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The tack room

Discuss horse riding and ownership on our Horse forum.

Original poster

I went to view a horse today, can I have some advice please

209 replies

NagNagN4g · 17/08/2018 22:19

So, I went to view my first ever horse today (ridden nearly 30 years, had numerous loan horses just never my own).

Perfect in every way... height, colour, breed, price and location. He was a perfect gentleman on the ground, as his own said he was.

Got on and did some walking and trotting in a paddock, he’s forward going and a little bit strong (as he was advertised to be). But did lots of transitions and he listened nicely.

Thought I was ready to canter so went down to the bottom of the field to come back up again and disaster struck! I asked for canter, he put his head down, reared up slightly, went down again and as he went down I went over and fell off! His owner said he has never ever done that before, she was mortified and her immediate reaction made me believe it was completely out of the blue (I had a very knowledgeable friend with me as well).

She got straight on him, cantered around no problems. I got back on and trotted around then did a few steps of canter so I didn’t lose my nerve.

He hasn’t been in consistent work for months, this was the first time he’d been ridden properly in weeks.

So wise MNetters, what would you do? Suck it up as a ‘shit happens’ and get on with it and buy him (I fell for him the second I saw his ad), or leave it and find something else?

I feel like we could have a really good partnership, but in the back of my head I know he’s done that and wonder if he’d do it again. I do believe his owner when they said he’s never done it before. They’ve owned him 3 years.

OP posts:
Fucksgiven · 17/08/2018 22:29

I would go and try him again if you liked him apart from what happened. Walm up, ride some basic laterals (just leg yield and maybe shoulder in) then take him to canter from walk.

If he does it again walk away

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 17/08/2018 22:34

Thanks. Yes I did say to his owner I wanted to see him again. I’m a competent rider, I just lose my nerve sometimes.

It doesn’t help that I had a bad fall a few weeks ago and ended up blue lighted to hospital.

I know all horses have the potential to do things like that, why did he have to do it the first time I rode him?! He stopped and looked at me and could tell he was thinking what the hell are you doing down there?!

OP posts:
InProgress · 17/08/2018 22:37

Agree you need to try him again. If he does if again and you're not happy that you can contain it then he's not the perfect horse for you.

In fact when you do try him again and he doesn't do it but you're still not sure walk away. You want a horse where you feel in a safe partnership.

InProgress · 17/08/2018 22:39

"What the hell are you doing down there?!"
Heh that reminded my of my spooky beggar. You definitely need to try this one again.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 17/08/2018 22:55

In fact when you do try him again and he doesn't do it but you're still not sure walk away. You want a horse where you feel in a safe partnership This is exactly what I’m thinking as well. I don’t want to bring him home and be too scared to ride him. I want to be confident on him.

He was not spooky in the slightest though. To get to the paddock I rode in, we walked past a caravan which had a blue plastic sheet as it’s roof flapping around and blowing in the wind, it was huge and he didn’t even bat an eyelid at it!

I have the whole thing on video and keep watching it back trying to analyse it!

OP posts:
ThanksHunkyJesus · 17/08/2018 23:00

I think it depends if you fell off because he was really trying to throw you off, or if it was more your fault. I'd also be concerned if he was in pain. I'd try him again and if you still like him get him vetted. If you don't think your nerve can stand a horse that might mess you about then I would pass on him. The half rear would put me off.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 17/08/2018 23:07

Looking back I do think it was partly my fault, I actually asked him to canter from walk up a hill. He hasn’t had a proper canter for so long so I think it was a mix of me asking him to do something he hadn’t done and perhaps giving him mixed signals, and him being excited.

Him being in pain did cross my mind, but he showed no signs in walk or trot and then when his owner cantered him after that he was foot perfect.

I’ve been messaging her and I’ve been honest with her, as she has me. She said she won’t sell him to me if she thinks I’ll be too nervous to ride him, which is fair enough. But she did say if I did think it would work out and she thought it would too, she would let me take him on a trial period which she never would have considered before.

I guess we’ll just have to see what happens next week!

OP posts:
Sarahlou63 · 17/08/2018 23:13

"He's never done that before" said no horse seller ever before.

Also She said she won’t sell him to me if she thinks I’ll be too nervous to ride him, which is fair enough. Another cliche.

Walk away. Lots more horses out there.

Jamforlunch · 18/08/2018 07:41

'He's never done that before!' Classic line!

Walk away. Horses are easy to buy and really hard to sell.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 08:16

Yes you’re both right, lots of horses out there.

I’m still going to go and see him again, if I don’t then I know I’ll always be thinking ‘what if’, at least I would have given it a chance. If I go and I’m still in doubt then I’ll walk away.

OP posts:
Sarahlou63 · 18/08/2018 09:42

What would be your ideal horse? (I lurve a bit of horse shopping!)

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 10:35

Cob, preferably coloured but don’t mind black, bay or chestnut, 14.2 to 15.2 and between 8-12 years old. Oh and has to be a gelding.

I follow Trina’s cobs, the boy she has in at the moment is perfect, but way over budget. I think £2,000 would be my max.

I’m Home Counties.

OP posts:
ThanksHunkyJesus · 18/08/2018 11:11

Being completely honest I think it was a wee bit silly to ask for a walk to canter transition on an unfamiliar horse who had been out of work and was being ridden out in the open. Next time you try him i think you need to make sure you're giving him a fair chance to understand what you're asking of him.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 11:22

Yes I know, I completely agree. I’ve never ever done it before so I have no idea why I did it, or what came over me.

The horse I ride at the moment bucks so I’m normally very sensible and cautious when going into canter, I’m kicking myself to be honest. It’s very likely it was rider error.

OP posts:
Retrainingaracehorse · 18/08/2018 14:57

I wouldn’t there are lots to of horses out there and it’s not as if you’ve looked at loads.
“Oh he’s never done that before” is a classic sellers line.
Secondly I personally don’t think £2k is a lot for a nice well behaved coloured cob gelding especially if it’s a true 15.3 anyone asking less than 2k I’d be very suspicious of I would have thought £3.5 would be more realistic.

lastqueenofscotland · 18/08/2018 15:56

Agree with retraining I think your budget is pretty low for what you’re looking for...

lastqueenofscotland · 18/08/2018 16:07

Agree with retraining I think your budget is pretty low for what you’re looking for...

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 16:12

I showed my riding instructor the video today and said don’t touch it. So I’m going to message the owner later and say it’s a no.

I would pay that for a horse, but my friend is very off putting and always said no way would she pay that, she thinks I’d be a mug if I spent more than that, she’d never pay that for a horse etc. I showed her a lovely chap today for £2800, she said what has he done, is he worth that and went on and on and about how she’d never pay that much. I normally listen to her as she’s more experienced than me.

I’m currently sat in minor injuries as I can’t move my fingers and my knuckle is so swollen and sore.

OP posts:
maxelly · 18/08/2018 16:34

Hope your hand is OK OP. Glad you've decided to walk away from this one, right decision I think. The combination of 'advertised as strong', not in consistent work for weeks and today being the first time he was ridden for a while and the rearing when asked to do something fairly innocuous like canter would be enough to make me highly suspicious (could be perfectly good explanations for all the above of course but not worth the risk).

The things with cobs (and to a lesser extent other non warmblood types) is that the market is saturated with lots of cheap ones so many people will tell you you they wouldn't consider paying more than £500 or so. But at that price you are inherently taking a gamble as the horses history and health is going to be an unknown and it has probably (at best) had inconsistent training and handling. In the right hands and with a fair dose of luck you can get a fairly useful animal for pennies. But there's also a fair chance it will be an absolute dud - and the trouble is that some people (me for one and I suspect you too), on finding they've got a dud will destroy their bank balance on vets, instructors etc and possibly ruin their own confidence too trying to do the best thing for the horse.

£3000 is a fair price for a nice, sound animal, not too old, who has successfully looked after a novice or nervous rider out hacking and in a variety of low level/riding club type activities and who has no vices ridden or on the ground. They really don't have to be world beaters to be worth that much, whatever your friend says. If you can afford to go up to that price I really would -peace of mind and enjoyment are surely worth it?

Retrainingaracehorse · 18/08/2018 18:39

"£3000 is a fair price for a nice, sound animal, not too old, who has successfully looked after a novice or nervous rider out hacking and in a variety of low level/riding club type activities and who has no vices ridden or on the ground. They really don't have to be world beaters to be worth that much"
I once talked to reputable dealer she said the above is what most people who contact her are after but they want it to look flash as well!!!
The reality is that most riders want this type of horse, up until recently I was a livery on a top competition yard and most competition riders don't want complicated horses either.
Race horse rehoming charities can't even give their horses away because your average riders doesn't want one partly because TB's have a slightly negative reputation which isn't entirely unjustified, the reality is that many are going to have.some sort of complication be it health or behavioural.
Found tis quote thought you might like it:
The buyer needs a hundred eyes, the seller not one.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 20:06

It’s fine thank you, well very swollen and the swelling is blocking the tendons which is why I can’t move my fingers, but it’s not broken which is the main thing.

Very good post maxelly thank you. You speak a lot of sense.

I think I will up my budget and hold off my search until the new year to save a bit more.

I found a 4 year old who was 14.2, loads of videos of him and for £2000, which I thought was a good price. My friend said he was way overpriced and would never spend that (he was way too far away anyway so never an option). I think I just need to stop being so easily manipulated by people, it happens a lot unfortunately.

Thank you all for your replies, I appreciate it.

OP posts:
Jamforlunch · 18/08/2018 20:20

Glad to hear you're walking away from this one OP. Keep your eyes open and keep viewing. You get a better idea of what you actually want when you keep an open mind.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 20:23

Thanks Jam. I’ll definitely keep my eyes open and keep an open mind.

OP posts:
Retrainingaracehorse · 18/08/2018 20:26

Good luck, you're doing the right thing uping your budget. You sound very sensible trust you're own judgement.
Hope your hand gets better soon.

Original poster
NagNagN4g · 18/08/2018 20:28

Thank you, I appreciate it Flowers

OP posts:
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