Novella

Notes

Novella - 2023 bay Oldenburg mare standing at 16.2 hands, expected to finish around 16.3.

I purchased Novella when she was 4 months old directly from her breeder. She has exceptional bloodlines, quality movement and a superb temperament. She has 3 very correct gaits, is brave and curious and not the spooky or reactive type. She is a wonderfully sweet and kind mare and incredibly smart. Everything comes easy to her and she has a great work ethic. Novella is not the mareish type and is super chill in her stall and in turnout. No vices whatsoever. She is also very good for the vet and farrier, crossties and bathes. She loads easily and travels really well.

Novella has been to several breed shows with excellent scores and placings. While she was purchased to be a future dressage horse, we think she is going to be a happier hunter as she loves stretching, obstacles and poles and is incredibly willing. She will definitely win the hack classes.

Novella has extensive ground work training and has been brought along very slowly. She has been getting her start with a professional and her first 60 days under saddle were exceptional. She willingly offered walk, trot and canter and seemed like she already knew how to be a riding horse. In fact, a 10 year old was able to ride her with ease.

The last month, however, after we moved her from a hunter saddle to a dressage saddle, Novella started to shut down a bit. She would stop and not want to move. When asked to move, she would kick out and swish her tail. No rearing or bolting and no crazy bucks. However, we decided to back her down and go back to ground work while we took x-rays of her back. The majority of her back is clean with a couple of locations that are close. Where the dressage saddle sits on her is where she is uncomfortable. Where the hunter saddles sits, she does not show any discomfort. Recommendations are to continue building her topline through groundwork, consider injections and give her more time to mature as she is just 3 years old. Happy to share x-rays with anyone who is interested.

Full disclosure- having this information means that Novella is priced at a drastically reduced cost given she may need maintenance to keep her comfortable. Other horses of her quality and education with clean x-rays are selling for over $40,000 and more (and this is the low side). My personal goals are to try to bring along one more dressage horse to the FEI levels. Novella is going to be happier doing hunters.

Novella is located in central PA. Hoping for an uncomplicated sale and happy to answer any other questions.

Note- the video is of me, an amateur rider, taking a lesson on her. It's not the most professional quality, but it's what I have.