Fowl Play

[Johns]

Craig,

I have enjoyed this thread.  I have never owned a horse but my grandfather raised Missouri mules for a living, and he maintained a group of stallions for stud..  I also had close friends growing up who had horses and ponies, and I had a lot of contact with them as a youth.  My adult opinion of the lot is that if you can get there with a car, forget the horses.  While horses are beautiful animals, they are high maintenance animals and have limited usefulness as a mode of transportation.  All the ponies I ever encountered ( more than a dozen) would bite you if they could, consequentley I have no use for them at all ( I admit that most of them were stallions). 

BUT!, have you looked into miniature horses?  If I had more land, I would love to have some.  Check them out at http://www.google.com/search?as_q=miniature+horses&hl=en&num=10&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=images 

Actually they are more like dogs than horses, which may explain my affection  for them.

[tammie]

Here's one Craig!
http://www.bitshorseadopt.org/seefaa.html
A little Arab girl.  I tell you Arabians will go forever!  They have a "honeycombed" leg bones that a stronger then other horses bones.  Arabians are incredibly smart.  The owner is using a running martingale on her, means she throws her head - most Arabians carry their heads high.  No reason you can't continue to use the martingale on her - might save the grandkids a few bloody noses! 
This is one I'd go look at...
Okay, big butting in nose is leaving now!
Tammie

[Craig]

Lol...I appreciate your help, but I don't see myself getting a "used" horse, they are already mentioning supportive care for the one in the link.  Unfounded concerns on my part?  I have no doubt, but when I took the time to think about it....I see the grandkids a handful of times a year as it is and they are in FL!  In less than two years, their father will be transferred to a new duty station, who knows where and gramps will be sitting here tending to an animal he doesn't even like.  I'd be more willing to do that if I had gotten it while it still had that 'new animal' smell<g> 

Donkeys are jerks for sure, but then so am I, so I can relate to them.<g>  That and I expect no interaction from them and they will be more than happy to mow my pasture and comply with the no interaction rule.

In other unfounded concerns....I don't trust miniature anythings, John.<g>  It has just got to screw up the genetics and something has to give.  Whether it be life span, temperment, intelligence...something is going to be out of whack, or so at least, it seems to me.

[LeeAnne151]

I'm sorry but your concept of "used" horse is way off the mark. Seriously.

Absolutely you can buy an excellent horse that is in it's teens. Children grow up and change riding styles or stop riding altogether. Financial circumstances change too.

 Arabians are wonderful. Have had a lot of experience with them.

It takes years of experience to properly raise and train a foal. I feel that no horse is better than a foal or greenbroke horse for first time horse owners and children, especially.