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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

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Original poster

What are your thoughts on this horse

58 replies

offlikearocket · 06/05/2013 11:43

I took up riding last year having always wanted to ride since as long as I can remember and have ridden on and off over the years but only odd lessons etc. I am now in a position to own my own horse and will be doing nothing fancy just hacking and enjoying looking after a horse. We are lucky enough to be moving to a house with land so that I can keep a horse and eventually a pony for DD. The riding school are selling the horse which I ride, she's coming up 17 this month and is tired of being in the school, she is also used for RDA, she's a 15.1h welsh Sec D x clysedale and very easy to do in all ways, it's been a bit difficult to learn on her as she is just unwilling in the school and I'm not young so getting her into trot means I'm often knackered by the time we get there. However, totally different story out on a hack, she seems to love being out and is forward going I hardly have to ask for trot or canter but we do hack out with other horses so not sure if this is an influence. I really like this horse as she's safe and easy and all I want to do is hack and probably start DD off on lead rein with her, it's just I'm concerned about her age, realistically how many years do you think I may get from her under saddle? Would it be worth it? Also how much do you think she would be worth, I know this is a bit of a guess but just some idea would be good. I think that if I buy her I know I will have to give her a home for life and that's not necessarily an issue but as I'm 44 I think I will want to ride for a lot longer than she will and that's the dilemma really...I will have 3 acres of land and if I bought another horse in a few years time would this area of land support 3 horses?
Please let me know your thoughts and any considerations I have overlooked. Sorry for the long post!

OP posts:

TackedOff · 09/05/2013 13:29

Dont do it!! Horses that are only used to hacking in company are a nightmare and really no fun if you keep them alone. Also its a bit mean to take her from a busy school environment and keep them alone and I can almost guarantee she'll be a nightmare until she settles.

The age wouldn't bother me.

SlowlorisIncognito · 09/05/2013 14:50

Are you intending to keep the horse alone? I would strongly advise against this. Horses are herd animals and many are very unhappy being kept alone. If she has been used to being in a riding school with lots of other horses around at all times, she may become very distressed at being kept on her own and become difficult to do, or dangerous, or potentially injure herself in the field.

As you want to hack her, hack her alone a few times before buying, and see what she is like on her own, most horses are quite different on their own instead of with a group.

How much do you know about stable management? Ideally, it would be best to keep your first horse somewhere where you can get advice on issues such as healthcare, feeding and shoeing.

Are you confident tacking up and grooming alone?
Are you confident catching from the feild and turning out?
How would you deal with any problems?
Do you know how to recognise signs of ill health in a horse and when to call a vet/dentist/farrier?
What do you know about worming and feeding?

I know it sounds like I am being negative, but I have seen a lot of people get into trouble when they buy a horse to keep on it's own when they only have minimal experience of how to care for one. It would be so much better if you could start off keeping your horse at the riding school or another livery yard.

Ex riding school horses can change a lot when they go from being in hard work to only being ridden once or twice a week, but equally they can be fine.

Despite the fact you obviously trust the riding school, make sure you get a full vet, and if possible, get someone experienced but unconected to the riding school (do you have any horsey friends?) to come and have a look at her.

If she is worth it depends on the price. I wouldn't pay more than £1000, maybe a bit more if she came with everything you need, such as rugs, and tack as this is obviously worth money in itself. You could easily get 5+ years out of her, but equally if she has always been in hard work, she may not make it to 20 without serious problems.

Callisto · 10/05/2013 08:19

I have ridden and known of dead to the leg horses that won't go forward without spurs. Bone idle or desensitised to leg aids? I don't know but I certainly wouldn't want one. And as riding school ponies and horses are ridden by novices who boot-yank, boot-yank the entire time they are certainly not going to be great for someone who wants to ride properly. You may well be able to turn them into willing and bright ponies/horses who are a joy to ride with time off and sympathetic bitting and schooling. but tbh I would rather spend my money on something that is already soft in the mouth and responsive to the aids. And with the way prices are atm, I can get a really nice, well schooled horse for less than the OP was willing to pay for a knackered old dobbin from the local riding school.

ohbuggerhelp · 10/05/2013 10:01

Again Tosh.

My kids pony is so soft in the mouth he is ridden in a happy mouth and sharp as a knife off the leg.

You sound as if you don't know what you are talking about. Our knackered old dobbin is well known in local shows and beats most ponies that people have paid thousands for hands down.
That said, my kids are excellent riders and most of the kids in local shows aren't and spend their lives being whip happy and tugging on the mouths of 10 grand ponies their non riding parents have shelled out for and quickly ruining them. That sort of poor behaviour was never tolerated in thr school our pony came from.

Booboostoo · 10/05/2013 10:46

Out of interest Dolomites which part of the leg would x-ray and why?

TackedOff · 10/05/2013 11:03

ohbuggerhelp you sound lucky - I would say your experience is the exception rather than the norm

My worry would be the hacking out. Having had a very ploddy pony who HATED doing anything alone, I would never do it again. Even my 5 year old found him too depressing to ride!

DolomitesDonkey · 10/05/2013 12:28

booboo coffin bone and fetlock. Because shoeing as we know covers up the pain mechanism and we can't see what's going on in the hoof. Fetlock because my mare had arthritis there and I'm paranoid. Bugger it, I'd probably get the whole leg done!

Callisto · 10/05/2013 13:19

Sensitive much Obugger? You're the one that has just called your pony a knackered old dobbin, not me. If your pony is so perfect and your children are such expert little equestrians, how come you're so defensive? And I'm loving the 'don't know what you're talking about' insult.

Eve · 10/05/2013 13:39

my kids are excellent riders and most of the kids in local shows aren't and spend their lives being whip happy and tugging on the mouths of 10 grand ponies their non riding parents have shelled out for and quickly ruining them.

nice!

ohbuggerhelp · 10/05/2013 13:56

But true, Eve.

Loads of parents with all the gear and no idea in most local shows. They should spend a little bit more on lessons and a little bit less on flash.

callisto, no doubt you know plenty about horses but making huge, sweeping generalisations about riding school horses devalues your contribution . All horses are different and all riding schools are different. The school mine came form is locally well regarded for it's dressage and the horses are absolutely superb. I run a yard and have been horse shopping recently for three very different clients. I have seen some absolute horrors in private novice hands. In a good riding school the owners will know about horses and how to keep them. I've seen too many horror stories ( as I'm sure have you) stemming from ignorance and lack of experience.

CalamityKate · 10/05/2013 13:59

Totally disagree with Callisto re:riding school horses. You just can't generalise.

At the RS I used to work at we took HUGE pains to make sure the horses/ponies were not dead to the leg. Nor did they have mouths like iron.

Even in beginner groups we made sure that the ponies were kept interested; no endless "trot to the rear of the ride and latch onto the tail of the pony in front" malarkey.

Some riding schools are crap. Some are not and will have very well schooled horses who even if they are suitable for beginners are kept up to scratch by the more experienced riders.

CalamityKate · 10/05/2013 14:02

And as for "boot yank" - no decent RS or instructor would tolerate that.

DolomitesDonkey · 10/05/2013 14:13

As Calamity says, it can actually be rather fun riding a riding school horse. I often join a riding lesson when I'm staying at my mum's and if I need to join the group lesson then I spend my time asking a horse to bend in a way it's not done since 1985 for example.

I also get to feel smug when I see other people ride a horse I know goes differently for me.

DolomitesDonkey · 10/05/2013 14:14

In fact, getting the most out of a riding school horse is far more challenging than riding your own who is well trained and used to you. We should all do it as a wake up call!

ohbuggerhelp · 10/05/2013 14:14

I am far more concerned about the ponies and horses kept by novices or those without any knowledge whatsoever. I have had liveries come to me with horses in conditions that break your heart because they are ignorant and have NO idea what it takes and costs to keep horses.

ohbuggerhelp · 10/05/2013 14:15

Sadly, the riding school we got ours from wouldn't allow you to be smug, Dolomites. Some of their horses and riders compete at medium in BD.

All the best riders have lessons regularly, you do know that, yes?

DolomitesDonkey · 10/05/2013 14:19

Did you get out of the wrong side of bed this morning? Of course people have lessons, I think most of us probably do. I take lessons in all my sports because I don't want to be "good", I want to be "much better". Until my nag carked it I was getting lessons from one of the best dressage judges in the country.

But we all have differing levels of ability, and it's not really being smug to be aware that you've got a horse working in a supple manner rather than just "trotting to the back".

ohbuggerhelp · 10/05/2013 14:26

Sorry Dolomites - I feel I've joined all my bloody mares in season!

Yes, I agree, BTW !

Callisto · 10/05/2013 14:42

Maybe it's just the riding schools around here then. I still wouldn't touch one, no matter how wonderful. Too many bad riders on board does not make a good horse and can make a bad horse. And as I say, why would I when good horses and ponies are ten a penny at the moment.

Pixel · 10/05/2013 19:21

The way you lot are going on you'd think the OP had said she wanted this horse for the next olympics!
I wholeheartedly agree with making absolutely sure the horse will hack alone (in open spaces and traffic), getting it vetted, keeping it at a busy yard for a while, making sure it has a companion - all that. But really, for mooching about the countryside, leading a small beginner child and generally having fun getting used to horse ownership does it really matter if it doesn't respond to the lightest of aids so long as it's safe? Probably for a first horse it's better if it isn't too sharp, it'll be more forgiving of rooky mistakes. It's not as if offlikearocket doesn't already know and like this horse, the main thing is to make sure it is still the same animal away from the group and with less work, so maybe a trial period is in order. The age wouldn't bother me if she's sound and looks well. Our first pony was 16 when we got him and we had him almost 20 years, (he died a few months short of 35).

Booboostoo · 10/05/2013 21:50

The fact that the horse is very difficult to get into trot in the school is a potentially worrying sign that the OP shouldn't ignore. She doesn't need to aspire to the next Olympics for this to be a problem.

It may be that the horse will never be fun to school, so if this is something the OP is interested in, this may not be the horse for her. Or it may show that the horse has a stubborn streak that may manifest itself again when hacking alone.

Just things for the OP to check out before buying, not necessarily issues that make the horse unsuitable.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 10/05/2013 22:07

It may be that the horse will never be fun to school, so if this is something the OP is interested in, this may not be the horse for her. Or it may show that the horse has a stubborn streak that may manifest itself again when hacking alone.
Or the rider could just not be asking properly.
Fwiw, our DFs riding school used to arrange for lessons with top show jumpers. I have on many occasions seen these experienced riders get on misbehaving, inside out, 'dead to the leg' obnoxious riding school ponies, even down to nappy Shetlands, pick up the reins and then the pony into a perfectly behaved, on the bit delights.
And more than once, the jumpers have made offers for ponies in the school! If someone named Whittaker would buy a riding school pony, then I sure would!

Pixel · 10/05/2013 22:54

all I want to do is hack and probably start DD off on lead rein with her

I'm just going by what the OP said. She didn't say she was interested in schooling.

CalamityKate · 11/05/2013 00:45

Agree with Saggy.

When I was doing my instructor training, the centre we were at used to have clinics with visiting professionals. Nobody dead famous but still, people way more talented than most.

I remember one of them getting on one of the school horses; she really WAS dead to the leg. A stodgy, unwilling, ungenerous dobbin. Quite nice looking TB but you know, didn't want to do a thing.

He got on and got her working in a beautiful outline - Flowing forward with seemingly no effort from him. Sickening!

WillowKnicks · 11/05/2013 19:04

I wonder if you're near me Saggy as we have someone named Whittaker locally

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