As I eluded to last week I kind of fell into the deep end with my horse search. Of course I had some pretty high standards. Annie was the first horse that I restarted off the track myself. She taught me so much and was so special.
When I started my search it was for a project. Not for keeps. Searching for an OTTB right as RRP entries were about to open meant the market was saturated with horses and buyers. It makes me happy to see people valuing these horses for their potential in other careers. Yes that means that it is harder to find a quality horse super cheap… But it is good for the horses and the industry in my opinion – more on that another day though.
Going into this I knew there are certain lines that I like and others that I wanted to avoid. A gelding or mare by Flatter jumped to the top of my list though. After hearing Amanda go on about her trainers gelding by Flatter for the better part of a year and seeing him go around myself I knew he was extraordinary.
When Trainer offered to let me sit on Flat myself I had no idea what it would start. I just did some WTC but even from that short ride I fell in love. Amanda even joked that I would take off galloping trying to steal him! Riding Flat cemented my obsession with Flatter though. That ride sealed the deal. Flat 2.0 would be mine. I just had to find him or her first.
Channelling all of my grief into searching stalking kept me distracted. This worked out for me in the long run but I am not sure all of the people I pestered along the way would feel the same way. 
So you might be wondering how did I find him after all. First I started with searching “flatter” on Facebook with colt, filly, gelding, mare. When that didn’t lead to anything I sought the help of Pedigree Query. I looked up pretty much every name for horses aged between 3 and 7 on Facebook. I still had no luck finding anything actively for sale (in my budget) though. Equibase was a last ditch effort to find the slow pokes or horses that had been put in claiming races.
Finally I started to make some traction. By the time I got to the 2015 offspring I was feeling like I might have just wasted many many hours of my life. I was going as far as to find the horses connections on facebook and messaging them. If that doesn’t really solidify the crazy I don’t know what does.
I reached out to quite a few trainers or owners – if I could find them. Understandably so I didn’t always get a response. More often than not the horse was still racing, already spoken for, or going to be a broodmare. That is until “notcharlie”! 
His trainer quickly replied to me that she didn’t think his owner was quite ready to give up on him but that she would stay in touch. She also sent me a conformation shot. After seeing how well put together he was I asked if she would reach out and ask if his owner(s) would entertain the idea. One helpful trainer, a few videos, and a pre purchase exam later I was wiring the money and the proud new owner of a baby thoroughbred. Naturally he’s over 1500 miles away in VA… but not for long.
I don’t necessarily recommend doing this unless you are serious. For every person I reached out to I was 100% sure that I would move forward and pay a reasonable amount for the horse if it was for sale. No one sane would go down this path if they weren’t serious. Incase you are casually considering following in my psycho foot steps let me assure you it was not an easy task and literally consumed multiple days of my life.
My perseverance paid off though and I should get to meet the baby dreamboat by Sunday at the latest. This would have been so much creepier if I didn’t actually end up with a Flatter of my own! Thanks “notcharlie” for helping my Flat 2.0 journey begin! I can’t wait for all of the adventures to come!
Also thank you to my friends and trainer who had to listen to and witness/experience my creepy Flatter spiral. You guys are the best!
How did you all find your horses? Has anyone else gone full stalker? Just me? 😛
LOL, love the stalking! That’s how I get when I start obsessing about something too. There was a beautiful 2 yo filly by Flatter for sale through Stoney Hollow earlier this month that I was absolutely obsessed with. Probably would have bought her too if I could have figured out a way to keep her somewhere cheap for a year to let her grow a bit. Excited to watch your progress with the new guy!
I was obsessed with that one too but can’t have another 2yo!
Love this and I applaud your dedication. I am bloodline illiterate and would not have known where to begin. Can’t wait to see pictures when he arrives, he sure is handsome.
This is the type of pro level stalking for which I have mad respect.
BTDT, but I was after a specific horse. Met her as a two year old with the trainer that I regularly bought from. She wasn’t ready to end her race career. They lost her in a claim (higher $$ than I would have paid for a prospect) and she bounced around for a while. One day she popped up entered in a $3500 claimer at the track an hour from here. I made husband call down and find out if we could buy her. Trainer knew she was done and had entered her to make the field. Was more than happy to pull her and send her on her way to second career. We picked the horse up a couple of days later. There was a local Texas sire that I stalked offspring as well. Bought as many as I could, often site unseen. They were kind of bad luck horses and most met untimely ends, but boy did I love those Commanchero babies. Can’t wait to meet your new dreamboat. If he is too quiet for you, you know who to call. 🙂
I mean, I was searching for an upper level prospect for under 1k. I bought the first thing that was built like it could collect based on seeing him standing in a stall. Lol. I’ve heard of crazier things than stalking and buying sight unseen. Lol! Can’t wait to meet Floyd. Er Oswald. Er Franklin. Er Herbert. Er Wallace. Er Wendell… Goddammit someone stop me.
MAD RESPECT.
I love that he’s being delivered just in time for Christmas!! 🙂 Name yet? Because….Ebeneezer!! Or Harrold…Earl…Bernard…Kringle…
Your stalker skills are admirable and now I know who I can trust if ever I should be in the market for another pony.
That’s real commitment right there! I love him, and might come steal him from you if he proves to be a hunter and not an eventer… I can’t wait for you to get him and for all the photos and blog posts to follow!
When I lost Runkle I went full stalker status looking for another Yes Its True baby. I REALLY combed hard for that. But then I realized the Yes its true babies that I had known were 2 for 2 on early deaths and decided to branch out….
I am so impressed with your internet skills tracking down a horse! Well done.
I do the same thing once a year trying to find Pennys siblings but to no luck. I’m glad you were able to find what you were looking for! Stalker success!
so it looks like he is traveling thru Tenn maybe? Should I stand on the side of the road and cheer as he goes by? I am glad you found him no matter how crazy (ahem Amanda fault not yours) you are in finding him! Can’t wait till he is with you! YAY