tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post8682942190958520011..comments2024-03-26T05:15:39.663-07:00Comments on Equestrian Ink: Finding a Bombproof HorseJami Davenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05259390150273030284noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-33912349398358606052009-08-09T05:52:37.941-07:002009-08-09T05:52:37.941-07:00Hi Laura!This is my first visit here and I really ...Hi Laura!This is my first visit here and I really enjoyed your blog. I ride English but I am fond of almost every discipline and I study horse whisperers like Levinson and Sylvia Scott. I really liked what you said about bombproof horses. I haven't bought my own horse yet but I am planning to do so in a few years and I am dead fixed on finding a very bombproof ride. I would like to add that bombproof does not necessarily mean "older than 10". I've ridden 15 and 23-year-old horses who would be a handful at times and I've also ridden 7-year-old horses who were perfect for me (I used to ride a former racing mare, aged 7, who was the definition of bombproof for me but it certainly was not suitable for someone who liked quick horses. As for me, I could ride with reins loos in one had, no stirrups and cars passing by and not a care in the world!). I believe that it's the horses' temperament and proper desensitizing from an early age that plays the most important role. I love all horses but I wouldn't like to buy a horse older than 10 for myself, for many a good reason ( I would, however, opt for an older horse for my partner or my child). Also, I would not necessarily agree on the beauty thing, since there is no logical explanation providing evidence that beautiful horses are not bombproof. Okay, maybe it's what experience says but it could be due to the fact that the owners of very beautiful horses rely too much on the external beauty and do not pay attention to sacking out their horse. <br />You are so right about advising people to ask for the definition of bombproof! I've had trainers who would assure me that a horse is bombproof whereas I would find it very jiggy, so it's very important not to immediately trust someone but to investigate further.Natasanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-23007558422742627212009-07-23T14:26:49.649-07:002009-07-23T14:26:49.649-07:00You know, Jasmine, I have been doing this a long, ...You know, Jasmine, I have been doing this a long, long time, and I always take a friend with me who is a good horseman. Always. When I bought Henry I asked my two best friends if I should do it. They both said the same thing. "You're paying more than he's worth, but he is the perfect horse for what you want." Bottom line is, yes, take a trusted advisor no matter how experienced you are.<br /><br />And again, by bombproof I mean, bombproof for your application. If you want arena safe, show safe, and trail safe, look for a horse that is bombproof in all three areas. They do exist. I've known quite a few.<br /><br />You brought up another good point. When I bought Sunny, I asked the owner, "If I give you your asking price, I would like the right to return the horse in the first six months and get my money back." She agreed, and I agreed that I would return him in exactly the condition I bought him, or the deal was off. This seller was happy to agree to this, because she liked the horse and wanted him to have a good home. I asked it because the horse had some quirks. To begin with, I wasn't sure how he would work out for me. Turns out he worked out fine. And that little clause made it happen. Its worth a try if you think the horse is right but are unsure. Its only worthwhile with a trustworthy seller, however.<br /><br />And muwump, I have so, so fallen for the "I'm sure I can work this out," feeling. And nope, none of those horses worked out. If the horse isn't what you want, don't bet on being able to fix him.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-1244898099029142162009-07-23T13:30:30.902-07:002009-07-23T13:30:30.902-07:00Jasmine- I like your comparison. Being this realis...Jasmine- I like your comparison. Being this realistic could stop us from falling for, to my mind, the biggest danger, "I could probably ride it,look at those big brown eyes, he would never hurt me!mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-80637160156849967862009-07-23T13:24:55.176-07:002009-07-23T13:24:55.176-07:00Ack hit enter too early!!!
Anyway I think Laura&#...Ack hit enter too early!!!<br /><br />Anyway I think Laura's post about her bombproof horses is excellent advice. Particularly since she seems to have 2 truly great ones! <br /><br />I really like the advice about bringing someone else along. Even if you are an experienced horse person we all need that little voice to help balance out the "but I looooooooove him" that sometimes hits! LOL I know I tend to crush on things. Right now I'm car shopping and thank goodness I have my hubby forcing me to keep an open mind.Jasminehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14658237201103631690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-42413423340393142432009-07-23T13:19:13.124-07:002009-07-23T13:19:13.124-07:00I make my living in sales right now. Not for hors...I make my living in sales right now. Not for horses, but for cell phones. We have a 30 day return policy but if the buyer returns / cancels whatever in the first 6 MONTHS I lose money out of my commission check. <br /><br />The goal is to set the buyer up with what they need not necessarily what they think they want. As a seller I have to do the work for the buyer and help them figure this out. As a buyer why not do the work beforehand so you know exactly what you're looking for. <br /><br />One of the first things you want to ask is "why do you want a cell phone/ horse?"<br /><br />"I want it to be emergencies only/ bombproof."<br /><br />The next question is "Ok, what does that word mean to you?"<br /><br />In the case of horses 'bombproof' has so many different meanings.<br />Do you mean calm and safe for a beginner to ride in an arena? <br />Do you mean trail safe?<br />Do you mean pony ride at the circus safe?<br />Parade safe?<br />Show safe?<br /><br />Now some horses might fit multiple categories but some are going to be completely different animals depending on what you do with them.Jasminehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14658237201103631690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-46245229100042714932009-07-23T09:58:20.366-07:002009-07-23T09:58:20.366-07:00Another good way to figure out if any horse is the...Another good way to figure out if any horse is the one for you is to lease it if possible. I leased both my first and current horse before I bought either. No surprises that way.Joyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00977898784588176802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-45238053403724006732009-07-23T08:12:08.396-07:002009-07-23T08:12:08.396-07:00Wazzoo--You are so right. One of the main characte...Wazzoo--You are so right. One of the main characteristics of a bombproof horse is you can let him sit for two months in his corral and pull him out and ride him and he is just the same. Both Sunny and Henry are like this--I love it. It is so relaxing to know that you don't have to keep the horse ridden down. I can only ride about two days a week right now, and I am really grateful that the horses are just fine with this. I am totally with you. At my age, I do not want to cope with a bunch of "fresh" antics from a horse. Yes, Sunny will occasionally crowhop, but that's as far as it goes. I love my bombproof horses!Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-9170410653659535742009-07-23T07:48:37.837-07:002009-07-23T07:48:37.837-07:00I am an experienced horse person who has injuries ...I am an experienced horse person who has injuries from the past finally starting to take it's toll and I want a bomb proof horse. I want a horse that I could grab from the pasture once every 6 months to ride and have it be the same every time...my dream horse. When I was younger...I could ride anything...now...all my injuries from the past are catching up with me already and it's a lot harder...I need a bomb proof horse...I can't wait until next spring...then I am shopping hardcore! And I don't care about ugly, I care about health and actual reliability. <br /><br />I have a horse now, who I love to death!!! and he was suppose to be bomb proof. He is too, if you ride him practically every day...but I don't ride that much...so he bucks and he bucks hard. I cannot stay on a bucking horse anymore. Crowhopping, yes. Bucking...NO! So I am going to give him to my dearest friend back home in South Dakota. She loves him to death and I know he will have a good life there. I just can't bare to sell him to some stranger. And this way, I am assured that if anything happens to my friend, then the horse will come back to me. He'll always be safe. He is the horse in my avatar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-21604197193382800222009-07-22T17:02:28.960-07:002009-07-22T17:02:28.960-07:00joycemocha--A bombproof horse and a plug are two d...joycemocha--A bombproof horse and a plug are two different things. Henry, my son's horse, is not a plug. When I bought him he was a competitive team roping horse. He is a bombproof horse for a novice, but he has plenty of life for an experienced rider. He is a pleasure to ride. A bombproof horse is one that doesn't give a beginner grief. A bombproof horse is always sensible and solid under pressure. A bombproof horse does not do stupid, reactive things. A plug is an unresponsive horse. Two different critters. I would agree that your mare is not a bombproof horse. Not a plug, either.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-23287402626056325802009-07-22T15:49:39.395-07:002009-07-22T15:49:39.395-07:00My horse is a pretty horse. She gets a lot of com...My horse is a pretty horse. She gets a lot of comments in the barn. She's also reasonably cooperative, well-behaved on the ground, and so on, so forth.<br /><br />But I would describe her as neither bombproof nor a beginner's horse. She has an opinion about things, is sensitive, responsive, and highly alert. The other day, after a very intense lesson in English tack, out of the blue she offered up a reining spin just as I started to dismount. We corrected the cues and she's not done it since--but she has hair-trigger responses (that I put on her) and is far too reactive to trust any novice with under saddle.<br /><br />On the ground, she can be quietly pushy and challenging. She can be rather deceptive because she's quiet and rarely reactive, but oh boy--those who know her, know she's anything but a bombproof plug.joycemochahttp://joycemocha.livejournal.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-14363799543373834882009-07-22T15:04:57.353-07:002009-07-22T15:04:57.353-07:00LOL! About pretty horses...
My favorite story to...LOL! About pretty horses...<br /><br />My favorite story to tell about my old mare is the day I went to see/try her when she was with her previous owner.<br /><br />Her picture on the for-sale ad had caught my eye. I could tell she had great conformation and moved nice and was probably sorrel with stockings, but the picture was old and faded, so really couldn't see any details.<br /><br />I drove the three hours to see her, jumped out of the car and the first words out of my mouth (in a totally disappointed tone of voice), "Oh, she's roan!" I still can't believe I actually said it out loud in front of the seller! <br /><br />Long story short, I rode her, loved her, and brought her home. Technically speaking, she's a sorrel sabino, not roan, but she has "roaning" throughout. After many years of being Absolutely The Best Horse Ever, she is semi-retired and spoiled rotten. I have to say that now, whenever I see a red roan or sorrel sabino, I take a second look because that's my favorite color! LOL!Half Dozen Farmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00253311679688366394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-86353915499371809582009-07-22T14:29:51.115-07:002009-07-22T14:29:51.115-07:00Great article.
I really like the "6 month ...Great article. <br /><br />I really like the "6 month rule". That is perfect. I have seen people that just take the sellers word that the horse is bombproof. I know what my expectations are as far as bombproof, but other people may have a whole other idea about it. Asking the seller what his or her definition of bombproof is might save you some valuable time. <br /><br />The best horse I currently own isn't pretty. BUT he is made right, has a huge heart, is smart and athletic and a ton of try. What more can a girl want? <br /><br />You know the saying "pretty is as pretty does"? I think that it applies very well here. :)horsegeneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08614136458074519322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-82968590749867420562009-07-22T13:06:24.402-07:002009-07-22T13:06:24.402-07:00What is it with the pretty horses, mugwump and aut...What is it with the pretty horses, mugwump and autumnblaze? I have often pondered this odd fact of life. I have a theory, but it may not be a very good one. I wonder if the refinement necessary to create that pretty head and throatlatch doesn't somehow indicate a horse that is very "refined" personality-wise, ie overly sensitive. The sort of horse we called "spirited" when we were kids and dreaming of that magical beautiful stallion. In real life, it always seems to be the plainer, coarser horses that have the solid minds, more's the pity. I'm sure there must be exceptions to this, I just don't happen to know them. And my trail horse, Sunny, is very cute--but refined, or pretty, he is not.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-36233748789906340052009-07-22T12:17:23.761-07:002009-07-22T12:17:23.761-07:00Thanks for the wonderful tips. Will keep them in m...Thanks for the wonderful tips. Will keep them in mind as I consider getting another horse.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-5496295000911338652009-07-22T12:00:10.294-07:002009-07-22T12:00:10.294-07:00I caught that too mugs... and my mind wandered to ...I caught that too mugs... and my mind wandered to everyone at our new barn telling me how very cute/handsome my boy is since we arrived. <br /><br />I have detailed, more than once , he is not exactly bomb proof. :)<br /><br />Laura may be onto something there, unforunately.autumnblazehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14261052609848445921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-70314681386682607982009-07-22T10:23:13.872-07:002009-07-22T10:23:13.872-07:00I had to laugh when you said pretty horses aren...I had to laugh when you said pretty horses aren't generally bomb proof. At the pasture where my yellow mare lives she is best friends with a doe-eyed gray TB mare her same age. They are known as "The cheerleaders." They run, they spaz, they goof and they (honest, I swear) flip their long manes at everybody.<br />Neither are, or ever will be, "bombproof."mugwumphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00319060800328355056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-11908574175921495112009-07-22T09:37:49.919-07:002009-07-22T09:37:49.919-07:00Your advice is very good. I've always in the ...Your advice is very good. I've always in the past bought horses for competition and bombproof wasn't part of the equation. But now I don't compete and some retraining was required - still a work in process. I've always been a real sucker for a pretty horse, too, and you're right, pretty is as pretty does. Making sure you have an advisor without a finger in the financial pie is good advice for all sorts of situations, not just horses. Thanks for taking the time and trouble to write this all up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-39263655164428994262009-07-22T09:16:23.540-07:002009-07-22T09:16:23.540-07:00You're right, autumnblaze. Being in a hurry is...You're right, autumnblaze. Being in a hurry is a mistake. On the other hand, when Toby died, I was in a big hurry to find a replacement before the sadness of not being able to ride was added to my son's grief over losing his pony. My solution was to offer a high price for a good horse I knew well. The horse was getting older, still perfectly sound, and the guy that owned him decided to let him go. I do recommend this approach. Henry wasn't actually for sale. But if you want a horse and know one that you are real sure would fit you, it never hurts to make an offer.Laura Crumhttp://www.lauracrum.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5037107797013641705.post-41703093099843315802009-07-22T08:59:19.708-07:002009-07-22T08:59:19.708-07:00Very good advice. I would say if you're inexp...Very good advice. I would say if you're inexperienced with lameness a 'basic' vet check is nice. No x-rays. Have them check reflexes of cranial nerves and general health. Then flex and jog them out. It's not that much, usually. <br /><br />I didn't do one on my boy though... but I had been riding him for 2 years, known him for 3 and had access to 10 yaers of his medical records so... I had a slight advantage. If I ever look for a horse for my husband or a child your rules will be taken into consideration for sure.<br /><br />I also don't think you can be in a hurry. You implied it but it wasn't explicit. A horse is the worst impulse buy of all time.autumnblazehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14261052609848445921noreply@blogger.com