Bay Hannover gelding

I'm driving to Hannover to see a horse tomorrow*. Deja vu, that's where Mara comes from. I'm dubious about the horse because he seems the opposite of strong - he's got an awful topline and a wormy look, and two of him could fit inside Mara, side by side, he's so narrow. (* - this is two blog posts combined into one because I don't want to leave you hanging. See how nice I am?)

But I'm driving 4 hours one way because I was told he loves trails and has been ridden on trails for 2 years, even though he's only 6.

J took one look at the ad for this overpriced specimen and said, "Go see that horse." I guess the money isn't that much of an issue? He wants me to get a horse as soon as possible, he feels terrible for the donkey, and he knows I cannot live this way much longer.

S, on the other hand,  took one look at the horse's ad and said "No way. Did you see the topline? And this horse has no Arabian type"!

I reminded her of my budget and that my situation requires a horse who has trail experience, and especially, a love of trails.

I reminded her of my must haves - 1. Pass a vet check 2. Good legs/pasterns 3. Loves trails. I reminded her that a pretty face, a mane on the correct side (his has not), these are not my priorities. White markings above the knee, crooked tails, choppy motion ("two-bra" horses), sarcoids, these are no big deal.

I'm annoyed tonight because she keeps sending me ads for horses that fail to meet my limited criteria. She sends me ads for horses out of my price range, out of my driving range, and horses with such horrible legs I cannot believe people ride them.

Over the last months she has sent me many ads. She, and others,  told me I cannot afford a purebred Arabian for my budget, under 5K Euros. I told her I accept that and I'd be happy with a partbred, like Mara. Or any horse that has Arabian type, like so many fine Welsh cobs. I love Welsh cobs.

S started to get annoyed with me when I said the horses she sent to my inbox had bad pasterns. She said that I take photographs much too seriously and that I should give these horses a chance. I admitted that photos hide important aspects like depth of chest/back, but not the angle of the legs.

She sent me pics of German Riding Ponies, a "breed" I would consider if it had enough Arabian blood that it shows.

I said to her, "I like the horses you send me, but isn't it interesting how some of them look like mini warmbloods, and some like little stocky Arabians?"

She replied, "If you feel that way, you should only look at Arabians."

I replied "Many have told me that I cannot afford a purebred Arabian that has been actually ridden, for under 5K Euros - so I'm willing to consider crosses."

Did she forget what she told me?

***

Today I drove to Hannover.  9 hours in my car alone on the Autobahn in the driving rain making visibility dangerous and I wished so much I didn't have to do this alone.

I got to the barn but there was no driveway, literally, no where to park your car to visit this place. I drove on and called from a distance, and then was shown a tiny spot where my car would fit. Odd. The owner of the horse is a horse trainer/Parelli coach professionally.

Then we had to get into her car to *drive to the horse pasture* - yes, that is common in Germany. You have a barn, but your horses are out somewhere on leased land for the Summer.

She stopped her car on the side of the road and opened the hatchback to reveal a saddle, halter, and grooming kit. How strange.

She opened the electric rope and led out the bay gelding and left him - untied -  behind her car next to the street. Not many cars went by, but I thought, how odd, is the horse able to tie, or is this just circumstance.

I worried a bit when he stepped on his rope, and cars went by his nose.

She didn't look at his feet.

She brushed the dirt off his back and put the Thorowgood on his back. He wore only a rope halter on his face.

She said, "You wanna ride?" I said, "Oh, my helmet is in my car. And I thought I'd watch you first."

"Oh, I haven't ridden him in months. See, I'm trying to separate emotionally from him, cuz I am so sad that I have to sell him."

I said, "It's my policy to see someone else ride before I ride." (You know, I didn't want to ride Mara either but I had to in case someone wanted to come see her.)

She got on and we went along the fields and he looked at things a few times but then settled in.

Then it started raining, and --- like Baasha --- this gelding banked his body against the rain and pouted and ducked his head in protest. "He hates rain," she said, " I said, "I see."

He walked amicably enough along the fields that would have had Mara scooting. We arrived at a little sand ring.

She rode him w/t...and at trot he pinned his ears and said "This is so dumb" and reluctantly trotted. She said he's a trail horse, not an arena horse, he despises circles.

She asked him for a canter and he went into a paroxysm of bucking. Now I can see he's lazy, but isn't bucking strenuous? Perhaps he was just being grouchy, he really does hate arena work.

She eventually got him to canter a half circle and then tried the other way, which he opposed just as strongly, bucking her up on his neck. She laughed it off.

I was a little concerned, but remembered that I was forewarned.

She kept showing off how well he stops with just an exhale and sitting down. I was not impressed, because obviously in the arena, stopped is his favorite gait. 

When I finally got on him, from this pathetic rusty little stepping thing that was NOT a safe mounting  block, I asked him to bend his neck to touch my feet with his nose, which he could do, but only if I did it by the owner's method of running my hand down the rein to his nose. Hm, somehow Mara did not need the extra cue to understand this, but OK.

He felt absolutely enormous compared to Mara, I swear he's 15cm taller. The numbers say he's only 15.1. Am I so spoiled by a tiny horse that 15.1 is big now?! *blush*

Then I had an experience like when I first rode Mara in Hannover.










He was so willing - so "What would you like it?" to every soft request. He actually sidepassed around because he didn't understand my cue to turn on the haunches. 

He trotted for me, but after a few strides ran out of gas. Truly, he hates arenas, and isn't the forward type. I know how to deal with that, when I'm in a saddle/bareback pad I'm comfortable in. I was in my hiking boots in normal English stirrups. I am used to my safety stirrups and I honestly don't own any riding boots.

I rubbed under his halter as I dismounted (photo), and noted that just like Mara, he loves his ears rubbed. He is especially itchy, and I wonder why. He stood there sleepily and let it all hang out. His ability to relax was so different for me to observe. Mara didn't relax when she was sleeping.

He was quite content outside the arena, and I rode him all the way back to pasture. He is not herdbound, she said, and I saw that when he tried to go a different direction on the street than back to pasture. We had to descent a steep grassy slope and he took it very carefully, mincing his steps to not slip. I like that.

Riding him between those two fields, it was so nice to be on a horse with ears focused on the trail ahead, never looking side to side. In fact, he was so relaxed his lip was flapping as he walked. Left-brained extrovert, she calls him. Linda Tellington-Jones was spot-on about her facial feature analysis. I wish I had better photos but maybe you can see what I mean.

I noted that as his awful hooves hit rocks, he did not gimp. That's good. The owner says he's never worn shoes, and never needs boots even on rocks. Wouldn't that be nice? But the owner obviously has no concern for hooves. He also had a little bit of scratches on one of his white heels. End of Summer scratches? How bad is it in Winter? After Baasha, I'm pretty good at dealing with that.






The grass is mostly hiding the appalling state of these hooves. Crack city. I've never ridden a horse with such neglected feet but he was surprisingly sound and even has a pretty trot.

I noticed as we returned to the pasture it was mostly weeds, and full of manure that had never been cleaned up the entire season No wonder he looks so poor. I think it's a German thing to turn horses out on pasture all Summer and feed no hay until they come back to the barn in Winter. Across the street that's what happens, but he has like 30 acres and 9 horses.

The gelding has never had his teeth looked at in his 6 years, she said, and I honestly don't know how much of a problem that is. There are people out there who don't believe in dental care? He's so poor looking, I assume it's a bad story in his mouth.

I was annoyed that his mane is on the wrong side, like looking at a horse in a mirror, but the owner started playing with it saying how much she loves it. I didn't want to touch it much because it was greasy and sticky. He also didn't have that nice scent of horse that lives at pasture. 

And the lack of regular worming, with the state of that pasture - I can't believe those horses can manage as well as they do. But not for much longer - soon they'll have to eat the weeds, cuz there's nothing else.

He tended to rub his head all over his owner as she groomed him, tacked him up, and when she picked up a hoof when I asked. He sees her as a scratching post. That's easily fixed - it's just a little surprising that someone who invests 5,000K Euros to take her horse to a month-long Parelli clinic doesn't manage to teach the basics of manners. I'm glad that she took him to that clinic though, because that was a lot to experience.

I conclude that this person epitomizes what some say about Parelli people - they spend a lot of time swinging ropes and don't seem to worry about riding. Or the basics.

I admit that there is a yearning inside me to convert him into a healthy horse and see the difference. There is this resigned look in his eyes, and I'd love to see a spark develop.


Winter coat.


Summer coat. Socks on over jeans. So classy.


I like his big joints and low hocks, and I see nothing wrong with the pasterns besides most of them being white.


It's really hard to tell how narrow this horse is but maybe you can see it. I doubt my saddle would fit him. And where would it go? He has no back.


Grouchy "hate arenas" face, but drooping lip.

He's quite expensive considering the neglect. I'm back into my logical state, not letting my emotions meddle with reality. My original concern about him being too delicate for me wasn't proven - he's narrow but his legs make up for it. Why does he have to be so far away?