Re: Random horse
Reply #62 –
Anyway, they are fine animals, very American style. 
Thank you. Although if memory serves they're a Scottish breed.
They are glorified pets. I started with three, a male and two females. It's gotten out of hand in the last decade or so. Up to 14 at last count.
What to do with them has always been the question. Suggestions are things like: teach them to pull a cart, do pony rides, teach them special tricks and/or sell them. We taught one to bow for an apple and you have no idea how many times people have asked if I rent them for rides at parties. I'm not quite redneck enough to own a cart and tack for it - but that is one of the more adorable options. They all get lead broke; learn to follow on a lead and stand where you tie them for brushing/trimming hair and hooves . I don't actively try to saddle break them but some have picked it up better than others. Learning can be rough, they don't
want to cooperate and learn stuff but they have to. So at times I have to wear them down a bit so they don't just fight me and thus figure out that what I need from them ain't so bad. The fastest way to get to them tired is a mock rodeo. Let them haul me up and down the corral rodeo-style a few times and suddenly listening to me isn't the worst thing. Chauncey is the only one so far to hack my method. As soon as I put a halter on him, he ragdolls. Not even gracefully - just suddenly he pretends he has no bones, lol. Equal measures cute and aggravating.
So basically - I have no idea what I'm doing with them. Sustainability is eventually going to be a problem. The field can only support so many, but that number is still pretty far off.
I've had plenty of other saddle and quarter horses over the years. None of which have been a problem for me to sell. Something about raising them from a baby makes it hard to let go.