Being almost 5'10" I was interested in a tall horse so that my long legs didn't squish up in the saddle or dangle way down along the side. I believe that the right fit horse to human (vise, versa) is just as important as the right fit saddle to horse.
So with that in mind I decided 16+ hands would be a good start. When I started looking for horses 98% of them were Thoroughbred ex-race horses. A few people I spoke to said to steer clear of them as they are 'hot' and too much to handle. But I don't believe everything I hear and you can ask my Mother - I am stubborn and usually have to find things out for myself. Besides, I've met a few quarter horses that were spooky, skiddish, or sour and didn't hold that against all 'quarter' horses. that's like people saying 'all pit bull dogs are dangerous'. It just turned out that certain breeds of horses are taller than others.
So when I made appointments to meet some Thoroughbreds and a couple of Warmbloods I was sure to look for confirmation, temperament, level of training and whether or not they had any injuries or vices that I should be aware of. Temperament was most important as in most cases you can work with other things.
The day my Mom was out I made arrangements to see three horses and she came along.
- The first one she loved but didn't think it was quite the right fit, her concern was that he was too isolated and starved and it was hard to determine his temperament or character due to the present conditions (keeping my safety in mind)
- The second one was a Warmblood and he was quite beat up, not isolated but so passive that it seemed he would be picked on and bullied if boarded or put out to pasture with other horses - seemed he didn't have any spirit left (possibly sour and I later found out that he had been bucking and that was the reasoning behind his sale)
- The third one (third ones the charm) was in a lesson when we arrived and we were invited to watch him and his owner interacting for half an hour before meeting him in person. He was a tall 17+ HH. I got on and admit I was a bit intimidate, but he was quite and patient - you could really see he had these big kind eyes and a sweet temperament. My Mom said - that's him, she knew immediately.
What really sealed the decision was the fact that his owner was willing to work with me over the next two to three weeks (at no charge or commitment - deposit required) to see whether or not I thought for sure he was right for me and her to access whether she felt I was the right fit for him. She was in no rush and had his best interests at heart.
So over the next two weeks I met with her and worked with the two of them and knew this was the horse that I was very much interested in.
We had already found a great semi-private boarding facility that was in our price range and close to home so we arranged the date to have him moved. My friend offered to pull a trailer with his truck so we rented one for the day and had him moved with no problems.Turned out the Stable owner at the barn he was boarded at when purchased also knew the Stable owners at the barn where he was being relocated to. Everyone was so helpful with tips and advice answering any questions along the way.
Eli's owner sent him off to his new home with three blankets, winter blanket, rain sheet and fly sheet. Plus, I had the opportunity to get to know him and having been mentored by the previous owner was confident all would go well. Later on she sent me his paperwork so I was able to obtain his history and learn more of his story such as his date of birth and where he was born.
He's now teaching my husband and I the basics of horsemanship, ground work and riding while teaching both of us all there is to know about horse OWNERSHIP which is so much more than I expected to learn. We enjoy every minute of it and he even inspired my husband to become a horse owner, rider and enthusiast. More than I expected to come of the experience, but am grateful for it.
ABOUT THE THOROUGHBRED
Light breed of racing and jumping horse descended from the three desert stallions brought to England between 1689 and 1724. Thoroughbreds have a delicate head, slim body, broad chest and short back. Most are bay, chestnut, brown, black or gray. They stand about 16 hands (4 in, 163 cm) high and weigh about 1, 000 lbs (450 kg). They are sensitive and high-spirited and are often used to improve other stock. (information found on www.answers.com)
click on link (green Thoroughbred Wikipedia above) to read about the history and definition of the Thoroughbred Horse
OTTB is the Acronym for Off the Track Thoroughbred
Darley Arabian - Wikipedia
Matchem, Grandson of the Godolphin Arabina - Wikipedia
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