“Finch” is a 2021 AQHA sorrel gelding that checks a lot of boxes for someone looking for a versatile, athletic horse that already has a solid foundation and the kind of mind that lets him go in just about any direction. When we say any direction, we really mean, any direction.
His pedigree is packed with proven performers. He is sired by Whiz My Nu Chex, a son of the legendary Topsail Whiz, one of the most influential reining sires of all time and an NRHA Hall of Fame stallion. On the bottom side, Finch goes back to Smart Little Romeo and Smart Little Finch, bringing together reining, ranch, and cow horse bloodlines that have produced trainable, athletic horses for decades. He is also AQHA Ranching Heritage Challenge eligible, giving him even more opportunities for his next owner.

I actually purchased Finch from a friend I’ve known since our youth showing days, so this isn’t a horse whose history is a mystery to me. He was started correctly by Michel’s Performance Horses. Recently, he received a reining and ranch riding refresher, which shows every time you swing a leg over him. He rides around soft, carries his head where it belongs, moves off your leg, stops willingly, turns around correctly, and has all the buttons you’d expect from a horse with a professional foundation.

One thing I want to point out because people tend to jump to conclusions when they hear it: yes, he’s been introduced to barrels, poles, team penning, roping, and just about every play day event you can think of. Don’t let that scare you. This isn’t some hot, pattern-sour horse running around with his head in the air. Quite the opposite. He’s simply talented enough that we’ve exposed him to a lot of different jobs and he has taken every one of them in stride.

Over the last year, he has become the horse to pull out of the pasture when you want to try something new. Team penning? No problem. Barrels? Figures it out. Poles? Goes right through them. Track a dummy? Loves it. Get on cattle? Even better. He has enough athleticism and natural ability that he can dabble in just about anything and make you look good doing it.

What I like most about Finch is that he combines a great mind with plenty of grit. He’s the first one to meet you at the gate, loves attention, is safe around kids, and has the kind of personality everyone wants in the barn. Then you swing a leg over him and he goes to work. He likes having a job and genuinely enjoys being ridden.

This isn’t a horse that has been pigeonholed into one discipline. He has enough training to go show ranch riding tomorrow, enough cow to sort cattle, enough athleticism to continue down the barrel or rope horse road, and enough talent that I honestly think his best days are still ahead of him.

Good horses are hard to find. Good horses with this kind of versatility, pedigree, training, and disposition are even harder. Please call, ask questions, or set up an appointment to FaceTime us and meet this guy. We’d love to tell you about him.