Post by Audrey on Feb 13, 2012 22:53:35 GMT -5
So my sister, dad and I went to look at that pony today. I'll try and make this post brief and concise.
She's just across the border in PA on a farm with beefers and 3 other ponies The mare is an 8 year old Percheron/pony cross named Taffy, mostly white - excusing the dirt - but with a light dappling of grey. She weighs 950 and is approximately 13.1 hands.
When we got there, the owner took us into the barn where the stalls were. She said to go right ahead and take her out. So Heather, my sister, slid her hand along Taffy's back as she went into the stall, unhooked her and told her "Back Up" and she did. We brushed her, lead her up and down, turned her in a circle. She had very nice manners: no nippy/lippy behavior, knew her place and respected humans. We checked her teeth for parrot/monkey mouth, abcesses; lifted all 4 feet with no trouble, (they were really clean and healthy looking; no cracks; and for not being trimmed since August are in real nice shape); ran our hands from nose to tail, down legs and neck feeling for lumps - nothing. She has had rabies, tetanus, 4-Way and Coggins tested. No shoes. No limping either.
After a while I asked the owner to harness her up and drive her so I could watch. I wanted to make sure they weren't trying to fool me. Not that I suspected it; Taffy's owner used to ride saddle-horses and drive 3 teams up until last year. Taffy is the last one to be sold. She drives single or double, has been worked/hitched with all Amish farm equipment, pulled both a sled and wagon. She was bought directly off an Amish farm in Ohio. They have owned her a year-and-a-half.
I watched them harness her and they knew what they were doing as much as the horse.
As the owner told me the horse knew her commands I asked her to demonstrate today while we were watching. So she walked her up and down the road in front of their house at least 3 times, doing all the commands: Gee, Haw, Whoa, Stand, Step Up, Back Up, Lift. And the horse did them.
Over the phone the lady mentioned how Taffy was traffic-safe. Well, while she was walking her on the road, 3 cars drove past and a logging truck roared by, not even bothering to slow down. I mean, how rude! Not to mention potentially dangerous! But Taffy was very well-behaved. She didn't even blink an eye at the 3 cars that went by. The logging truck: she did swing round real fast to see what it was but didn't buck/spook/bolt.
Taffy is selling for $600, price including her halter and fitted collar. I talked to a farmer friend who said that if I'm serious, I could try talking them down to $500, or at least $550. Another friend told me that for an already trained, Amish broke pony $600 is an awesome bargain.
So....what do ya'll think?
I'm trying to keep an open mind.
I made a list of requirements to look for in a horse that will fit our needs and Taffy fills nearly all of them:
*Plow garden
*Pull loads
*Drive cart/sled
*Ride - (Taffy has been broke to ride but her current owners didn't pursue it as they were interested only in driving her)
*Good with cows/dogs
*Easy Keeper - Taffy eats 1/2 bale a day
gets 2 quarts grain in the summer when she's worked
*Good disposition - Taffy is very gentle, calm and quiet. She happens to be low-man-on-the-totem-pole where she is now.
*Already trained
*15 hands or less
*Good conformation
Here are some pictures.
Taffy in harness:
Sideview:
Me standing next to Taffy:
Backview:
Back feet:
Front feet:
This got longer than I expected! What happened to being brief?
~Audrey
She's just across the border in PA on a farm with beefers and 3 other ponies The mare is an 8 year old Percheron/pony cross named Taffy, mostly white - excusing the dirt - but with a light dappling of grey. She weighs 950 and is approximately 13.1 hands.
When we got there, the owner took us into the barn where the stalls were. She said to go right ahead and take her out. So Heather, my sister, slid her hand along Taffy's back as she went into the stall, unhooked her and told her "Back Up" and she did. We brushed her, lead her up and down, turned her in a circle. She had very nice manners: no nippy/lippy behavior, knew her place and respected humans. We checked her teeth for parrot/monkey mouth, abcesses; lifted all 4 feet with no trouble, (they were really clean and healthy looking; no cracks; and for not being trimmed since August are in real nice shape); ran our hands from nose to tail, down legs and neck feeling for lumps - nothing. She has had rabies, tetanus, 4-Way and Coggins tested. No shoes. No limping either.
After a while I asked the owner to harness her up and drive her so I could watch. I wanted to make sure they weren't trying to fool me. Not that I suspected it; Taffy's owner used to ride saddle-horses and drive 3 teams up until last year. Taffy is the last one to be sold. She drives single or double, has been worked/hitched with all Amish farm equipment, pulled both a sled and wagon. She was bought directly off an Amish farm in Ohio. They have owned her a year-and-a-half.
I watched them harness her and they knew what they were doing as much as the horse.
As the owner told me the horse knew her commands I asked her to demonstrate today while we were watching. So she walked her up and down the road in front of their house at least 3 times, doing all the commands: Gee, Haw, Whoa, Stand, Step Up, Back Up, Lift. And the horse did them.
Over the phone the lady mentioned how Taffy was traffic-safe. Well, while she was walking her on the road, 3 cars drove past and a logging truck roared by, not even bothering to slow down. I mean, how rude! Not to mention potentially dangerous! But Taffy was very well-behaved. She didn't even blink an eye at the 3 cars that went by. The logging truck: she did swing round real fast to see what it was but didn't buck/spook/bolt.
Taffy is selling for $600, price including her halter and fitted collar. I talked to a farmer friend who said that if I'm serious, I could try talking them down to $500, or at least $550. Another friend told me that for an already trained, Amish broke pony $600 is an awesome bargain.
So....what do ya'll think?
I'm trying to keep an open mind.
I made a list of requirements to look for in a horse that will fit our needs and Taffy fills nearly all of them:
*Plow garden
*Pull loads
*Drive cart/sled
*Ride - (Taffy has been broke to ride but her current owners didn't pursue it as they were interested only in driving her)
*Good with cows/dogs
*Easy Keeper - Taffy eats 1/2 bale a day
gets 2 quarts grain in the summer when she's worked
*Good disposition - Taffy is very gentle, calm and quiet. She happens to be low-man-on-the-totem-pole where she is now.
*Already trained
*15 hands or less
*Good conformation
Here are some pictures.
Taffy in harness:
Sideview:
Me standing next to Taffy:
Backview:
Back feet:
Front feet:
This got longer than I expected! What happened to being brief?
~Audrey
out here (western wa) that pony would be at least double that price if she really does ride and drive (there aren't as many trained-to-drive ponies out here).
