Brite Poncho Blues (Poncho) is a handsome well broke gelding, registered APHA Paint. If you like muscle, big bone, and a big muscled hind quarters on a horse, this fellow certainly has it!
Poncho has "been there and done that" on many things. We have owned him since May 2003, and he is use to living in a ranch type setting, we don't stall horses much here. He has good withers (not mutton) to hold a saddle. And the strength and bone to carry a big man. He has the heavy Quarter Horse build, wide chest and good straight legs without splints. Since he came here, he has been ridden a lot on trail rides, wagon trains, parades, drill team, some playdays, and has been used for a little cattle sorting.
Reason for selling, to much horse for daughter with handicaps. Mom really likes him but he has to big a rib cage for Mom's arthritic knees.
Poncho in summer coat/condition.
Poncho's History:
Originally we bought Poncho for our daughter who is handicapped with Downs Syndrome. She rode him first year spring, summer, and into fall, in a few play day events, drill team and trail rides, including a visit to Maplewood Park in MN, just fine. During that time our other horses had not accepted him in the herd yet. Then in late fall he became buddy with one of our other horses, and after that, our daughter couldn't handle him. So, for that reason we don't recommend him for beginners.
 I, the daughter's mom, have been riding him instead the last couple years on trail rides and in drill team, in hopes my daughter could have him back, because he has so many nice qualities. But he's to much horse for her.
He is otherwise well broke, and has been on many trail rides, drill teaming, playday games once or twice a year. And he is certainly an attention getting flashy fellow that looks beautiful carrying "Old Glory" in parade. We have many people come up after a parade telling us he was the most beautiful horse in the parade.
We haven't used him for cattle a lot. Our primary goal was to try to get him back for safer riding for our daughter. But we have used him a little for sorting of pairs from one pen to another, and to help herd cows to pasture. He will walk in among a crowded bunch of cows and calves for sorting. He is use to being with cattle, as he has been wintered with our herd bulls the last three winters, so knows how to watch out for himself. He's summer pasture is a ranch/cattle type of pasture with barbwire fencing, so he is also familar with that type of fencing. He is not a box stall lily, and is use to ranch living.
Poncho's former owner did trail riding, occasionally helped herd cattle to pasture, a little light duty ranch calf roping on him, and occasional playday gaming. They always rode with tie-down. He's not afraid of a twirling rope or bull whip overhead.
We ride him without tie-down, other then in it's required as drill team dress code. Otherwise, we found a tie-down is not necessary, if Poncho has a proper fitting bit. He needs a little wider bit, especially at the bridle rings, with a curb strap adjusted properly too, to keep him from tossing his head, many of the standard size bits will rub his molars with the bridle leather, causing him to head toss, fix that problem and he holds his head nice. We also ride him sometimes with just a snaffle bit, usually with a swivel shank bit with a wide plain mullen bar mouth, and he has satisfactory headset and control with that, without tie-down. He can also be ridden with a medium curb bit.
Good Qualities:
Poncho has loads of good qualities, that you love to see in any beginners horse.
- Normally he is easy to catch, especially with feed or horse cookie treat.
- He enjoys his social human moments with petting and grooming.
- He usually stands good for both mounting and dismounting, and doesn't flinch if your leg or boots rubs accross his rear end.
- If you are a short rider you can mount him with an EZ step (the folding horsemens step tied to a cord) and pull the step up to the saddle to put in your saddle bag. He normally allows that.
- He is not a halter puller.
- He loads and unloads nice from stock or slant load trailer, hauls quiet in trailer with no kicking. Our handicap daughter loads and unloads from the trailer without problems.
- He stands good tied to trailer on over night campouts.
- He clips, use to frequent bathing including foamers like EZ-All.
- Children can handle him from the ground, he leads nice for them. He's not the type trying to knock his handler down nor does he push into his handler when being lead or handled.
- He is not a horse that is shying, nor spooking all the time. He has seen lots of things, heard lots of noises, and takes most things very well.
- He has a nice ground covering walk, and can do a nice slow jog trot.
- We do not normally have any trouble with him going in and out of arena gates.
- He's an easy keeper, he can stay in good flesh without grain, as long as the forage is good.
In an arena with the gate closed, Poncho does go nice enough for beginners most of the time. He has had smaller children ride him in a smaller corral okay. And he is fine with an adult leading him with children in the saddle. Stands nice for mounting and dismounting.
He will stand good for hoof trimming if flies are not biting him. But, because of his weight and strength, he can be difficult with farrier during fly time, if a good fly spray isn't used, as with his strength he will just simply put his hoof down on the ground if he wants too stump because of flies. So, use fly spray.
 He is also hobble broke, and stake out broke to being on a 2" wide flat stake out strap fastened to halter ring with swivel snap. See picture to your right, we stake him out on a cork screw dog stake, just about every day in May to let the pasture grow. Comes in handy later for lunch breaks on trail rides and campouts.
He is not a "spooky" horse. He is very good around traffic, flags, paper blowing on ground, balloons floating by, parade floats, covered wagons, tents, farm tractors pulling impliments, bikes, 4-wheelers. I don't have problems with him if someone hands me papers to read, hands me a water jug or hat, or my rain coat to put on while I'm in the saddle. I have even used him to carry large duffle bags for me, hung from the saddle horn. He's not the type of horse that is jumpy about everything.
What I like best about him and any horse for that matter, is he can be left unridden for long periods of time and then ridden without getting humped back. Normally we don't ride all winter. In the spring for first ride, I usually lounge him a little bit, make sure he responds to "Whoa" and do some one rein pulls to left and right, then just get on him and ride. And if a week or month goes by since his last ride, he is usually good to just get on and ride, he isn't one of those cold back horses that always have a hump on their backs and ready to buck each time you saddle him. So, weekend riders should not have much trouble with him. Also riding in drill team he is fairly well mannered when riding with strange horses, and being crowded by other mounts. He is not one for kicking out at horses that bump into him or gets to close.
If someone would work him more on games without making him hyper, he could do well. If asked for it, he has fast short distance speed. He is familiar with patterns for barrels, poles, keyhole, and has been a money winner several times in ring race with very little practice.
(more info following pictures below)
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