HorseHawk wrote:
forthefutureofthebreed wrote:
Where was anyone suggesting that this person should have picked up a rescue or some grade POS?
From the comments in the other thread (Free Speech My Ass).

The remarks about how "insane" it is for that man to pay that kind of money for a horse "just for trail riding" tells me many don't feel the mare is worthy of that sort of investment. There is no other logical explanation for that line of reasoning. How strange is it that many don't see the value in paying good money for a top quality horse, yet will invest thousands into the maintenance of a rescue that will never be a productive member of horsey society?

Since we don't know all the details (or what exactly the buyer was looking for), we shouldn't criticize the buyer (i. e. "more money than brains"). Absolutely, there are plenty of horses available out there (here and in Australia) of all levels of quality, ranging in price from free to the big bucks. However, if a buyer is looking for a certain quality or type, it's not unusual at all for them to pay good money for it. A high quality horse (of any breed) is difficult to find, if your selection criteria is high enough. Evidently, this mare fit exactly what the buyer was looking for, regardless of her price or her intended purpose.


Why...YES! As he might have been on the chunky side & wanted to bounce some of that extra weight off while trail riding a pretty horse...huh.

hotternhel wrote:
I think she rides a little rougher due to her back and her pasterns. While her back looks short in pictures, it is much shorter in person. She also has a lot of suspension in her gaits and I think, due to the elbow break, she compensates by trying to lift her shoulder higher to get that front leg out in front of her. She also flips her RF ankle to the outside when the foot lands, but only when going counter clockwise. Her overall compactness makes for a very different ride than what I am used to. It feels as though you are on a very wide giant ball of muscle mass. She is also not slow legged, which makes her stride much choppier. Compared to Gert, who has a longer back, shorter pasterns and a longer hip, with a more upright shoulder I would say Idgie rides like a Mack truck with 4 tons of rock in the back going down a bumpy road.
 
I don't have a bone in this fight, but I just wanted to point this out. COMPARATIVE TERM. Which means that she is rougher than something else, but not necessarily rough in general. I can say that a sheltie is larger than a dachshund but that doesn't mean that a sheltie is a large dog. Just saying.

Now I'm going to go back to enjoying my booze.