Advice please - heartbreaking decision:Talented youngster

Keep him and enjoy him:) He doesn't care what you do so long as he is fed, watered, loved and kept in the manner he enjoys - which from your post would seem to be exactly what he has. You are just a lucky person who has had a good break, you owe no one anything. You do not know what is round the corner for you or him so make the most of every minute but stop worrying about progressing up the ranks and be glad you have a beautiful animal to love and enjoy. So pleased to hear of a horse doing well in a loving home - how nice for him and you.
 
I would keep him - he sounds like a horse of a lifetime.

Perhaps if you would enjoy seeing him compete at high levels, could you just find someone who will come to you, maybe ride him once or twice a week, teaching him a bit more and then they could compete him? It would be cheaper than sending him away to a competition yard and you still can have him to yourself most of the week :)

Hope you find a solution.
 
Is there booth reason, other than his 'wasted potential' that you're considering selling/loaning? Is he too high maintainance in time or money? Is he just too much for you to ride?

If not then keep him! He doesn't care two hoots about his potential rossettes, as long as he's got plenty ofturn out and friends, enough feed and well cared for and treated kindly. Which is more than many 'proper competition horses' get :-(
 
Don't be bonkers, keep him!

What are you going to replace him with? An average horse? You will regret it if you sell, but I do quite like the idea of a talented sharer, that could work v v well if you could find the right person
 
Keep him. Simple. Don't worry about what others might or might not think. Too many youngsters get pushed and asked to do too much too soon and then they break and never really reach their full potential. You don't have to go and compete at a high level to enjoy him and his skills, and if he's not being pushed to his physical limit he is less likely to break and will be around for much longer for you to enjoy!

I too have a talented youngster and I worried at one point that others would think that he was too good for me. But stuff them. I've got a fab instructor and between me and her schooling him I'm learning loads and my riding has improved so much in the past 2 years as we are no where near his limit physically. Ok it may have taken us longer to get to where we are than if he had gone to a more experienced home, but who cares? He's not been rushed and is a very happy and chilled out 6 year old who has a nice life doing occasional prelim dressage and 2'3'' jumps (when I'm really brave!) instead of being a highly strung advanced medium level dressage horse and grade B show jumper being dragged around the country every weekend. I'm not bothered about how much he's worth or could be worth and the lack of rosettes in the tack room. I know what he can do and I don't feel the need to prove it to everyone just so he can be admired by some snotty nosed, stuck up dressage diva who's mummy and daddy buy her everything. I didn't buy him to make a profit on, I bought him to keep and to enjoy.
 
horsemadmum1 said:
Stop worrying and enjoy him. He doesn't care if he doesn't achieve his full potential. Sounds like the horse of a lifetime-keep him.
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I haven't read all this thread but horsemadmum has the right idea. Why should you hand over your dream horse for someone else to enjoy rather than yourself? People seem to think that they have to do this if their horse 'has potential' to go quite a way in a particular discipline. The horse doesn't care! He'd be happy to be munching grass in a field every day & if you want to take him for a ride every so often then he'll enjoy that as well.

Don't be foolish & move him on because there is no reason to do it. Keep him., ride him & enjoy him!
 
I was in this situation myself, and let my horse of a lifetime go to a professional. If I was ever in such a position again I would not listen to other people telling me how he was too good for me, but just enjoy him. He does not know how much he cost and he doesn't know that he is any better than the next horse. Just treat him as you would any horse, don't feel intimidated by his talent. If you want to see him progress to dizzy heights, then maybe see whether a pro will ride him for you, so you can still own and love him....
 
ecrozier said:
Do you really need to give him to someone else? What would the end goal be? If you do want to sell him for a decent sum
in a few years then yes he needs a competition track record, but if you are planning to keep him forever then what's the panic? I have a young horse who was a surprise in the sense that he was bought as a rising 3 year old for my OH to do a bit of RC stuff and hunt..... He's turned out to be really rather special and far more talented than I would ever need. But I've no intention of selling him/letting anyone else have the ride! I love riding him and he's a darling to have around, and yes he might never reach dizzying heights with me but we will hopefully have an awful lot of fun competing within my comfort zone!
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I agree with the above quotation, he is your horse at the end of the day. as long as you both happy who cares?? I mean you could perhaps find a talented rider locally who would come and work with him and you but the bottom line is it really doesn't matter in my opinion, as long as your both having fun!!!
 
Keep him.

I am in exactly the same position and sent mine away last year to be professionally evented. Of course he was brilliant - best dressage of the day, awesome jump etc etc.

He's now in my field with his mates winning showing classes, prelim dressage and doing 60/70cm jumping.

And.....he loves it. We don't get out that much as I have a huge job but when I asked him if he wanted to go back jumping 1.05m at a gallop, kept in, lean or stay with me - well I'm sure you can guess.
 
Do you love him? Do you smile every time you go to see him and feel so much better having been there? Can you ride/handle him safely? Would you always regret selling him because he was 'the One'? If so, please don't sell him.

He doesn't care what he does as long as he is fed, watered, turned out and has company. He has no idea how much potential he has or how far he could do. As long as he's happy and you love him, that is all that matters :)
 
It seems I owe a lot of cookies, to a lot of people :p many thanks for reading and for all your kind words and stirling advice. I know what you're all saying, I can't count how many times i've said exactly the same things to friends, about thier horses not giving two hoots about what level they are at as long as they are happy and healthy. It just seems so much harder to take your own advice when you get the feeling yourself.

I Couldn't love the boy more if I tried (and I *think* he doesn't mind me so much either :rolleyes: ), and really adore riding him, so I think I will offer the ride of him at shows etc. I can have training on him and take him out when I can, and in the mean time, maybe someone would like to take him and compete him etc.

I would be happy to bring him to shows for them, or they can come and pick him up on the way, he's good to box and very friendly, no trouble. Like I said perhaps if someone has a similar horse it would work out better for them having a few there. I'm pretty laid back about it, he's insured to the nines and what not, so if anyone is interested or knows someone who may be, please PM me.

I shall reply to the ones I have now!


Thanks so much again for the advice and sensible words
 
Zoolander I have the same situation (well i hope so) with our beautiful WB. Bought initially as a project then we realised the temperament issues the poor chap had - all down to trainers expecting so much from a too young well bred dressage horse. He was abused big time and really too much for us as a family to literally even handle on the ground.
I wrote for advice and support on here and I got it and now 6 months later we are finally turning a corner and our beautiful horse is not being aggressive at last.
He has oodles of 'potential' you just have to look at him to see that. I won't be his rider but I have found a lady who will and she is working with him beautifully on the ground at the moment gaining his trust. I will be proud and happy to ferry them to competitions and let them realise their potential and most importantly have fun and mental stimulation. But I won't worry a jot that I am not good enough for him! He will never be whipped or punched again that's for sure and I am certain that is suffice to make him happy.
 
Glad you're keeping him. I've got a home bred mare who's far too good for me & I love having her. I can ride at most once or twice a week due to lack of time but try to have a lesson every week. To keep her education going, I pay for my mare to be ridden once or twice a week by someone who rides as in the same way as I'm being taught but is a much better rider than I am. My daughter (who again rides once or twice a week) loves jumping & takes her out to low key shows & a neighbour's daughter (who sold her event pony when she went to uni), rides her a bit when she's home & takes her to higher level competitions when she's around. So I get to ride a lovely mare, my mare has a varied / interesting / low pressure life & my daughter / my neighbour's daughter get to ride / compete despite having limited time.
 
"Stop worrying and enjoy him. He doesn't care if he doesn't achieve his full potential. Sounds like the horse of a lifetime-keep him."

:D

DITTO THIS
 
Um ti dum. Can you get into lessons? Is there a particular reason why you can't step up your own level of riding? I wonder if you are under-selling yourself? :D :D

Who cares? He's your horsey and you love him :D I know that the second I get to the yard I can 'sigh' all the week's stresses away - OK my horsey is no potential grand prix horse, and I'm sure out hacking, I raise some eyebrows amongst the 'correct' brigade. She's on a farm, I look like a farm girl.. I ride in jeans :eek: and muckers :eek: but the however much she costs me, and however bad my riding is, she/it makes me happy! :D :D :D
 
I have just got out my crystal ball and I can see a post from zoolander from the year 2013 looming (sorry, think you have got the message already, but just in case!)

"Help. I once owned a fab, talented young horse, and I loved him and enjoyed him, and had such fun, but I let myself believe I was holding him back, so I sold my horse to someone more talented than me.

The new owners were competition people, didn't keep in touch, competed him day in and day out, rarely gave him a day off in the field, because he was worth too much to get broken, and then when they had upped his value, they sold him on. I don't know where he is now, I hear he is still on the circuit, and I miss him so much.

I have looked at dozens of other horses to buy for twice the money, but never found another horse remotely like him, and fear I never will. Not a day goes past when I don't regret my decision. He was my horse of a lifetime, and I let him slip through my fingers. It's the worse decision I ever made."

KEEP HIM! Unless you would like to let me buy him of course :)
 
I haven't read all the replies, but in your 2nd paragraph you say "he is too good for me".

Does your horse think this? No. Does your horse know his own potential? No. Does your horse stand in his field hoping for the day he goes to Grand Prix? No. Are you beating yourself up and giving yourself a hard time? Yes!!!!!

As long as you love him, care for him well, and you're happy then why do you need to change anything?!
 
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