My long-term horse plans have come to terms with owning a semi-retired endurance pony. She’s not anywhere near ready to retire yet. Competition isn’t happening, though. We’ll mosey about on trails for as long as she’s happy doing so. Silly girl continues to head out enthusiastically on our trail rides and I don’t foresee that changing.

I do look periodically at horses that friends link me. “What a nice horse,” I’ll comment, and zero interest in pursuing. I’m not horse shopping. Ruthlessly exclude is the name of the game around here. I don’t need a second horse. But. I know how easy it is to lose an older horse for unforeseeable reasons: two of the herd I claim as mine have gone the last few years. Neither was 30 yet. Both should have made it there.

I believe there’s value in letting an older horse help mentor a young one. Proper manners. River crossings. Dogs, runners, motorcycles, shopping carts.. all the random stuff we see on the trails out here.

So. Ruthlessly exclude, zero pressure to buy. I’d like to pick something up in the next five years or so as Fetti slows down. Or might slow down. She may refuse to slow down until 35! That also fits in with other overall life plans, and my partner and I had a pony-goals discussion. This impacts him too, he’s been super supportive of my endeavors with Fetti, and if I’m committing to 30+ years with a second horse, I want to make sure he’s on board.

The list?

1. Haflinger mare. I like mares. I could probably be talked into a gelding, though. I also like the Haffie breed and have concluded I don’t want to ride the average flighty Arab. I like something a bit slower.
2. 2-6 years old. I have a 20something mare already. She is not getting any younger. I don’t want to be repeating this in 10 years, and I do believe that if I’d started with her younger we might have had more success or at least an easier time. That said, I’m not equipped to deal with something much younger than 2. I much prefer seeing them in pasture at that age. (For those of you wondering what business I have with a young horse.. I have mentors helping me out who have raised horses. It’s not something I’d attempt completely alone.)
3. No taller than 14’2. Short, please!
4. Good brain. Self-explanatory.
5. Not super narrow. I’ve ridden a narrower horse recently and it didn’t work for me. I’m sure I’d get over it, but why bother if I can rule out ones I’m not thrilled with?
6. Good legs. Good feet. No history of founder. No health issues.
7. Sportier-built Haffie. Again: could I get a drafty horse through rides? Probably. But why, if I can make it slightly easier from the outset?
8. Halter broke. Any prospect is 2+, they should have been handled some.
9. Located in a driveable distance. Most are out east and I don’t want to buy a horse sight-unseen or have to ship cross-country.

End goal: another endurance Haffy. I’m entirely aware not all horses have a desire to do endurance and given the age range I can’t effectively know. But I can stack the completion odds in my favor a bit.

I would like to get back to this someday.

I’ve looked at a number of horses. Arab/Haffie cross? Meh. Gelding. Didn’t excite me. Another Arab-Haffie cross? Another gelding with a lack of enthusiasm on my part. 8 year old across the country? Looks nice but not what I’m looking for. Casual looking, occasionally searching to see what’s out there. There just aren’t that many Haffies for sale in CA.

Incidentally, I did the same thing looking for a new house-rental. No time pressure, just keeping eyes open for a while. And eventually, something falls into your lap.