We got our horse today!

Meet Big Al. We bought him today from a guy who leases him to the sheriffs mounted division during the county fair. He can be ridden without a saddle and only a halter and lead rope. When the gal who showed him to us got off, she slid off in back of him. He stood stock still.

Last year he headed up the parade at the fair with a caliope and camels along side him....with an officer who hadn't ridden before. The gal who was on him rode him into a barn and bent way down to pick up a tire. She rode with that tire flapping against his side. He was unfazed.

While we were standing in the driveway, the owner pulled in towing a stock trailer behind his pick up. He laid on the horn from the road back to the barn and actually pulled up right under Al's chin, horn blaring. I was ready to take cover. Al stood there, unconcerned on a loose rein.

He has a floaty jog and nice canter. I never thought we would own such a guy. My confidence issues disappeared the minute I got on him.

Anyway ...here are his pics. I just love the new member of our family. Now 11 cats and 1 horse.

Thanks for your advice and interest in our search!

what a beautiful horse

Oh my he is STUNNING

I am so incredibly jealous....he is just gorgeous and sounds like a dream!

He is handsome! Enjoy him! I love horses, I would have one if I were able to.

the way he holds his head, one can tell he's a police horse. Stunning fellow!

Oh, what a beautiful boy he is! Congratulations on your new friend!!!

Thanks everyone! You are all so nice to take the time to read my ramblings!

I even dreamed about him last night.

I am going to try to start a blog about our new adventure...at our ages of owning a horse. I will have to find out how, but I know it can be done...somehow.

Thanks again....and remember "golf courses....a waste of good pasture land"! PS He is 12 years old.

He is a handsome horse. At age 12 he should have a lot of good years left.

Absolutely gorgeous!! Very happy for you!

He sounds perfect. May you have many happy hours in the saddle

Any idea what breed he is? Those ears and the good sturdy bone says Stanardbred.

Congratulations! It sounds like you've got yourselves a real winner!

Oh WOW! He is really beautiful and LOVE the name! I'm not much of a horse person as I've always been intimidated by their power. However, he sounds like he's just my speed, and sounds absolutely PERFECT for you and your grandchildren to enjoy.

WELCOME HOME, BIG AL!

Oh my,what a handsome fellow,I hope you have many enjoyable rides with him,I am very jealous,I miss horse riding.x

Gosh, he's beautiful - I hope you all have many wonderful years together.

Oh thanks for all your kind remarks! I get teary eyed just thinking about him arriving, prob next Wed...as it is dh's day off.

Don't know very much about his lineage. Big boned and sturdy without being drafty. Although, a little draft is a good thing for me. Will be interesting to get some opinions once he gets home. Interesting you think possibly standardbred. Hmmmm.....

There were some bad storms going through the area where he is. So I called they guy to be sure Big Al was in the barn...and he was.

I had issues with loss of confidence in my riding abilities....till I got on him and just "knew" he would keep me safe. I felt strong and not all shakey inside.

Flip his top lip back and see if there is a tattoo inside; he is probaby too old for mandatory freeze branding (Canadian registry started 2002, USTA 2 years after, and now registration requires it), His whole build says Standardbred: the head shape, the length of the ears, length of body and those good feet holding him up and the lack of white markings. I actually did a double take when I saw him because his head looks like a horse I know except for the large star and the fact he doesn't appear to be 17.3hh.

Originally Posted by sk_pacer

Flip his top lip back and see if there is a tattoo inside; he is probaby too old for mandatory freeze branding (Canadian registry started 2002, USTA 2 years after, and now registration requires it), His whole build says Standardbred: the head shape, the length of the ears, length of body and those good feet holding him up and the lack of white markings. I actually did a double take when I saw him because his head looks like a horse I know except for the large star and the fact he doesn't appear to be 17.3hh.

Click to expand...

Ya know, we are tending to agree with you. We googled pics of SB horses and darned if he don't have the look. He does have a splotchy blaze though. But no white anywhere else. He is of good height, probably 15.2 or 3. My dh thought possibly 16. We will check him out on height and the lip tatoo when he gets here.

He is such a steady animal and from what I have read, SB's are even natured. Another thing....there are a lot of Amish around here and especially where he is. They tend toward SB horses. They have a black percheron they showed us too, but just too tall. He was an Amish horse. Gorgeous all black with a white star. Stunning, but was antsy. Didn't seem to have a lot of patience. Not like Al.

Thanks for pointing this out. It will be fun delving into this and I am going to try to trace where he came from originally. A local riding camp was very interested in him, but had to get an ok from their head honcho to pay more. And he was out of town! So their loss is our gain!

I've worked with and had Standardbreds for 40 years now and having spent most of that time on the track, I have seen a good number of them. Most, no matter how delicately built have longish ears and good big feet and that goes right from the 440.00 claimers of years ago to the likes of the 'glamour boys' which are the best 3yo pacers in the world. Most are very even tempered, willing, and happy with their lot in life regardless of what they are doing, but I have seen some that were nasty, too. Even my last horse, although kind of weird, is fine to work with - lead goes on and he is all business, just wish I could haul my sorry butt up that high and see what he would do under saddle.......but at 16.1, it is a bit much for an old lady to try

Wish you luck in your search for his past.