Am i sellimg myself short?

[Pink Gorilla]

I'm on the hunt for a new horse. Something I haven't done since 14 years old (I'm now 35) and I think I'm putting sellers off by making myself sound more novice than I actually am. I keep asking for a calm, sensible horse with no bucking, sharp spooking, rearing etc. When while all that is true, I want to go out competing and I am bloody good at riding whizzy, speedy horses and maybe I should word things differently to not make myself sound such an amateur? As often they don't respond to me. Yes i do want something sane, I dont want to put a lot of work into a green horse as I have 2 toddlers at home demanding a lot of my time, but I can handle lively horses and want something forward, responsive and athletic for showjumping. It's just having the confidence to go for that horse that will take me to the next step in my riding and not under horse myself with a steady Eddie to avoid failing. Is it common for sellers not to respond, or is the fact I'm pointing out bucking, spooking etc not realistic for a competition horse and is that why I sound so inexperienced? My old boy who I just lost was always difficult from when got him so I quit unaffiliated showjumping and I never took him out competing to avoid shame and failure, so I want something a little easier this time. But if I want competition standard, is that not doable? Do I need to accept something that will buck, nap, spin on a 5 pence piece at the sight of a rabbit?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

When I ring up about a horse I like the sound of in an advert, rather than list my 'must not' list, I try to ask questions like 'how does she/he react if you meet a tractor out hacking?' or 'does he/she get excitable at shows?' or maybe 'how does he/she behave when cantering at the back of a group?'

It would be a very rare horse that never, ever, ever spooked at anything. But something that only does tiny 'eeps' at a crow scarer going off is going to be far easier to sit to than something that whip round and then teleports down the road because there is a crisp packet on the verge. So you just want to work out if the horse sounds like a promising enough match for your capabilities that you would like to view.

 

[RachaelJC]

I'd agree with Meowy Catkin - ask questions rather than the 'must not...' as you'll get the same answer but it will be more of a conversation.

Also, you say seller's never get back to you - do you call them or email/text? I'd always call, if it's an inconvenient time at least you can arrange something more convenient to chat.

 

[SpringArising]

If you contacted me with your criteria I'd assume you were a novice or not a great rider. It sounds like you're wanting pretty much a perfect horse - enough get up and go to jump competitively but never putting a foot wrong is going to be quite difficult to find, and expensive when you do!

I think you need to be honest about your own ability. It sounds like you want a nice RC confidence giving type, rather than a competition horse.

If I'm selling I always ask people to send me videos of them riding. I can't count the number of times people made themselves out to be the next CDJ or Pippa Funnell only to get on the horse and barely be able to rise to the trot in time.

 

[Sail_away]

You can definitely get a forwards competition horse without bucking or rearing, although if you’re willing to accept the occasional excited buck you’ll have more options. But I don’t think I’ve ever ridden a hot horse that I could say for sure would never spook.
My horse is very sensible and chilled out, we do compete and he’s forward in the ring but controllable. Yesterday when we were hacking, he took great exception to a tree truck by the side of a narrow path. He was okay at first, I let him have a minute to look at it and see if wasn’t scary. Crept forwards a couple steps, decided it was okay, started edging round it.... and leapt straight up in the air. God knows why, but there you go, he’s a horse. He’s leapt upwards, sideways and forwards with me, and he will do it again at some point. Not very often, he’s really very sensible... but I wouldn’t ever expect him not to spook at anything.
Of course it might be something else? In the current situation most sellers are probably resigning themselves to keeping the horse for another few months at least until viewings are allowed. So they might not be engaging with potential buyers because they’re not going to be able to sell for a while.
And possible price is a factor as well? I don’t know what your budget is but people I know who’ve bought sensible, forward horses to do be100 on have been spending upwards of 10k, and upwards of 20k in one case. So if you’re looking at horses considerably less than that they may be priced for their quirks.
Good luck with your horsey shopping !

 

[Pink Gorilla]

Ok thank you. I can imagine making diva demands for the perfect horse may put some off ?
Would you view a horse even though the vets are not conducting pre-purchase vettings at the mo? If I viewed one, would the seller be likely to say I would need to put a deposit down to reserve the horse and pay livery for the horse to stay with them until lockdown is over and the vets were able to vet the horse? I know some people are still doing viewings and taking deposits that's all. However I don't want to have to pay livery for a horse that may not pass the pre-purchase exam and I wouldn't buy a horse without one.

 

[Pink Gorilla]

Ok thank you. I can imagine making diva demands for the perfect horse may put some off ?
Would you view a horse even though the vets are not conducting pre-purchase vettings at the mo? If I viewed one, would the seller be likely to say I would need to put a deposit down to reserve the horse and pay livery for the horse to stay with them until lockdown is over and the vets were able to vet the horse? I know some people are still doing viewings and taking deposits that's all. However I don't want to have to pay livery for a horse that may not pass the pre-purchase exam and I wouldn't buy a horse without one. Or should I tell people I want to register my interest and not do a viewing until lockdown is over? Even if lots of precautions are taken? Not quite sure what's allowed at the moment?

 

[Bellaboo18]

You can't view a horse in lockdown, it's not essential travel. I'd wait and see where we are at in two weeks time.

 

[Sail_away]

Ok thank you. I can imagine making diva demands for the perfect horse may put some off ?
Would you view a horse even though the vets are not conducting pre-purchase vettings at the mo? If I viewed one, would the seller be likely to say I would need to put a deposit down to reserve the horse and pay livery for the horse to stay with them until lockdown is over and the vets were able to vet the horse? I know some people are still doing viewings and taking deposits that's all. However I don't want to have to pay livery for a horse that may not pass the pre-purchase exam and I wouldn't buy a horse without one.

Personally I wouldn’t view a horse right now, it’s not an essential journey. Particularly as you’re unlikely to buy the first you see so are potentially setting yourself up for many unnecessary trips. And even without that, as you say, the seller is unlikely to hold the horse indefinitely, and you can’t get a vetting.
Besides, right now is a fairly boring time to have a horse! No jumping, no lessons, no competitions or clinics - I’d wait.

 

[Pink Gorilla]

Thank you I know sensibly I should wait. I think I'm just anxious to get one as my old boy was pts 3 weeks ago and now my rescue youngster is alone, as he is kept on our dairy farm. He seems happy enough with the cows though so it's not desperate and I dont want to be hasty and get the 1st one just so he has a companion.

SringArising I think you answered my question and I have made myself sound a totally beginner ha. I have been riding 28 years and owned my old horse (who I've just lost) for 21 years, I've also got a rescue 5 year old cob I'm currently breaking in for my teenage daughter. I meant that I dont want a difficult horse because with having 2 pre-schoolers at home, I dont have the time to put lots of retraining into one. I just want to be able to nip out while I have someone to watch the kids, hop on, have fun and not have a battle. With my old boy I couldn't get past anything scary on a hack without him having a spin and a rear first. I do want to improve my competition experience though. Because my last horse was such a delinquent, I tended to avoid taking him places in the horse box, so i want something that will give me less battles this time as I am short on time with having the kids and my youngster.

 

[Bob notacob]

Thank you I know sensibly I should wait. I think I'm just anxious to get one as my old boy was pts 3 weeks ago and now my rescue youngster is alone, as he is kept on our dairy farm. He seems happy enough with the cows though so it's not desperate and I dont want to be hasty and get the 1st one just so he has a companion.

SringArising I think you answered my question and I have made myself sound a totally beginner ha. I have been riding 28 years and owned my old horse (who I've just lost) for 21 years, I've also got a rescue 5 year old cob I'm currently breaking in for my teenage daughter. I meant that I dont want a difficult horse because with having 2 pre-schoolers at home, I dont have the time to put lots of retraining into one. I just want to be able to nip out while I have someone to watch the kids, hop on, have fun and not have a battle. With my old boy I couldn't get past anything scary on a hack without him having a spin and a rear first. I do want to improve my competition experience though. Because my last horse was such a delinquent, I tended to avoid taking him places in the horse box, so i want something that will give me less battles this time as I am short on time with having the kids and my youngster.

Ive been riding for over half a centuary racing and hunting yet I constantly face a new horse and feel like a beginner. Possibly I am bloody useless or just not so arrogant as some .I am a firm beleiver of the right horse will find you. After the heartbreak of loosing my 6yo jump anything super hunter from unknown causes out hunting , I thought I would never find the ONE . Yet I almost tripped over him. He was tied up in a yard and had just panicked and dragged the girl (a serious eventer) s hand into the tie up ring . I told her to stop messing about and just loop a long line onto his head caollar through the ring . Horse calmed down ,but there was something about him . I just knew . Yet I wasnt ready for a new horse so I insisted on a five star vetting knowing he would fail . Passed with flying colours . It was meant to be . OK we had a crash early on that nearly killed me but it was my fault .read the ground wrong. We have struggled since then as I cant ride like i used to but every day when he hears me come on the yard he starts shouting his head off . Kinda makes it all worthwhile. Sorry if this isnt relevant.

 

[hobo]

I like this post as I will be in a simular position in the near future. I have ridden for 50 years owned horse for 40+ years but still feel very nervous at starting again my current horse is 20 years old and I have had her for 16 years. So I sort of feel like a novice rider and now to old to start at the begining like I have with all my previous horses and will want something safe to see me through my final years of riding. I hope that the one will be out there.

OP I think Lillian is spot on and you should leave the horse hunting till things settle.

 

[Circe2]

Just checking in on this thread to see how things went - LincsLady, did you find a horse in the end, or are you still searching?
In regards to underselling yourself, I’ve always been a believer that the bolshie, over-confident types are overselling (and overhorsing) themselves. Naught wrong with someone looking for a horse to with no vices (bar the obvious ‘being a horse’) that can also jump. Especially if you’re offering reasonable money and have two small children at home - I’d call that being reasonable and realistic!

We don’t all have to be big risk takers - there’s a certain level of risk that goes with having anything to do with horses, and it’s only sensible to want to try to manage that risk down. Especially with dependents at home. I’d argue that it says nothing about your ability as a rider.

However, I would completely agree with the posters who’ve said to maybe not be so up-front about the no-go list over the phone - unless you are writing the ad yourself. Make sure to only call up people advertising horses you think sound absolutely right for you, not the ones with the question marks over them. That way, when you’re having the discussion/walk-through over the phone, and you naturally get to the topic of vices, you can explain that this is important to you for x y z reason. If the seller is honest, now is the time for them to disclose anything that could fundamentally challenge your opinion, or for you to ask anything you want to know more about (how is he/she with tractors? Dogs? Around children?). The owner might say that the horse has simply not been exposed to certain things, which is fair enough - but it would be very dishonest at this point to not disclose anything about serious problems like rearing, aggression etc.

Best of luck!