Has anyone here ever adopted a PMU baby? Or mare?

Question

We adopted 3 PMU babies in 2002. http://crosspointfarm.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=560&linkpath=http://www.crosspointfarm.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/babies.jpg.w560h373.jpg&target=tlx_picll5z

1 - Appendix chestnut gelding, topped out at 15.2. Currently does the beginner Hunter stuff (2'-2'6). He is so wonderful, and was soooooo easy to train. Jumps really cute, does his lead changes, moves decent. Only problem is he kicks out sometimes (like a cranky mare)http://crosspointfarm.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=560&linkpath=http://www.crosspointfarm.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/MojoJojo004.jpg.w560h400.jpg&target=tlx_pic5193

2- Appendix gray mare. 15.3, SUPER fancy! Wins all her hacks (if the kid doesn't s***w it up) Had intermediate riders on her since age 3. So well mannered and behaved, also practically trained herself. She also kicks out sometimes tho :P Shows in the beginner (2'-2'6) Hunters, champion many times. Little tougher to teach leads, but she's got it now :) http://crosspointfarm.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=300&linkpath=http://www.crosspointfarm.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/jashack.jpg.w300h440.jpg&target=tlx_pic10x1 I can't believe I don't have a better pic of her!!

3 - 1/4 Belgian-1/4Paint-1/2 TB chestnut mare. 16.3. Not the fanciest mover, but she has the best personality ever. She will pack around ANYONE over a 3' course. Sweet, kind, gentle. Personality of a hunter, but she's doing the jumpers (and is very good at it!) because she has trouble with her leads. She's just a slow learner, and now she's getting about 70% of them. WONDERFUL horse!! http://crosspointfarm.com.hosting.domaindirect.com/imagelib/sitebuilder/misc/show_image.html?linkedwidth=300&linkpath=http://www.crosspointfarm.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/.pond/krunk.jpg.w300h426.jpg&target=tlx_picez5a

So we totally love ALL of our PMU babies!

Have a friend who adopted a Belgian PMU mare. She hunts her and she is a great horse. Came to her (unknowingly) pregnant, and the baby has been great too. She's a little over a year old now, and a quick learner.

Has anyone else adopted one, and what has your experience been like?

Answer 1

I know a lady that adopted some.  They were all Belgians.  They were barely halter broke.  And trying to train a 10 year old draft horse was...nearly impossible.  They had to be aced just to get their feet taken care of and wouldn't trailer at all.  Granted she didn't work with them as much as she should have but they all ended up just being hay-burners, never having jobs.

Answer 2

Congratulations on doing such superb work and helping others become aware of PMU (I had never heard of this - for those like me it stands for  "Pregnant Mare Urine - pregnant mares whose urine is used in hormone replacement therapy drugs for women").

Which organization did you work with to acquire these horses?

Answer 3

Proud owner of a QH no cross!!!!!! He turned out to be the best horse ever!! He loves Barrels!!!!

Answer 4

I have  had one. A dun grade QH filly.  She was 6 months old when we adopted her. I was in college and through she would be a good project horse( I was majoring in Equine Science).  She was the nicest horse. She is still  with my friend.

I am looking for  another  right now. I  just haven't found the one for me yet.

Answer 5

i love ur horses there so beautiful.  

Answer 6

Your PMUs are GORgeous!  I love the first photo especially.

My old dressage trainer adoped a black Perch x OH yearling, who is now four and a half.  He is learning how to be a "husband horse" and aside from being shy (he was one of the unlucky ones who lived out in a field til the day he was auctioned off) he is a pretty nice looking fellow.

I have worked with a few PMU babies when they were in transit and being kept at a local barn waiting for their new owners to pick them up.  They were kept in quarantine for a while, as all 6 arrived from the auction with strangles.  They all pulled through nicely, though, and for never having been handled much before, they warmed up to people pretty quickly.  It was fun working with them and getting them used to handling and grooming.  They are all grown up now, and one of them is now doing training level dressage, one is a "fun" horse that his owner bops around on the trails on, and another is an eventer.  They are all draft x's.

Answer 7

Wow!  Lovely horses, and congrats on doing a super job!  

Actually, I had a PMU mare and foal.  Chance was a dark bay Thoroughbred and Tess, the baby, turned out to be a gorgeous palomino Appendix.  Chance was in her second year at the PMU barn and she didn't catch when bred, so I brought her and the baby home.  I sold Chance after about a year - she was a bit of a firecracker and I didn't have the time to put in to work with her the way she would have needed.  I kept Tess until she was 5, trained her and sold her to a friend of a friend who now uses her for pleasure trail riding and managing her cows.  

Frankly, I have no regrets for having had those two.  They were both great horses, but I still have a soft spot for Tess.