A few years ago, I was in the market for a
replacement horse. My old horse had gotten old and passed away. As a 6 foot
tall, 170-180 pounds plus clothes and tack rider, (last couple of rides we
tacked out at 220-225. I am still trying to figure how my saddle got heavier).
I had always owned horses that were 15.2 -16 hands tall. I was also
partial to the well built horses too, 1000-1100 pound range.
I had been away from endurance for several years,
and was really just looking for a trail horse. I tried out many gaited
horses, but didn't find the horse that clicked for me. My last two horses had
been an Arabian and an Arabian/Saddlebred. They had given me 20 plus years
of great riding. So I found myself going to the Addis Arabian horse
Auction in Oklahoma City. After studying the catalog, I went from
stall to stall looking for my next great riding horse. I told my wife he would
be 15.3 hands tall, about 1050 pounds, size 1 or 2 feet, 5 years old and
preferably grey. One of the horses on my check list was a 7 year old grey
gelding who was standing in a stall with a big hole in it. He looked like
a 12 hand pony. The owner led him out and he wasn't all that much better.
He barely hit 14.3 hands tall He weighed about 800 pounds and was narrow
made in the front and back. Besides having skinny legs ( 7 inches
around?) his feet were size 000. My wife started to walk away, but there
was something in his eyes that I liked. Later that day I saw him
being ridden in the arena, and then saw how he acted to be tacked up. Again
there was something about him that caught my eye. To my wifes surprise, I moved
him up to #2 on my wish list.
Well you can guess the rest, He came home with us.
Along with another of my choices who was 15.1 and growing, bigger feet etc
etc. The second horse was a much better physical speciman in most peoples eyes.
But after one day of being around them both, I decided to stick with my
little gelding. He had never been on trail and had spent his
life not being a successful hunter jumper. After a few months of trail riding, I
realized he might enjoy doing enfurance . He does. We bond well and
communicate well as a team. When I see the pictures of us at a ride, the
macho/John Wayne part of me cringes. He look so small and skinny and
I look like a grown up riding the kids Shetland pony. (see the July Endurance
News Lighter side article, The bottom photo is us.) . But look at his
record. (KMA Chazz Piper). He is doing great and we are enjoying the heck out of
it.
If you were wanting to be a top National rider and
be on the international team, maybe you would need to be more choosy about
size and build. But my best advice for you is to find someone
whose personality you really like and select that horse (assuming it is sound).
The two of you will spend a lot of hours in each others company, and you might
as well enjoy being together.
