Anxiously waiting to hear back!

I'm going to view another horse this afternoon, fingers crossed. Have up to date videos and all sounds good.

I got in touch with the trainers yard (purely enquiring if they have any history on the horse I'm viewing today, who raced 9 times) and funnily enough they're not very far from me. Their admin mentioned they have a mare looking for a home.. one of the staff called me to give me some info. She is a ex flat racer, she is 9 and had the last year in the field just purely because she retired sound last Spring and was put out. She hasn't had any injuries, no lameness but did do 58 flat races. Very nice natured, not mareish, not clingy. Has hacked on her own before, barefoot with good feet, moves nicely. Looks nicely put together. She is free to a good home.

I mean the one I'm viewing today is just under £5k but he is doing the workload I want to do, the mare I have no idea if she'll be able to do what I want, but quite a bit difference price wise..
 
AandK said:
f you have the money for the one in full work, and you like him then great. If you're not sure on him, then may be worth looking at the mare? Good luck either way!
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I think this is what I will do.. will see how todays viewing goes. :)

I am on the fence about the one I'm seeing today because the current owner (1yr owned) has done a few small ODE's (leaves start box fine) but has never hacked him out alone and said the road is to busy to do so, but hacking alone is something I would like to do. I'm happy to long line and train for it but as I understand, some ex racers just hate hacking on their own.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
I'm going to view another horse this afternoon, fingers crossed. Have up to date videos and all sounds good.

I got in touch with the trainers yard (purely enquiring if they have any history on the horse I'm viewing today, who raced 9 times) and funnily enough they're not very far from me. Their admin mentioned they have a mare looking for a home.. one of the staff called me to give me some info. She is a ex flat racer, she is 9 and had the last year in the field just purely because she retired sound last Spring and was put out. She hasn't had any injuries, no lameness but did do 58 flat races. Very nice natured, not mareish, not clingy. Has hacked on her own before, barefoot with good feet, moves nicely. Looks nicely put together. She is free to a good home.

I mean the one I'm viewing today is just under £5k but he is doing the workload I want to do, the mare I have no idea if she'll be able to do what I want, but quite a bit difference price wise..
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Sorry, but more alarm bells ringing here as another horse who has spent a year in a field, and is free?? They make her sound really attractive so why has she just been left if she’s as good as they say? ( call me old and cynical. 🤨)
 
I don't think in the long run it does any harm to see a few unsuitable horses during the buying process. The more you see, the more you get tuned in to what you are looking for outside of the basic criteria. You also get more confident in your own ability to see a lame horse despite the owner / dealer / agent, who in theory should be knowledgeable, claiming there's nothing wrong.

Hopefully one of these 2 will be the one, but I believe you will get some useful experience anyway and the trainer could be a valuable contact if neither of these work out.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
I'm going to view another horse this afternoon, fingers crossed. Have up to date videos and all sounds good.

I got in touch with the trainers yard (purely enquiring if they have any history on the horse I'm viewing today, who raced 9 times) and funnily enough they're not very far from me. Their admin mentioned they have a mare looking for a home.. one of the staff called me to give me some info. She is a ex flat racer, she is 9 and had the last year in the field just purely because she retired sound last Spring and was put out. She hasn't had any injuries, no lameness but did do 58 flat races. Very nice natured, not mareish, not clingy. Has hacked on her own before, barefoot with good feet, moves nicely. Looks nicely put together. She is free to a good home.

I mean the one I'm viewing today is just under £5k but he is doing the workload I want to do, the mare I have no idea if she'll be able to do what I want, but quite a bit difference price wise..
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I would ask if they would consider loaning the mare for a month so you can check she is going to tick the boxes you need. If they are invested in finding her a good home then they might go for it
 
Honestly, it sounds like there's an element of fate about the mare to me. Co-incidences like that don't happen very often.

It took me 14 months to find Charlie. I did everything right and it wasn't his fault or that of the seller but we just didn't gel. I sent him to sales livery and was window shopping for another. I saw a few I liked but couldn't go to see anything until he'd sold as I needed the money from his sale.

The day he sold, I stumbled across a Facebook post from a pro rider. She was talking about having taken two youngsters to their first BE events for her sister who was selling them and for people to contact her sister if they were interested. They weren't what I wanted but they're not a million miles away from me so I messaged her sister, told her what I was looking for and asked did she have anything. She said she didn't normally take sales liveries she just bought and sold her own but she had just taken one on as a favour to a friend and he might suit. She always kept all her horses for at least two weeks to assess them before allowing viewings so she told me to phone back in 10 days. I phoned on morning 10 and arranged to see him at 7am on the first day I could (it was the hottest day in history, hence going so early). By 8am I had paid the deposit and two days later he was in my stable. He is my Mr Perfect. I'm sure it was fate that I found him.

That's the long way of saying, go to see the gelding but I suspect there'll be something that stops you buying him and the mare will be for you.
 
There is definitely something about horses finding you.

I ended up with my last horse by accident. I was so sure I wasn’t going to buy another that I was trying to sell my lorry. Some people who came to see it said they thought I shouldn’t give up and should get another horse. They gave me the details of a trainer looking to rehome a retired from racing chestnut gelding (chestnuts are my weakness!) The people looking at the lorry said they’d buy it if I didn’t take the horse.

I only rang the trainer out of politeness, but ended up bringing Ed home a few weeks later and he was my horse of a lifetime and the best £1 I ever spent!

IMG_4196.jpeg
The day he arrived ❤️

Long winded way of saying, go and see the mare!
 
Wizpopagain said:
Sorry, but more alarm bells ringing here as another horse who has spent a year in a field, and is free?? They make her sound really attractive so why has she just been left if she’s as good as they say? ( call me old and cynical. 🤨)
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They decided to retire her from racing, sound. The owner really wants the best long term home and they haven’t advertised her, he doesn’t want anything for her. The head groom has been so honest about everything, she did use to kick when travelling but never had any lameness. They have a gelding there free to good long term home who has raced less (and who I enquired about originally) but she said he didn’t sound suitable and she questions his soundness.
 
The gelding I went to see today was really sweet. Thin and had no topline. Very weak neck. His owner rode him first in the arena and I noticed he tripped/stumbled behind several times. He was swishy as well.

I got on, I just went around with long reins in walk asking him to stretch. He was much more relaxed and gave me a nice stretchy trot, his canter felt lovely and he offered an outline. He was forward but not instant off the leg. I mean it was 25 degrees and humid. I did notice he stumbled behind twice with me as well (looks like he stubs his toe, definitely more RH) and it’s helpful I have it on video.

He didn’t do it on grass and other than that, felt really nice, honest, genuine chap. I’m on the fence because of the stumbling. He moves really well and I can’t see any lameness. If he didn’t do that, I’d definitely be making an offer.

I sent my vet the videos, she noticed he was definitely better with me. She said he’s thin and poorly muscled, but he moves well and looks lovely. Said it could be his stifles catching (and how he isn’t correctly muscled) and that correct work might help, said he looks worth a vetting (not a vetting with her, to far sadly)

I’ll call her tomorrow and have a chat.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
The gelding I went to see today was really sweet. Thin and had no topline. Very weak neck. His owner rode him first in the arena and I noticed he tripped/stumbled behind several times. He was swishy as well.

I got on, I just went around with long reins in walk asking him to stretch. He was much more relaxed and gave me a nice stretchy trot, his canter felt lovely and he offered an outline. He was forward but not instant off the leg. I mean it was 25 degrees and humid. I did notice he stumbled behind twice with me as well (looks like he stubs his toe, definitely more RH) and it’s helpful I have it on video.

He didn’t do it on grass and other than that, felt really nice, honest, genuine chap. I’m on the fence because of the stumbling. He moves really well and I can’t see any lameness. If he didn’t do that, I’d definitely be making an offer.

I sent my vet the videos, she noticed he was definitely better with me. She said he’s thin and poorly muscled, but he moves well and looks lovely. Said it could be his stifles catching (and how he isn’t correctly muscled) and that correct work might help, said he looks worth a vetting (not a vetting with her, to far sadly)

I’ll call her tomorrow and have a chat.
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Not for 5k!
You can get a lot of ex racer for 5k
 
Hormonal Filly said:
The gelding I went to see today was really sweet. Thin and had no topline. Very weak neck. His owner rode him first in the arena and I noticed he tripped/stumbled behind several times. He was swishy as well.

I got on, I just went around with long reins in walk asking him to stretch. He was much more relaxed and gave me a nice stretchy trot, his canter felt lovely and he offered an outline. He was forward but not instant off the leg. I mean it was 25 degrees and humid. I did notice he stumbled behind twice with me as well (looks like he stubs his toe, definitely more RH) and it’s helpful I have it on video.

He didn’t do it on grass and other than that, felt really nice, honest, genuine chap. I’m on the fence because of the stumbling. He moves really well and I can’t see any lameness. If he didn’t do that, I’d definitely be making an offer.

I sent my vet the videos, she noticed he was definitely better with me. She said he’s thin and poorly muscled, but he moves well and looks lovely. Said it could be his stifles catching (and how he isn’t correctly muscled) and that correct work might help, said he looks worth a vetting (not a vetting with her, to far sadly)

I’ll call her tomorrow and have a chat.
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Why buy a problem? Stumbling behind is not normal, weak or not. Dont buy this horse!
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Sooooo I’ve messaged about the mare and asked if I can go to meet her.. she sent me some videos yesterday and for 9 months in the field I must say she looks great. Moves nicely too..

they’ve said I could have her on trial and see how things go!

View attachment 159219

View attachment 159220
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Beautiful stamp. A trial is not to be sniffed at these days! Hope you like her when you meet her!
 
Hormonal Filly said:
Sooooo I’ve messaged about the mare and asked if I can go to meet her.. she sent me some videos yesterday and for 9 months in the field I must say she looks great. Moves nicely too..

they’ve said I could have her on trial and see how things go!

View attachment 159219

View attachment 159220
Click to expand...
If you can have her trial you may as well but make sure they will take her back if you don’t feel happy with her. Personally if you like her I would get her vetted so you can be sure her heart and eyes are ok , and feet and legs on the day .. she does look nice
 
I used to have a just backed 4yo who did the toe dragging, tripping occasionally and he did grow out of it as he strengthened up but it wasn't to the extent you're describing.

This one is still doing it after being in work for a year and is thin and lacking top line, worrying. My wobbler toe drags, only in walk, but otherwise looks normal and the first vet who saw him when I became worried said he was sound. A friend's horse tripped behind regularly and turned out to have kissing spines.

The mare looks lovely, like someone still cares about her not just bunged in a field and forgotten when she's no longer racing. There's little to lose.
 
Hormonal Filly said:
The gelding I went to see today was really sweet. Thin and had no topline. Very weak neck. His owner rode him first in the arena and I noticed he tripped/stumbled behind several times. He was swishy as well.

I got on, I just went around with long reins in walk asking him to stretch. He was much more relaxed and gave me a nice stretchy trot, his canter felt lovely and he offered an outline. He was forward but not instant off the leg. I mean it was 25 degrees and humid. I did notice he stumbled behind twice with me as well (looks like he stubs his toe, definitely more RH) and it’s helpful I have it on video.

He didn’t do it on grass and other than that, felt really nice, honest, genuine chap. I’m on the fence because of the stumbling. He moves really well and I can’t see any lameness. If he didn’t do that, I’d definitely be making an offer.

I sent my vet the videos, she noticed he was definitely better with me. She said he’s thin and poorly muscled, but he moves well and looks lovely. Said it could be his stifles catching (and how he isn’t correctly muscled) and that correct work might help, said he looks worth a vetting (not a vetting with her, to far sadly)

I’ll call her tomorrow and have a chat.
Click to expand...
My welsh C had a spavin (hock arthritis) but came sound with rest. However some years later he started catching a hind toe and I ended up in hospital after he caught a toe on a turn at a canter (gymkhana race) and catapulted me head first into the ground. Would be very wary.
 
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