Why is it so hard to find an experienced driving mini or pony?

[Grace67]

Been searching for a few months now while I'm recovering from my total knee replacement. Made the decision last year to end my riding career and take up driving and focused my search on finding a B sized mini or small pony. Though I'm an experienced owner and rider of full size horses I've been looking for a driving horse that is very safe and sane, steady and confident.....a schoolmaster of sorts that can deal with my slow movements and fumbly fingers and hesitant cues. I have a small arena at home and acres of vineyards to eventually venture out in but not until I feel very safe and secure in my abilities and my horse and yes will be working with a driving trainer all along the way. However I feel like my search is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I'd love to find an older gelding who is an experienced driver, has been hauled a bit and is used a variety of situations. It would be even better if said horse could be found within a few hundred miles of me so I could try him out in person. I'm working within a budget and I'd rather not eat away at it buying plane tickets around the country to try horses out. Does such a creature exist and can he be had for less than five figures???

 

[My2Minis]

I think you can find them locally- it just takes time and watching ads, putting the word out. Because driving is less common than riding, there simply aren't as many schoolmaster driving horses out there, and people tend to hold onto them. Patience is the key- don't give up.

 

[brasstackminis]

Where are you located? I know of 2 that are broke to drive and close to me... in Texas. One is a chestnut pinto and $500!

 

[dangerranger]

If I were in your shoes Id talk to, in this order, Driving instructors, Driving tack sales people, Vets, and Ferriers. someone knows of a horse for you! DR

 

[Shari]

I feel for you, finding those kind's of horse's can be hard. They are out there, most likely take time finding what you are looking for.

I keep flipping back and forth about riding, the mare I am riding now, even after two years doesn't like going out alone. While I still go out with her, it isn't relaxing. Was thinking of either getting another riding horse, one like Dyfra that will go out alone... but finding a horse trained to the level I want...........

Just keep searching, sooner or later the right one will come along!

 

[Jill]

They're so much fun and takes time to get them there. Maybe people just don't want to turn loose of them

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I hear you!! That is what I was looking for. I think it is somewhat like finding a "kid safe" riding horse. There are lots of horses out there, but when one is shopping for something specific there aren't a lot to choose from. I saw many nice A size horses, but since I wanted 34-36" it was hard.

Not everyone can travel hundreds of miles or several hours to look at horses, or want to take the chance of transporting/purchasing one he hasn't seen in person.

I tried advertising for one, but got inundated with offers from far away and many in the $$$$. They emailed me unsolicited HUGE photos of their horses.

I ended up with a driving PROSPECT, and I'm hoping she works out. Getting too old for all this starting over!

 

[Renolizzie]

This topic struck home for me! I have been looking for months for a miniature horse that was trained to drive. I really wanted a calm, B-sized mini gelding although I did not rule out a mare. I wanted to see and drive the critter in person before I bought. I wanted to find one that was nearby so that my trainer could help me assess the horse. I also needed a reasonable price although I wasn't trying to go cheap necessarily. My thought was that going over $1500 would start being extravagant and $2000 was probably my limit.

This proved to be a really tall order to fill in my area. A B sized mini that is calm enough for a beginner and trained to drive a cart is tough to find. Even a A sized mini that is trained to drive isn't easy to find.

I finally settled for a 31 1/2 inch little guy that is trained, although not professionally trained. I am taking driving lessons. My trainer and her dad came to help me look at him. He was so sweet and did good in the harness. I decided to buy him. He was a really good price, as well, at $500 so I can afford to have him trained by the trainer for a month or two. He is arriving with a couple of halters, a lead rope, a winter blanket, some leg wraps, a fly mask, a cart and a harness.

Since I am a beginner, I will have a great time learning with this little guy and when I am ready to, I will see about getting another horse that is larger. I will have time and experience on my side. I really want a horse that can take me down by the river and, hopefully, haul two of us on these ungraded dirt roads. This little guy won't be able to take two of us where I want to go but in the meantime I will be having a lot of fun.

On the other hand, I am not very confident yet, the little guy is sweet, my trainer and her dad thought he was great. I really will be going out by myself the vast majority of the time and Hubby may not even like riding in a cart with a tiny horse pulling it. Yeah, I know, who wouldn't love that but you never know

I am thrilled to be getting my very first horse. We are finishing the pen and shed this week. We will be picking him up next week. next week. Now, if I could only figure out how to post a picture of him.

 

[BBH]

grace67....where are you? I also know of one and maybe more......but depending on where you are.....as for the total knee replacements....i had two in Dec. and was a bit reluctant to get back to driving and started slow and easy with my older gelding and then progressed to my mare.......the knee replacements are so worth it and getting out of the cart and not be all stoved up is great......

You may also check to see if there are driving clubs in your area and contact them...you never know what you will find right under your nose!

 

[KellyAlaska]

I was in your shoes last summer. I had never driven a horse before and I live in Fairbanks Alaska where very few people own horses much less drive Mini's. I also had a budget around $2000. I was on the web every day looking at horses wanting to find an experienced show horse that needed a good home. I found this beautiful stallion online in CA listed for $3500. He was way out of my price range but at the bottom it stated "to an approved home only". I called up his owner and spoke with her and told her my situation and what I was looking for in a horse. She agreed that we would be a perfect match. She also agreed to come down to my $2000 budget. We flew to CA to test drive my pony and take some driving lessons from his trainer. He was perfect and we bought him the next day. Now flying him to Alaska that was a whole different story.LOL With the way the economy is right now I think most of the horse prices listed online are what they would like to get for a horse. Most horse people know that you really don't make money on horses. Most good owners will agree that when it is time to sell a beloved animal a good home will trump cash any day. Unless the ad says FIRM next to the price I think you will have a little wiggle room during the negotiation process. Good Luck!

 

[Grace67]

Thank you for all the great responses, I don't feel so alone now and I'm patiently working my way through different horses to find the perfect fit for both myself and the horse. I'm located in northern California and though we seem to have many horse activities in our area, we don't have much in the way of driving. Have to travel at least an hour or two just to get outside the county where choices start to open up a bit and several hours more to go to various breed and driving shows. I have looked at both grade and breed show quality horses and safe and sane is still at the top of my list. I'm competitive by nature and eventually would like to get back to lower level showing or perhaps some driven dressage/ADT type stuff. I'm going to stick by my initial criteria of a mature B sized gelding with solid driving experience that is quiet and sensible. And actually I have found a handful of horses in Oregon who more closely fit what I'm searching for so maybe a long weekend trip is in order to go check some out.

BBH thanks for sharing your knee replacement story as well, I'm about 4 months out and still trying to get my bearings and taking it slow and easy but encouraged by what the future may hold once the healing is done.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

Good, sane driving horses ARE hard to find. I could sell my guy many times over (but will never part with him!) I would LOVE to find a couple of reasonable inexpensive driving geldings so my friends could drive in parades and on the trail with us, even unregistered would do. Nada. I even have some nice double registered horses I would trade and still can't find anything.

I did see one unregistered gelding on Craigslist for sale but they wanted $3500 for him- I doubt I could get THAT for my guy, who is a Reserve National Grand Champion WCP horse. And he wasn't even really pretty....

 

[CZP1]

I am helping two friends look for a solid "B" sized horse. They are having a hard time finding a horse too. Though as Field of Dreams said, I could have sold my horse at least 10 times. He isn't for sale

and have turned down a pretty penny even in todays market. The problem here is that there are great horses available but not in their price range $500 max. for horse is what they want to pay.

 

[Renolizzie]

Thank you for all the great responses, I don't feel so alone now and I'm patiently working my way through different horses to find the perfect fit for both myself and the horse. I'm located in northern California and though we seem to have many horse activities in our area, we don't have much in the way of driving. Have to travel at least an hour or two just to get outside the county where choices start to open up a bit and several hours more to go to various breed and driving shows. I have looked at both grade and breed show quality horses and safe and sane is still at the top of my list. I'm competitive by nature and eventually would like to get back to lower level showing or perhaps some driven dressage/ADT type stuff. I'm going to stick by my initial criteria of a mature B sized gelding with solid driving experience that is quiet and sensible. And actually I have found a handful of horses in Oregon who more closely fit what I'm searching for so maybe a long weekend trip is in order to go check some out.

BBH thanks for sharing your knee replacement story as well, I'm about 4 months out and still trying to get my bearings and taking it slow and easy but encouraged by what the future may hold once the healing is done.

I live outside of Reno and I bet we have been looking at a lot of the same ads.

 

[Sandee]

I have an old - OLD gelding (24) and I woudn't even sell him for $500. I know that things are hard now but if one of my horses is going to leave my proptery I want to KNOW they are going where they'll be appreciated and cared for. This may tick some people off but all you can afford to pay is 500 for the horse you probably are going to run into problems with all the costs that come later ....like vets, farriers, feed, and dentists.

Even the carts cost more than that so get real people. If you want a NICE/calm, well-TRAINED horse, then he's going to cost more than $500.

 

[Grace67]

I'm actually a bit more realistic and expect to pay mid four figures for an experienced driving horse along with buying some quality harness and a safe and well built driving cart. Not that there aren't bargains out there but having been in QHs for many years even our oldest un-ridable broodmare wouldn't have sold for $500. On the other end of the spectrum I don't think its realistic for someone of my driving level to pay $6000+ for a national champion, I think that would be a waste of that type of horse's talents.

I'm having a harder time finding experienced driving horses even in the mid level price ranges and someone mentioned that folks hang onto horses like that and I have to agree. I have a 21 year old fjord gelding who may not look like much but is worth a million dollars to me as he is one of the safest, sanest and easiest horses to have around. My search continues.....

 

[Sandee]

Good luck, Grace67. I know that I was lucky enough to find my,now older, gelding when he was only 15. He had been retired to "pasture mate" already. We bought him and put him back in shape and he taught us (hubby & me) and evenutally my daughter and now my granddaughter to drive. We paid 4 figures for him then. At sixteen he earned a reserve championship at Pinto World in obstacle driving for us. But even he could be a "handful" if you aren't used to driving. I hope you have someone to help you get started. Keep looking your "ideal" match is out there.

 

[Renolizzie]

I'm actually a bit more realistic and expect to pay mid four figures for an experienced driving horse along with buying some quality harness and a safe and well built driving cart. Not that there aren't bargains out there but having been in QHs for many years even our oldest un-ridable broodmare wouldn't have sold for $500. On the other end of the spectrum I don't think its realistic for someone of my driving level to pay $6000+ for a national champion, I think that would be a waste of that type of horse's talents.

I'm having a harder time finding experienced driving horses even in the mid level price ranges and someone mentioned that folks hang onto horses like that and I have to agree. I have a 21 year old fjord gelding who may not look like much but is worth a million dollars to me as he is one of the safest, sanest and easiest horses to have around. My search continues.....

I really would want a nicely trained horse if I was paying a lot of money. I didn't want to pay $4,000-6,000 either. I would definitely have paid more for my little guy but since that was what the nice lady who is selling him was asking [$500] I bought him for that price. It was also nice that I was able to buy his cart and harness, as well, for an additional fee so that worked out for me.

As for the price of the horse vs. paying a vet and a farrier - for me - the actually yearly cost to maintain a small horse was calculated into my decision to get a small horse basically separately from the cost to buy the horse.

I couldn't find what I wanted around this area for even $2,000-3,000 as far as size, training. age and sex of the horse.

I hope you find the horse you want.

 

[Grace67]

Reno I think you hit on a good deal for you and you've got a nice little horse to get you going and help you build skill and confidence and as long as he is happy and can do the job you ask of him, well you can't beat that.

I have two mini geldings to check out further and if they don't pan out I may just end up getting another fjord as I'm pretty happy with that breed too and even though they're bigger they are very docile and all purpose as well. I can drive them too.

 

[Minimor]

I think a lot of the problem is so many people refuse to pay more than $500 for a well trained driving horse; therefore, people that have one that they would sell for $1500 to $3000 don't even bother to advertise--they just keep the horse. I've been in Minis for ten and a half years now and from the start I found it incredibly discouraging that trained driving minis sell for under $1000. I remember seeing ads for $300 to $500 (and of course I don't remember or even know how well those horses were actually trained) and then one day I saw one advertised for $800. I thought now that's more like it, then I read the ad closer & saw that price included his cart. There's no way I'd let any of our trained geldings go that cheap.

If you can find a nice dependable driving horse for $500 then you'll have found a good deal, but I don't think anyone should expect to find one for less than $1000 and I see no reason why one shouldn't be worth double that at least....and that's without a cart & harness.