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For sale (rehoming fee higher XXX) or FREE on OR off farm lease.

((Off farm to approved leasers, on farm at Rustic River Farm - Mason Nh w leaser responsible for all vet/farrier/etc as well as board. Indoor, round pen, trail course, outdoor to be built soon and access to TONS of dirt roads and trails, or to be sold for low 4’s.))

*PLEASE READ THE AD, I will not respond to “could I have more information on…” messages.... (read more) Please ask questions that are NOT in the ad already and I’m happy to answer them.

Zeke; approx 16 yo 16.2 hand Dutch Harness Horse gelding. (Unregistered but DNA tested)

ANY AND ALL PICS/VIDEOS WILL BE IN HIS ALBUM ON THIS PROFILE PAGE or the Rustic River Farm LLC - Mason Nh page!! If it isn’t there, we haven’t done it yet.

Get ready for a long one y’all.

Zeke came to me the beginning of last summer and I quickly decided to hang onto him. Unfortunately then life hit and he sat on the back burner quite a bit and continues to be stuck there. He is a project (not one that will kill someone of course and IS broke to ride! ?) for someone willing to take the time w him…and it will definitely be worth it in the end. I do trust him enough for my rather tiny human (turning 8 in September) to lead and groom him or go into his paddock to give him boops. This guy WANTS to please, he WANTS to do good boy things, he WANTS someone to help
him and be his buddy, he WANTS to learn new things and isn’t necessarily what I’d consider a “spooky” horse w things outside of humans. But he IS apprehensive and doesn’t trust everything being asked of him. Rightfully so after serving the Amish as a road horse for many years and most likely not being treated the greatest along his journey. Zeke will happily go in a hackamore VS a bit but he will bridle up in a bit as well, just strongly prefers the hackamore. (Almost all of my horses go in a hackamore of some type or a full leather bit) He is still very green in the ring as I don’t believe he was started long before arriving here and as I’ve mentioned, his training and work has been remarkably intermittent due to my absolute lack of time for anything. Zeke has a nice, working trot in the ring and is showing less and less hesitation about cantering (will canter in the round pen and on the lunge), but we are still not pushing him. (Cantering is a cardinal sin when a cart horse so there’s a lot to get over mentally) He really is coming along nicely for a horse that isn’t in 5-6 days of work each week. Hell…he isn’t even in 1 day of work per week most of the time because I’m the worst. Sadly he TRULY has been a pasture puff due to no fault of his own - too many training and sale horses, lessons to teach, a family to take care of and all the other adult life stufff. Zeke was used as an example in one of our Horsemanship/Roping clinics and had a lot of flag and rope work done w him. He did really, really well after his initial nervousness w a brand new person working w him in a situation he didn’t understand at all. He tried really hard and had no issue w the flag or ropes hanging on him. He’s also done quite a bit of trail riding and chugs right along happily down the dirt roads w light traffic, dogs, construction and really seems to enjoy being out and about even on his own! He will canter beautifully on the trails and has even popped over some logs. SUPER scopey jumper and seemed to like it!

❌He WILL cow kick under saddle if he’s pushed, pushed, and pushed some more but truly doesn’t want to throw his rider into the dirt. If he gets “stuck” for a second and you GIVE him a second, he will continue right along. He really likes to process things and be treated kindly.

❌He HAS threatened to pop up by bringing that long giraffe size head and neck straight up so you could almost give him a little hug but this is, again, when WAY too much pressure is being put on him when he needs to process something. He’s never gone up!

❌While I HAVE long lined him and ground driven him…it does seem to bring back some PTSD w his past and he does get much more “amped up”. If you doubt he’s a Dutch Harness Horse…just hook him up and you’ll see it. Admittedly, this is NOT something I’ve worked on very much with him but intermittently…and it has improved.

❌He still has issues w straight tying when FACING a SOLID WALL he cannot see over. He will straight tie to our pull tires, he will cross tie in the grooming stall/in the aisle, he will ground tie pretty nicely now if you’re there w him. When I bring him in; I do attach him to a straight tie w a breakaway just in case and he’s most definitely gotten better and rarely sets back. He has an issue w the pressure on his poll or if his mouth/nose is being messed w but has gotten better and better. Again, he was most likely just held while being readied for driving in his Amish life and never had to tie to anything much. Since he’ll tie to the pull tires…I’m willing to bet hitching posts/rails were where he was tied if/when tied at all.

I really quite like this guy…my riders have been on him, my husband (more novice rider learning to fine tune the canter) can ride him walk/trot, he has a leaser that’s been enjoying spending time w him when her health issues aren’t in the way and he has a LOT of potential. Zeke is barefoot w super tough feet, turns out w others small and large, geldings or mares, but is the boss (very respectful herd leader mind you and I often utilize him to reset some of my smaller herds if I have some trouble makers and it works every time), respects electric fencing and would probably stay behind yarn, will bathe nicely in the wash stall and is just a LITTLE wiggly in the hind end when being hosed in the open still, good inside at night behind just a stall chain but is currently on 24/7 turnout w run in option (which he prefers strongly!) Easy keeper for his size (2QTs FibreMax ONCE a day and all day, free choice first and second cut hay, he eats mostly second I’ve noticed but…who wouldn’t. Supplemented w Copper, Elevate Vit E and has access to salt/trace minerals…which I do for everyone on the property) He’s good for the farrier and is lovely for the vet. We have NOT clipped him but will stand for his bridle path being cut w scissors. Zeke DOES have kind of “ugly” hind legs, certainly not remotely close to the worst I’ve seen. (photos in his album) He is SOUND on them but…Amish road horses don’t exactly have it easy so his hinds show some good bumps/bruises from his previous job. They don’t stock up, no heat, no soundness issues whatsoever so if you can get past them not being perfect to look at…you’re golden. We have only loaded him three times since he arrived but has loaded up and hauled just fine each time onto our three horse slant, step up. UTD for all 2024 vaccinations, Coggins, dental and was dewormed last month.

I’d really love to find him a person he will be w for a good while but I am also very realistic and know sometimes this isn’t how it works so I will not turn people away that may be looking to have something for a year or two and then send off to a new zip code. But this guy doesn’t deserve to wind up back in a pipeline or tossed around.

PPE’s/vet checks are obviously HIGHLY recommended and welcomed for those looking to buy! Rehoming fee of $750

Located at Rustic River Farm LLC in Mason Nh.

Rustic River Farm LLC - Mason Nh

Lessons, boarding, training, and sales

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