Nag shopping

[DolomitesDonkey]

I can't post on fb because my husband will read and lynch.

I've contacted someone about a nag up near Rotterdam. About 17hh, grey mare, 7 years old.

Also seen a Z 4 yo for only 2500 euros. Sooooo many hosses.

Do you need two more? Are you looking for a horse with a bit of experience or a youngster?

Personally I make a list of my requirements and stick to it otherwise it's easy to be tempted by everything that is out there.

I don't have any at the moment and I need one. ;) I'm looking for a youngster or a "problem" so actually not really interested in the colt aside to note it's most definitely a buyer's market. There are some extraordinarily well-papered nags out there going for metaphorical peanuts.

I'm nag shopping at the moment too!

But I accidentally came home with a stunning Section A last week for DS2

What are you looking for?

Have you looked here ?

No, I live on the continent so only searching here.

Oooh you do need one if you are horseless! Dh has no grounds for a lynching then! :)

Breed, size, job you want to do with the nag, preference mare/gelding?

For a youngster I'd go do the rounds of the sports breeders either in Holland or Germany depending on what breed you like and what discipline you want to bring him/her on for. You should have an enormous amount of choice of 3 year olds and perhaps 4 year olds as well.

If you are happy to bring on a youngster I'd stay away from problem horses. With a problem horse you'd have to start with all sorts of veterinary investigations to rule out a physical problem and then you'd still be left with a behavioural issue. Why not spend the money and time on bringing on a nice youngster instead?

'Problem' horses are usually nice horses with 'problem' owners no?

I've had some cracking 'problem' horses bought from idiots

So true, Cat and same here.

Who knows? At least I can't tell from one visit, if OP can tell the difference then a 'problem' horse is indeed the way to go as it wouldn't be a problem but a massive bargain. If it's really a problem though then it becomes her problem which is a lot worse than somebody else's problem!

I'm kind of with cat in believing the majority of problem horses are in fact owned by people who can't ride or do groundwork.

Also whatever I get will have 5* vetting and x-rays which I hope would help rule out a lot of problems.

I like Hanoverians although tbh am falling over decent warm bloods here as am in holland on the border of Germany and Belgium. Can't swing a cat for hitting incredible bloodlines and the zangersheide stud is only 20 miles away.

I want an all rounder really, will not be doing Grand Prix. Needs to not bite or kick children. Needs to suffer a lorry without too much drama and I want one which doesn't have a stroke if it hears an engine.

Everything else can be fixed.

Ah see I have failed to improve any of my horses, they have all become worse with my riding!!!

I have a Hanoverian by Don Frederico out of a Warkant mare, very nice moving but annoyingly nappy - do you want him?!!!!!!!!!!!! Just joking!

Why not look for some lines you like and see what comes up, there should be huge choice at the studs.

Yep 5* vetting and temperament are the most important things IMHO.

Saying that, I didn't get little Welshy vetted

He's coming pretty much straight off the hillside though, and I paid next to nothing for him.

Plus he's got the teeny tinyest ears you've ever seen and huge big froggy eyes

Proper jel of you being on the continent being surrounded by all those bloodlines OP

I didn't get my Haffie vetted - took a punt and he was as solid as houses. No vetting on earth would've told me he was a little bucker. He bucked when I rode him when I went to look so I knew what I was getting.

Got the Hanovarian vetted and it didn't work out. Pah.

Anyway - fab news, out of the blue about an hour ago my husband said "if you feel you need another horse then it's fine by me". :D

Just had a look at the problem horses page and am crying with laughter at the prices people are asking. 5k for a "problem", 2k for "lame"? Bwahahaha.

Makes you larf doesn't it!

Dreamers.

Nice 3yr old coloured mare on there though, for a pittance.

Am tempted

ha! She was the only one I thought might be worth a punt too!

I just don't get it at all. I'm not saying they're all perfect over here either - the things people try and pass off as Welsh D's would be laughed back across the Severn Bridge. They do a decent warmblood here - anything else? Pah.

Mind you I'm seeing here dross for 2k and good stuff. Seems there are a lot of chancers - and, a lot of people who haven't got a clue and are happy to dig deep. My fave horse from my old yard went not long ago for 6k - at LEAST double what he was worth because he wasn't all that and a net of hay!

To put it in to perspective - was looking at a well papered 5 year old Lusitano stallion yesterday, for

Well its fairly reasonable that people know what they breed.

If you want a native it's probably counter-productive to look in Germany, but for a whole host of WBs like Hanoverians, Holsteiners, Traknherners, Oldenburgs, etc. Germany is the place to be.

We are very close to Spain so PREs are ten a penny here and 5k for a Luso would be considered very expensive...although they do sell to foreigners for a lot more!

booboo That's interesting about your local prices for PREs! You would die then if I told you a friend paid 12k (euros) in 2008 for a green one... I suppose if you've your heart set on one it would make sense to drive down to Spain with a box and fill it up !

Yes, that's definitely the thing to do, the studs are full of youngsters. My vet picked up a stunning 5 year old, with really good paces (esp for a PRE) and a lovely temperament, for 3k. They are teaching him to work on a longer lower frame and he should be great for next year.

Loads of UK based people pay enormous amounts of money for PREs from Spain/Portugal - I don't know what they are thinking really.

Carl Hester said Valegro, Nip N Tuck, and a 4 year old he showed at the BD convention were all under 10k each, although he does seem to buy large-ish numbers of youngsters together (Nip N Tuck was BOGOF for another one he wanted which he then mistakenly sold on thinking it was the unwanted one!).

No, I'm never interested in spammers, but thanks for the offer. Were you planning on shipping from Nigeria?

FUCKING ARF