Good Horses Available

[volcav]

I ran this past Mark before posting it. He suggested I should post it here.

I know there are guys out there who are just starting to get into cavalry and some don't have horses or some are looking for new horses. We've had discussions on the forum about period correct horses also. Saddlebred type horses were popular from New England to Kentucky, Missouri, Texas and throughout the South in the 1800's. While Saddlebreds can be trained to do a four beat gait, most are not naturally gaited.

I'd like to post a couple of links to a Saddlebred rescue that I support. Right now there are 20 some horses available ranging from young and green broke to old enough to buy beer and responsible enough to babysit. Mares and geldings and all the right color. None of them are broncs and shipping can be arranged to new homes. Most of the horses started out as show horses then went on the road as Amish carriage horses. They have been around the block litterally and figuratively. Broke to ride and drive, healthy, and experienced, I think these horses would make good reenacting horses. I had a saddlebred once and he learned more at one weekend reenactment than my mustang did in two years of reenacting. This place is run by professional horsemen and horsewomen. They give honest professional evaluations of each horse. Feel free to check them out.

http://saddlebredrescue.com/index.ph...=129&Itemid=66

http://forum.saddlebredrescue.com/forum.asp?FORUM

[Ken Knopp]

Re: Good Horses Available

Great Jerry!! If there is one thing all cav men need then it is a good horse. Most dont have one they just tolerate the one they got cause its too much effort and "pot luck" to find another.
That said, I have to add that really "good" horses are few and far between. They are literally rare as hens teeth and most horseman will tell you that in their entire lives they can name but a few, if that. For me, I have had more than my share of broncs, idiots, psychopaths and the usual un-predictable nags. Seems the best cav horses I ever rode were always "borrowed"....belonged to someone else- and they weren't sellin! Maybe horses are like women, the "grass is always greener on the other side" I dont know but, it always seemed that way to me.
For all you cav guys....unless your riding that perfect mount (and married to that perfect gal) then it might be worth the effort to look into this. Horses are cheap right now anyway....(women NEVER are).

I am otta here, feeling just a wee bit too much philosophical tonight,

Ken R Knopp

[crabby]

Re: Good Horses Available

Hi Jerry,
The first link you posted is "broken". However, the other one works fine. Kudos to those fine people and their rescue. And to you for sharing it with the AC community.

[volcav]

Re: Good Horses Available

Here's a different link to the homepage.

http://saddlebredrescue.com/

[Mark Choate]

Re: Good Horses Available

Men of the mounted persuasion.

I have gotten four separate requests over the past two months with regards to "where to find cavalry mounts." Ken's response as there are many horses brought into the hobby, but only a handful that really turn into that special mount that you know you can trust when everything around you turns to poo-poo.

I want to thank Jerry for supplying these links and for the research behind them. I encourage more to post on the Cav COI such findings as this is the foundation of the mounted impression. You can work and search and dig and study for the right impression until the "cows come home" but if you don't have a quality mount under you...................well, you know the rest.

Good job, Jerry,
Mark

[volcav]

Re: Good Horses Available

I noticed two things in particular when I visited the Saddlebred Rescue site today. First was a post stating that most adoption fees are $750-$1000 and the other was the English riding style used in the videos of the horses. The English riding style is used at the stable that hosts the rescues but is not required for riding these horses. They will pick up on new training such as neck reining and gun breaking as fast or faster than any other breed of horse. I just wanted to point that out in case someone has been intimidated by the riding style portrayed in the videos. I know it intimidated me when I first got to know these folks. I've had a total of an hour and half of formal riding lessons in my life. Mostly it's been get on and hang on for me.

I'd like to point out some positives about finding horses at breed specific rescues. Most of the breed specific rescues are show horse drop outs or too slow for the race track. They have been handled and hauled and messed with since birth in most cases. They are usually broke to ride and past the age of young horse flightiness. In short many of the training problems encountered in horses of this price range are already handled. With race horse specific rescue organizations one needs to be aware of soundness issues especially with Thoroughbreds. Standardbreds may need some saddle work but are usually easy to saddle train if it hasn't been done already. Many of the rescue organizations will also take a horse back if it doesn't work out.

As for the general "we'll take anything with four legs and tail" rescues it's pretty much adopter be ware. Some are legit and some are scams. Even some of the legit ones are poorly run and over run with ill tempered and or lame pasture ornaments.

Here is a link to Thoroughbred Rescue I've had contact with in Kentucky and they also have branches in the the north east.

http://www.rerun.org/

Here's one for Standardbreds. http://www.4thehorses.com/

The only place I know of to find ready trained cavalry horses is to buy a seasoned veteran horse from another re-enactor. Good luck getting someone to part with one of those. The breed specific rescues can provide horses that have a general baseline to start with. Meaning you're less likely to end up with a rodeo from the start and you can focus on the cavalry specific training that you want the horse to have. Horses are generally cheap right now but good, well trained horses still command higher prices. A free/cheap horse is generally free/cheap for a reason and will often cost doctor bills and tack repairs in lieu of the purchase price. At least that has been my general experience.

[Mark Choate]

Re: Good Horses Available

Jerry,

Thanks again for this post as it is such an important possible source for horses for pleasure or for the mounted side of this hobby/endeavor. Yes, some training and work is needed, but it is worthwhile for both horse and rider.

I really appreciated the link to the Am Standardbreds. I have been giving serious thought to my next mount being a S'bred.

Finally, if you are looking in the used T'bred market at off-the-track horses, you also need to probe into whether they have been used as polo ponies. This, IMHO, is more fraught with lingering injury issues than even track racing as the horses are asked to make almost impossible turns and changes and those mallet injuries to the hock and other parts of the leg can leave lots of floating bone fragments. Most old polo ponies have some type of issue or another. My wife bought one several years ago and it really started to surface after a few years.

For what it is worth...................

Thanks again, Jerry.

Mark

[Philip cav]

Re: Good Horses Available

Thank you for the post. I would like to get a horse but I am not able to. I hope the horses find a good home.


Pvt. Philip Brening

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Good Horses Available

I thought I mention that I was at an amish horse sale on Monday ,and went to buy buggy harness. I got a new set of harness, and had I taken a trailer, I'd have bought the horse that wore it too , all for less then 400.00. There are so many good horses out there that it's kind of sad ...or exciting depending on how you want to look at it. If your wanting to do Cavalry or need a spare mount, NOW is the time to act! plm

[Mark Choate]

Re: Good Horses Available

Paul makes a very good point here, fellas.

I don't remember having so many folks ask me about where can they get "a good cav mount" or "who can rent me a horse" (I am excluding the folks that are coming in from out of town for some of the large 150's, etc.). So, the time is ripe for picking up another horse (or two).

Having said that, I fully understand that if you board a horse somewhere, then an add'l mount will double all of your cost. But if you have a place to keep them and already have 2 or 3 or 4, then adding one more will not impact your cost too severely. Especially if you are getting them for a song to begin with.

So, as Herbert Hoover said, "A chicken in every pot and an extra cavalry mount in every pasture!"

regards,
Mark

[ButtermilkRanger]

Re: Good Horses Available

With the ending of the slaughter market, why even pay $400 for a good horse? You can just go catch one on public land somewhere and claim him for your own. At least that's the way it seems west of the Mississippi since the bottom fell out on the market. People were turning out unwanted horses on public land, or just shooting them and dragging off the carcass. I was at a horse sale recently where six very nice 2 year old gaited mules sold for $50 ea. One mare, broke to ride, went for $10. Now that the law has been reversed, I suspect this practice will end and prices will go back up somewhat.

[Forrestcavalryman]

Re: Good Horses Available

six very nice 2 year old gaited mules sold for $50 ea.

Just listen.....You'll be able to hear John Clinch's jaw drop when he reads that!!!! Seriously though, I hope the market does reverse itself, good horses deserve better than some of the ways I've seen them treated since the slaughter industry closed. Okay, off of my soapbox.

[Mark Choate]

Re: Good Horses Available

Notice very closely what Larry says at the end of his post:

"Now that the law has been reversed, I suspect this practice will end and prices will go back up somewhat.

It has ended and prices will start rising some, so the time to buy is now or at least in the spring when the pastures are coming back to themselves.

Mark

[Paul L Muller]

Re: Good Horses Available

That's a lot better than the other way around, unless you live in France. plm

[Mike Ventura]

Re: Good Horses Available

There are a lot of good horses in GA at very rock bottom prices. It's the economy. Many people who rode or kept and boarded a horse for a kid to ride can't afford it any more. The local sales prices here are a joke.