Talented allrounder Heritage stockhorse

Please read the whole advert - it is long on purpose!

Advert updated 7/10/26 to reflect further work, price subject to increase with outings.

Registered Heritage Stockhorse CAESAR MARLEY is looking for a new home where variety is the spicy of life. 'Rusty' is, as his name suggests, a bit rusty on everything, but in his youth, he competed up to 80cm eventing, 95cm showjumping, and Prelim dressage with a capable junior rider. Over the past few years, he hasn't done a whole lot due to following owners' time restraints and ability. Thus, he is a bit rusty on a lot of things, but he wants to be out there doing stuff again.

Pros:
- Rusty has a lot of buttons. He can work in a frame and has shown me shoulder-in and travers, half-pass, leg yielding at the canter, walk pirouettes, counter canter, walk to canter etc. Physical fitness is his main limiting factor right now but he improves with every ride. He can be a little hard mouthed but not strong, and I ride him in a snaffle.
- Rusty can still really jump, makes a beautiful shape, and as his confidence grows, he is becoming pretty point and shoot again. He won't touch a rail if he can help it. He has been out jumping 60-70cm easily and has jumped bigger at home. In the home pictures included, the rail with tyres is about 90cm up a slope.
- Rusty is easy to lunge and free lunges beautifully in a roundpen. He is getting the hang of playing at liberty and is eager to please. I have hopped on him bareback a couple of times and he has been a superstar.
- Rusty happily walks on the buckle down the road, ponies other horses, and has accompanied breakers for their first rides up the hills without fuss, including navigating some quite tricky terrain. He has gone out to new places on his own and been very well behaved. At his first show with me recently, he wandered around on the buckle and stood quietly in a busy environment while I chatted to friends.
- Rusty is good to catch, rug, wash, clip, hardtie, saddle, groom, trim his rock hard stockhorse feet, and pretty cheap to feed as well. Most days he meets me at the gate.
- Rusty is used to dogs, roos, farm machinery, cows, trains, plastic bags, horses flying around paddocks etc. He is not the most patient horse, but is getting better at opening and closing gates.
- Like all good stockhorses, Rusty is going to live forever and isn't showing any signs of slowing down. I fully believe he could get back to jumping similar heights if in consistent work and appropriately cared for, or he could pivot to doing working equitation and the like. He finds dressage pretty boring so I would prefer he go to a home where that is a 'sometimes' activity.

Cons:
- Rusty has very manageable headshakers. It is largely mitigated by a nose net/flyveil that goes over the nose when ridden and a fly veil in the paddock. Happy to discuss more detail with genuinely interested parties.
- Like all older horses in regular work, Rusty will likely require the occasional bodywork/chiro/sports massage session as he will pigroot when feeling uncomfortable. In the last couple of months of more consistent work and bodywork, he has vastly improved on this and he hasn't actually pigrooted in a few weeks, but I still give the warning.
- Rusty is not fond of my straight load float, however the trick to get him on doesn't take long and he travels well alone or with a friend.
- Rusty has a large splint on his near fore cannon. It is old and doesn't appear to bother him particularly much, but it is there.
- I have been told Rusty has the itch. He hasn't itched while with me and is currently comfortable unrugged.
- At some point in Rusty's recent past, he was completely isolated from other horses for several months and thus can get a bit anxious if he doesn't have friends nearby. I was told he had 'riggy' behaviour, but really I think this was just him being matey after isolation. He is now happy spending time with you or sharing a fenceline/paddock with another horse, and seems to have no problems leaving friends.

I will not lie and call any horse bombproof, and Rusty will have the odd look but his confidence is improving all the time. However, Rusty does not kick, bite, bolt, rear, crib, windsuck, weave, or fencewalk. He paws occasionally when unsure at a new place but doesn't dig a hole. Rusty does not appear to have any other health issues than what's described. He is up to date with feet, worming, tetanus & strangles vaccination, and dental work.

Rusty is not ready to tow leadlines around or just do straight dressage, he craves variety and someone who is going to bond with him. He is a fun little horse who suits a capable handler of any age who doesn't an Olympic five year plan. This ad is as honest as possible in his best interests.

Please text or Whatsapp (same number) over email. Price subject to go up with work. Will swap for a big Anglo Arab(!).