sugarpony
Well-Known Member
Just looking for some opinions here, as am having a bit of a dilemma. Sorry if turns out long. Short version: deciding whether to sell/loan out current horse and get something else, or whether to persevere with current horse until able to afford to keep both.
Have owned current horse 5 years, he’s a real sweetheart and I love him to bits, I’ve always said he’d never go anywhere. BUT, I really want to event/showjump more, but he still doesn’t love it like I hoped. He tries, and he does have ability, but he’s really not the most bold/confident so we are always having stops. It’s frustrating for both of us, because he can do it, and often will, but still the stops and eliminations happen. He’s improved HUGELY since I got him, and he definitely enjoys jumping at home/places he’s used to, and having a play over smaller stuff (75cm and below) out and about. But I don’t want to be forcing him into something he’s not.
Im not in a financial position to have two at the moment, but I’m expecting this to change in the next 2 years, and had always planned to buy another eventually anyway, but keep current horse alongside it. But recently I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s best for everyone...
As far as I can see I’ve got 3 options:
sell/loan him out - I don’t want to see him go, and it would break my heart but I’d be able to get something and start making progress sooner, and he’d get to do the things he enjoys/is good at.
persevere for now and see what happens - I’d only ever be asking him to compete at 80cm (or possibly 90cm if he was up for it), and he is getting better and better. Maybe I need to have some patience and faith in both of us that we will get there, especially now we can get out and about more (haven’t been able to do as much as I’d like up to now for various reasons).
keep current horse but “retire” from competitive jumping/eventing - this would be temporary until I could afford something to event alongside keeping him for fun. He’d be doing dressage/hunting/hacking/fun rides, and just jumping at home or the odd clinic/xc schooling for fun.
IF (and that’s a big if) I decided to sell/loan him, I have no idea how to price him in current market, and if there’s be a loan market for something like him. I’ll be very honest below and see what you think.
He’s a 16.2hh, 11yo, ISH. Lovely looking, with nice paces. Sweetest and easiest horse you could ask for to do things with on the ground (load/clip/farrier etc.) Everyone who meets him loves his personality! Almost exclusively take him out on my own with nobody on the ground and he’s no problem at all. Doesn’t travel that well in a standard trailer with partition in, but travels perfectly in a lorry/equitrek trailer/trailer with no partition. Hacks/beach rides alone/in company, good in traffic. I won’t say he’s bombproof, because he does look at things but I’d trust him totally and worse he will do is jump sideways or try to reverse/trot a few strides. Will canter/gallop in open spaces/on the beach in a snaffle. Does a very smart dressage test, would go out at prelim/novice level tomorrow, very consistently 65-70% at prelim or higher if I’ve been working on it. Has taken a small teen from never having ridden to her first dressage comp and small jumps. Would happily jump on fun rides/pairs XC, and loves a bit of jumping at home. Hunting him is not for the faint hearted, he does get very strong (the only time!!) but I’m only 5ft5, not that heavy, and have had 3 very happy seasons on him. He will jump out hunting and has done several big hedge days with no issues. Not the best at standing still, but not horrible, just a bit fidgety. I’m sure he’d make a lovely horse for someone who isn’t that keen on the competitive jumping scene but wants something easygoing for fun rides/hacking and some dressage.
cup of tea and a biscuit if you got this far!
Have owned current horse 5 years, he’s a real sweetheart and I love him to bits, I’ve always said he’d never go anywhere. BUT, I really want to event/showjump more, but he still doesn’t love it like I hoped. He tries, and he does have ability, but he’s really not the most bold/confident so we are always having stops. It’s frustrating for both of us, because he can do it, and often will, but still the stops and eliminations happen. He’s improved HUGELY since I got him, and he definitely enjoys jumping at home/places he’s used to, and having a play over smaller stuff (75cm and below) out and about. But I don’t want to be forcing him into something he’s not.
Im not in a financial position to have two at the moment, but I’m expecting this to change in the next 2 years, and had always planned to buy another eventually anyway, but keep current horse alongside it. But recently I’ve been thinking a lot about what’s best for everyone...
As far as I can see I’ve got 3 options:
sell/loan him out - I don’t want to see him go, and it would break my heart but I’d be able to get something and start making progress sooner, and he’d get to do the things he enjoys/is good at.
persevere for now and see what happens - I’d only ever be asking him to compete at 80cm (or possibly 90cm if he was up for it), and he is getting better and better. Maybe I need to have some patience and faith in both of us that we will get there, especially now we can get out and about more (haven’t been able to do as much as I’d like up to now for various reasons).
keep current horse but “retire” from competitive jumping/eventing - this would be temporary until I could afford something to event alongside keeping him for fun. He’d be doing dressage/hunting/hacking/fun rides, and just jumping at home or the odd clinic/xc schooling for fun.
IF (and that’s a big if) I decided to sell/loan him, I have no idea how to price him in current market, and if there’s be a loan market for something like him. I’ll be very honest below and see what you think.
He’s a 16.2hh, 11yo, ISH. Lovely looking, with nice paces. Sweetest and easiest horse you could ask for to do things with on the ground (load/clip/farrier etc.) Everyone who meets him loves his personality! Almost exclusively take him out on my own with nobody on the ground and he’s no problem at all. Doesn’t travel that well in a standard trailer with partition in, but travels perfectly in a lorry/equitrek trailer/trailer with no partition. Hacks/beach rides alone/in company, good in traffic. I won’t say he’s bombproof, because he does look at things but I’d trust him totally and worse he will do is jump sideways or try to reverse/trot a few strides. Will canter/gallop in open spaces/on the beach in a snaffle. Does a very smart dressage test, would go out at prelim/novice level tomorrow, very consistently 65-70% at prelim or higher if I’ve been working on it. Has taken a small teen from never having ridden to her first dressage comp and small jumps. Would happily jump on fun rides/pairs XC, and loves a bit of jumping at home. Hunting him is not for the faint hearted, he does get very strong (the only time!!) but I’m only 5ft5, not that heavy, and have had 3 very happy seasons on him. He will jump out hunting and has done several big hedge days with no issues. Not the best at standing still, but not horrible, just a bit fidgety. I’m sure he’d make a lovely horse for someone who isn’t that keen on the competitive jumping scene but wants something easygoing for fun rides/hacking and some dressage.
cup of tea and a biscuit if you got this far!