Any tips on trying out a younger horse?

[Birker2020]

I'm going to be trying out a young horse at the weekend, its aged five. That's if its still for sale, I will check before I leave for the journey.

Although I've had horses some 26+ years, I've always had a ready made horse, the last one was 7 when I had her but I produced her myself mostly without help and we managed to do nice Novice and Elementary dressage, various events (3, 2 and one day) and she was brilliant on the roads. The others were 8, 10 and 11. The only horse I didn't get on with was a youngster but this was some 22 years ago now and I feel confident I would be able to address any issues much more effectively now than I could then.

But with the market the way it is at the moment and the ridiculous prices people want for older horses that have 'been round the block' I'm focussing on younger horses at the moment.

I've seen a video and although it moves nicely it is obviously a bit green, its not a professional set up so its not of the calibre that you would expect with a professional or more experienced rider riding it.

Are there any questions I should ask in particular or anything I should look at.

If I like it I intend to get it vetted but I'm so worried about buying something just because 'it will do' rather than be the perfect fit if that makes sense.
I do have professional help on the yard I am at and if I buy it before I go on holiday in September I shall get the rider at the yard to school it for me for the week.

Feel free to PM if you would prefer. Many thanks.

 

[paddi22]

It sound stupid, but I always ask it to do something it doesn't know how to do, like say a leg yield. because you can tell a lot by its reaction - it gives you a good clue to temperament and trainability because you can see by their reaction , how much 'try' they have, do they figure it out quickly, do they really stress, do they make an effort to do it?

 

[Roxylola]

At 5 the basics should be there at least, I'd rather a young horse be a bit too forward than lazy. They should move away from your leg in general terms - forward, loosely sideways - and understand a quiet soft contact. You might need to be a bit relaxed about how precise everything is and obviously the frame will be longer and lower. You might find they are more sensitive to aids than you're used to - a half halt might bring an emergency stop ?
I like them to be willing to try things and enthusiastic about being asked questions

 

[sport horse]

I breed and produce horses in a small way for my own use. My two 5 year olds now walk, trot & canter on both reins in an outine and both jump a 90cm course at home and at shows. I consider them a bit backward because of Covid. If the horse does not have a basic acceptance of the aids by 5 years old, maybe it never will? Watch it ridden and assess how willingly it complies with the riders aids. Ride it yourself and see if you like what you feel. If you like it, ask to hack it out for a short distance. On your return ask it to continue walking past the front gate to the stables - amazing how many horses decide they wont do that!
If you still like it ask if the vendors will release is full vet history - if they have had the horse for any lengh of time and say no, be very wary
Ask lots of questions and try to check out the answers by asking again later in a slightly differently worded way!
The horse market is strong but that is no reason to buy a horse without good trial. Remember the old saying 'a fool & his money are soon parted'!

 

[tristar]

get someone else to ride it first incase its a bit youthful da da

 

[tristar]

It sound stupid, but I always ask it to do something it doesn't know how to do, like say a leg yield. because you can tell a lot by its reaction - it gives you a good clue to temperament and trainability because you can see by their reaction , how much 'try' they have, do they figure it out quickly, do they really stress, do they make an effort to do it?

interesting that, my recently backed one went sideways and followed the weight aid and leg aid into yeild, i was amazed

 

[ycbm]

If it's as big as you've written that you want, I would forgive a 5 year old if the canter is a bit raw in an arena.
.

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

It sound stupid, but I always ask it to do something it doesn't know how to do, like say a leg yield. because you can tell a lot by its reaction - it gives you a good clue to temperament and trainability because you can see by their reaction , how much 'try' they have, do they figure it out quickly, do they really stress, do they make an effort to do it?

Ooh I really like this. Sums up why I love my mare so much. She’ll give it a go, clever enough to pick it up sharpish, sassy enough to make me work for it but honest enough to never be nasty.

Sorry OP, nothing of use to add that hasn’t been mentioned already, I just really liked Paddi’s post ? best of luck with the trial!

 

[abbijay]

I've just bought a 5 year old, and tried another one.
One was schooled by pros and could walk, trot and canter nicely enough round the school and would hack out on it's own. I believe she'd popped a fence or 2 too.
The one I bought was from a private home and much greener. It could canter a long straight line but wasn't up to a schooling canter - he is big and heavy and still has a fair way to go for his growing yet. For me it was his attitude to work and "dealing with problems" rather than any particular schooling that interested me - i can teach a horse to do things if they are willing to listen and not worried by things. When he wandered off my line and a puddle came up he didn't go "oh! help!! there's a giant scary puddle! I have no idea how to cope" he actually went "what's that doing there?" and continued to trot over it.
It is all about personality, response to the questions (that may well be different to how they are usually asked) and how comfortable I feel in their presence/on their back.
I remember a few years ago riding for a friend who was looking at a green 5 yo. It was nice but wobbly in the school, I took it on the roads until it saw traffic and then when we came into the yard he decided he didn't like a grid. This gave us a real insight into how he reacted to stuff - his reaction was merely "do i have to" and as we were looking for a novicey older owner I pushed him for this reaction and she felt comfortable with it.

 

[paddy555]

When he wandered off my line and a puddle came up he didn't go "oh! help!! there's a giant scary puddle! I have no idea how to cope" he actually went "what's that doing there?" and continued to trot over it.
It is all about personality, response to the questions (that may well be different to how they are usually asked) and how comfortable I feel in their presence/on their back.
I remember a few years ago riding for a friend who was looking at a green 5 yo. It was nice but wobbly in the school, I took it on the roads until it saw traffic and then when we came into the yard he decided he didn't like a grid. This gave us a real insight into how he reacted to stuff - his reaction was merely "do i have to" and as we were looking for a novicey older owner I pushed him for this reaction and she felt comfortable with it.

this. When I bought a youngster who was backed but little else I didn't even ride him. I took him for a walk down the road in hand. He walked fine. Then I asked him to climb on and off grass verges, go up little banks and generally do something different. His attitude was how interesting. Can we walk faster, further, this is good. Another test was when he was in his field with other horses. I picked up his feet in the middle of them, no headcollar, and then I led him around the field by his mane. (no headcollar again) He thought it was interesting and was happy to co operate with my strange ideas. He liked me and wanted to be with me. I liked his attitude.

 

[Sossigpoker]

There are 3 ways to get a nice horse :
1. Have the money and buy it
2. Buy a rough diamond and have the money to have it produced
3. Buy a rough diamond and have the skill to produce it.

Having said that, like others have said , ask the horse to try something new , that says a lot about the horse's attitude . And like with any other horse , ask to see it caught and brought in an tacked up and in this heat make sure it comes in to a fresh bucket of water .....would be all too easy to calm down a silly horse in thus heat by denying water !

 

[Birker2020]

Sorry OP, nothing of use to add that hasn’t been mentioned already, I just really liked Paddi’s post ? best of luck with the trial!

Thank you I am really excited

 

[Birker2020]

I've just bought a 5 year old, and tried another one.
One was schooled by pros and could walk, trot and canter nicely enough round the school and would hack out on it's own. I believe she'd popped a fence or 2 too.
The one I bought was from a private home and much greener. It could canter a long straight line but wasn't up to a schooling canter - he is big and heavy and still has a fair way to go for his growing yet. For me it was his attitude to work and "dealing with problems" rather than any particular schooling that interested me - i can teach a horse to do things if they are willing to listen and not worried by things. When he wandered off my line and a puddle came up he didn't go "oh! help!! there's a giant scary puddle! I have no idea how to cope" he actually went "what's that doing there?" and continued to trot over it.
It is all about personality, response to the questions (that may well be different to how they are usually asked) and how comfortable I feel in their presence/on their back.
I remember a few years ago riding for a friend who was looking at a green 5 yo. It was nice but wobbly in the school, I took it on the roads until it saw traffic and then when we came into the yard he decided he didn't like a grid. This gave us a real insight into how he reacted to stuff - his reaction was merely "do i have to" and as we were looking for a novicey older owner I pushed him for this reaction and she felt comfortable with it.

This is interesting thank you. I did wonder about putting a coat or something on the floor in the arena to gauge it's reaction, I really don't want anything too spooky and whilst I understand that young horses have often not 'seen' things that older horses have it might be interesting to see what reaction I would get.

It's probably not going to be the best trial for me as I've literally not been able to go above a walk on the roads for 3 or more years as my previous horse was relegated to hacking in walk on the roads due to injury. I'm still very self conscious about my weight (spending an hour or more at the gym everyday and watching what I eat) so although I'm essentially very fit (spin really helps) it's not exactly a good basis for trying out a youngster.

I'm sure everything will work out fine. I just wish I had more confidence in myself at this point in time.

 

[ihatework]

It’s all about their attitude. You’ll feel it when you sit on them.

Last ridden horse I bought was a 17hh 5yo that was based at a P-P yard without a school. He’s been there for backing 6 weeks. They got on him on the yard, hacked up the gallops and showed WTC in a wide open space in wet & windy conditions. The only questions I asked riding wise was ‘what is he likely to do’ and ‘has he been ridden by different people’.

I clambered on him off a racing hurdle, rode for 5 mins in W & T, he felt safe and kind, got off and bought him. The rest was down to me when he got home.

That said, if a horse had been with me since 3/4, it would be far more established in the summer of 5yo year. I’d consider it disappointing for an average amateur not to be able to get WTC in an outline, go for a hack and pop a small course of jumps in relative safety.

 

[Birker2020]

and in this heat make sure it comes in to a fresh bucket of water .....would be all too easy to calm down a silly horse in thus heat by denying water !

Agree with with holding water as dehydration can often turn a 'highly strung horse' into something very quiet and dull. It's a very old trick.

 

[Birker2020]

Ride it yourself and see if you like what you feel. If you like it, ask to hack it out for a short distance. On your return ask it to continue walking past the front gate to the stables - amazing how many horses decide they wont do that!
If you still like it ask if the vendors will release is full vet history - if they have had the horse for any lengh of time and say no, be very wary
Ask lots of questions and try to check out the answers by asking again later in a slightly differently worded way!

Thank you for this advice, I will want to do a lot of hacking until I get fitter and I think that that trying it on the road is a very important part of a trial. I've had a nappy horse before and it's not easy.

I always video the horse whilst asking questions so I have it on record but I am reassured that this horse comes with a money back guarantee which makes me more comfortable if it turns out not as I had hoped.

 

[tristar]

This is interesting thank you. I did wonder about putting a coat or something on the floor in the arena to gauge it's reaction, I really don't want anything too spooky and whilst I understand that young horses have often not 'seen' things that older horses have it might be interesting to see what reaction I would get.

It's probably not going to be the best trial for me as I've literally not been able to go above a walk on the roads for 3 or more years as my previous horse was relegated to hacking in walk on the roads due to injury. I'm still very self conscious about my weight (spending an hour or more at the gym everyday and watching what I eat) so although I'm essentially very fit (spin really helps) it's not exactly a good basis for trying out a youngster.

I'm sure everything will work out fine. I just wish I had more confidence in mys elf at this point in time.

i would go at your own pace, dont overface yourself at this point, or you could give yourself and the horse a fright,

could you get to riding properly a couple of times a week to get back into walk trot canter, so you can test any potentials out and see if you like riding them?

 

[Birker2020]

could you get to riding properly a couple of times a week to get back into walk trot canter, so you can test any potentials out and see if you like riding them?

Ideally yes, but this is the problem, there is literally nothing for me to ride, or nothing that anyone would let me ride, I suppose because of my weight.

The one horse a friend let me ride was an old horse who was already not 100% before I got on him and very rarely ridden due to lack of interest, so I took it easy with him and basically walked him around the edge of a field for a couple of times once a week with a few strides of trot and after week four or five he came up lame. I knew I'd not done anything wrong but still felt incredibly guilty. The vet came out and he was sadly diagnosed with arthritis in all four feet, so he won't be ridden again.

I thought about going to a riding school but would be above the weight level at the moment. My previous horse was a weight carrier and tall because I am 5ft 10, so it was no bother and I didn't do too much the last three or four years anyway.

 

[spacefaer]

For me, it's all about the attitude in a horse of any age.
Is he willing and cooperative in general?
I'm not that fussed about the level of education - more about how forward going he is.
I will not have a nappy horse and forward going ones can't nap ?

 

[spacefaer]

@Birker2020
I've seen a photo of you (that you posted -? I'm not a stalker!!) and you really don't look that heavy.
You look pretty trim - you may feel heavier than youd like to be, but I wouldn't be restricting your riding based on what I've seen/read your comments.

 

[Birker2020]

@Birker2020
I've seen a photo of you (that you posted -? I'm not a stalker!!) and you really don't look that heavy.
You look pretty trim - you may feel heavier than youd like to be, but I wouldn't be restricting your riding based on what I've seen/read your comments.

Thank you, that is so kind of you.
I have toned up/lost weight since the photo I think you are on about. I've been working so very hard on my weight loss, blimey it's so hard when you get to 50! My stomach is always rumbling but I am getting so much enjoyment from working out. I've been every day for 44 out of 50 days. If I'd been in my early 30's I would have dropped two stone by now lol.

I did reluctantly watch the videos of me riding my partner had taken from the first horse we viewed, the lady knew I was lacking confidence and was very kind to me and said I sat up straight and had beautiful hands and was amazed I did a walk to canter transition as her horse didn't do that normally. So all that was positive but when I watched the video I cringed! I'm a work in progress

 

[spacefaer]

@Birker2020
Sounds like youve got super high standards - which is great! But maybe you're not starting from as low a point as you think you are!

PS I'm not kind - I'm honest.