Should I buy a youngster?

[sasamunde]

I have fallen in love with a 2yo warmblood. I had a horse on share 2 days a week and was struggling to find the time/babysitters to do that, then the horse had an op and needs a year off. Now I have seen this bargain super-horse and am under the illusion that I will have the time to keep him in the field for a year then back him then keep him in the field for another year... Please tell me I am mad! I am v experienced and have a lot of v experienced people to help me, money should not be a problem, it is just the time. Stables is a 20min drive away, I will be back at work soon, I have a 3yo and an 8 month old and a rather unhelpful DH who is away a lot in the week and relatives who would babysit all work too... But... Life is short... Will someone please knock some sense into me :(

i think if you want to do it badly enough you will, but it won't be easy!

but then if 2 days a week is too much - and here's where you need to be honest with yourself - then a youngster is not a good idea.

little and often is the way to go. 10 mins every day is better than an hour twice a week.

If you struggled with 2 days a week it's a bad idea. What if he got kicked and needed 6 weeks (min) box rest? Or colic?

Youngsters need good handling daily, this takes time.

Youngsters need a lot of time, ideally little and often, so sorry it does not sound like a good idea.

Don't go there. Whilst It won't need backing for another year, it does need starting now, before it gets large enough to have an "opinion" about things. That means lunging a couple of times a week, teaching to stand still when tied, mouthing, long reining, getting out and seeing scary stuff like bins, tractors, buses. All of the above is essential IMO if you want a good sensible easy to do horse at the end of the process. You just can't skip the ground work.

Thanks ladies for the sense injection I cancelled the viewing! I will try to find another horse share for a couple of years instead, invest my money wisely and then buy a 5yo
Take a look at this ad though and tell me you wouldn't have been tempted

(sorry rubbish at doing links)

www.horseandhound.co.uk/classifieds/details.aspx?pu=BPmXvHOJFapxpHa6zlSgMw&cu=975&kw=2%20years%20old&ca=&st=&at=2&ag=97535295833HHO:307070&pg=1&si=CAT*1**0

Looks a nice sort but for £3k in the current climate you could get a lot better I think. 2yo for that amount of money needs to be crapping gold plated turds! And honestly, i would never ever buy from somewhere that takes credit cards for a horse purchase! That's just me though.