Your low cost driving horse

[My2Minis]

I saw on some other threads that a number of people have great minis that were free or low cost. It would be fun to have stories of all the horses that didn't cost a fortune but turned out to be great little driving horses (either for show or just recreational driving). That includes the diamonds in the rough!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

[alphahorses]

I like these Cinderella stories! I have more than a few, but here is one that fits your post well.

About 10 years ago, a friend asked me to consider buying a colt that was not in a great situation. He didn't fit into my breeding program, but I thought he had potential as a driving horse and, mostly, I felt sorry for him. He was only a few hundred dollars, so I bought him.

He came home and sat in my pasture for a few years. I didn't have the time or money to get him into training (again, didn't fit my program), but I thought he still had a lot of potential so when Lee Myers and family asked me to work out a deal with them, and promised he would go into driving training, I jumped on it.

The Myers family really believed in this little guy, and they sent him to Robbie Barth who worked wonders with him. He went on to be the 2006 AMHR Grand Champion Pleasure Driving Horse 30-32" horse. He is now owned by Sugar Bite Miniatures who have taken him on to win additional National titles in AMHA and AMHR.

The horse is Alpha Farms Black Russian. This little guy has a lot people in his life to thank for believing in him: the person who talked me into buying him, Meyers family, Robby Barth, and his current owner, Wendy Franks.

 

[VerticallyChallenged]

I don't show, but I do have a "cheapie." Magic, my first mini. I got him at 2, he's about 35", AMHR, and I trained him to drive. We've had a lot of fun with him, we usually take him trick or treating with us every Halloween, and he's just my little buddy. I saw him oneday on Equine.com, close by, for 100 bucks! I snatched him up! I just wanted a pet...and now to have a nice little driving horse, I'm happy!

 

[My2Minis]

Very cool! Great stories. I found my little driving horse on CL and he has turned out to be a joy and was already well-trained, just needing a tune up and a little TLC. I had money saved up to buy a more expensive horse, and this little guy was not in very good shape.

But I fell in love with him anyway and bought him. Then thought, "oh no what have I done" (he was matted and lame with no muscle and cracked hooves). My family also looked at him and wondered what I had done!

But he has turned out to be a wonderful horse and he has been the perfect first driving horse. He is sleek, shiny and sound now- he gallops in the pasture. Sometimes you have to trust your gut and take a chance.

 

[hafpints]

My driving mini was my first colt born on the farm, we paid $700 for his mom that was pregnant with him. So technically I didn't pay for him, but his mom. He is a super sweet little guy he is only 31" tall and I paid $300 for him to be broke to drive as I was new to driving horses and I didn't want to do it wrong. He is also loves hunter and jumper, he isn't put together like a halter horse, but he will set up when in the ring with anyone. He is great for beginners or youth, I don't think I will ever sell him. He took 2nd place out of 4 horses at his first driving show this year as I had him broke last year when he was 8y/o. He is awesome and I love him dearly he will do anything I ask of him. He is one is a million and I don't expect to ever see one like him again in my lifetime.

 

[Shadows Fire]

I'm getting my 2 year old filly for free, plan is to break her to drive. Thus when my old arab mare isn't ridable I will be able to get out and drive. Be easier on my knees, and back. Riding is hard on the body, and falling off is something I don't want to contemplate. I do not bounce well anymore. Plus driving a mini looks so darn FUN.

I will probably have her hitched the first time by someone else but most of the groundwork I can do.

 

[RhineStone]

I've already posted a bit of my horse's "Cinderella" story on a different thread, but here is the whole story.

I was at the '05 State 4-H Horse Expo with my sister and my Pinto Arab she was showing (we paid quite a bit for him! $$$$) I was browsing the tack booths when a lady saw my sweatshirt from the Villa Louis Carriage Classic and asked if I drove. She said she had a mini that she would just like to give to somebody who would use him. We talked more about him and made plans to go see him the next week. Her children had bought him from the breeder who had shown him successfully in futurities. They had done some halter work with him, but once they started showing their QHs at the state level, Galaxy just stood there. He was six at the time. Again, the lady didn't want any $ for him, but we gave her a quarter ($0.25) so he wasn't worthless. We brought him home, but before we left the driveway, my husband said that "Galaxy" was too long to use while driving and said his name should be "Alax".

Alax was quite a flaky mini, and would even panic when I would "flick" the body brush. At one point, my husband even said, "That horse will never drive." That was "nails on a chalkboard" for me, so I worked harder at it. I started showing Alax in 2007 at Villa Louis, and he was 3rd in points at that show. He won two VSE divisions last year, and one this year. He just keeps getting better.

I have had a couple of other "Cinderella" horses. One yearling I bought at a local farm auction for $230 because she needed a home. I showed Reva in the 2007 Columbus Carriage Classic, and she won Progressive Cones.

I bought a mini for $150 from a friend of ours that got him at a mini auction. They were never going to do anything with him. I started him driving, but he was VERY prone to colic and probably wasn't going to handle the stresses of a show. The above two horses I found a good home for, so I could concentrate on Alax.

And then there is 31" Dolly. My mom traded a big horse for Dolly. She was shown a lot in halter shows, but wasn't trained to drive. She actually was the easiest mini I ever trained to drive, and is one of those "kid horses" that you can't sell! Anyone can drive Dolly, and she is great with the kids because even if she spooks, she only goes so far before she decides it is too much work! Kyle drives Dolly by himself at home.

My latest is Skip. She is coming 5 and her owner has been in college for 2 years, so she has been cared for but ignored. So I have Skip on a free lease to see if she will make a driving horse, and specifically a wheeler for our tandem. She is a BOB granddaughter, and a bit long in the back, but she can move nicely.

Myrna