near trustworthy for another 12! and not anywhere near ready for competing for another 2 years. 10.000 dollars latter...
> 
> If you want a project horse you need a four or five year old sturdy QH gelding who is from a reputable sire that has a history of rodeo competing.
> 
> and if you are inexperienced when it comes to horses you need a 9 to 10 year old dead broke horse!!!


Perhaps _you_ couldn't, but you really shouldn't make assumptions like that about the abilities of others and try to state them as irrefutable facts. It just doesn't work that way.

A decent trainer could have a non-ill-tempered horse rideable in 30 days and, depending on the trainer's ability and the horse's temperament, trustworthy in much less than a year. I have a horse that I started in June that would be suitable for an advanced beginner because his temperament is so amazing. So, don't try to spout that it "simply can't be done", because I've done it more than once :?.


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## KigerQueen (Jun 16, 2013)

You could always go to auction. I bet some descent young horses pass through there for meat price. When we get property my BF will be doing that and retraining and selling some horses. Saves the horse and you get the experience and the $ if it pans out.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Even to be competitive at local level is not going to happen. His center of gravity is to high. He'll either have to take wide turns or risk falling over. One of the best barrel horses I've seen around here is a 12h pony who can wrap those barrels like nobody's business. Yes, he is slower than the others (though he is FAST for his size) but he more then makes up with it with his nimble body. He was also a slaughter house special! Get a horse suited for the job you want, you won't regret it.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## MaximasMommy (Sep 21, 2013)

Have you thought about taking a road trip to an area with a lot of inexpensive quarter horses? There's tons in Tennessee where I live.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

I have to say that "free" and "sound" sounds good for sure, and if you have the ability, I personally would take him as a project. He will not, most likely, as others have said ever be suitable for barrels and rodeo stuff, but most likely will be more suited for HUS, WP, H/J, etc. 

Not sure why others are suggesting auctions, trips to TN, etc... as OP is not asking where to get a cheap horse (let alone driving to TN would put most of us in debt in just gas costs......:shock-she is asking whether or not to take THIS *free *horse. I am pretty sure she can figure out where to BUY one if she wanted to do that.:?


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

LyraFreedom said:


> NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! You could maybe get this horse to be sort of ridable in around 6 months but no where near trustworthy for another 12! and not anywhere near ready for competing for another 2 years. 10.000 dollars latter...
> 
> If you want a project horse you need a four or five year old sturdy QH gelding who is from a reputable sire that has a history of rodeo competing.
> 
> and if you are inexperienced when it comes to horses you need a 9 to 10 year old dead broke horse!!!


I have to say, I agree with smrobs.....do you know the OP? Do you know their level of skills? Do you know this horse? Many many people take horses from unbroke to trustworthy in a lot less time than you are talking about. It depends on the horse, trainer, etc. Just look at the Mustang competitions. 120 days to a trained, competing, horse, and it happens over and over. 450 of them just competed in TX, so hardly a fluke, and they are NOT all young. Please don't generalize-most of us did not fall off the truck yesterday.:?


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

I too think he'd be a nice English horse, definitely too tall for barrels. At one time the fastest barrel horses in Alberta was a welsh quarter cross at 14.2hh and a 5' rider. He got around those barrels faster than the taller horses and could run like a scared rabbit. He had a definite advantage in the smaller indoor venues.


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## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

LyraFreedom said:


> NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! You could maybe get this horse to be sort of ridable in around 6 months but no where near trustworthy for another 12! and not anywhere near ready for competing for another 2 years. 10.000 dollars latter...
> 
> If you want a project horse you need a four or five year old sturdy QH gelding who is from a reputable sire that has a history of rodeo competing.
> 
> and if you are inexperienced when it comes to horses you need a 9 to 10 year old dead broke horse!!!


Like the others, I respectfully beg to differ. I don't think you can judge anything in relation due to time, because, as smrobs stated, you don't know the trainer or the horse. Every horse grows at its own pace, and none of us know his. As well, I would never spend that on a horse I wasn't absolutely planning to compete with. Training is free, keeping him on the property will be free, we have tack, resources, and care should anything go wrong. All we have to pay for is hay, and we have all the time in the world! I plan to get a young project QH later down the road, perhaps spring or summer. We'll see. But before I start off a young horse, I would like some sort of training experience; and I think, with help, this guy could be a good "first" sort of a deal. 

On another note, I grew up around horses. I'm young, but very capable. c:



waresbear said:


> Seems like a nice horse, very light bone but for general riding I don't see a problem. Looks like he has been saddled and played around with in that one pic. Have you trained a horse before? If not, he would be a good one to start with and get some help with as well. A free, not lame, registered horse in BC is pretty rare.


That's what my thinking is, as well! I figure that if he can't stand up to what I want - which is definitely a possibility I am 100% willing to accept - we can at least train him, sell him, and make something off of him in the future. 



KigerQueen said:


> You could always go to auction. I bet some descent young horses pass through there for meat price. When we get property my BF will be doing that and retraining and selling some horses. Saves the horse and you get the experience and the $ if it pans out.


We did go to the auction in Amrstrong (a smaller auction, but I think they had around 50 horses or so) and they were cheap, but not good horses. That said, we intend to make trips there regularly. Still, can't beat a free horse! 



MaximasMommy said:


> Have you thought about taking a road trip to an area with a lot of inexpensive quarter horses? There's tons in Tennessee where I live.


I've thought about it, but it would be too much of a hassle for us right now I think. To get to the border alone (I'm right above Washington) is close to a five-hour drive, god only knows how long it would take us to get further into the states, haha! Plus, lugging a trailer? I just don't think it's something any of us would be looking forwards to, but thank you for the idea!


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## JulieG (Jun 25, 2013)

I hope he comes with a ladder!


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

A friend of mine goes to auctions all over BC and she reports anything that is half way decent goes for a good price but you don't see too many as good horses sell well privately. Even the meat buyers will bid on good horses to resell, they don't all go to slaughter if bought by them.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

FWIW there is no such thing as a "free" horse. 

Just like the "free" cat I have.............................................


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

make a road trip out to alberta, some good stock going cheap this time of year at auction. You can get some pretty decent horses under $500

That said, this guy is decent, although I agree on being fine boned, but there is a mare here on the farm that is in the same boat as this guy, and stayed sound through 7 years of racing. If you want a challenge and have the time, go for it.


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## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

If he doesn't make it as what you want him to be, people in my area would murder for a horse like him to use in HUS... maybe its the same in your area


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## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

Thank you all for your opinions! 

I went to see him yesterday (a total surprise, my parents informed me that we were going to look at some goats lmfao), and I just fell in love with him. He's not as lean as the pictures make him look, but is definitely lacking in muscle. That said, the woman told me that he was mine; we're bringing him home on the second of November!


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## PixiTrix (Sep 11, 2013)

Cool! Good luck! You seem up to the challenge- love to see more pics!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

PixiTrix said:


> Cool! Good luck! You seem up to the challenge- love to see more pics!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Thanks! I put a few more up on his name thread, here! 
http://www.horseforum.com/horse-talk/name-suggestions-anyone-lot-pictures-297409/


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

Keep us updated~


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## SeemsLegit (Oct 26, 2012)

Zexious said:


> Keep us updated~


Of course! When I have him at my place on the second, I'm thinking I'll definitely have to put up a journal for his progress. c:


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