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

[NagNagN4g]

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.

Me again

I went to see another horse today, went completely open minded, didn’t have my heart set on anything. Not my usual type (bay New Forest). And I fell in love instantly . I tried really hard not to but he was an absolute gent with manners to die for.

But, I didn’t ride him as he is foot sore. He’s having shoes put on next week and then I’m going to go then and see him again. She said I can go however many times I want.

He’s rather overweight at the moment and not in work (being slowly brought back into it), he has a large crest but it’s soft and not solid. She said she has to watch what he eats and is on restricted grazing, she said she has micro manage his food intake. I checked his hooves and couldn’t see any lami rings, she said he’s never had it but thinks he’s been close. But then he’s never been in consistent work, he’s 8 and has only been used as a happy hacker. Never been in a school, and never jumped. I have no idea if I’m stupid to take on something like this or not? My friend is saying it’s worrying he’s never been in a school, I’m saying I don’t mind as I can work on it slowly next year when we eventually get one. Am I bonkers? Obviously need to see what he’s like with his shoes on, ride him (she said she will definitely ride him first and I can ride on the lunge or on lead rein to start with if I was nervous about riding an unknown horse again, I told her about what happened last time!). I’ll obviously also get him vetted, and it will be dependent on that. But all going well, am I mad? I know people will be like “why did you get him for?” But he’s lufferly!

You are being unwise. To summarize, this is a lame horse that you can’t even ride at the moment, which has never been schooled or jumped at eight years old. To be honest the owner will find it difficult to give him away.

I am sorry if this sounds harsh but it I’ll be a lot harsher for you if you get the wrong horse.

You need to take your instructor with you, you get swept away far too easily, no matter how many red flags are flapping away!

As Booboos says, this pony should be as cheap as chips. It's completely green, borderline laminitis and footsore (why would anyone advertise a footsore horse before it was shod, assuming shoes will stop it being footsore??)

Yes, that summarises it pretty well . Not harsh at all, just honest.

And he is cheap as chips. I don’t get swept away too easily, I’ve already turned two down and messaged about 15 people but the others ones haven’t been right (not including the ones who don’t reply ).

He wasn’t foot sore when she advertised him, he took a chunk out of his hoof and she had the farrier out two days ago to check it out, and he’s coming back in two weeks (checked the date it’s not next week but the week after) to put shoes back on him. She took them off when he stopped being in regular work.

Back to the drawing board . I just fell for him the second I saw him, I’m actually very sensible and wouldn’t go through with it if it wasn’t right. I’m just using this thread as a sounding board because I don’t want to talk to anyone irl about it at the moment.

The problem with buying unfit is that you have no idea how it will be when fit and sound. He could go from calm and quiet to full of himself very quickly (or he may not!) but it’s very much a gamble.

I would expect an 8yo to be established in walk,trot and canter and to have been out and seen the world. I would prefer something that’s been out and about as you can see how it is in a different environment as I tend to find happy hacker types badly schooled and allowed to get away with murder.

My instructor always says don’t buy what you can’t afford to shoot when it turns out to be rubbish

Don't do it.

As to buy an 8 year that's done nothing you might as well buy a 4 year old.

I do know of a very nice highland gelding for sale. He is over your budget at 3.5k and in Cumbria. But he is an absolute bargain at that. Am not sure where he is advertised but if you are interested I can pm you his owners details. She is a good friend of mine, very honest and won't sell him to you if she doesn't think you are right for him.

Hi just seen your thread and I am so glad you have finally discovered new forests!!

Please go on the New Forest Pony page ( I bought our fantastic 14.2 HH from there) and also keep an eye out in Preloved which is where we found our other 14.2 HH.

I am in touch with the former owners and every year I invite them to a horse show we are attending so they can come and meet their babies!

A 14.2 New Forest would be a perfect height for you, it's true they need restricted grazing in the summer ( like all Natives) but they are generally very good natured the, traffic proof and sensible.

Don't rule out the one you have just been to see especially if it:s local. Mine was also a bit footsore when I bought him 4 years ago and we had just his fronts shod and kept him on restricted grazing with just soaked hay for a few months and he has never had laminitis and has had a clean bill of health.

They are the a absolute best and all my family ride them and we have such a bond I know I will be riding until my 80s or longer ( 50s now!)

He is established in walk, trot and canter. She schools him in the field and can move very nicely. He lunged beautifully. He has just never physically been in a school.

Thanks Frouby, I don’t have £3.5k cash saved at the moment, I’m obviously building on my savings with time but I don’t have that amount at the moment.

Would she allow you to take him somewhere when sound? Just so you can see how he travels and behaves somewhere new?

Mine turned into the devil when she got home and it took her a full 12 months to accept that this was her home now despite being quiet as a mouse when I viewed her

Here is my gorgeous boy! Cost £1300 as a 4 year old. He is now 8.

I also would not rule out a young NF as you can get a good feel for their character at that age but follow all the good advice on here, in addition, never buy one that is strong ( ie doesn't have good brakes).

Lovely nature, soft mouth, calm in open spaces and on the roads are prerequisites for me over age.

Did you get your friend to try him first, if they were more experienced than you? Or get the owner to show you his paces, inclu roadwork? You don't have to get on, first time you see it.

I was ok with it right up to when you said he hadn't been ridden properly for months - wasn't he got ready for sale? Would you hand climbed aboard first if you'd known that. And had you seen a video of him being ridden?

You could ask if you could talk to anyone who knows the horse and check seller is insured for him if you do take him / another on a trial period next time.

Why don't you look at another loan horse? Might suit you better, and def less stressful. Also you can change your mind if you think you've made a mistake.

Yes, she said I can take him anywhere and do anything I wanted with him.

I did say I would be worried about how long it would take him to settle as he’s been in the same home for 6 years, so I wouldn’t expect it to be completely plain sailing.

She said he’s a kick along, has brakes (always ridden in a snaffle), is great in open spaces, currently lives on a working farm and is used to all farm machinery. He had perfect manners on the ground, we caught him, walked a fair distance to his stable and he stayed behind or next to me the whole way. We tied him up and he went to sleep when we groomed him, picked his feet out and I spent two hours there. He hacks out alone mostly, she said loves exploring. He has a sharer at the moment who is a novice and she said he takes the piss out of her and she’s not firm enough with him (not on the ground, his manners are what she’s worked on the most and he’s rock solid with them no matter who it is). Just ridden, she said the girl sometimes can’t get him to trot and she’s not firm enough and just gives up and then he wins, so he continues to take the piss out of her!

You’ve all put me off now! I could see a lot of potential with him, if he had the right work put in. He’s just not had the opportunity to reach his full potential.

She said to treat him like a 4 year old though, who has had 8 years of groundwork put in. She has actually already turned down one buyer as well, so she may well turn round to me and say she didn’t want me to have him anyway

I’ve got a while to think about it, his shoes aren’t going on for another two weeks so I’ll just stay open minded and keep my eyes open elsewhere.

nancy have you read the full thread or is that just in response to my first post?

Yes, she said I can take him anywhere and do anything I wanted with him. She also said to come and see him as many times as possible before deciding if we were right for each other.

He's probably footsore due to his diet (too much sugar) and possibly thrush if there's been a touch of benign neglect. As a pp said, soaked hay will do wonders.

I've quite recently bought a 12 year old with low mileage. Fab attitude, snaffle-mouthed, rides out alone and in company, livestock proof, doesn't care about stock wagons jangling over cattle grids and safe in traffic.

Hasn't done much schooling in an arena but I've found her easy and willing to learn.

I'll take a green in the school horse any day over a twat in traffic one!

Fwiw she had no shoes on when I tried her. She'd been "sold" but new owner hadn't paid for her OR had her feet done so shoes had fallen/been pulled off (and obviously horse taken back to be "really" sold). So I rode her on grass and she was sound - good sign!

He does sound sweet Nag. But he would take a lot of work to get to the balanced rc horse you want.

Having said that if the temperament is there to start with you can work on the rest. And just because he hasn't been in a school it doesn't mean he hasn't been schooled. You can school on hacks just as easily, you just don't have the luxury of an all weather surface and an enclosed areana.

I would keep an open mind with him, go back when his shoes are on, get him in a local arena and take it from there. If you still like him then have him vetted. And what you are saving on purchase price you can invest in lessons with you. If she schools in the field and out hacking he should know the basics.

For your budget (absolutely no disrespect) you are going to have to compromise somewhere unless you find an absolute bargain.

Yes I think the footsore is a mixture of diet, no exercise and him taking a chunk out of one of his fronts.

He was only sore and cautious on the concrete, he was lunged in a huge open field and wasn’t sore. Nor was he bothered by the tractor combining (or whatever) in the next field, or the by the deer that jumped out from the bush. He did exactly as she told him, she’s into natural horsemanship which I’ve never looked into but I actually found it fascinating as we were talking about it!

Sorry I was a bit late to the thread abc I did read it, though not very well. You could ask how long they have had their horse for / if they are dealing in a low level way- see if you can see what they usually have for sale.

You need imo a nice 14 yr old plus - dont look at anything under 10!really. That last one sounds a recipe for disaster!

Advertise yourself locally - at the saddlers or on fb. Orr contact the local riding schools to see if they have or know of a nice quiet cob for sale or long term loan.

The sort you are looking for is probably munching grass slightly bored in a field and his owners can't bear to selll but x is off to uni or something.

Some sellers will say anything sometimes, to off load before winter - a bad horse costs as much as a good.

Yes he would definitely take a lot of work, I have the time to put into one, I just need to be confident in myself.

And yes, I completely agree with you regarding the budget and there needing to be some compromise somewhere. I’ll keep an open mind, go and see him again, spend some time with him but carry on looking elsewhere as well.

Thank you all. You probably think I’m nuts and inconsistent with my thinking, I’m literally just using this as a sounding board and getting my thoughts down on ‘paper’. I don’t like waffling irl and I’m normally very sure about what I want. My head feels all over the place with this though! It’s good to get everyone’s unbiased views and perspectives, and appreciate your time in replying to me. I promise I’m sane and sensible really .

I've every sympathy with your search as we are looking for daughter and it's a minefield!

Don't know if you are still following Jessica Proctor - Cobland but I live locally to her and have heard very mixed reports, not sure I'd touch any of hers personally.....

Well I can’t really be the voice of reason as I bought an unbroken 4yo with no clue how to bring her on

A couple of years down the line she’s tuening into a nice little pony but her personality stinks and to be honest attitude is the thing I would look for first if I was to look again.

If finances were no object you could get something 1000% in all ways but realistically for the budget there would probably be compromise somewhere and with this one is going to be a few years of work before you got to the good part.

The soundness would worry me though, if he’s always been barefoot he shouldn’t be footsore unless there’s an underlying issue?

How much is he up for?

Imagine you are a seller. You have a lovely horse and want to find him a lovely new family at the end of a long and glorious summer. Do you

A) leave him unridden in a field with half his hoof hanging off and let buyers come stroke him, or

B) have him in work, show him to his full potential and have him ready to be ridden and tried out properly.

Responsible owners who want to find good homes for their beloved animals keep them in work, fit and show them off in the best light.

I am in the same area as you are Nag, have you contacted Jo Wakefield? I have not bought from her but have several friends who have plus two local riding schools. She seems to have a good reputation and offered to take back a cob that didn’t work out for my friend.
Are you on dodgy dealers on FB? If you are, put Trina’s cobs in the search bar, you can get lots of different opinions on the dealers.
It’s not that much fun buying is it? I nearly bought one with wobblers recently.

confusednorthner, same, I have not heard good things about Cobland.

No I haven’t heard of Jo Wakefield, I’ll check her out. Thanks.

Yes I’m on dodgy dealers, I search every single name I come across. Jessica Proctor has mixed reviews I know, as do most of them. Trina’s Cobs seems to have the most consistent reviews, they’ll always be issues with all dealers though.

Same with Juliet Clarke, I know someone who has had a few off her and fully trusts her, but I’ve read not very good reviews on dodgy dealers.

It’s a minefield and definitely not as fun as I thought it would be!!