The Search for a Horse

So, I had decided I wanted to buy a horse suitable for endurance. I am not exactly a lightweight, and will be riding heavyweight. I need a strong horse. Arabian horses are very strong for their size, their shorter backs do mean they can carry a fair amount of weight. For me, temperament is just as important as conformation, so I accepted that it was going to take me a long long time to find one just right for me. My criteria were, strong, sound, a mare (geldings are too soft), friendly and sensible. I wanted a friendly horse, because when training an endurance horse, you spend many many hours with the horse, and it has to be enjoyable to be around.

For my own personal satisfaction, I wanted a young horse, experienced endurance horses are either very expensive, or being sold for a reason the buyer doesn't want to disclose. Young horses generally have not learnt any bad habits, and if a young horse does develop some issues, there is a good chance its because its owner stuffed up. Where to look for a suitable young horse, I had no idea. I bought a popular horse trading publication. All of the horses I liked were very expensive, or too old. It was well known on some equestrian forums that I was searching for a horse, and out of the blue, I got an email from a lovely lady called Deb, who sent me a copy of an advertisement for some youngstock for sale.

I called the number in the ad, explained what I was looking for, and in a couple of days time, a package arrived in the post full of photos and info on the sale stock. Merry, the seller, explained that she had a young mare that sounded just like what I wanted, friendly, big, strong and well built, and bred for endurance. The horse's name is Bellarine Moselle.




Moselle is an Arab Stockhorse, a cross between an Australian Stockhorse, and an Arabian. She is 4 1/2 years old, un-broken but has her basic foal training. The only thing wrong with her, is she was 2000km away from me, and I couldn't get time off work to go and see her before buying her. Deb put me on to another lovely lady called Dorte, and she went and did the pre-purchase visit for me, and told me I should buy her. So I did. Poor Moselle now had to leave her home of the last 4 1/2 years, and endure a float drip from Atherton to Cairns, a 3 day truck trip from Cairns to Beachmere, and then another 20 minute float ride to my place at Bellmere.