DefinitelyDressage.com

These are nice prospects in Kentucky, 2 yrs old, well-bred and cared for, reputable breeder, well-handled to lead, cross-tie, clip, bath, lunge, etc.
There are more prospects with pics and videos coming.
Finding great sport owners is a priority.
2-4k ish

If you want to find out more,
https://m.facebook.com/groups/439853136034511?view=permalink&id=2192222564130884

https://www.facebook.com/groups/372756756171676/

Decades ago I leased a Sadddebred for mountain trail riding in Colorado. He had been started in show training but had some trail miles on him. He was a nice guy and good fun. The next summer I was given a 12 year old 5 gaited nutjob. His name was Starheart. I loved that. He was so fried he would not step foot in an arena and was known to attack people when stabled. He went through a 5 board fence to attack another gelding. He went for the farrier. His new owners took several months to get him down out of his big 5 gaited feet and then gave him to me. I put him in a paddock on the side of a mountain, found a nice mullen mouth pelham and a good old Passier dressage saddle and we hit the trails.

After about 2 months I had a completely different horse. I was so impressed that he figured out his circumstances had changed, took a deep breath and relaxed. I never saw any of the crap he had pulled with his new owners in the barn/stable/arena environment. He regularly did some pretty tricky trails and handled it all. Even night riding, on the trail, at the trot! By a complete fluke that barn owner called in a new farrier for the barn. I wasn't there but when Starheart was brought out he went pale and gasped "where did you get this horse?" Yep, the farrier he had attacked. And the horse stood there, handed him his feet one by one. The guy was flabbergasted.

It was nothing I did specifically. No horse whispering going on. Living outside and going up and down dirt roads and mountain trails everyday worked its magic I think because of the basic lovely temperament of a saddlebred. I swore that some day I would have a Saddlebred that had never been touched by a show horse trainer. Well, I never did and I'm too old now, but ... such a horse now exists. LOL. Check them out, people.

Good story Woost.

That is a good looking horse, CB.

That is a great story Woost!
...and it reminded me of something I recently read in a COTH blog about the Charlotte Dujardin NEDA clinic...

"Watching the young horses brought up the topic of what Dujardin looks for when choosing prospective mounts. She stressed that character trumps all, because while you can change gaits, it can be more troublesome, if not impossible, to change disposition. She looks for three clean, active gaits that show ground cover and natural balance. “I really don’t want a walk for a 10 as in the end it’s so difficult to collect,” she said. “I want to see the horse walk for a 7.5; that’s good enough for me. But I want a ’10’ disposition.”"

I would never discount a Saddlebred as a sport horse. I've seen some lovely ones.

Woost the trail riding business that the YMCA camp I used to go to [for adult retreats] sends people to has his string primarily made up of Saddlebreds, many from low end auctions, and like yours they are really great out there on those Adirondack Mountains.

An update...a friend just bought this youngster from this group. He had just (and I mean 'just') been lightly started under saddle so she (amateur) hopped on for test ride.

https://www.facebook.com/jody.swimmer/videos/10215876418257477/?t=25

Now that is an excellent "advertisement" cb06!

piedmontfields wrote:Now that is an excellent "advertisement" cb06!

I know, right?!
She said he is really well-balanced and comfortable to ride...and a snuggler (bonus!).
Make me really wish I had a farm to stash away a youngster for later.

cb06 wrote:An update...a friend just bought this youngster from this group. He had just (and I mean 'just') been lightly started under saddle so she (amateur) hopped on for test ride.

https://www.facebook.com/jody.swimmer/videos/10215876418257477/?t=25

Isn't that the gal who has done so well with the ASBs? Taking them to upper levels and kicking butt?

What a lovely horse (and lovely rider).

I have my own preferred breed, but I just LOVE ASBs. They are such beautiful animals and sound like they have super fun personalities. So fun to see!