Background (bear with me please)....
I was browsing Kijiji one day, and stumbled upon an ad stating "Registered Canadian Gelding, very well broke to ride and drive, $3500" with a nice picture and not to far from home (3 hours). I had already purchased my Tuddy, and wasn't really on the look out for another horse, but you know, window shopping never ends.
I print out the ad and take it to my husband who promptly informs me that unless I can get the owner to sell him to me for what I paid for Stetson (my daughter's QH), then don't even think about it. I paid $1200 for Stetson. I knew that there was no way I could get a rare breed, well broke gelding for $1200. But, I still called the owner.
I call the owner, a nice lady, but Lucas isn't really what she is looking for. She wanted something a little more sportier. I tell her that I would love to help her out because he was exactly what I was looking for when I originally had been looking when I purchased Tuddy. At that time though, well broke Canadian geldings were in the $5500 + range. I tell the lady, that I wasn't trying to low ball her, and that I would totally get it if she hung up on me, but all I had was $1200. She said, "Can you come get him this weekend with cash?"
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
![Shocked :shock:](./images/smilies/icon_eek.gif)
I then go tell my husband what just happenend. He hung his head and said, "Oh hell
![Rolling Eyes :roll:](./images/smilies/icon_rolleyes.gif)
We hook up the trailer and head out to go see this horse. I overthink things, and have anxiety to begin with, and all I could think of is, "When we get there, is there going to be some crazy ex-boyfriend, saying it was his and that he bought Lucas for her as a gift?" (Hey, you never know.) "Does this horse have three legs?" "Is this horse even healthy?" "What would possess this woman to take a $2300 reduction in price?"
We got to the town the horse was at late at night, so we parked and motel'd it. Next morning, around 8 am, I call the lady and say we are going to grab a bite to eat and head over to where the horse was boarded. She replies, "Oh, can you come now, I have him caught and saddled already." RED FLAGS EVERYWHERE! My husband and I go over there and we find Lucas tied to a hitching rail, saddled up. I scope the place out, waiting for the imaginary ex boyfriend I have come to believe is part of this super fast sale to jump out of no where, but nope, just her and the horse. We chat, I look Lucas over, he seems healthy and sound and well mannered, so I hop on. He was totally cool with it, definately a strong arm steering horse with no idea what legs mean except go faster and had a good whoa. I stop, hop off, we pull the tack off him to get a better look. All four legs attached, strong hooves and seemingly well put together.
Then the money part of the discussion comes into effect. I ask her if she had his registration papers. She pulls them out and I read them, she only owned him for 18 days. Hmmmm..... She never even submitted them to the Registry to have him signed over to her from the breeder. I tell her this, as now I have to pay for two transfers of ownership, and she says "Okay, just take the cost of it off the price". I just took one payment off. She signs the bill of sale, we shake hands, and is all happy that Lucas is going home with me. I load him up in the trailer, shut the door behind him, said good bye and literally told my husband to haul ass outta here because I am still determined an ex boyfriend is gonna show up.
We got him home and he has been sitting in pasture ever since. I pull him out to see if he still remembers that he is a riding horse, and he is always good about it. One of those horses that is always broke. The last time I rode him was two summers ago, and then this summer he was wandering around my yard, so I caught him and hopped on. Yup, broke.
![Wink ;)](./images/smilies/icon_e_wink.gif)
But now, life is changing for him. He was hauled to my trainer's place the other day and now we have three months to get our act together to do the Pattern component for Team Canadian at the Battle of Breeds at the Equine Expo in Saskatoon in February. I think it is an attainable goal, no, let me rephrase that, I know it is an attainable goal!
Please feel free to offer advice, comments and tips to help us along our journey. Our first step is to get back into working shape. Right now, we are getting used to our new surroundings and about 15 minutes of walking in straight lines and such in the arena. He is pretty overweight, but will always be a big built horse, but he is smart as a whip and I know he will take to training quite well. Wish us luck!!!