reining horses because ranch horses are their specialty. These are repu- table ranches that stand behind their product.”
Set realistic goals before you go Littlefi eld has helped many cli-
ents purchase horses at auctions and through private treaty. He has seen a common thread — the buy- ers who started with clear goals and who stuck to those goals throughout the buying process remained the happiest with their purchase over the long term. “Set your goals before you head
to the sale so you know what you want to buy before you arrive,” Littlefi eld advises. “This will al- low you a better opportunity to purchase something that fi ts your goals, your lifestyle, your ranch and what you do. “Too often people buy a horse
that doesn’t fi t them or their life- style,” he adds. “They need to think about what they are going to use the horse for and how often. They also need to realize, how much time do they have to spend with the horse?” Littlefi eld has these questions
for potential buyers to ask before purchasing a horse: Who is going to ride the horse
when you get it home? Are you a mature adult who would do bet- ter with a slow, gentle horse? Is the horse for your grandkids who visit the ranch occasionally? Is it for your spouse to ride when he or she has time? Is the rider experienced or inexperienced? Be honest with yourself about the answer.
Meradas Sun, aka “Boyd” was pur- chased as a yearling at the Snaffl e Bit Futurity Sale in Reno for $4,500. Chris Littlefi eld trained him. As a 3-year-old, the horse won more than $20,000 at the NRCHA Snaffl e Bit Futurity in 2006. Littlefi eld then used him for all types of ranch work and in ranch rodeos.
52 The Cattleman January 2014
thecattlemanmagazine.com
Understand that you
are buying what that
horse is on that day.
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