HGG Community Forums

So on the horse front, I've been basically doing one lesson once a week. Last week I had to skip because I hurt myself and couldn't move, so I was back to the barn today. In my previous post, I had said that the trainer knew one of the boarders was looking for a leaser for his horse, and I had contacted him but he had already found a leaser. So doom gloom, oh well.

Anyway, get to my lesson today, trotting serpentines, trainer says to the effect of: "Oh, by the way, that guy is coming over, guess the lease didn't work out, he wants you to try his horse."

So... cool. Even better that the day before I had taken a later shift at work for today (only by half an hour, but whoo) so didn't have to leave right away.

Had great lesson, tired as h*ck, put the lesson horse away, throw my check into the box, and the guy gets there. Very nice guy, very excited to get someone on his horse. We talk morgans because MORGANS! Apparently he took lessons and boarded at a place I took lessons at, and have serious connections to (my friend trained with them, etc). So this guy now owns a mare my friend almost bought, was the personal mare of the trainers wife at that other place, so that's like... whoa.

We go out to get the horse, he's a big ol' black/brown gelding with a star, in his own paddock as he used to be a breeding stallion. Big dick on the ground, could tell he's pretty spoiled. They use a martingale on him, but normal bridle, bit was pretty big, hunter saddle. I got on, and the horse is a typical morgan, all up front, wants to be in his daddy's pocket. Very responsive to leg pressure and very good on the bit. Didn't trot him much because a. tired, and b. new horses intimidate me, I just wanted to get a good feel. The trot I did do was a very calm one, threw me up, very nice.

This horse has shown park, pleasure, hunter, been to nationals, and won some big competitions in the morgan world. I'm pretty sure I've seen him show, been trying to find pictures. I emailed my friend who knows his old owner, and I got a call from her tonight after she had called them. When I told her which horse it was, she wasn't too sure because she'd only seen him once and he was a big doofus, but after calling the old owner, they said he was a lot more mellowed out, had been shown by a younger girl, ridden a lot, and was a very solid horse. The guy is seriously in love with his horses and very nice, I'm pretty excited to pursue this.

I've never leased before, but I will be taking a lesson on the horse before I decide, he's $200 a month for 2 days a week and possible weekends, the rest I'll figure out later.

Here's a pedigree for the curious http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/index.php?query_type=horse&h=GMH+GLADIATOR&g=5&cellpadding=0&small_font=1&l=