It’s certainly easy to fall in love with Shooter at first glance, and once you meet him…. each and every time after that. He is the right size, age, and is 100% kind and gentle in every way. I adore this little buckskin gelding; he is truly one in a million (a must-watch video)! From showing him a hunter jumper course, to letting the kids ride him bareback double in a halter, and bringing up the cows in the back pasture – he truly is a VERY nice gelding with abundant talent and versatility. Shooter is soft, broke right, and can move beautifully. He is adjustable, rates off your seat, and has a natural cadence to him. Shooter is comfortable to ride and will go around on a loose rein 1 handed or collect into the bridle 2 handed. Show him in the ranch riding, versatility, obstacle challenge, take him on the hunter circuit, event off him, fox-hunt, sort/team pen, or even turn him into a jam up breakaway horse. He offers a lovely jog, extended trot, and a great canter. His transitions are crisp and handy – he can also pivot, side pass, work a gate, drag a log, and perform haunches in. When you say whoa – he is responsive and will stop on a dime. Shooter is the perfect happy medium – he isn’t too lazy and he isn’t too forward (he is right in between). He is super soft and supple in his body and face. Shooter has moved cattle, given lessons, been over small cross country jumps, and is currently schooling a 2’ (with scope to go higher) hunter course with a solid flying lead change. This gelding is SO fun, uncomplicated to ride, and beyond talented. Does not need to stay in a program, does not need to be lunged prior to riding, does not to be ridden 6 days a week. This can be a grab and have fun at your leisure type of guy!Shooter is always kind, gentle, and willing. He has a huge heart and always wants to please. We have thrown an array of things at him, hauled him to different arenas/trails, rode him downtown, and thrown different riders of all sorts of ages/skillsets on him. He LOVES swimming in the pond (goes through water easy peasy), he steps over logs and bridges quietly and loves a good adventure with a friend in the field. We have thrown different shenanigans at him, and whilst he certainly is not a 1 foot in the grave half dead bombproof gelding – he took the flapping of the tarp, leaf blower, and gunfire with total grace. He has really proven to be a neat little horse. There is not a single mean or naughty vice to this guy; he will not freshen up, he has never offered to buck or rear etc. He has respectful ground manners and is not pushy. He turns out well with others and is fantastic in a stall (corner pooper too). No stall vices at all. He loads, unloads, stands for vet/farrier, quiet to mount, good to catch, and loves to be groomed.
We have had Shooter in our program since October of last year, prior to that he was a husband/4h/youth/ guest type horse. When the kids had friends over he was their go to mount!V