Rio is a stout (approx. 1,100
lbs.)chestnut/sorrel Appendix Quarter
Horse. He's a wonderful and sound all
around horse and has been trained in
Western, English and natural
horsemanship ground work. I've also
ridden him out in hay fields, with dogs,
and he's fine. He works off leg cues.
No health issues I'm aware of. He's
also a very sweet horse without a mean
bone in his body. He's current on all
shots, vaccinations, wormings, teeth
floating and hoof trimming. He is
barefoot and has good feet. He has no
bad habits and stands for the farrier
and washes. I don't know if he clips,
I've never tried. He's very
consistent. Free lunges. He comes
out of the pasture when whistled for and
puts his nose in the halter. He leads
great and enjoys working. He is a very
smooth ride, easy to sit the trot on.
His full brother is a Cincinnati Police
Patrol Mount--good minds run in the
family! He was my first horse and sadly
I've found I just don't have the time
for him. He is truly sweet and smart!
Must see!
Update: Just showed Rio
to a prospective buyer who was looking
for an easy ride with no work. I did
not work Rio beforehand--wanted her to
see Rio as he truly is. He came to the
gate when whistled for (leaving a dozen
other horses) and I free lunged him in
the arena for a few minutes for her. He
followed me over to where the tack was
and we tacked him up without a halter on
him. I have only done ground work with
Rio the last two months because of
surgery but the prospective buyer's only
negative comment was that he was a bit
stubborn (slow to get going). Her
positive comments were that he is very
well put together and sweet. Update: I
spent some time with Rio yesterday,
grooming, free lunging, and riding. He
is such a great ride! Very smooth; nice
comfortable seat. He still slowed down
a few times but personally I'd rather
have that than one that takes off
unexpectedly. He settled into a good
trot after a few minutes and we had a
wonderful workout.
UPDATE: Just
showed Rio to some wonderful ladies. He
was his charming self and got lots of
lovin. He came to the gate; put his
nose in the halter; lunged (a little
slower than usual); and groomed and
tacked up without a flinch (even with my
cell phone going off a couple of times).
I rode him first--he was solid as usual
as I mounted but he was slow to get
going (it's been 3 weeks since his last
workout and we think he has more bells
and whistles than I know how to use
correctly and I end up confusing him).
The prospective buyer rode him next with
pretty much the same result--he was
solid as she mounted but a bit slow to
get going. BUT (and this is huge), she
felt very safe on him. They loved his
personality, temperment and general
conformation -- and his sweet face!
UPDATE: Worked with Rio yesterday --
very consistently comes to the gate when
whistled for. This time it was a flat
out gallop to beat another horse who
thought he was the one I wanted (his
mistake) although the only horse I have
ever called is Rio. I was inside the
gate as he's getting closer (still at a
full gallop), I'm saying "whoa" with my
hand that's holding the bundle of halter
and lead line straight out in front of
me, the other horse turns away and Rio
comes to a stop right in front of me (of
course I had my other hand on the
unlatched gate so I could back out if I
needed to but all went well and
thankfully he's sweet AND a good judge
of distance) --oh for a video camera!
Groomed as usual, lunged as usual,
tacked as usual, rode as usual (still a
bit resistant but I "encouraged" him
simply by carrying a crop).
Price: $ 2,700
SOLD!
