2 horses to choose from - which one?!

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MagicMelon

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So I wasn't actively looking for a new horse until I've rehomed another one of my horses. However, the stud where I bought my grey superstar horse from has offered me two. So they are bred how I want (Luso part breds) and I'm seriously tempted. They are both unbacked 4yo's. They both sound very different - one is apparently very shy of new people and quite nervous simply because she's not been handled much and has basically been in a field until now although she has been lunged. The other is currently still entire... but hasn't served any mares. I would have him chopped. He is apparently very friendly and easy to handle.

I will go to see them of course, but I just can't decide which would be better. Although I have backed my own horses in the past, since having my son I don't bounce well anymore! And I also have no facilities (bar stables and a grass paddock to work in) and winter is looming. So, I want whichever one is easiest to back really! The one which is nervous might be quite difficult and I know I'd have to take things very slowly but her nerves might go quickly simply from being handled. The other will still have the testosterone going through him and as he'd be done late, he might end up quite cocky which may work for or against me... I can't decide which would be more practical! Which would you pick?!
 
The mare.
Once she trusts you, I would have thought that with her being shy, she will be very loyal and definitely see you as the leader, which would help in backing. Hopefully she'll be faithful as well, so I imagine long term you will get on better.

Just my opinion, :)
 
Make a list with pros and cons for both. And three lists of "want", "could put up with" and "wouldn't touch with a bargepole" and fill the columns appropriately eg "bay".

Personally, I don't think you can predict which will be easier to bring on...you never know what obstacles will fall in your way!

Good luck with the decision :)
 
Interesting point Toz...

hnmisty, ok good idea. I dont really have any "wouldn't touch with a bargepole" points, I'm pretty flexible to be honest as long as they have 4 legs etc.! So here goes from what I know about them so far:-

* Mare pros - Might develop a better relationship with her for Toz's reason. Is grey and I always have it in my head that "you never get a bad grey"! Looks sweet in the photo although I've not seen a decent pic of the male yet. She's cheaper!
* cons - Is shy / nervous and not been handled much so will potentially take quite a long time to gain her trust and possibly take longer at each stage.

* Stallion pros - Already very friendly and easy to handle so could get going straight away. Is better bred jumping-line wise. Is coloured, so this opens up potentially being able to do coloured showing classes (the mare is solid coloured and generally Iberian x's are hard to do showing with as no classes suit particularly!).
* cons - Will need to spend money to have him gelded, may remain stalliony (is that a word?!) for a while which might cause a problem as will be living with other horses, might be quite arrogant / pushy as gelded late. Am not a massive fan of warmbloods which is what he is crossed with!

To be honest, I'd probably take both if I could so I hate having to choose. Its so hard! Wish I could fast forward a year!
 
The colt - I'm biased towards the boys - and noticed I'm not the only one - there are only two mares competing at Burghley this weekend (a third failed the trot up), crazy statistics
 
Go and see them both, if the colt is well handled and not arrogant and bolshy now he won't get any worse when cut. Some stallions aren't that stalliony
If you ever want to sell coloureds comand a premium
 
Mmmmm both sound nice but from what you posted for me the mare. being shy from lack of handling i would love but get there and see them both BUT remember you cant have them both lol :) )
 
I can't believe you're asking really without even meeting them. I have a feeling that once you do meet them you will have a preference and you should go with that gut feeling.

The stallion is not necessarily going to be bolshy....
 
I think you need to see them both before making a true judgement but in my experience the colt will be the best option for you.
I had a late cut native pony gelding in to break, he had been running with mares all summer, gelded then sent to me a few weeks later, he came out of the trailer looking wild, at this point I wondered what I had taken on, he settled really quickly was the easiest to back and ride on I have ever known. The boldness transferred to all he did, he was never bolshy but so confident he learnt very quickly, I ended up buying him the following spring and he proved to be just as good as he was in the time he was first here, the stallion behaviour had gone totally and I sold him on to be a nanny horse leading a little pony mare out hunting with her tiny rider, once again he took to his job with no issues.
 
MagicMelon said:
Interesting point Toz...

hnmisty, ok good idea. I dont really have any "wouldn't touch with a bargepole" points, I'm pretty flexible to be honest as long as they have 4 legs etc.! So here goes from what I know about them so far:-

* Mare pros - Might develop a better relationship with her for Toz's reason. Is grey and I always have it in my head that "you never get a bad grey"! Looks sweet in the photo although I've not seen a decent pic of the male yet. She's cheaper!
* cons - Is shy / nervous and not been handled much so will potentially take quite a long time to gain her trust and possibly take longer at each stage.

* Stallion pros - Already very friendly and easy to handle so could get going straight away. Is better bred jumping-line wise. Is coloured, so this opens up potentially being able to do coloured showing classes (the mare is solid coloured and generally Iberian x's are hard to do showing with as no classes suit particularly!).
* cons - Will need to spend money to have him gelded, may remain stalliony (is that a word?!) for a while which might cause a problem as will be living with other horses, might be quite arrogant / pushy as gelded late. Am not a massive fan of warmbloods which is what he is crossed with!

To be honest, I'd probably take both if I could so I hate having to choose. Its so hard! Wish I could fast forward a year!
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We have a 6yr old stallion who has covered mares & you couldnt ask for a nicer or politer horse, you wouldnt even know he was a stallion tbh, as long as hes been handled correctly from the start you should be fine. If you bought him now & geld over the winter, come the spring his hormones will have died down & you shouldnt have any issues with him, especially as hes never covered so doesnt know what its all about anyway. Though have to admit the fact hes a WB x would put me off as well.
 
Yikes, some say the stallion, others the mare! I should have also added that I am generally a gelding person... but again Im flexible.

Wheels said:
I can't believe you're asking really without even meeting them. I have a feeling that once you do meet them you will have a preference and you should go with that gut feeling.
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Yeah, I probably will have a gut feeling. This is how Ive always bought horses in the past to be honest. I just asking for peoples opinions from what I've heard so far.

bepositive - This is what Im wondering too, that he might be confident which will transfer to his ridden life.

navaho - Yes, very true that come spring his hormones should be fine.
 
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I'd not own a mare again so for me the gelding (to be)

Mares are a hassle ive always foubd, I find geldings alot easier. You don't need to worry about the expense if regimate etc.
 
I love working with shy horses, but if the stallion is un-pushy I would go for him.

I had the pleasure of working with 2 unhandled NF ponies, which fitted the above descriptions. one was "confident" without being bargy and the other was very nervous. The confident one was the easiest baby I have ever worked with and I very nearly bought him. The nervous one was scary at times and took many many months before he was "safe" to be ridden/worked!
 
Another vote for the stallion!!

I have a mare and a gelding. gelding was cut late (8yo). He also come to me unbroken as a 9yo. He has been the easiest horse I've had by far!! He tries his heart out for you, he is not stalliony in the slightest and doesn't give a hoot about mares. He would rather eat!!

My mare is a nightmare!! Love her to bits but so much hard work. She is very highly strung and makes you work for everything!!

All horses are different though, I don't think you can generalise. I think you need to see them both in the flesh and see which one you are drawn too most. When trying out horses you always have an idea of what you want and end up buying something totally different
 
Toz said:
The mare.
Once she trusts you, I would have thought that with her being shy, she will be very loyal and definitely see you as the leader, which would help in backing. Hopefully she'll be faithful as well, so I imagine long term you will get on better.

Just my opinion, :)
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I'm finding this with my new mare, she was unbroken and only handled generally by her breeder and not by men at all. Now she trusts me and is trying so hard, I'd normally have gone for another gelding but there was just something I liked about her (maybe her big ears :)), to start with I thought maybe I'd made a mistake but she has come around very quickly and is now ready to go under saddle. Just got to find a saddle....!
 
I am more a gelding person but I do like to work with a nervous/shy horse.

I think the best thing to do is see them both and go for whichever one you click with. Even if you make a decision now you can bet you'll change your mind when you see them! Good luck and let us know who you have chosen - with photos! :)
 
after having one of each at the same time i would no longer take gender into account when choosing a horse.....unless it really matters e.g. where it would be kept etc i dont think it is a good idea to limit your self to just one sex as really...does it matter????
dont right off either till you have met them both... i would be pretty suprised if one didnt feel 'better' over the other.
 
The mare. You will probably build a great relationship with her when she gets going. She's probably just green, not seen the world etc. Not that she is timid in personality. You can build her the way you want to if you know what i mean?

I am also a warmblood-ist, they don't do it for me in any way shape or form, I think they lack heart (they may well not that's just my biased opinion!) but that's just me.
I'm probably wrong. May have better movement though.


Stallion may well remain coltish and be less mouldable.

Ultimately go with your git, if that's how you've done it before and it has served you well go with that this time.
 
Whichever you like when you get there but I am leaning towards the colt. We used to geld everything late and they were totally fine. (And really well developed strong types).
 
Ooh how exciting! I would say the colt. If he is still entire at 4 he must be a gent. I have known a few luso stallions and they are usually very well mannered. Also I have a 2 yo who is very bold and brave and he is such fun to be with - not sure you would get that with the shy one. I am basing this on temperament not gender - but actually when you meet them you may just feel a connection with one of them - in which case go with it. And post pictures! :)
 
I'd previously would never have even looked at anything with "warmblood" in it! But then I seen my girl who's Kwpn x Ish. She has a wonderfull nature, great paces, great jump and is as brave as they come, hacks alone, (sorry going on a bit :-))
I wouldnt rule the mare out for being a mare, but personally I wouldn't touch a nervous horse with a bargepole. Obviously I don't mean a bit shy I mean a proper nervous horse, seen too many accidents.
You'll know when you view them what ones for you! Good luck!

Excuse typos/spelling im on phone.
 
I would go and see them both I dont think you can choose without seeing them, I think you know if something feels right and if a horse is for you or not and its impossible to know unless you see them in the flesh, good luck with whatever you decide.
 
I'm not influenced by the mare/gelding/stallion part but by the temperament, a bold confident horse I find far nicer to work with, the nervous shy types are far harder and I have found react much more violently out of fear, so out of self preservation I would always go for the bolder type.
 
castella said:
the nervous shy types are far harder and I have found react much more violently out of fear, so out of self preservation I would always go for the bolder type.
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This is what I was thinking. I wouldnt have minded a few years ago but Im getting old now!

Thanks everyone - seems quite evenly spread between the two! I'll probably go see them next week, will let you know how I get on :)
 
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