Truly frustrated tonight

[GrandmaC]

Thank you everyone for your advice and offers to help me look.

I won't be online much the next 3 days due to business and a sweet 6 y/o that wants grandma at her house.

To those who have IM'ed me, I'll reply during the week-end. Not ignoring you.

Everyones been so great. It was most likely overload with a touch of being tired. (Was staying up for the meteor shower peak time)

It just seemed so much more simpler when I was just going to drive. Thank you all and thank you to the kind lady who gave me her time and told me about this site. (You know who you are)

 

[lil hoofbeats]

I HAVE to have a nice disy head(especially on a stallion) nice deep hip is also a must. But the absolute thing i HAVE to have is color! and lots of it!!! Overo, appaloosa, LOUD tovero, blue eyes. What i have noticed to be consistant and proven( just look at what is selling) is, "When all else fails, color sells."

 

[Riverdance]

Grandma C,

If you are looking for conformation in regards to halter showing, the build is totally different then a good driving horse.

For a halter horse, I like an up headed horse with a long slim neck, flat top line and croup with a deep hip. I also like a high tail set, which is not what you would be used to in a Quarter Horse. (I used to breed and show Morgans before Minis)

I like a refined horse with a thin throat latch, the neck tying in correctly at the shoulder. I am a head freak, so mine must have a pretty head. A well balanced horse is what I am looking for. When a horse has a really long neck, often they are a bit longer in the back, otherwise they are not balanced.

I prefer training and showing my horses myself, so when they win awards, it is the horse winning and not who is on the other end of the lead.

For a driving horse, I want their rear to be able to get under themselves, so they have a bit more rounded rear/ Still a good shoulder set, so that they can properly pick up their front end. And of course, motion. I prefer still shots of the motion, as when I get a video, I slow it way down to see how well the horse is naturally using itself. I also look for suspension (all 4 feet off the ground during some of their trotting).

If you are looking for a broodmare, pick one that has produced some winning horses. I prefer the older ones as not only may they have a show record, but they have also proven themselves in the breeding shed, with winning foals that they have produced.

One also does not have to go to the top breeders, or the top stallion to get a really great horse.

Many people buy for color and really miss the conformation of a horse, because they can not see past the color. I prefer the solid color horse, where there are no illusions caused by the white or the spots.

Everyone has their own options on what a good horse is. You will need to see many horses and make your own opinion of what you want and like.

Good luck, and I hope you find your dream horse.

 

[GrandmaC]

Ok call me silly but can one truly have the best of both worlds?

Do I want my cake and to be able to eat it too?

I'd like to buy for halter/driving. You get em as foals, love em up till time to go to shows.

Spend their first 3 to 4 yrs showing, then retire them from showing into the driving/breeding aspect.

Is this day dreaming?

 

[targetsmom]

I think a whole lot depends on how much you want to spend and at what level you want to compete. For example, I bet you will find a number of horses (if you hunt hard enough) that have their AMHR Hall Of Fame in both driving and halter. And plenty of Pintos get awards in both categories. But if you want AMHA World Champions in both halter and driving it will be a lot harder (and likely more expensive).

 

[disneyhorse]

I certainly think you can find horses to both halter AND drive... I have always looked for horses that I could do both with.

Now granted... you may not find a National Grand Champion quality halter horse that ALSO is a National Grand Champion driving horse... but I think so!

The minis have SO many driving divisions these days that if you get a good halter horse that has decent motion, you can find a driving division that it will fit in.

You will just have to be patient and look... and try shopping at farms whose horses excel in both (just off the top of my head, check out Buckeye WCF or Taylor Pony Farm... their horses, both ASPC/AMHR and AMHA/AMHR or AMHR only are horses that are conformationally balanced AND usually are bred to move... and the show records of many, many of their horses prove it. I haven't bought a horse from either of those places, but wouldn't hesitate to look. They aren't ridiculously expensive, either.)

There is nothing that a driving horse has, that a halter horse can't have... or the other way around. Just sometimes you can "overlook" things in a driving horse such as a plain head or cowhocks, that you can't in a halter horse. A pretty horse is a pretty horse.

And I disagree with the above statement that a driving horse cannot have a high tail set, and has a rounded tail set...

My stallion has a very, very short croup with a high tail set but a pretty deep hip. However, he can still move. (He is not a mini, but conformation is conformation....) All of the angles together are what dictates what sort of movement your horse will have.

Anyhow...

This AMHR gelding was National Top Ten halter for me, Reserve National Champion in Liberty for me, and then went on to win National Grand Champion Pleasure Driving for his new owner. I wish I had better pictures of him in Halter from Nationals, but I was more poor than I was now

This is his full brother. I loved the above horse so much, he was so versatile, I got another clone

He was National Futurity Champion in halter, I broke him to drive, and then he went on to Hall of Fame in Roadster for his new owner.

I had fun with this little guy (my only AMHA registered mini I've had pretty much), he was National Champion in halter a couple of times, and then he was a super cute driving horse.

I showed this guy locally in halter and driving, and went on to win National Top Ten Halter, National Champion Liberty, and multiple National Top Fives in Pleasure Driving:

Anyway, I just wanted to show you that some people DO like to have versatile horses that can show in many things, even at the National level. And go for geldings! They are great! Sometimes you can find been-there-done-that show geldings that are broke to drive and jump, that the owners just aren't showing any more and want their horses to have a job. And they are NOT always expensive... MOST of the horses I've had, I've not spent more than $1500 on. But it takes a good eye and a lot of patience. If you don't have a good eye yet, find someone who does, and develop yours while you go out there and show.

The more patient you are, the better your chances of finding some truly knockout horses will be.

Good luck to you, and be sure to wait for what you want!

Andrea

 

[Mominis]

I certainly think you can find horses to both halter AND drive... I have always looked for horses that I could do both with.

Now granted... you may not find a National Grand Champion quality halter horse that ALSO is a National Grand Champion driving horse... but I think so!

The minis have SO many driving divisions these days that if you get a good halter horse that has decent motion, you can find a driving division that it will fit in.

You will just have to be patient and look... and try shopping at farms whose horses excel in both (just off the top of my head, check out Buckeye WCF or Taylor Pony Farm... their horses, both ASPC/AMHR and AMHA/AMHR or AMHR only are horses that are conformationally balanced AND usually are bred to move... and the show records of many, many of their horses prove it. I haven't bought a horse from either of those places, but wouldn't hesitate to look. They aren't ridiculously expensive, either.)

There is nothing that a driving horse has, that a halter horse can't have... or the other way around. Just sometimes you can "overlook" things in a driving horse such as a plain head or cowhocks, that you can't in a halter horse. A pretty horse is a pretty horse.

And I disagree with the above statement that a driving horse cannot have a high tail set, and has a rounded tail set...

My stallion has a very, very short croup with a high tail set but a pretty deep hip. However, he can still move. (He is not a mini, but conformation is conformation....) All of the angles together are what dictates what sort of movement your horse will have.

The more patient you are, the better your chances of finding some truly knockout horses will be.

Good luck to you, and be sure to wait for what you want!

Andrea

I love that horse.

 

[Sandee]

........................

I showed this guy locally in halter and driving, and went on to win National Top Ten Halter, National Champion Liberty, and multiple National Top Fives in Pleasure Driving:

...........................

Now THAT'S what I was looking for!!!

 

[sfmini]

You absolutely can have a horse that halters and drives. The horse in my avatar is a two time AMHR National Champion in single pleasure driving geldings, National Champion Ammy halter gelding, and AMHA World Champion single pleasure driving geldings.

We also have a stallion, SF Mahogany Bay who was AMHR Reserve national champion senior stallion 32 - 34 and AMHA World Champion AOTE Country Pleasure driving.

Both are very pretty, and very athletic, and will never leave the farm, they have earned their homes. SF Mahogany Bay is still showing, the gelding is retired.

My new filly is halter quality at the world level and will be a really nice country driving horse when she is old enough to drive.

 

[MountainMeadows]

Sure you can ! ! Not easy, but it can be done - Summer Rose is World Grand Open Driving horse & Res World CH in Open Halter, Baylee is World Grand in Open Driving and Top 5 in Open Halter, American Express is 2X National Grand in BOTH Halter & Open Driving -- these are just my horses --- Flying Ace's Attitude of Royalty - World Champ in both Halter & Driving, Celebrations Tennessee Tribute, Sierra Dawn Uno De Mayo, Daring Difference - the list goes on & on, many many champions in both halter & driving -- you bet you can have both - I think that is what a lot of us breeders are actually striving for in our breeding programs - beautiful to look at standing still and one that gives you goosebumps when it moves out ! !

 

[Marty]

Breathe, Breathe, take deep breaths......

Honestly, right now if I were you I would take a good step back and stop looking right now. You are on overload and I think you should just put this idea of yours away for a little while and give it all more thought about what goals will really make you happy.

You have to remember the thing about showing and also choosing a mentor is you are going with what they like, and it may not appeal to you. Some of the stuff I have seen win in the past and present may not be my style, not necessarily what I like or what I would buy. What one person thinks is gorgeous, I might think is yukky. Select what you want, right down to your favorite color, because when its all said and done, its your horse whose job is to please you, not anyone else. And don't ever forget a judge's opinion is only one person's opinion when in the ring. Showing is not cheap, time consuming, and a lot of hard work. Talk to people who show and they will tell you what all is involved in detail.

I started out simple just wanting one friend for my old pony. That's all, no showing, no nothing, just me and a little companion mini. Life was simple back then and not complicated. Then I let it get away from me and before I knew it, I decided to breed, possibly show, and I needed a bigger barn. I finally sent my mare out to show a little bit last year and she did very well and it felt dang good and boy was I proud. I doubt I'll do it again, but the good thing is that I know if I change my mind, I have got some I could stick out in the ring if I ever get the notion.

Relax, have a nice hot cup of green tea for your nerves, slow down, way down, and regroup. It will all fall into place. Best wishes to you.

 

[Loess Hills]

You know, this posting should be preserved for the future, because this is some of the best counsel and advice anyone could receive.

 

I wish you the best in your search and selection! Remember that the miniature is a relatively young breed, still evolving. Even the Standard of Perfection is being revised and updated to reflect changes that have taken place over the years.

 

With time, you will find the horse that is right for you in your heart and mind.