8-year-old gelding | Big personality, complicated past, and a whole lot of potential.
Scooter is a great gelding but comes with baggage. Not the "your new boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is psycho" kind of baggage. More like the "I was kidnapped, tied up, and left for dead" kind of baggage.
Scooter has a history of abuse, and while he has come an incredibly long way, he is still working through some things.
Scooter is NOT the horse to boost your ego.He needs someone who is genuinely experienced, patient, and willing to meet him where he is.
Horse trainers, colt starters, experienced horsemen, we're talking to you. Better yet, where are my tree-hugging hippies who believe in acupressure, herbs, bach flowers, and working on a horse's inner child? Someone who understands sometimes the best way forward is to slow down, listen, and build trust. Scooter is waiting for you.
Now, let's talk about the GOOD stuff.
Scooter trailers, ties, bathes, is great with his feet, and plays well with others. He is also ridiculously affectionate. Forget "in your pocket." This horse wants to be IN YOUR LAP. If he could climb in your lap and have you rub his gums and lips all day, he would consider that a perfect life.
He is incredibly connected to his person, loves attention, and talks a lot! He's also a big fan of liberty work. If your idea of a perfect afternoon is hanging with your horse and building a connection, Scooter is absolutely your guy.
And yes, this boy has some pretty nice moves under saddle, too!
Scooter moves beautifully off pressure, sidepasses, collects, and bends nicely. He has a lovely jog, and his posting trot is starting to develop some really nice extension! He picks up both leads easily and, whether it's natural or the result of previous training, carries his head comfortably low.
He opens and closes his gates, goes down the trail, down the road, and is great over cavalettis. He has been around cattle but we have never worked them.
There's a lot of good training in this horse.
So, what's the catch? Well, that's where things get a little more complicated.
Scooter has made consistent progress with his trainer. He can be nervous and uncomfortable, but until recently, he had never displayed any serious behavior under saddle.
However, a friend did come off of him recently. Too much to write in the ad but we will happily share details with a serious buyer.
We want to be completely transparent about that.
Scooter also tends to hold on to frightening experiences. Following that incident, it took over a week for him to be relaxed under saddle again.
We cannot allow perspective buyers to ride Scooter before purchasing due to liability reasons. We understand that won’t work for some people and that’s ok. His trainer is happy to ride him for anyone interested. We aren’t horse traders, we love this horse and want what’s best for him. He is not a good fit with his current owner. His new home will be carefully screened. He deserves a soft landing. Watch his video!