This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] "...there are often fjords at the Troyer auction there in Colorado..."
Yep! I keep an eye out there -- this is where the month in my original post comes up as "April" (big grin) -- April 3 Fri., & 4th Sat. is the Troyer's Auction in Brighton, CO this spring. I plan to look there, too -- and yes, I have seen fjords there, sometimes even matching the description of what I'm looking for (old enough & trained for trails plus good dark dorsal stripe). Prices for fjords matching that description have been running $3,500 to $6,000 typically at Troyer's three times a year auction, * when * they can be found at Troyer's. :-) So, I'm not forget the local place -- it's just not as common to find them here, as places in Minnesota are, or so I've been told by several folks. "...Also have you thought of a PMU mare..." I've thought of them -- but don't think that is likely to be what I'm looking for. In my post, I did mention I was looking for 3-15 yr old, brown or red dun with good dark dorsal stripe, and most importantly ready to trail ride & beginner safe. I've been riding my standardbred for 7 yrs - however, I still prefer a "beginner safe" over a part or not trained companion for the trails. Yes, unregistered or even a cross bred that looks like what I'm look for is fine for me --- papers really don't mean a whole lot when you're riding a mountain trail! LOL -- a quiet, reliable, well trail trained mount is what's important! :-) I just don't thank that most PMU mares are likely to be also trail trained? I would rather wait, pay more, for an already trained trail companion than to try to find a good trainer and then put a *lot* more money into training to be done. That's just the training - I would still be riding a horse for some time that is not comfurtable yet - and I'm had enough of riding (and getting hurt) trying to "finish" off an untrained horse. I'm 40, have enough "learning" injuries (LOL) and just would rather wait, keep searching, than go the route of an untrained horse. Heck, there's enough trainers out there who buy, train then resell green horses (all breeds) ... or even riders that are far more experienced and more savvy than I ... and that is a far better arrangement for a green horse's interests, too, rather than myself. "...The mare that I am adopting looks to be full fjord in her picture..." It sounds very nice (and a heck of a price deal, even after considering cost of training later on.) I'm just looking for a horse that is trained already and has a lot of time already under the saddle on the trails. It's really worth it to me to pay an extra $2,000 or so to stay *out* of the hospital! :-) Nothing wrong with recognizing our own limits - and training a green horse, or putting those first trail hours in, is just not a risk I'm ready to take. Good luck with your mare, Sue - she sounds very very nice! Sher in Colorado
