Physical Attributes of an Endurance Horse...and other stuff.

Haiku Farm's previous post on buying an endurance prospect had me thinking bright and early this morning (5:35 am and I've been up for awhile) about the physical attributes of a distance prospect.  One or two mentioned "good bone."  I was really interested and surprised to hear that many prefer mares!  Only one other person (here on the ground) has ever told me they prefer mares for the sport.  Then I started thinking about Fiddle (mare), Dixie (mare), Farley (mare) and huh!  Some of my favorite blog buddy people indeed ride mares!  As I struggled along with my Phebes and her related drama at times I had two different men in the sport (one a ride vet, the other a competitor) tell me that Phebes biggest deficit was right between her ears.  They weren't being mean.  They were trying to get across that most important attribute a distance horse can have is a sane mind, calm attitude, and mental toughness.  The rest would follow to varying degrees if you have that.  My limited experience has found that statement above all others to be true, at least for my purposes.  The gelding I looked at last weekend physically had it going on.  He looked like CMK to the n'th degree. He was heavily Polish/Crabbet with KMPH thrown in.  He wasn't priced all that bad at $1200, but I saw that same emotionality in his eyes that Phebes used to have.  The ticking time bomb looking for a place to explode.  I make no apology for recognizing and avoiding horses that don't seem right. 

 Phebes is not the first horse that I have started under saddle.  She was the third horse that I attempted to build from the ground up.  The first one was a very calm baby that I had wearing a saddle  and bridle by six months old (before you get all postal on me, no rider, just saddle and blanket).  You could climb over him, under him, and share an ice cream cone "with" him.  When he was old enough to ride it was a matter of climbing on, and working on steering.  That was it! NO DRAMA. The next one was a 16 year old broodmare that had hammered the last person who attempted to start her (fractured her spine actually).   She eventually turned out to be a very nice ride (we went 2000 miles before she went blind)  and my heart horse.  Those in no way made me anything less than a beginner because I did not have the tools (or exposure) to finish them out. But I can get them going!  All of them understood leg (none of the potential horses except the last one had a clue what leg pressure meant), a direct rein, backing, and side passing.  I would not term myself as a rank beginner. Granted, my riding style probably isn't the greatest.  A muscular disorder and a balance disorder gives me real problems riding in circles or riding in the dark.  Sometimes I don't have the balance to get out of bed, though medication usually keeps it under control  I'm fine out on the trail, but get me on a circle for more than one lap, riding in the dark, or crossing flowing water and I might just fall off the horse!  No amount of lessons or drugs is going to sort that out (hence I avoid circles, riding in the dark, and flowing water), though I've given both a try on more than several occasions.

There are people out there in the bloggish-phere who seriously dislike me.  None of them know me personally.  The person who suggested the high price for a "decent" horse is one.  I don't know why really and yes, she had a horse for sale.  I liked the horse, but never made the drive to see him.  If he would have been suitable I cannot answer.  If I'd have been paying for pretty his chestnut coloration certainly had it going on, his legs were straight, but the longe line was tight you could have hung laundry on it to dry!

Today may pretty much dictate my future in the sport, at least for a long while.  If her royal spotted highness does not give me a good trail ride today, I will likely become  Endurance ACTHA Granny as I sit back and wait for the right horse to come to me, 'cause I'm done looking for the summer!  ~ E.G.