The search continues..

Without getting into too much detail, I am not riding JJ anymore. Basically, it became clear that he was not going to be sound for what I want to do. His canter, despite all of the chiropractic work, was still not quite right. I need a horse that has three gaits. ! I was more than happy to keep him in decent shape with walk/trot and trails, but to my great disappointment, the idea did not go over very well. Apparently I am not serious about dressage. Really. Does this sound like someone who is not serious about dressage?

-Audited two clinics in the past year (well, 1.5...I had to walk out on one)
-Volunteered at three different shows in the past two years
-Attended several WCDEA--Whatcom County Dressage and Eventing Association--meetings, and will be joining soon
-Recently audited a local instructor to get a feel for her style
-Took lessons with an FEI trainer on her wonderful stallion back in Ohio, until a riding accident put me on hold for four years
-Have read dozens of books, magazine and online articles to deepen my understanding (no, this is not my only learning method--obviously personal instruction is needed, but this person actually demeaned the fact that I like to read about the art/sport she claims to be dedicated to. Irony?!!)

Suffice it to say that after this experience, I am done with leasing and riding other people's horses. I decided that the time has come to acquire my own horse so that I can have complete control and no longer have to be bullied into using training methods that are questionable, at best (did you know that you can supple a horse by pulling the reins one at a time, waaayy back behind your hip?!) Just to clarify, the person did not succeed in having me *use* that method, but it sure sparked a lively conversation ("lively" mostly on her end)....WHILE I was on the horse, mind you. Talk about insane!

So I have done a lot of thinking about my dream horse, and the following qualities stand out in my mind as being absolutely essential.

-No soundness issues. I understand there are some schoolmasters out there who are worth their weight in gold but need some maintenance. That route may be fine for some, but I want a horse that I can enjoy for a good number of years. Not to mention I have reservations about how ethical it is to inject hocks, etc just so a horse can be ridden. Sometimes it's better to retire them--at least from having a rider on their back (that leaves long lining, walking in hand on the trail, and basic ground work. I don't like lunging for older horses because it stresses the legs too much.)

-No major vices such as cribbing.

-Age approx. 6-12--experienced enough to be past the 'silly stage', but still plenty of life left in them.

-Mare or gelding, doesn't matter. I generally prefer mares (surprise surprise!) because in my experience they work harder for you once you earn their trust. But if I find an exceptional gelding, that's great too.

-Height approx. 15-16hh. I'm only 5'5", so I don't need a behemoth. Smaller horses are easier to get on (even with a mounting block) and generally hold up better later in life.

-Larger type body/good bone. I am a bit "fluffy" (working on that!) I'm not planning to do any crazy cross-country stuff or anything, but I want to make sure my horse is comfortable carrying my size-12 frame.

-Good basic conformation, no major faults. There might be slightly long or short pasterns or a neck set on a bit low, but the legs are straight, the feet are hard and all the same size/shape, and the body is relatively well balanced and equally proportioned in all three segments of the body (croup to gaskin; flank to shoulder; shoulder to poll)

Now for the riding stuff:
-Three correct gaits. This is fairly obvious, but you would be amazed how many so-called "dressage" horses have messed up, lateral walks. It's not impossible to fix, but it takes a skilled trainer with many years of experience-that I am not! I'm just an average ammie rider, and it's hard enough to "do" this sport correctly with three good gaits, which are the bare bones of everything.

-Fairly sensitive to the aids. This, unlike the gait purity, is something that can be worked on relatively easily. It's not a big deal if a horse is slightly behind the leg. Chronic laziness, though, is something that can be hard to get over. Again, the fewer things I have to deal with, the better.

-Great mind/work ethic. Self-explanatory!

-Safe to ride outdoors/on the trail. I know there is no such thing as "bombproof" and all horses will spook if scared enough, but I want a horse that spooks by looking or lightly shying, not bolting or taking off bucking like mad. Been there, done that, don't want to go there again!

So, anybody got a horse for sale? :-D