Descisions on horses need help

[Sandee]

I've been looking for a Pleasure Driving horse for this season. (We have a Western "A" horse and an "A" Country Pleasure horse) I now need to decide between and "A" sized mini and a "B" sized double registered Shetland/mini (ASPC/AMHR). They both are trained to drive and will do Pleasure nicely. They're both nice stallions. Both around the same price range. The "A" positive is he's black and white; a real looker! Color wise not as fancy but the "B" I'd be able to dabble in both areas AMHR and Shetland and IF my grandkids want to ride/show he could carry them at least for leadline for a few years. Hubby is hohping this is "the last horse" so I'm trying to make it as flexible as possible.

I'm really bad at making decisions. I see BOTH sides too much! I'd like to get both but we're not set up right now for one more stallion let alone two. Yes, I know, geld but I'm not sure if or when I needed to resell that a gelding would bring as good a price as I paid for a stallion. [Wow, that statement alone is worth a whole discussion!]

So could I get some discussion from those that have one or the other or both or if you just have an opinion. I'm getting a headache from arguing with myself!

 

[Taylor Jo]

Which one do you feel the most comfortable driving and are drawn to? You have to like the horse I believe too. If you like them equally then it comes down to comfort and which one you feel most comfortable and "excited" about driving. It's like when I think about driving my Oreo, I get all excited and can't wait to get in the ring with him. So which one of them do you get that with? TJ

 

[Miniv]

First, which horse "clicks" with you should tell you a lot.

Second, Gelding does not diminish the value of the horse if he is TRAINED. A well trained Gelding in ANYTHING is worth his weight in GOLD and people will pay much more than a pretty uncut colt. (Just my opinion.)

 

[DreamStoneRanch]

I've been looking for a Pleasure Driving horse for this season. (We have a Western "A" horse and an "A" Country Pleasure horse) I now need to decide between and "A" sized mini and a "B" sized double registered Shetland/mini (ASPC/AMHR). They both are trained to drive and will do Pleasure nicely. They're both nice stallions. Both around the same price range. The "A" positive is he's black and white; a real looker! Color wise not as fancy but the "B" I'd be able to dabble in both areas AMHR and Shetland and IF my grandkids want to ride/show he could carry them at least for leadline for a few years. Hubby is hohping this is "the last horse" so I'm trying to make it as flexible as possible.
I'm really bad at making decisions. I see BOTH sides too much! I'd like to get both but we're not set up right now for one more stallion let alone two. Yes, I know, geld but I'm not sure if or when I needed to resell that a gelding would bring as good a price as I paid for a stallion. [Wow, that statement alone is worth a whole discussion!]

So could I get some discussion from those that have one or the other or both or if you just have an opinion. I'm getting a headache from arguing with myself!

Hello, In my state children under 18 years of age are not allowed to handle or show stallions. I even know miniatures are included. If that help your decision. You may check your state.

 

[Minimor]

I can tell you which one I would choose for myself (assuming that I liked both horses equally well & size was the only decision to be made) but that doesn't necessarily help you any-- because the choice I'd make for myself might not be the decision that is best for you.

If it were me I'd chose the B sized ASPC/AMHR horse...except if it were me I'd probably be deciding between the ASPC/AMHR horse and an ASPC pony

& then would almost certainly pick the ASPC pony! I just like the taller ones better & so that's what I tend to go for, all else being equal.

 

[Sandee]

!

Hello, In my state children under 18 years of age are not allowed to handle or show stallions. I even know miniatures are included. If that help your decision. You may check your state.

Ok, no insult intended but I've been around a lot longer than to think kids and stallions. Guess I was assuming that any leadline would be done on a gelding. I'm looking for help and opinions and wasn't trying to be quiet so literal. Also I do believe AMHR allows 13 and over to handle stallions but my grandchildren are not where near that.

I'm looking for opinions on one size versus the other. How they handle? How much fun each one (since I've only shown mini I have no idea on Shetland)? I probably should have left the stallion vs gelding comment out.

 

[Minxiesmom]

Something that influenced my purchases alot was the proximity of the shows available to show them at. I knew I wanted a pinto, because there were several Pinto shows available, not too far away. So, do you have AMHA shows and AMHR shows, or just one or the other?

 

[Yaddax3]

I have just four words for you: Go with your gut.

 

[ruffian]

Are they close enough for you to examine in person? IMO the Shetland crosses have a different personality than the AMHA/AMHR horses.

 

[Marty]

IF my grandkids want to ride/show

Hey Sandee, that's a big "IF"

I think you should buy the horse YOU want.

You always have other horses the kids can use when and IF they want to.

Like I said, that's an awful big IF.

 

[Katiean]

I like the AMHA shows (because that is what we have in our area) so I would not look at anything AMHR/ASPC. I do like the smaller horses. I do have a couple that hover around 34" and I really like the 28"-32". So, I would say that whatever catches your eye and you can readily show (if you want to show) is the size to buy.

 

[disneyhorse]

I would go with the "B" if I were you.

Because you seem to show a lot, having a whole 'nother size would help free up your show schedule. At our shows, the "A"s go first and then the "B"s so if you had three "A"s in a row that may be a lot of work back-to-back.

Also, would give you another horse in another division should you ever decide to show in halter, jumping, whatever.

Just as you want a Western horse, a Country horse, and a Pleasure horse, maybe you will want an Under and an Over, too.

I'd go for the most variety.

Andrea

 

[Sandee]

Are they close enough for you to examine in person? IMO the Shetland crosses have a different personality than the AMHA/AMHR horses.

See, that's what I'd like to know from those that have the crosses. What sort of "difference" is there? And while one horse is close the other is on the other side of Lake Michigan - closer than on the coast but not in this weather.

Yaddax, I know you guys have both types. What's your opinion of them [my gut is all tied up!

]

I realize the grandkids thing is "iffy" but like I said hubby would like to at least "think" this is the last horse! LOL So I was trying to cover all my bases.

 

[Minimor]

I do find there is some difference in temperament/behavior between the Shetlands and Minis. Personally I prefer the Shetland attitude--they seem to be overall smarter than the Minis (which may be a problem for some people--over the years I've noticed that the complaints about "stupid, nasty ponies" come from those people who can't keep up with the smarts of the ponies. Definitely to get along with ponies you have to be smarter than they are!).

I can't say a lot about the ASPC/AMHR ponies, because mine are all ASPC only & tend to be different lines than are generally found in the smaller ponies that are AMHR registered--but I find that mine have more go than most of my Minis. They rev up easier and higher than the Minis do, and that is in spite of the fact that some of my Minis do rev up pretty good too--there is just that much more to the Shetlands. They have more "bottom" to them--someone said something to me about the ponies still having a strong survival instinct (I forget her exact words, but something to that effect) and when I thought about that I realized she was right--I think that is the "something" that ponies have that sets them apart from the Minis. I really like that difference; others may dislike ponies because of that difference.