Bragging Picture :)

This is my baby boy River. I have had him a month now (I got him in a trade for a wild ex-racehorse who was trying to kill me.) He has put on some poundage since he got to me, and he is so relaxed and happy.   This is his happy face!!

....thats his happy face? lol he is cute!

Ooooooo he is a beautiful horse. I always wished I could have a horse or two. They're such awesome animals.

He looks pissed. lol

He is beautiful!!

Quoting HotMom21ERF:" ....thats his happy face? lol he is cute!"

He just finished stuffing himself on over a pound of soaked alfalfa cubes. He's in a pony food coma. Hahaha.

Quoting :*:CHRiSTiNe:*::" Ooooooo he is a beautiful horse. I always wished I could have a horse or two. They're such awesome animals."

Thank you!! He's got really good breeding...he really isn't an auction horse, but the woman who imported him from Canada is crazy. When her horses get hurt she "sends them out of state for liquidation." Which really means she sends them to kill auctions. I think another horse probably kicked him and that's how he got there.

Quoting Kady:" He is beautiful!!"

Thank you!! He's my boy  

<blockquote><b>Quoting a s h l e y.:</b>" This is my baby boy River. I have had him a month now (I got him in a trade for a wild ex-racehorse who ... [snip!] ... to kill me.) He has put on some poundage since he got to me, and he is so relaxed and happy.   This is his happy face!! "</blockquote>




Ex race horses take a special kind of trainer and rider to make them a suitable pleasure horse. Glad you found a good fit! What is his breeding?

Quoting JustDucky:" <blockquote><b>Quoting a s h l e y.:</b>" This is my baby boy River. I have had him ... [snip!] ... a special kind of trainer and rider to make them a suitable pleasure horse. Glad you found a good fit! What is his breeding?"

I had gotten him before I'd gotten pregnant-this was the ideal horse for a serious competitor. I was aiming for preliminary with him. But he needed focused schooling, 5-6 days a week. I was too exhausted for that. I have had amazing experiences with ex racers-they have an incredible work ethic that is either hit or miss with Warmbloods.

River is a Dutch Warmblood/Belgain/Paint Cross. I am in love with having a draft cross-they are phenomenal barefoot, and they're remarkably easy keepers. He's a phenomenal mix because he has the movement of a Warmblood, and the overall build-he's got a short back, an amazing uphill build, and his shoulder set is awesome. He's going to be a great dressage horse. And he's the most eager to please horse that I've ever met. I'm enjoying the draft cross so much that I'm looking into getting an American Creme Draft/Fresian/Holsteiner from my barn owner. Haha!

My girlfriend shows dressage (I'm a jumper at heart   ). She just sold her Clydesdale Thoroughbred gelding. She is a tall girl, maybe 6'3"? So she needed a big horse. CJ was 19.2 and commanded quite a presence in the dressage ring. Managed to make it out of training level dressage with her while she was showing him. He had some medical issues that were pretty in depth though, needed special shoes, and had to be on a certain medication. He is at another dressage home now in Texas somewhere, living it up. My trainer LOVES the off the track thoroughbreds, she does some pretty competitive jumping and cross country. I just started showing my thoroughbred mare on the flat, but she is SO not a hunter horse and would rather just be flying over the jumps lol. I have an older quarter horse gelding too, who I grew up with and now he is my daughters babysitter in the show ring. He is a dark sorrel and my mare is black with 3 white socks. Love me a black horse. He is a beautiful boy, glad he is working out for you!

Quoting JustDucky:" My girlfriend shows dressage (I'm a jumper at heart   ). She just sold her Clydesdale Thoroughbred gelding. ... [snip!] ... sorrel and my mare is black with 3 white socks. Love me a black horse. He is a beautiful boy, glad he is working out for you!"

19.2?! I have a girlfriend who's 6'2"and she's got a huge TB. River is only 15.3, but I'm 5'2"haha. As for the dressage, honestly, the build and ability of the horse doesn't come into play until around 3rd level. That's when more extreme collection starts coming into play. Any horse can be taught to stretch, come into contact, and use themselves effectively. I'm planning to do some eventing with River as he matures, but he needs to learn groundwork effectively before we start jumping. I love the trainer I'm working with because he puts great emphasis on flatwork before jumping-all of his horses approach a fence, no matter what height, in a round, relaxed, even rhythm. Which obviously gets results-here's his draft cross haha