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WEST GAIT EQUINE
LEARNING CENTER
Don West
--owner/operator
"Teaching, Training,
and Trail Riding Paso Pleasure Naturally Gaited Horses"
West Gait Equine Learning Center
is the home of Don and Maria West, five dogs, seven cats,
eight canaries, a variety of fish, twenty one chickens, five
ducks, and thirteen drop-dead gorgeous Paso Pleasure
Naturally Gaited Horses.
Neatly nestled under the looming escarpment of red rim-rock
cliff faces that form the Southern border of the Colorado
National Monument at it's West gate, confined by the
colorful currents of the Colorado River running through the
Grand Valley bottom two miles to the North, on the edge of
the desert/canyon country and only seventeen miles from the
Utah border off to the West, and with a magnificent view of
the 10,000 foot tall Grand Mesa, the World's largest flat
toped mountain towering twenty miles to the East, West Gait
Equine Learning Center sits in a picture perfect location
for folks from all over the World to come and enjoy World
class scenery while learning hands-on how to train naturally
gaited horses, and go trail riding under the supervision of
the nationally renowned and respected consummate horseman,
trail rider, and wilderness wanderer, "your learning leader
for equine adventure"...Don West.
featuring
Paso
Pleasure
Naturally Gaited Horses
(Mountain Pleasure Horse over Peruvian Paso
Horse)
"beautiful to behold,
smooth to
ride, and easy to handle"
RETIREMENT DISPERSAL SALE
DUE
TO MY ADVANCING AGE
AND
SHRINKING
STRENGTH (and wallet)
I'M FORCED TO FIND
CAPABLE-LOVING HOMES
FOR
MOST
OF MY WONDERFUL
PASO PLEASURE
NATURALLY
GAITED HORSES.
REASONABLE OFFERS
FROM QUALIFIED BUYERS (please)
WILL BE
RESPECTFULLY
CONSIDERED.
Dear Friend and Potential Paso Pleasure
Horse Owner,
Anyone who knows me knows that I love my
horses. Maria and I have made many sacrifices in our lives,
placing our own personal needs second to our horses' health and
well being. For over thirty years my home bred Appaloosa, then
Peruvian Paso, and now Paso Pleasure horses have been my pride,
my joy, and my passion. They've also been my occupation.
They're the cornerstone of all our other enterprises. However, like everything else in life,
there's a time to grow, and a time to let go. Now that "letting
go time" has come for me as a horse breeder. As the sages say:
"To everything turn, turn, turn. There is a time to every
purpose under heaven". I have sold my Mountain Pleasure
Horse stallion, "Big Red", and all of my Peruvian Paso brood mares,
except Maria's old P.P. mare, Fantasia, and
am out of the horse breeding business forever. My desire now is
to use my time and energy
helping people to learn how to handle, ride, appreciate, and enjoy
trail riding naturally gaited horses... the things I've learned
from them myself over all these wonderful years.
For over twenty years I bred pure blood
Peruvian Paso Horses. At the height of my breeding program I was
standing three stallions and producing twelve to sixteen foals a
year. In those early years, Peruvian Pasos sold for a price that
allowed me a nice profit for my work. I bought a 2 year old
colt, Granadero, for $25,000.00, syndicated him as a stallion
for $400,000.00 and sold 1/40th ownership shares in him for
$10,000.00.Then the government changed the tax laws, and the
pleasure-trail horse market went into a tail spin. Over the
years, the selling prices went down, and the production costs
went up, until there was no more profit. That's when I started
thinking about out-crossing, and producing my own breed of
pleasure-trail riding horses'; horses that would better suite my
own personal needs, and those of my mostly middle aged clients.
I've always appreciated the bred-in quality of fine gait (pisos)
that Peruvian Pasos are rightly so famous for. They truly are
“the world’s smoothest riding horse”. But I wanted to produce
horses that were a little
stronger and more rugged, with an easier going, more friendly, laid back personality.
Still, I wanted to keep that good Peruvian Paso
"paca paca" four-beat
gait.
The horse I chose to cross with my fourth
and fifth generation Peruvian
Paso mares was a Mountain
Pleasure Horse stallion from Kentucky named Goldfinger's Star.
I was so pleased with the results that I searched for, and found
my own Mountain Horse stallion, Paul's Hardcopy, who
soon became affectionately known as "Big Red". Mountain Pleasure
Horses are real “usin’
horses” from the hills and hollers’ of Eastern Kentucky. They’ve been
bred there for centuries to be used for riding, plowing, or
pulling. They have a real “people pleasing'” personality to go
along with their strength and versatility. I think that
combining the Mountain Pleasure Horse (top side) with my
Peruvian Paso mares has given me the best of both horses. Over
the past eight years I have produced
what I believe are the best naturally gaited pleasure-trail riding horses that I have
ever had! I call them "Paso Pleasure Horses".
Now it's your chance to cash in on the many years of dedication
and hard work that I've put into this pursuit. Come ride with
me! Take a good look at
the horses I'm offering. If you find a horse that you like, and
if the horse likes you, and you are able to care for and love
the horse in the manner to which it has become used to, perhaps
we can make a deal. So, call me if you’re
interested. I'm always happy to "talk horses"... especially
gaited horses.
Serious offers
will be seriously considered. I reserve the right to
change prices, back out of deals, or just plain change my mind about anything, at any
time. A "Deal" isn't a deal until
the contract is signed.
I've got some really wonderful
trail riding horses, and I want them to go to people who will
appreciate them and can care for them. Want to try them out?
Then plan to "Come Ride With Me", and see them for yourself. I think you'll
love 'em!
Happy trails, Don West
MY MOUNTAIN PLEASURE HORSE STALLION "BIG RED"
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Paul's
Hardcopy a.k.a. "Big Red", 05/01/99,
Bush's Stardust x Trixie, 15.3 hand, copper chestnut
stallion. Big, bold, handsome, charismatic, but gentle, and
friendly, too. A joy to ride, easy to handle, a real
pleasure-trail horse. Red is the father of most of my Paso
Pleasure Horses. Red has gone to a good home, and is
starting a new life as a happy gelding. I will always have
fond memories of Red as my last, and best stallion. What a
wonderful horse to end a breeding career with!
$20,000.00
SOLD
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PASO
PLEASURE GELDINGS
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Champion,
a.k.a. "Champ" 04/20/05,
Paul's Hardcopy x Cidra del Oeste. A dark red chestnut
with a star, blaze, and snip, and front left pastern and
half stockings both rear. A friendly personality, with
plenty of get up and go.
private treaty |
| |
Dancer, 06/08/05, Paul's
Hardcopy x Salsa del Oeste. A yellow roan palomino, with
socks on both rear pasterns. My tallest horse, but with
medium build, more refined, much like his mother. Dancer
is friendly,
calm, and willing, as well as beautiful. $10,000.00 |
| |
Walker, 05/15/05, Paul's
Hardcopy x Cindy del Oeste. A lighter colored palomino,
with a star, strip, and large snip, and two white
stockings in the rear. A stockier built horse, just like
his mother, he looks and is strong. Gentle and friendly,
he has a good, quick gait and is great fun out on the
trail.$10,000.00 |
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Cody, 00/00/06, Paul's
Hardcopy x Natalia del Oeste. Cody is sorrel with a long,
wavy flaxen mane and tail. He has a star, strip, and snip,
and right rear pastern. He's a real cutie pie. Not much
over fourteen hands, he is well built, strong, and gaits
well. He is friendly and personable, and will
make someone a great friend.$7,000.00 |

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Prince Charming, a.k.a. "Prince" 04/17/07,
Paul's Hardcopy x Cidra del Oeste. Prince is a
sorrel with flaxen mane and tail. He has a star, strip,
and snip, and a left rear half pastern. He looks like
Champion, his full brother, only he has only one white
stocking. He has the same energy and pride in himself,
and already stands his own in wrestling matches with
Cody. He is really going to be a good one! He is started
under saddle, in bosal, and is doing great. $7,000.00
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PASO
PLEASURE MARES & FILLIES
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Star
Bright, a.k.a. "Bright" 05/26/01, Goldfinger's Star x
Natalia del Oeste. Cremello mare -- almost pure white
with star blaze and large snip, right front pastern, and
socks in the rear. Big blue eyes, and long, thick, wavy mane and tail.
Medium size, about 14 hands, friendly, fun, easy to handle, willing, and
with a perfect four beat gait.
Perfect pleasure, trail, or parade horse for the smaller
rider wanting an easy to handle horse. Perfect match for
his-hers matched pair of parade horses with Star Light.
Bright has had one filly, Goldilocks, by "Big Red" who
is fantastic, and BIG! In bit.
SOLD
$8,000.00 |
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Sassy
Sally, a.k.a. "Sally" 07/08/02,
"Big Red" (Paul's Hardcopy) x Natalia del Oeste. Sally is
a red roan filly with small star, and left rear pastern.
With a thick, long mane and tail, this mare is strong,
well proportioned, and has a nice, short back. With her
eye-catching color, aristocratic personality, and
good-gait, everyone who sees her likes her, and picks her
out in the herd to ask about. A great pleasure-trail horse
with lots of get up and go in her. She's got great
conformation. I've taken her on numerous overnight horse camping trips, and
she handles the
roughest trails in style. In bit. $10,000.00
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Canella, 05/13/03, "Big Red" (Paul's Hardcopy) x
Cidra del Oeste. Wow! Drop dead beautiful red chestnut
(sorrel) mare with star blaze and strip, a sock on the
right rear and pastern on left rear. With a thick, long,
wavy, flaxen mane and tail, she's a real eye catching show
stopper! Miss Personality
-- full of charisma... and lots of energy and fun to ride. A great riding,
people pleasing, pleasure-trail horse. Miss pretty, she
has more of an Arabian shaped head! She has carried me
on a number of back country extended overnight camping
trips. She
does it all... and with style. In bit. $10,000.00 |
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Susie
Q, a.k.a. "Susie" 06/12/04, "Big Red"
(Paul's Hardcopy) x Salsa del Oeste. Susie is a red
chestnut (sorrel) mare with a star and strip. She has a
half stocking on both rear legs. Long, wavy mane and tail.
Super well gaited. Super friendly. Lots of personality,
and easy to get along with. Beautifully built, she is one
of our best all around mares. You can't help but fall in
love with this horse! I love riding her, and I know she'll make someone a
wonderful pleasure-trail companion. In bit. $8,000.00
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Fancy, 00/00/06, Paul's Hardcopy x Fantasia. Fancy
is a dark chestnut filly with a sorrel mane and tail. She
has a star, a front left sock, and right rear half
stocking. She is built like her mother, more like a
Peruvian Paso than a Mountain Pleasure Horse. She has a
very refined
show quality look about her. She is smeary, willing, and
her gait is fantastic!. She is friendly, and handles well
on the ground. She is doing great out on the trail in four
reins. $8,000.00 |
|
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Goldilocks, a.k.a. "Goldie" 04/16/07, Paul's Hardcopy x
Star Bright. "Goldie" is a big palomino, 3/4 Mountain
Pleasure Horse filly. She has a star, strip, and small
snip, as well as aright rear pastern and left rear half
stocking. She is very friendly, gaits
beautifully, and is built strong and solid. She is drop
dead beautiful, full of fun and energy, and looks to me
like she will make a great riding horse. $8,000.00 |
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Princess Leah, A.K.A.
"Leah" 05/19/07,
Paul's Hardcopy x
Lucinda del Oeste.
Cindy is big and strong, just like her mother. She is
a dark chestnut with a star and left rear pastern. I think she will be really
well gaited, for someone who wants a trail horse that is
smooth to ride.
$5,000.00 |
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Cinderella,
A.K.A. "Cinder"06/02/07, Paul's Hardcopy x Mistica del Oeste.
Misty is a cute little, solid built, liver
chestnut bundle of joy.
She has a front left coronet and a left rear pastern. She is so friendly, she wants to get into your pocket!
She will make some lucky (small) person a real companion horse.
And, she gaits! $6,000.00 |
If
you are interested in finding out more about these fantastic
"beautiful to behold, smooth to ride, and easy to handle" Paso
Pleasure Horses call me at 970-858-7739.
The horses listed above were all born and raised right here at
West Gait Equine Learning Center, with gentle, loving, and
knowledgeable care. The asking prices give us no profit on our
investment of time and money in them. In fact, we will be
selling every one of them at an out-of-pocket loss. To a large
part, the prices are based on the horses age and the amount of
training and trail riding time they have on them. If you can't
afford these prices for a well bred, well fed, well treated,
and well trained trail riding horse, then you probably can't
afford the feed, the shelter, the saddle and tack, the
farrier, the vet, and the truck and trailer you'll need to go
along with owning them. That may sound like tough talk, but I
love these horses, and I want to make sure that they go to
someone who will love them and care for them as I have. Don
West
REASONABLE
OFFERS FROM QUALIFIED BUYERS WILL BE RESPECTFULLY CONSIDERED

Our
horses run wild and free most of the time, making for happy,
healthy, strong horses... and shaggy coats in the winter. 1760
Broadway Grand Junction, CO 81503
Phone: (970) 858-7739 Fax:
(970) 858-7861
e-mail: donwest@wic.net
Last Updated -- June, 2010

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