Am I a novice rider?

[splashgirl45]

i will tell you of my experience, i had worked at a RS evenings and weekends ( i already had a full time job ) i bought my first horse, an 8 year old, 16.1 irish tb,i was 21 and had been riding and looking after horses for 10 years i was very confident and thought i could ride anything as i had ridden quite a few youngsters and was the one to try out any new ones. it was a bit of a shock to find that i wasnt quite as good as i thought i was and although he didnt frighten me, he was quite a handful. he also had very flat feet and seemed to find any sharp stones and was quite high maintenance health wise..i moved him from the rs and kept him with some friends and i felt a bit overwhelmed as i had always gone to my RS owner for advice re feeding etc. it is a steep learning curve to look after your own horse and to make decisions about their well being.......to answer your query about TB projects, if you want to showjump at a reasonable level a TB would not be my first port of call, some can SJ but lots of them are very fragile and may not stand up to jumping regularly. why not look on horsequest on the showjumping page, the first horse on there would be a good project and is £2000

 

[Theocat]

OP, you do not need a project as your first horse. Learning how to be an owner, with sole responsibility, and working out the quirks of your new horse without any option just to hand it back and ride something else, is a project in itself.

I know you don't like any of the advice that is suggesting you need to dial down your ambition, or suggesting that you don't, yet, know as much as you think you do, but that is because we have all been exactly where you are now. You will never again feel as confident in your ability as a rider and handler as just before you buy your first horse, but you honestly are at that stage where you don't know what you don't know. For your first horse - and you are very lucky that money is no object - you need to buy something safe and sane that is already doing the job you want it to do. Please believe us when we say that even a safe first horse will throw more challenges at you than you can imagine!

What does your current instructor say you should be looking for? Have you spoken to them about wanting to buy a horse? Will they come with you when you view and ride the horse before you get on?

 

[Twohorses]

You have been given great advice for the question you initially asked -- you aren't "hearing" what folks are trying to say because you don't want to, and will likely do what you want to anyway.

As someone old enough to be your grandmother with sixty+ years riding experience, I wish you good luck -- there is always an unethical Seller out for the $$$$ that will sell you a horse, regardless of whether or not you are qualified to ride it.

 

[JFTDWS]

I'm sure a SJer producing RS, who have horses you ride and produce, will be able to source you a suitable horse no problem...

Presumably because...

 

[windand rain]

I too am old enough to be your grandmother been riding for many years owned my own since I was 15 non-horsey parents no support muddled through on my own with a lot of I am ashamed to say ignorant negligence. I think people buy horses a long time before they are ready and perhaps capable of looking after them well. Having said that everyone has to start somewhere but I would advise a good livery yard with lots of experienced and willing help even if it means using savings money to pay for that. You need allow at least £2000 per year to do the basics. I am progressive I read and learn daily something new I will never know it all it has taken me years of learning to gain that experience and I am not sure I would take on a project. One thing I am certain of is that no one ever listens and learns from others experience unless it is what they want to hear

 

[jessica6880]

Primark must have started paying a heck of a lot more than when I last looked - unless of course you have been the managing director every weekend?

They have, and it’s a bit more complicated by how I have money. I’m not going to go divulging my financial status on a forum

 

[jessica6880]

You have been given great advice for the question you initially asked -- you aren't "hearing" what folks are trying to say because you don't want to, and will likely do what you want to anyway.

As someone old enough to be your grandmother with sixty+ years riding experience, I wish you good luck -- there is always an unethical Seller out for the $$$$ that will sell you a horse, regardless of whether or not you are qualified to ride it.

Are you reading the replies? People are telling me not to do it. I won’t.

 

[jessica6880]

I too am old enough to be your grandmother been riding for many years owned my own since I was 15 non-horsey parents no support muddled through on my own with a lot of I am ashamed to say ignorant negligence. I think people buy horses a long time before they are ready and perhaps capable of looking after them well. Having said that everyone has to start somewhere but I would advise a good livery yard with lots of experienced and willing help even if it means using savings money to pay for that. You need allow at least £2000 per year to do the basics. I am progressive I read and learn daily something new I will never know it all it has taken me years of learning to gain that experience and I am not sure I would take on a project. One thing I am certain of is that no one ever listens and learns from others experience unless it is what they want to hear

I’m trying to hear experience. People are not telling me experience. The ones that have I am taking on board. OTTBs are hard work and risky as someone has told me from experience. Maybe read the other replies before commenting? I am grateful for your comment and I am eager to learn and am learning daily, as you mention. It seems due to my age, people are assuming immediate ignorance.

 

[jessica6880]

Ok, in that case I really recco you go and get a more appropriate horse as your 1st horse, particularly one that is schooled towards sj.

I really do not recco an off the track tb as a 1st horse, not to anyone and definitely not to a young person without parental back up. Sorry but it's a car crash waiting to happen.

My parents are backing me up. Please read replies before posting

 

[jessica6880]

OP, you do not need a project as your first horse. Learning how to be an owner, with sole responsibility, and working out the quirks of your new horse without any option just to hand it back and ride something else, is a project in itself.

I know you don't like any of the advice that is suggesting you need to dial down your ambition, or suggesting that you don't, yet, know as much as you think you do, but that is because we have all been exactly where you are now. You will never again feel as confident in your ability as a rider and handler as just before you buy your first horse, but you honestly are at that stage where you don't know what you don't know. For your first horse - and you are very lucky that money is no object - you need to buy something safe and sane that is already doing the job you want it to do. Please believe us when we say that even a safe first horse will throw more challenges at you than you can imagine!

What does your current instructor say you should be looking for? Have you spoken to them about wanting to buy a horse? Will they come with you when you view and ride the horse before you get on?

Thank you for this advice. I was starting to lose hope on this site, considering all I’m recieving is set backs. I will talk to the RS more in-depth before I go any further

 

[jessica6880]

I’m Dartmoor way. As said, it’s likely I’m looking in the wrong placd

 

[jessica6880]

Is it half-term?

Who will support you when you view horses to buy?

Half term? Relevance? Gap year?

 

[jessica6880]

You seem to be missing the valid points in most of the replies, mine did not say it was just for financial reasons you seemed to want a cheap project but it often is, I have picked up many projects over the years, some bought some sent for training, most had been bought by reasonably competent people with good intentions but they so often end up going wrong, my view is to buy the best you can and at least start out with a clean slate not with someone else's cast off, my preference would be to buy from a small breeder who has brought up a well mannered young horse ready to go out into the world, if money is no problem start with something that is not an obvious problem from day 1.
Take someone with genuine experience with you to view, ideally the experts you are riding for at the moment who are the obvious choice to offer advice and take your time to find the right horse.

This is the plan

 

[jessica6880]

Yeah that's a good point actually.

You ride/work/produce at a RS that specialises in show jumping so why aren't you speaking to them about buying from them? I'm sure a SJer producing RS, who have horses you ride and produce, will be able to source you a suitable horse no problem...

I thought I had mentioned this already. They have directed me to where they source them- abroad. Please read the thread before replying

 

[TPO]

I thought I had mentioned this already. They have directed me to where they source them- abroad. Please read the thread

I'm out. Good luck learning the hard way

 

[ester]

If you have a year, want to enjoy something, and money is not an issue buy one ready to do the job you want (apologies if I have missed what you plan to do at the end of the year).
There is definitely a middle ground with schoolmasters, depending on what they have been doing previously, but they will hold their value.
There's definitely horses about even over your side of the country (Im originally from somerset so tend to see stuff come up, not need to go abroad).

fwiw I wouldnt say Im a novice rider, would I buy a TB that said not novice ride on the advert, not a chance!

 

[jessica6880]

If you have a year, want to enjoy something, and money is not an issue buy one ready to do the job you want (apologies if I have missed what you plan to do at the end of the year).
There is definitely a middle ground with schoolmasters, depending on what they have been doing previously, but they will hold their value.
There's definitely horses about even over your side of the country (Im originally from somerset so tend to see stuff come up, not need to go abroad).

fwiw I wouldnt say Im a novice rider, would I buy a TB that said not novice ride on the advert, not a chance!

Thank you very much! This is quite a helpful reply! Just out of interest, where would you recommend looking?

 

[MDB]

I am looking for advice, not a questioning on my riding ability!

But you are asking a question looking for advice based on your riding ability. You ask if you are a novice rider? Then some posts later say you don't think you are a novice rider. You are clearly a novice owner. The overall consensus is do not get an OTTB for a first horse. There are a lot of very experienced people on here. My advice would be to take their advice. Good luck OP.

 

[jessica6880]

But you are asking a question looking for advice based on your riding ability. You ask if you are a novice rider? Then some posts later say you don't think you are a novice rider. You are clearly a novice owner. The overall consensus is do not get an OTTB for a first horse. There are a lot of very experienced people on here. My advice would be to take their advice. Good luck OP.

I was asking on how it is conceived, hence am I a novice rider. These people claim to be experienced, but never have I met such rude and unhelpful ‘experienced’ people.

 

[ester]

Most I see seems to come up on fb but thats partly because I dont look elsewhere. Otherwise word of mouth but I'm surprised that your yard says you have to go abroad. For instance friend has just put one of hers up, 8yo irish mare good to go, no affiliated record but won't at this point hack alone. Depending on budget I think you really need to decide what you definitely need in a horse and what you could live with.

The temptation with a gap year will be to rush a purchase now but that might not be best.

 

[bonny]

This is all a bit pointless, no one but you knows how good your riding is, no one on here has seen you ride so no one can really answer your question ......tbs vary enormously, if you are careful you could find one suitable if you are confident enough, there are certainly enough around for sale cheaply but don’t overhorse yourself or chances are your first horse might be your last. Good luck anyway, I hope you find what you are looking for

 

[jessica6880]

This is all a bit pointless, no one but you knows how good your riding is, no one on here has seen you ride so no one can really answer your question ......tbs vary enormously, if you are careful you could find one suitable if you are confident enough, there are certainly enough around for sale cheaply but don’t overhorse yourself or chances are your first horse might be your last. Good luck anyway, I hope you find what you are looking for

Thank you, this is a lot more helpful than most have been

 

[jessica6880]

Most I see seems to come up on fb but thats partly because I dont look elsewhere. Otherwise word of mouth but I'm surprised that your yard says you have to go abroad. For instance friend has just put one of hers up, 8yo irish mare good to go, no affiliated record but won't at this point hack alone. Depending on budget I think you really need to decide what you definitely need in a horse and what you could live with.

The temptation with a gap year will be to rush a purchase now but that might not be best.

That’s a very good point! Thank you. I’ll have a look on Facebook and ask around.

 

[MDB]

These people claim to be experienced, but never have I met such rude and unhelpful ‘experienced’ people.

Perhaps because it is the manner in which you come across in the forum OP. I am sure you don't mean it and no doubt you are a lovely girl. But in addition to you persistence and abruptness, comments like the one above encourage people to be quite blunt and makes it difficult to warm to you.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Here is my TB experience with the one that I owned.

She was an ex national hunt horse that was also an ex broodmare as her last foal before she retired from breeding was a wobbler, so they didn't want to breed from her again. I was given her to be a companion/nanny for youngstock, a job that she did brilliantly. She hated being stabled, to the point that when she did a tendon she had to be rested in a small electric fenced paddock instead of box rest. She was treated for ulcers (many ex-racehorses have them) and despite this she died from colic caused by a hemorrhaged stomach ulcer.

She was the sweetest tempered horse and I still miss her dreadfully. She also broke my heart as she looked to be on the mend during the colic (eating, food passing through, no blood, perky demeanor) and then she suddenly went downhill again.

 

[PapaverFollis]

My exracer experience; Gorgeous horse, sweet personality. Danger to himself and others. Would not reccommend as first horse even for an experienced non-horse owning horse-person. I had been involved with horses for nearly 20 years when I eventually got my own (NOT an ex-racer, a rapidly approaching being a veteran anglo arab). The learning curve was still brutally steep despite all my previous experience of both riding and working with horses. It's very different with your own. Some ex racers are great and would do, but too much of a gamble for me. Mine seemed quiet at first. Then he found his feet and we found the vets' phone number on our speed dial list.

I suspect you already know what you are going to do though. Most people do. I wish you luck and good judgement.

 

[Otherwise]

There's usually a massive difference between a novice at a riding school and a novice in the real world, not helped by the fact a lot of riding schools are a bit naff and unable to progress people. I've had a couple of lessons at a college fairly recently who classify advanced riders as stage 4 standard so elementary dressage and jumping 1.10m courses, by that definition a lot of leisure riders would be considered novices even after decades of riding. There's nothing wrong with being a novice, everyone was one at one point.

 

[Equi]

I have not read the replies.

Not a novice ride to me implies exactly that. Not for a novice horseperson. You can ride many horses, of varying degree in a centre but thats all technically controlled. You won't be put on/asked to ride something you have no chance of staying alive on. They feed it, manage it, let whoever else ride it - you only do some. Owning a horse like that and being its sole provider/trainer is a hell of a lot more full on than that. TBs are the type of horse who will when unfit be the most novice horse ever, slow and steady, seems like a dream. Fitten them up a bit and you may just need some gorilla tape to stay on (this was my personal experience, had to sell him on as he was too much for me)

my farrier (very experienced horseman, breaks trains hunts SJ XC etc) told me the other day he got a tb in to produce who was too slow/tooo laid back etc but when put in proper work turned into a beast and even unnerved him and he is not the type to be unnerved. Laid back TBs unnerve me more than the slightly on edge ones lol

 

[Remi'sMum]

OP - have you contacted the BTRC? If you’re set in your mind that a TB is what you want, the BTRC would be my advice as a place to start. Their horses have been given down time, their history and any ailments/quirks should be known, they have been given a good amount of rehab and retaining, and are carefully matched to potential loaners. Your riding ability will be assessed carefully, the centre would be in the end of the phone to help you with any issues you encounter, and if your circumstances changed and you couldn’t keep the horse for whatever reason, the centre retains ownership for the lifetime of the horse and would take them back from you. They don’t want to have horses returned which is why they are so careful to match horse and loaner properly in the first place. But it’s a safety net for both you and the horse which would be a comfort if things went tits up.

FWIW, my ex racer experiences as follows. First horse bought by me in my early 30s. Ex racer with little (none) re-schooling. I’ve been around horses all my life but I still wasn’t experienced enough to notice how appalling his feet were and what poor condition he was in. I was blinded by how beautiful he was. Even when he bucked me off within 30 seconds of sitting on him the first time, this just convinced me more that he needed to come home with me to be reschooled and loved and transformed into my dream horse. He was probably lame when I bought him but things got worse within days of getting him home. I didn’t have him vetted cos he was cheap. More fool me. This started two and a half years of heartache, oceans of tears, thousands of £££ (mine and the insurance company’s), months of remedial farriers, eventually barefoot rehab at Rockley. All to discover by the time his feet started improving that there were also issues higher up the legs. I was emotionally so broken that my dream had turned into such a nightmare, emotionally exhausted, financially f*cked. He was the loveliest boy, quirky but so much a lovely horse. He broke my heart. I had him PTS two and a half years after buying him, and I could literally count on my fingers the number of times in that time that I’d actually ridden him.

Please don’t be fooled OP. Ex racers are ten a penny and often cheap but they are not for the faint hearted or the inexperienced (I considered myself reasonably experienced after 25 years around horses) Any horse can break/go Lame/go wrong in some way, but racers, especially flat racers, start their ridden careers so early in life, it can have such a negative impact on their development and physiology and long term soundness. I’m by no means saying all ex racers are broken, they’re not, I know plenty competing to really high levels. But I am also watching a fellow livery go through the exact same that I did with my boy, struggling to get the bottom of her ex racers issues, spending ££££s, not having a consistently rideable horse etc etc. It can be utterly soul destroying.

Check out the BTRC if you haven’t already. Don’t go into this blind. And consider what you’ll do with your horse after your gap year. Are you going to uni? Will you have the funds and inclination to take your horse with you? If you want to sj and buy a very green ex racer, it might be a good while before you were out competing. A racer straight off the track will need lots of down time to chill out, lose their racing muscle and let their brain/body unwind. Lots and lots to think about OP. I do wish you lots of luck finding your perfect horsey partner. It’s so exciting, and can be a dream come true. It can also be a nightmare.

 

[PoppyAnderson]

No one has been rude. Direct perhaps but not rude. You just don't like some of the replies, that's all.

You're getting offended at the word novice. I probably would have too at 18, when you think you're the mutts nuts!! If it helps though, I've been riding and owning horses for 40 years and I'm still learning.

Project horses can be a fantastic experience. They can respond quickly to the right care and riding. Others are soul destroying, dangerous and take months of hard work. Even the pros will sometimes need help & someone on the ground - it's nothing to be ashamed of and knowing when to ask for help is actually the sign of a good horsewoman.

Despite what you might think, people on here are trying to help, not rubbish your riding and scupper your plans.