Going for a second look and vetting a youngster tomorrow- what might I have forgotten?

[seeker]

we're thinking of buying a 3 year old Dales pony for dd and me to bring on. He has been turned away since may, but he is a lovely, gentle, easy to catch friendly chap. He's been sat on but no more- responded (we're told) well to that. Lives out. vaccs and so on up to date. Has passport.

What else do I want to know?

[horseylady]

Passport and breed lines and that he is registered. Otherwise apart from how much handling he's had not too much.

Are you getting him vetted?

[Alameda]

I don't know, a camera so we can ooh and aah over your new addition?

[seeker]

He's not registered ( reflected in the price, obviously- he's very cheap.)

Yes, he's being vetted tomorrow.

I daren't take photos- he is the sweetest looking pony- all forelock and feathers.

[Butkin]

You could find out when he last had his teeth done, worming etc. You may want to start from scratch but at least you'd know his status.

[elastamum]

Will he load, has he had his feet regularly trimmed and can you catch him?

Apart from that is he a nice calm friendly chap, well put together and passes the vet.

I always buy youngsters, the biggest problems are always the ones who are really nervy as they take a long time to get them calm enough to be safe and can be easily upset. Nervous youngsters are not suitable for children to bring on (altough I rode lots as a teen) A nice friendly calm horse wins for me every time.

[seeker]

Oh bollocks. The vet said she couldn't fault him.What shall we doooooooooo?????????!

[Treblesallround]

Buy him!

[Alameda]

what trebles said, obviously

and please can we SEE? I love Dales (not that can tell them from Fells)

[seeker]

I'll put up some pictures tomorrow. I think we will buy him- dd and I are going to sit down tomorrow and have a serious talk about which one of us does what and whether we're really sure we can do it. He is a lovely pony- I've never really met a Dales properly before!

He needs a new name, by the way- any ideas?

[Alameda]

oh how exciting!

what is his name at the moment? we had a dartmoor who was named after the bit of dartmoor, some tor or other, he was born on, could you do something similar?

[Alameda]

is he black?

[seeker]

yes, he's black with a star.

He's called Louie- which doesn't suit him al all.

[Callisto]

How about Tarn - the name of a high lake in the Dales. Or Yorkie?

When we got DD's pony he was called the English version of his Welsh name which did not suit him at all. We reverted to his Welsh name which is perfect for him. Louie means 'Famous Warrior' and is French in origin. Maybe find an English name with a similar meaning.

PS it is bad luck to rename a horse, so don't change whatever is on his passport.

[Treblesallround]

I like Louie, but could you make it something that sounds similar (Luke, Lewis or something) so it's not really changing his name? We did that with GD's mare (was Kaz, is now Cassie)

Want pics too, I too love Dales. Has he got lots of lovely feathers? I love feathers.

[seeker]

He has soop many feathers. And a tail the sweeps the ground and a forelock that he can't see through. He is lovely.


The vet rang today and said that thinking about it, she thinks he may be nearer 2 than 3. Which makes his nice calm nature even more impressive, but also means that maybe we need to talk about the price a bit more....

[Alameda]

but I still cannot SEE him (lots of other lovely pics though :))

although can imagine him nicely from your description

[seeker]

No pictures up yet. We've decided it will make it too real.

Wait til I'm on here every 10 minutes begging for help!

Imagine him really chunky, even for a baby, and shiny, even though he hasn't been properly groomed since May....

[seeker]

Sort of the opposite in every way of dd's Arab!

[Alameda]

has he got long eyelashes and whiskers too?

I really really really love feathery feet, probably almost within reach of actually fetishising them

well maybe not

oh please just buy him, he will be a big change from your Arab!

[Alameda]

oi I cross posted there, glad I got it right, she is an Arab and not just a generic spindly thing

[seeker]

Whiskers to die for. And the sweetest star. And positively entrancing feathers!

I don't know how we'll manage- Arab needs three meals a day to stop her nerving herself to skin and bone. We asked louie's owner what he ate apart from grass and she said "I think he had a carrot a couple of weeks ago. Oh, and he finished off my sandwich yesterday"

[Alameda]

the perfect pony! how many hands will he make, or is he there already? (dunno when they stop growing but I swear our alleged 9yo has got taller since I bought him, he's a hand shorter than the horse now)

[Treblesallround]

Natives are fantastic for being low maintenance. All mine has is a scoop of chaff and balancer once a day, haylage in winter when there's no grass, and I have to work her socks off in the spring to keep her weight down. When are you getting him?

[dappleton]

congratulations, he sounds adorable. Just wanted to add that I agree with Callisto definitely bad luck to re-name a horse, someone told me this years ago and I didn't believe them, I tried to re-name a pony of mine, he's been nothing but trouble in every way since I changed his name. I've always stuck with the original name, or a version of it since!

[horseylady]

I've known people rename horses and have no problems!! Just keep passport the same name, stable name is fine to change!!

They sound like me with my horses, when people ask what do they eat I just say 'er chop, grass, hay?' they have some mix in a treat balls!!

Good luck!!