Horse Shopping Adventures

So horse shopping this weekend was less successful. Saw one that would be ideal, but unfortunately is priced unrealistically. So will continue the search. 5 more to look at this week. Fun fun fun :) At least I have awesome students coming to be test pilots! Always makes it more interesting. So far in our adventures, disregarding all the ridiculous things you see in ads (2 yo - kid proof beginner horse! uh huh), of the ones I've actually wanted to see I've had:

- person expected me to pay to rent the arena to show us their horse (AND they're a solid 7h drive away). Ummm no, if you're selling the horse, you provide facilities to do so.

- "beginner safe" horse that won't stand to mount, heads off in a power trot as soon as the rider starts to get on, super-sensitive to both leg and hand. Actually a lovely horse - beautiful movement/jump/temperament/etc, but absolutely not a beginner horse. Sienna would make a better beginner horse!

- "perfect school horse" that doesn't jump. Fortunately she admitted as much to me in email, so I didn't have to actually go see it.

- Horse with the shortest stride I've ever seen -- 16hh w/ like a 10' stride priced "for quick sale" at still easily twice what it was worth.

- horse not sound

- "ready to show" horse very underweight and with no muscle. Clearly hasn't been worked in at least 6 mths.

- one I thought was fairly priced, but the owner seemed to be pushing that she was a great deal: "well I'm selling her for much less than I've put into her." Ummmm that's going to be true of EVERY horse unless you buy it super cheap and flip it within a couple months. How is that a selling feature? Same owner (horse was way up north) "Well if I brought her south to the Toronto area she'd be worth 20K". I'm thinking, if you really believed that, you'd do it.

- and on the flip side, one of the most intelligent responses I got -- I had asked something about suitability for an intermediate rider. Immediate response was "Intermediate as in CIC ** level or Intermediate as in riding ability?" Thought ok that's a valid question :) From what I've seen of the pics it's prob going to be a PT horse. Maybe T. Totally acceptable for what I need. But admittedly not an I prospect :) Owner seemed to think she'd be fine with an Int rider, so that's one of the ones we're going to see this week.

This week's challenges: Advertising and Insurance!

I have flyers for both Bahr's and Greenhawk -- just have to get there and put them up :) Working on some others for different markets. Suggestions very welcome!