Young, Sound Theatrical Gelding $150 (!?!?!)

[Derring]

When I was growing up, I worked at a Hanavarian breeding farm (dressage, crosscountry, etc). Some of the farms around us had riders that would buy green thoroughbreds for a good deal of money and still have to do all the work.
I have often wondered when I'm at the sales why more horses are not bought for this different discipline instead of walking out of the ring 'no bid.' Some of them look great but just don't have the race family or blacktype behind them so they aren't as attractive as racing prospects.

I know first hand that it takes a good deal of work but I think this is a untapped goldmine for someone with the space, experience, and time to do the proper training.

I hope this horse finds a good home. The price could not be better.

[Intrinsic Worth]

My horse was bought at a yearling sale, not as a race prospect, but as a hunter (not a classy pedigree, but he was beautiful.) He however does have a nasty temper and I ended up buying him when he was 4 after he had 6 previous owners. It took a lot of work (and sometimes not being very nice) but he has gone on to be an excellent event horse. One of the Olympic selection team members wanted to buy him after he rode him. I said no. He's not a horse that can compete constantly and would probably end up killing his rider when he got fed up with it.

[Sysonby]

Wonder what that horse looks like when he's actually going forward and into the bridle, instead of slow and behind the verticle.. Let's see how submissive he is then.

He is a little overbent but I think you are being pretty critical of a horse that is obviously just started and available for a song. This isn't an FEI prospect...

[adrienne]

He is a little overbent but I think you are being pretty critical of a horse that is obviously just started and available for a song. This isn't an FEI prospect...

Actually, in my current job I am learning a little bit about retraining OTTBs. The first thing I figured out was that it's much harder to make them be saddle horses than it is to have them be racehorses in jumping saddles. As... it is easier to let them drop behind the bit at the trot and pick it up and lean at the canter than it is to teach them to stretch into the bit at the trot and carry themselves at the canter.

Like this picture of me on the uber fancy Valiant Splash <g> this proves nothing about training.. it just shows that he hasn't forgot how to be a racehorse That and Adrienne isn't a good enough rider to have him do it any other way (And trust me, that's a pretty good head position for that horse.)



But too be fair. Some are easier than others... and that horse appears to be one of the easier ones.

Better than the "I don't wanna" "Why are you sitting on me!" "Your legs are so low they make me goosey!" "I like to run around in circles as you try to get on me"! <g>

It's funny.. people looking for OTTBs want big prospects but they try to talk you down pricewise because of training... but honestly. You can train a horse pretty quick (especially since racehorses are already 'broke') but you can't train talent into them. I understand people paying a lot for talent because that's what is going to pay off when you re-sell. Also, if I was shopping, I would probably prefer something unstarted that something messed around with by an idiot like me

~Adrienne

[Sysonby]

Adrienne I had to smile at your picture but not for the reasons you stated. Here in California, we tend to bag riding for the day if there is a little rain in the forecast.

Anyway it looks like you are having fun with your OTTB and as far as I'm concerned, that's the whole ballgame even if he appears a little strong and not completely in the correct frame.

[Intrinsic Worth]

Wonder what that horse looks like when he's actually going forward and into the bridle, instead of slow and behind the verticle.. Let's see how submissive he is then.

He is a little overbent but I think you are being pretty critical of a horse that is obviously just started and available for a song. This isn't an FEI prospect...

Most OTTB's will drop their heads due to having them cranked in by track riders. It doesn't take much of anything to make them put their heads to their chests. Don't confuse this with being submissive, because they will also run away with you with their heads cranked in.

[adrienne]

Adrienne I had to smile at your picture but not for the reasons you stated. Here in California, we tend to bag riding for the day if there is a little rain in the forecast.

LoL. The sad thing about Illinois is that I couldn't ride for about 10 days because the snow was too frozen to ride on. Seriously. The snow was too frozen. Got to about 15 above and I was grabbing my tack. LoL.

The other deciding factor is how fast your skin freezes under your breeches. And the last and final is how fast your horse's muzzle turns into an iceball

Anyway it looks like you are having fun with your OTTB and as far as I'm concerned, that's the whole ballgame even if he appears a little strong and not completely in the correct frame.

Val came off the track in November (from the Woodlands) I rode him 4-5 times, showed him to some hunter jumper people. He was actually better then ::sigh::. But they wanted a really awfully long trial on him and I just couldn't do that. I started back in on him recently to maybe try schooling shows in the spring? Maybe. He has the 'flippie toe trot'.

He is actually verry slow and verry lazy The moment I ride him forward though he's like 'oh! racetrack!'... ducks down and takes off breezing. That's the hard part. It's soo much more fun to let them be racehorses... the moment I drop the reins and ask him to stretch we're doing all sorts of crazy things. Like trotting sideways. This is, by far, his favorite gait... the sideways trot. I take up the reins.. he leans on me. I lean on him. We're a happy family. But gah, any DQ driving by would have be killed, LoL. (I live in a very horsey part of suburban Chicago).

For fun we're jumping him today... thankfully it's about 36 today so the snow is soft Last time we hoped over a crossrail he was like 'AHHH!!! Look at me!!! I'm a grand prix jumper!!! Let's run!" (it was like... 6" if that)

You'd think there would be some brains in that giant head <g>

Wow... I get long winded


This is the rest of Val's photos including Hawthorne win photos! (the only race he ever won... heheh)
http://csammisrun.net/adrienne/gallery/valiant

~Adrienne

[Rushtawin]

Val's gorgeous especially in the pic of the relaxed walk and the trot following it. He reminded me of a Breyer model in the pic of him stretched out as he swept under the wire. OTTB's are great and most of the horses I ride nowadays happen to be OTTB's and they're fun!

[olympicprincess]

I see Hidalgo was taken. I wanted him!!...

I'm already approved to adopt thru them, but because of the TWO-YEAR adoption contract, I kept hesitating. I think 2 years is a bit much. I understand it in some cases, but.... What if after 1 full yr of training he didn't work out to be suitable for what I wanted to do (event)?

I think they should have a somewhat "negotiable" contract; if the horse has gained more training = more likely to go onto a better home (not auction) than straight off the track= it can be sold before the 2yrs are up. I would be fine with proving that the horse has gained more training before being allowed to put the horse up for sale.
What do you think?

[ZiaLand]

Olympicprincess, sorry you missed out, but I'm so happy to hear Hidalgo has been placed. I hope he turned up in someone's pasture with a big red bow for Christmas morning. Keep your eyes on New Vocations site. They often have some very nice horses available for adoption.

I believe the idea behind the two-year obligation is to give the horses that New Vocation's places some stability and that the hopes are if you keep the horse for two years, they'll find a forever home with you. Considering their goal is to place horses in a good, hopefully long term home, I don't think two years is that much to ask, and it tends to discourage people who would take advantage of their extremely low adoption fees only to profit by a quick resale to another home who wouldn't be bound by the terms of the contract and might not have the horse's welfare in mind.

As to your question about what happens if the horse doesn't work out? I'm quite sure the contract states that New Vocations will (and I believe insists on) taking the horse back.

Laurie

[madelyn]

I think you are much better off buying than adopting. For exactly the reasons you just stated.

[olympicprincess]

As to your question about what happens if the horse doesn't work out? I'm quite sure the contract states that New Vocations will (and I believe insists on) taking the horse back.

I forgot about that! what I was afraid of is seeing ones for such good prices, taking them and feeling "stuck". (Though I have only sold 1 horse that was intended to be my eventer in all these years. So I try to be thorough before buying a greenie. )

Another Q (b/c I don't know anyone who has ever adopted from them...):
Anyone know what they consider "high level performance" VS. "lower level performance"?
I know it was asked earlier, but I never saw an answer.
I've called them asking about a horse they had previously, but the person I spoke to wasn't real clear when I asked why the horse was in the "lower level performance" category rather than the other.

[Rushtawin]

I haven't done any adoptions of horses (except on my only horse, the one I adopted from my college because of her behavior being a liability for them), but I'm guessing "high level performance" might mean something suitable for eventing, racing, etc. whereas "low level performance" might mean something more like flatwork?

Just my guess...

[adrienne]

It might also mean that after evaluation they found that he didn't really have the talent to go to say, a national level in anything. Like they show him freejumping and I'm not really impressed by his natural style. He'd never be a top hunter or go prelim, IMO.

I've found that even the first time freejumping horses will give you an excellent indication of how far they can go. I have an OTTB here that jumped naturally very correctly, but the hunter people still thought he wasn't round enough... he's going to go be an eventer.

http://csammisrun.net/adrienne/gallery/ ... /jump2.jpg
"high level performance" IMO

~Adrienne

[Intrinsic Worth]

His form would have been better had he not jumped a backwards oxer and if the fence had some real height to it. A backwards, low to the ground oxer doesn't encourage a horse to jump round. He does have nice tight, even knees however.