Wonderful mare! Face like a Morgan.

Supposedly she's purebred, but if this were America I'd say her Arabian mother had an affair at the Morgan stable down the street.  But since this is Germany and I've never seen a single Morgan horse...well, hm. I love Morgans. I always say if there were no Arabians, I'd have Morgans. My friend Tami has an exemplary specimen in burnished bay (so jealous!). You remember I rode him (not so expertly) last summer? The character of a Morgan is more differentiated from Arabians than their phenotype. And I may not be the kind of clever a Morgan requires. I've definitely got what it takes for an Arabian. Baasha gave me that.

I spent my day getting to Hanover and back again, to see a little mare who wasn't so little, I'd say she's 150cm, not the 145 they say. It's a riding school and they need to sell her because as an Arabian she's too sensitive for so many various beginner riders. I saw the "look" when we entered her pen. "What."

But she went along and carried all three of us today. The owner, her daughter, and me. The other red-haired daughter joined us later, with more things to say about the mare. We connected, this family and I, like I hadn't in a while. But I always say, it's not the owner, it's the horse. Crazy people breed great horses and I can overlook the crazy, but it sure was nice to find some real people today. The lady (faded red hair like mine is fading) said she trusts me, that she thinks I trust her, and that we seem to be a good fit. She said, "As I saw you riding the mare, I knew you were the right one for her. You guys fit together."

She had never ridden the mare before, and after she watched me, she wanted to. I got a photo of her looking quite pleased with the experience.

The mare is not so photogenic, something we have in common. The camera adds the pounds like it does for me; in RL she is not what I'd call a founder-risk case. She's just well padded after a Winter of doing nothing. And they admitted it, "nothing." They just got her out to do a few laps for the sale photos, and this was the second time this year.

She did a spook/sideways flee at a jump - I got a video I'll upload here. I rode her through that area later and she tensed, but I remained calm and it was no big deal.

She seems to throw her head a lot, and is really upside down. I believe that she has carried too many beginners at a young age, and she's very defensive, if not in pain. I took a photo of her looking grumpy, see below, saying, "I've got my mouth tied shut in TWO places." I really don't like flash nosebands.

She's very forward, as you all pointed out, and can "pick them up and put them down" as they say. I half halted her immediately at the trot to say, "Hey, a slow trot would be great." She is quite responsive to the aids. She has no idea about backing up, but that's easily taught.

I got the impression, exactly why they are selling her, that she needs one person, that she's been overloaded and that is why she carries herself defensively. She would really blossom with just one person, developing trust and confidence.

Her legs are not the pillars Shirokih has, but they are correct, and her hindquarter angulation is one of the best I've seen yet. Her forelegs are clean and straight, all tendons showing. Her hooves are in bad shape though. Chipped and somehow squared off at the toes.

They say she's independent and can go on trail rides alone, although we did not test that. I feel I can trust them from her behavior in the arena, she never looked for her buddies.

She reminds me of Lisa's Apache and Can I have a Pony's Dani. She could be their sister.

The owner said "You seem to be interested, would you like to take the next step - I can set up a pre-purchase exam." I said, "Why yes, that would be great. I wish I could be here for it, but it's simply too far." They understood.

Then I mentioned the donkey. I said how horses always have issues when they first see a donkey. They laughed and said, "Or when they first see a Paint horse!" I remember that being shocking too, for some horses. They said they will call a neighbor and go visit his donkey with the mare. In fact, they seemed to take that very seriously, they discussed it together a while. I didn't ask, I just said it would be helpful.

Then they asked if I had transport and I said I'd have to arrange it. They said they'd deliver. (I'll have to pay for gas I'm sure.) How nice.

What does my heart say? My heart says it sounds too good to be true, because she's so inexpensive. But they are saying what I want to hear and that seems suspicious to me. I'm so used to people lying to me to make a sale.

Parole Board chairman: You're not just telling us what we want to hear?
H.I.: No, sir, no way.
Parole Board member: 'Cause we just want to hear the truth.
H.I.: Well, then I guess I am telling you what you want to hear.
Parole Board chairman: Boy, didn't we just tell you not to do that?
H.I.: Yes, sir.
Parole Board chairman: Okay, then.

Source here.


My heart says the mare is inexperienced, not as steady as she could be at 7, but the issues would be easy for me to overcome. The mare needs a partner, and I desperately do too. She also needs a name. Daphne (pronounced "daf-nuh" in Germany is so stupid.)

"So, does she get lighter or darker in Summer?" I asked. "Darker." Yes! If I had to have a chestnut, I'd want a dark one.

Videos below.