Am I being unreasonable?

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Teacup

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First post, please be nice :o!

Sorry to start with a depressing thread, but I’m getting very downhearted with my horse search. I’ve not been able to find anything remoteley suitable and I’m beginning to wonder if I’m looking for the impossible.

I constantly scour the internet and have placed a wanted advert (since which time I’ve been offered everything from a new forrest pony to a 19 year old, unsound irish draught!).

My budget is small but very reasonable, I'm an experienced rider and can offer a wonderful home. But I'm not sure where I'm going wrong. I've never had this much trouble finding a horse before :(.

I’ve posted my advert on here and would be very appreciatve if anyone could offer any suggestions as to whether I’m being unreasonable in my criteria?

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Small Thoroughbred (or Thoroughbred X) Mare Wanted
Loving and experienced home awaits Miss Right :-)

Aged approx 4 - 9 years.

14.2hh – 15.2hh.

Mares only please due to grazing restrictions (other horse is a rig and doesn’t tolerate geldings in his patch!)

Needn’t be at all schooled, but must hack confidently alone and in company.

Jogging/ wanting to be off/ spending much of the time cantering sideways - all perfectly fine. But bucking/ rearing/ full on bolting/ throwing self on floor if offered a carrot etc are not.

Must be 100% sound and have a history of full soundness (no “was lame/ill, but had treatment and is now fine” situations please).

Very happy to consider fizzy, sharp or sensitive mares. BUT mares with excessively daft behaviour will not be suitable.

Yard inspection very welcome and excellent references available. Happy to keep in touch with seller if they so wished :-)
Wanted as long term project for experienced adult rider to have fun on.

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Any ideas as to where I'm going wrong greatfully recieved!
 
add sounds just fine, I have no prob with people being upfront - some might be put off by your straight honesty though. What is your budget for your new horse? As I'm sure you know you are looking at prob the most expensive age group, and an age group it is not to easy to find horses in in the first place. You say you want something as a long term project, to some people that might suggest that you are after something to bring on then sell, which might put people off. What area are you in?
 
I only know of a 15hh coloured cob gelding. Can be an arse as he hasn't been in work and throws the odd buck and nap but when in full work is perfect. Jumps hacks etc.
Shame he is a gelding!!
 
Would you consider rehoming one from a charity? Might be worth looking on their sites if so, if you haven't already been doing so.
 
I wouldn't include the bit about the rig, just states mares only.

Needn’t be at all schooled, but must hack confidently alone and in company.
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Maybe reword "needn't be at all schooled". I'd just go for "must hack alone and in company, happy to work on schooling".

Must be 100% sound and have a history of full soundness (no “was lame/ill, but had treatment and is now fine” situations please).
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I see what you are saying here but I would reword how you state it. Just put something like "must be 100% sound and a history of soundness", cut out the justification afterwards. I'm sure you don't intend it this way but it just looks a bit rude.

Jogging/ wanting to be off/ spending much of the time cantering sideways - all perfectly fine. But bucking/ rearing/ full on bolting/ throwing self on floor if offered a carrot etc are not.
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Again, I'd reword this. Less is more, I think. How about "sharp horses are fine but no bolting, rearing or bucking".

Good luck in your search.
 
I wouldn't say about the rig - some rigs can be very rough with mares - just say that you will only accept mares due to grazing restrictions - that should be good enough.
 
Go to Doncaster or Ascot and you will have your pick of lovely little ex racer mares at £500. You have all the skill you need to retrain one, and you can spot most of the really crazy ones when they are trotted up before they go in the ring. All the ones I have had hack well, but some need training to go out on their own.
 
This is what I would put : -

Small Thoroughbred (or Thoroughbred X) Mare Wanted
Loving and experienced home awaits

Aged approx 4 - 9 years.

14.2hh – 15.2hh.

Mares only please due to grazing restrictions
Must hack confidently alone and in company

Must be 100% traffic,catch,clip,box and have a history of full soundness.

Happy to consider fizzy, sharp or sensitive mares. BUT not any rearing/bolting/bucking etc

Yard inspection very welcome and excellent references available. Happy to keep in touch with seller.

Wanted as long term project for experienced adult rider to have fun on.
 
cptrayes said:
Go to Doncaster or Ascot and you will have your pick of lovely little ex racer mares at £500. You have all the skill you need to retrain one, and you can spot most of the really crazy ones when they are trotted up before they go in the ring. All the ones I have had hack well, but some need training to go out on their own.
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Thats a good idea! :)
 
No no not wanted to sell on! Would be a horse for life, maybe I should add that to the advert. I can see how it may come across as a buy to sell project now you point it out.

Forgot budget (it's in my advert but forgot to post it on here)! Under £2500, which I think given that I'm not looking for a typical happy hacker isn't unreasonable.
I've been offered several non-tbs for under £500, which i would consider but they're all chunky types and I do like my thoroughbreds!

**Forgot to say that part or full exchange is also a possibility. I've a very good (reputable!) horse dealer friend who's recently lost his own horse and has wanted to buy my gelding (the rig). As it would be his 'own' baby (not one he bought to re-sell) we've talked about if someone wanted to do a part ex and if he had a suitable horse in his yard, I'd sell him my gelding, he'd sell the vendor one of his horses and I'd get the vendor's horse. So that's an option but I felt too complicated to explain in a wanted advert.

CP - The reason she has to be hacking already is that our school and stables are a short hack away, so dealing with a nappy horse everytime I want to get to the school would make life very difficult.
 
Sounds absolutly do-able then! There don't seem to be as many horses up for sale atm, although what there is tends to be reasnobly priced. What area are you in and how far are you prepared to travel to see a horse?
 
Sounds very do-able, surprised you have found it hard to find anything yet! Normally it's the smaller, fizzy, unschooled TB types that seem to be going for peanuts. Can you look at any local horse sales?

I would re-word as others have said....I can see what you are wanting to get at, but some people may be put off with your straight talking and could come across as a little rude.

Where abouts are you, maybe some of us can take a look.

"I constantly scour the internet and have placed a wanted advert (since which time I’ve been offered everything from a new forrest pony to a 19 year old, unsound irish draught!)".

Me too! I placed a wanted ad for a 16hh MW all rounder type....I got replies from everything ranging from 12hh showjumping ponies, a donkey, and a 20 year old unbroken TB!! It gets very depressing after a while!
 
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Looks doable to me. Have you looked at the racehorse rehoming charities / centres - I belive some of them do sign over ownership e.g. the Darley rehoming programme etc. (I think!)
 
After re-reading my advert I can see it might come across as rude. Bit embarrassed about that - I'm really not a rude person HONEST :o!

In a slight justification of it, the advert was shorter to begin with, but as I got more and more calls about horses which were sound now, but had had a major leg operation or had various severe medical conditions which "didn't affect them very often", I ended up adding the bit about soundness.
Then I was inundated with calls about horses which would hack alone but only after throwing itself on the floor/ backing into the nearest dyke etc, so I added even more to it.
And so on, and so on. . .

I think I'll re-word it as advised ;). Any further advice or comments appreciated.

Just about to check my PM's, so thank you to those who've sent me them!
 
Fazzie said:
This is what I would put : -

Small Thoroughbred (or Thoroughbred X) Mare Wanted
Loving and experienced home awaits

Aged approx 4 - 9 years.

14.2hh – 15.2hh.

Mares only please due to grazing restrictions
Must hack confidently alone and in company

Must be 100% traffic,catch,clip,box and have a history of full soundness.

Happy to consider fizzy, sharp or sensitive mares. BUT not any rearing/bolting/bucking etc

Yard inspection very welcome and excellent references available. Happy to keep in touch with seller.

Wanted as long term project for experienced adult rider to have fun on.
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This ^^^^^^^

Sound just what I will be looking for too!
 
I'm looking for another horse and all I seem to be finding is TB mares and thats not what I am looking for as I already have one!! I'm sure you will find something when you least expect it, i always find the more i scour the ads the less i find then i come across the perfect horse by accident! where abouts are you?
defintately try ascot/doncaster as someone else suggested! Good luck
 
sure you will find something. apart from being a bit older i have the perfect horse ie 15hh tb x mare ,sensitive but an all rounder. daughters horse and may be looking for someone like you when she goes to uni.
 
Hiya, i have got a super 15.2 stunning bay TB mare, 11 years old. Lovely horse in every way. Jumps well, won many rosettes at local shows. Forward going ride, but snaffle mouth, a real fun horse who is ideal for PC activities. Sad sale due to work commitments and not enough time to devote to her. If you are interested please PM me for more details. £2300.
 
Just a thought, as I know you've said you like your TBs! All the horses I've had have been full, or nearly full TBs, but one I got as near as dammit to buying was a Connemara. Just over 15hh, not too chunky, easy in every way you could wish for, but did all the jumping/dressage as well. They dont cost the earth either!
 
I don't know if my experience is normal but I have bought a dozen or more ex racers straight off the track and only one had any problem at all about hacking out alone and it took me two rides to cure him. They do routinely seem to be good about hacking out on roads, I think they just like moving in an open space. But I have had one mare who was VERY fizzy in an open field and some riders couldn't handle her and she shot off with them as soon as her toes touched the grass. The prices they are going through the auctions for at the moment make them a good risk, as long as the buyer is the kind of person who can accept when the horse is not right and sell it again. Most of them make lovely riding club types with a year's re-schooling.
 
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