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• Feed: Needs a sponsor, maturing easy keeper $35/month
• Medical: needs a sponsor! Details below.

Skills / Report Card:

Overall Health: 

A

• no known health problems, past or present, no known neglect or abuse at any time; 
• Easy keeper -- 1lb Enrich 12 (mineral supplement only)/day.
• At ideal body weight, body condition approximately 5. 
• Carries healthy muscle tone but would benefit from regular exercise to build proper muscling including topline.
• His hooves are healthy and have never had any problems.
• His legs are straight, clean and healthy with no splints or other issues.
• Appears to be finished or nearly finished growing; his chest and barrel have broadened and will likely broaden further, to match his dam's classic AQHA build.

Ground Manners:

A+

• Exceptional! Leads to/from his pasture with a length of baling twine tossed around his neck! - or nothing at all!
• Great manners, often handled by inexperienced volunteers.
• Seldom wears a halter. Easily haltered, and respects being handled in halter whenever desired.
• Cross ties calmly, will stand indefinitely (although he does paw occasionally).
• Will stand tethered indefinitely (paws occasionally) with no concern whatsoever that he would try to pull back and break free or get panicked. Never been on a tie line but would almost certainly handle it with no concern.
  

Basic Riding Skills:

B

• This young man is well mannered and willing, but NOT forward or in a hurry unless his rider is pushing him or carrying a crop (no need to use, simply carry it).
• Walk/Trot/Back  with great confidence. Cantering easily and gaining confidence, both indoors and out.
• As Pepper matures, he is showing more energy. He willingly trots with good energy under saddle now. He responds well to leg and to weight shifts.
• Pepper halts with no rein, simply voice command and set the rider's weight back, reins completely loose or not even held at all.
• Has more than 60 days worth of professional training under saddle working in an arena, and rides comfortably.
• Pepper has ridden numerous times with early intermediate riders and also with beginners. Pepper is patient and careful with riders who are unsure or nervous, but dislikes a rider who pretends to know things they do not. Pepper LOVES children and is a great fit with young teenage riders whose intermediate skills are growing. If his rider falls forward and grips with her thighs to catch herself, Pepper reads this as instruction to accelerate and does so.
• Already has nice balance under saddle.
• Pepper has ridden around tractors and other loud vehicles, and is used to being near cars and trucks while riding.
• He has done several trail rides with ease, more relaxed and comfortable than several more seasoned horses. He has ridden on state lands, with steep inclines, through rivers, muddy conditions, and more. He leads nearly all the distance of his rides.
• Pepper is NOT AT ALL "spooky". The only nervousness he ever showed while trail riding was when his rider was nervous about going down a bank -- Pepper wasn't afraid, he was simply trying to figure out why his rider was tense.
• VIDEOS: first canter under saddle and don't miss Pepper's 2nd day riding, ever -- bareback/bridleless!
• In Jan 2010, Pepper had his first ride in a large indoor arena, when we trailered to a local boarding barn. He wanted to ride close to his pasture mate who came along, but otherwise he did VERY well. He was mildly nervous to start, then settled in and rode well for an additional 30 minutes.

Ideal Career

    In his time here, Pepper has shown himself to be sweet and playful, very laid back and easy going. Pepper would be quite happy as an easy going mount for a quiet rider who isn't in a hurry, yet he isn't a 'nag' or a boring lesson mount. He is playful and sweet and curious and would enjoy a working career.

    He was light-years easier to start under saddle than ANY horse either CWER trainer has met in their 30+ years experience.

     To excel for an intermediate rider, Pepper is ready to go TODAY! He loves to trail ride -- particularly in new places, and also is respectful and a joy to ride indoors and in an arena. He is sweet, playful, and fun to be around, not "a dead sided old plug" as many horses marketed toward early intermediates. He doesn't have nasty vices as do many former trail or lesson horses, and he has a sunny, adorable personality with both people and other horses and dogs alike.

     With his playfulness and craftiness in getting halters off, for example, we believe he would do very well at thinking tasks that did not require speed, such as competitive trail or ACTHA. Pepper does get bored doing 'simple circles' for long periods in our small indoor, and can be playful to entertain himself -- such as drifting away from the rail and 'blazing his own trail'. He isn't mean or trying to unseat his rider; he's simply trying to entertain himself.

     We do NOT believe Pepper would do well in a job which requires significant impulsion or speed. He doesn't take joy in playing chase in the pasture and doesn't show a natural talent for using his hind end for performance. 

   Pepper is not forward -- he isn't pulling at his riders hands constantly wanting to go faster. He is willing to increase his gait upon a clear instruction, but is in little hurry to do so.

Stall Manners

A

• Relaxed and easy when stalled for feeding or longer periods.

• Waits patiently to be led when his door is opened.

• Plays with feeder, latches, buckets. Rarely will paw or make noise. Very capable of entertaining himself.

• Pepper would easily transition to a normal stalled boarding situation.

Trailering Skills:

A+

Pepper loads himself on the trailer -- even in the dark with no trailer lights (!), waits calmly for the wall to be closed, and rides well when traveling. He waits to be unloaded and exits easily. He has had numerous local shorter trailering experiences (ie 1 hour to state park) but has not gone on any long distance rides. He rides well with other horses and is a great calming effect on a more nervous buddy.

Companionship / Pasture Manners

A

• Playful, respectful with all types of horses. Loves to play halter tag and other games, but doesn't bite or scrape other horses.

• NO studdish behaviors, no gelding issues.

• Great with dogs and cats. 

• Currently pastured with a young steer.

• Doesn't show interest in babysitting or protecting new members of the herd.

Managability for Routine and Medical Care

A

• Shots -- A+, no need to halter;
• Vet Care -- A+ for all treatments to date;
• Dental Care -- A+, minimal sedative required;
• Farrier -- B+ (still has a little trouble balancing for his back hooves)
• Grooming -- A+ loves it!
• Ears -- A+, no reaction to any handling (never tried to clip)
• Clipping -- NA, never exposed
• Bathing -- B, only bathed once in '08, mildly nervous.
• Tying: A. Pepper has been tied for significant periods of time without any concerns. We are confident Pepper would easily learn to be picketed for camping and long trip trail riding.
• Cross-ties: A. Pepper has been groomed, saddled, and trimmed while standing in cross ties. He moves to each side easily, is respectful of his handler, and never tests the ties. He does paw occasionally.
  

1. ( click here.) remember, this footage is only his SECOND DAY riding -- including bareback, then bareback and bridleless!!
2. (click here) November 2009 -Pepper's first canter in an arena, and also his only spook ever with a rider.