Re: buying a horse...
Alice Steinke (alicest@hcc-uky.campus.mci.net)
Tue, 15 Oct 1996 14:57:40 -0500
I'd rather have a gelding any day over a mare. I love my mare and she's a
goer, but they can be (not necessarily are, but can be) moody. My geldings
have always been much quieter and more companionable. Of course if your
horse is good, you could reproduce her, but then again, there's so many
horses out there...(of course I'm one to talk since my mare is in foal).
I've usually found mares to cost more though. People think they are more
valuable b/c they can "always breed them" Also, alot of people will
disagree with me on this, but I rarely vet horses. I bought my mare in foal
for 3500 and all I did was ask the vet (in common vet, great fellow) about
her and he said he thought she'd be fine for my purposes. His theory is
that if it's not an expensive purchase (must define for yourself what
expensive is) don't bother. I was really paying for unborn foals breeding
anyway (it died, but I got to breed back). She's nice, but not exceptional.
Of cource one friend recently bought a horse and it was only $1500 she had
it vetted and found a cancerous tumor that the vet said would spread. The
mare was four. ANother vet had already checked it and said it was nothing.
So who knows. Both parties involved were extremely honest folks. I think
I'd really try to buy from someone with a verifiable reputation an then hope
they're as nice as they seem. Plus get a vet check if you want.
Alice
========================================================================
At 11:25 AM 10/15/96 -0700, you wrote:
>I think I'm going mad - I thought I'd sent a whole
>lengthy message to ridecamp yesterday about vet checks,
>but it never showed up - goodness knows what I did...
>
>So, to repeat... (sigh)
>
>I'm anticipating the completion of part of "Lucy's Life Plan"
>in the next six months - the purchase of my very-own, first ever,
>in the flesh horse.
>
>Two questions:
>
>1) choice and cost
>
>Bearing in mind I don't want to buy a "super-horse", I just
>want an easy-keeper who will be capable of some limited
>endurance-type activity, some dressage, some jumping, ...
>nothing fancy. Ideally >10 years, arab-type (I have a soft
>spot for arabs)... etc.
>
>I'm hoping to spend no more than $2500 (preferably less). Does
>that sound doable?
>
>I see horses advertised in this area a great deal, but most
>of them seem to be mares. Can anyone see any reason for this?
>Are they all in my price range because they are green-broke
>brood mares? Any thoughts on mares v. geldings? I read that
>mares can be a pain because they are walking hormones, but
>how much of that is true...? I have this nightmare thought of
>going out in public with a mare in season and being jumped
>by someone's eager stallion... is this a reality, or am I
>letting my paranoia show?
>
>2) pre-sale vet check
>
>Apart from obvious illness/lameness/unsoundness, what should
>a vet check for?
>
>Thanks
>
>Lucy [who will no doubt post more and more as she becomes
>more and more anxious, and thinks of more and more worries]
>--
>**************************************************************
>Lucy Chaplin Trumbull - elsie@calweb.com
>Displaced English person in Sacramento, CA
>
>http://www.calweb.com/~elsie
>http://www.calweb.com/~trouble
>**************************************************************
>
>
>
***************************************************
Alice and Shawn Steinke and Willie (for BP)in
Kentucky (Also Lacie, the honorary dachs, Sandy
the cocker and Turbo{get the Kittie}
Kittie, Willie's personal secretary)
Stand aside you other candidates.
GET A NEW LEASH ON LIFE--WIN WITH ROMMEL AND WILLIE
Chester and Hannah, the wonderful warmbloods
***************************************************