I disagree with "Trail Horses are a dime a dozen". A good trail horse should know everything a good show horse knows - leg yields, side pass, relaxed head set, easy transitions, soft in the mouth, gives to the bit etc, plus have enough brains not to freak out when a deer, bear, hiker, or mountain biker pops out of the trees. Regardless of the breed - gaited or not.

I have a friend that has been looking for a solid trail horse for over a year from Arabian to Quarter Horse. Very difficult to find a well trained trail horse. There is a misconception that any show horse can be a trail horse. This is not true. There are some great show horses that can't handle the rigors of trail riding and vice-versa. So I hate it when people say, well it didn't cut the mustard in the show ring, so I'll sell it as a trail horse. Along with "it is a three year old seasoned trail horse". No such thing. Just like for show horses, experience, training and time make a great trail horse.

Ponytammy - I agree wholeheartedly. Just go to one large trail ride in SC/NC & you'll see some crazy, hyped up horses that have absolutely no business being trail horses. They are just as likely to hurt someone riding next to them as they are themselves or their riders.

Good, solid trail horses require a good deal of training & time investment the same as those gorgeous show horses for them to be great at what they do & for you to be safe riding them.

I honestly don't believe I was "harsh".  I am being realistic.  Just go to the auctions and you will see for yourself.  Or just drive up to Michigan, folks can't afford to keep them anymore.  Today there was a dead broke registered Gaited pony, 10 yr old gelding, been there done that, for $300 or best offer.  Pony has been there done that, 4-H, trail riding, parades.    I know the horse market, as I make it my business to know it since we raise and show paint horses and spotted draft horses.  If there is no market, we don't breed.   We have one mare in foal and that is a spotted draft, and we are keeping the baby for showing.  Our Paint broodmares were deliberately left open this year, simply because the market is saturated.  We can buy a very very very nice bred two year old for next to nothing, and one that has color. 

If folks want real nice, well broke trail horses, than come to Michigan because folks are literally giving them away.  Michigan has the highest unemployment rate of the US, and getting almost to the point of highest poverty rate.  Folks are losing farms left and right to foreclosure. 

I know my neighbors in Indiana and Ohio are not doing as well either, I used to live in Ohio down by Bellefontaine area.  Lots of industrial jobs drying up and heading south.

I am only trying to point out it is unrealistic for this particular gelding to be listed for higher than he is worth.  He is untrained, and his conformation is lacking, plus the fact he is a solid paint gelding.   Papers on him don't mean a thing to be honest.  You are better off selling him as a grade Quarter Horse.

If I have insulted you, I apologize, it was not my intent.  Just trying to point out that solid paint geldings are a dime a dozen and spending $1200 or more to get him properly trained will not make him much more valuable. 

That is just my opinion.  I only have 40+ yrs of equine experience, grew up on a working farm.  So guess I don't know a whole lot yet...But you are right, we do learn something new everyday.  I also know there is a sucker born everyday too, maybe you can get someone naive to buy him.

 All my babies are by world champions and we still cut back the breeding and only bred 2 mares for 2009 babies. Both those mares are very well bred and they are bred to champions reiners. But, both stallion owners were not willing to extend the contracts for future use and said use it in 2008 or loose it. I would have held them off until next year if I could in hopes that the market would rebound. I also gelded good mannered  yearling colts this year that I never would have gelded in the past.

      mrstacticalmedic wrote:
"Our Paint broodmares were deliberately left open this year, simply because the market is saturated.  We can buy a very very very nice bred two year old for next to nothing, and one that has color.  "

I can't help but jump in on this one.  Mrs. whateveryoucallyourself states  I would scrap the photo you have.  To be honest I wouldn't give him a second glance with that photo, why?  Because it shows the owner is lazy and not willing to put time into spiffing the horse up and showing how nice his assets are.  Just my opinion.  And to be honest, I am in the market for a tall leggy Paint filly or gelding, for wp/hs , and I have to say according to your ad and his photo he doesn't meet what I am looking for.   And you say you weren't being "harsh".  Sounds "harsh" to me.  "Owner is lazy"???  Where do you get off criticizing this womans ad?  In every post you entered about this lady's horse, you more or less have said that it isn't worth the page it's printed on.  You jumped on her like flies on  ...... !

N2Ridin  you have your opinion, and I have mine.  At least I am honest and don't sugarcoat things and let folks get the wrong idea.  Scrapping the photo would help, but not alot in this poor horses case, since his owner is not concerned about really selling the horse.  The owner is more concerned about convenience.  Unfortunately, with the market the way it is, convenience isn't going to cut it.  I don't see the horse market changing anytime in the near future.

I sure hope you would not consider showing, because if you thought what I said was "harsh" then you wouldn't be able to tolerate what judges say about horses in the ring. 

Hello everyone,   Okay everyone I want to tell you all I fully appreciate all the critisim. And the nice comments too ,but I really really would appreciate if this   could end now. I just want to say I am not a lazy person. And the horse is no longer for sale. I no longer have him. Someone did take a second look at him and liked him . And all of you that wrote back and stuck up for me thank you. I did not want this. The good lord above has been looking out for me too. Prayers are answered. And I give thanks to him . Bless you all.  

Some of us in IN are still doing fine, despite what the economy tries to throw at us! On a plus note I got a great deal on our LQ trailer that wouldn't have happened 6 months or more ago (LQ 4H all Al for under 10K- yeah it is 10 years old, but still works!).~K

Edited by statzk 2008-07-17 3:10 PM

The horse market is depresed mostly on the lower/meduim end of it. There are plenty of ok, nice horses around but horses that are well bred and can win in the show ring will always have a market.

The lack of a slaugher option has really hurt too. Horses that would have been shipped are now trying to find a place in the market, for which there really isn't one. Those who bred anything with a uterus are finding it tough to dump those resulting foals ( and that might be a good thing. Stupid people shouldn't breed horses) A nice hors might be tougher to sell can find a home if your willing to be flexible on the price.

I'm glad the poster found a buyer/home for the horse.

statzk  sent you a PM with a name & number.  Lots of auctions coming up.  Shipsy has low prices now.  Went to the Lake Odessa sale last weekend looking for a filly.  Saw one, really nice looking, but papers got "lost" as she was a drop off.  She ended up going for $75.   She was very nice looking, leggy, short back, nice sloped shoulder, neck tied in nice, long neck, very very balanced.  only thing I didn't care for her was she had really small feet.   Figure she had some halter line in there somewhere. Oh plus she was QH, I was looking for a paint.  But give the guy a call I gave you the name and number of.  He is one of the few ethical dealers in Michigan.  Occasionally he gets junk, but he tells you it is junk.  

Well best get off of here, got to go look at another horse.  I love shopping!  Definitely a buyers market, can afford to be very very picky.