Merida is a 17 y/o 15hh grade mare that is a versatile all around horse that can do anything with a confident quiet rider. This mare is BROKE. Age was vet confirmed at purchage at age 14. She has extensive trail experience with her prior home, lots of arena time, 4-H shows/clinics and playdays, and exposed to roping and rounding up cattle.

Merida is well suited for an intermediate+ rider and would be great for a teen as she really is a fun horse that can go all day everyday! I would cautiously consider an advanced beginner with supervision. It's important we set her and her future rider up for success.

The only reason I am selling her is that my kids are young and wanting to show in 4-H. She can do all the events, but she becomes insecure when my son gets nervous for showing combined with being away from her buddy or known environment. She is still controllable in these situations and my 11 y/o has worked hard to improve his riding and handles her well, but doesn’t enjoy those moments and it’s important to me that he’s having fun at 4-h events. A big part of why we’ve kept her this long despite these moments is that even at her worst, she’s still SAFE and her feet stay on the ground. If we wanted to stick to riding around home or with a buddy we’d absolutely continue to keep her! Simply said, she needs a calm and confident rider with the skill to put her mind and feet to work to help her settle in with new environments. She is just a bit too much of a challenge for our young family and it’s time to find her a more skilled rider that she can connect with.

Most of the time she is puppy dog sweet and darn near bombproof. She has quite a few buttons and is extremely smart. She’s light in the face and if you’re experienced enough, you can ride her just off your seat. She is very sensitive in all the good ways but that also means this is not a horse to “cowboy” on. But if you know how to ride well, she will work hard for you. Groundworks beautifully. She does fine with contact or a loose rein. Considering how sensitive she is, she’s also shockingly forgiving of rider mistakes. She will ride away from her buddy but is often hesitant at first (experienced rider can work through easily - small beginner is where the trouble lies). Not barn sour. She can go over/on/through all the things, although she does seem to think shallow water is for jumping. haha! She will lead or follow on the trail. Works wonderfully in an arena. Our farrier sings her praises and her hard white hooves only need shoes if being ridden on rocky ground. Vaccines, dental, and chiro adjustment in March. Winters well with hay. Loads, ties, all the things a horse should do. If penned alone, you’ll appreciate how tidy she is and that she picks a corner to poop in! She really is just a good all around horse, but not quite the right fit for us.

Video available upon request. Located 20 miles west of Spokane, WA