At last I have plucked up courage ...a dilema (sorry a little long)

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help1

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Have been looking at site regularly now, have enjoyed the helpful advice, sound good sense and have plucked up courage to post my dilema.

I am returning to owning a horse after a long break 18 years. Had ponies and horses at home from very young age, went PC eventing and affiliated SJ, hunted regularly then homebred pointers. We never had ‘made’ ponies and horses they usually had some difficulties we had to sort out. I have been preparing myself by regularly exercising/schooling for family and for a friend’s daughter who is at uni. Also having dressage lessons (never thought I would turn to the dark side!). Getting used to a changed world where feeding seems to have turned into a science, rugs are amazing and astounding facilities seem readily available.

Now my dilemma…….. always thought in about 18mths to 2 years time would buy a nice Irish bred type to do a bit of eventing/HT/Dressage etc nothing major but to enjoy competing and having fun. By that time work and home life will be a little less frantic so I will have more time and if teenagers leave money! – but always anticipated that now as I cannot keep horse at home and work full time would need to be using part livery. I have experienced family who will help me find horse. A few weeks ago went to see a 2 year old (recommended by someone I trust) sports horse bred, really lovely, beautifully handled, lovely confirmation met sire and dam who are great too. Excellent, experienced, sensible and kind breeder who is keen to help if I encounter any difficulties.

Should I wait for a while and stick to my original plan as unsure I will have the time or the abilities anymore for the youngster? (Seem to have developed irrational fears such as going anywhere near cattle grids! Cofidence ebbs and flows and would hate to ruin what will become a lovely horse). I am really tempted by the youngster as I think that when I do have more time he will be just right. This will be my one and only horse now and hoped to compete while we are both game and as we got older take things more quietly.

Any help greatfully recieved
 
Personally, I would leave the youngster. Buy something you can get going on immediately..a good riding club all-rounder. Once you have re-established yourself as a rider you may want to have the challenge (and frustrations! ) of a youngster. Why make life difficult when you could be out having fun?
 
I agree with apricot fox, unless you had oodles of money you could get both a youngster and older one, that would be ideal imo,you could get confidence from the older one and use it to bring on the youngster
but if i were you i would go for an experienced schoolmaster/mistress first off, get your confidence right up then go for a youngster
smile.gif

hope that helps
 
I agree too! I've just swapped my 16 year old gem for a 6 year old (with a 4 year olds development) and I'm really surprised at how much harder it all is, and I've had a horse with hardly a break for 40 years. Confidence is a really important part of your decision, because, as I am finding, young horses need to get their confidence from their rider, and if it's at all shaky you can risk spoiling the horse. I would get an older horse that you can get straight on with and have fun, find out your limitations and strengths, there will be other lovely youngsters in future if that's what you want to do. Hope you find what you are looking for.
 
Agree with all above - really get your confidence back - although you used to do a load, some of it will have gone and it could all go wrong. Worth getting a 'pre-made' so to speak, and working from there.

Good luck - bet you buy it anyway! (I would...impulse!)
 
I can understand why you would be attracted to a youngster but after such a long break I would want to get on and do something so I'd revert to your original plan.
smile.gif
 
Don't take the young horse - riding again should be a pleasure for you.....buy an older model that ticks all YOUR boxes - no compromises - you know what you want for yourself and don't let anyone talk you into anything else!
 
I stopped riding for 10 years, and then bought a novice 5 year old. She was good, but I would have been better off getting a 10 year old that had been there, done it. Then I bought a 2 year old.

He too has been very good, in fact he has been angelic. But it has been a lot harder and taken a lot longer that I ever thought it would

I had a similar background, PC, hunting, eventing, but I hadn't really much experience of bring on young horses.
 
Agree with everyone else. Courage diminishes remarkably with age and responsibilities! And you want to have fun. As you rightly say the equine world has changed sooooo much, you need to give yourself a year or two to get used to it! Every hairy cob is now more spoiled than anything other than top eventers and racehorses of 'our day'
Get something with a few miles on the clock and ease yourself back in.!
 
Pass the youngster by, is my advice. Wait until you've got the time and are in the right position to get exactly what you want. I have a 4yo (just turned 5) and he does take more work than something older, but I had waited until I knew I was in the right position to get something like him, so it's all worked out wonderfully. I know how it feels as I had three years of planning for buying mine, and so often I was tempted to jump the gun, but the waiting paid off and makes it all the more worthwhile.
 
I agree too...

Get yourself something that you can have fun with, that will cope with the mistakes that are bound to happen and also will be able to support you when you have a confidence wobble.

For example, there is a lady on my yard bought her first horse after loaning a nice steady schoolmaster type. A lightly backed 3 yr old belgium warmblood - a nice horse. In the 9 months she has had her boy I have seen her change from a very confident rider to a bag of nerves which then transmits to her horse when she has screwed up the courage to get on.


I got my first horse after a long break form riding and he was a 10yr old been there and done that type. Put up with everything I threw at him and tought me a lot. 5 years later I found myself with a youngster. she is coming on well but I still enjoy getting on my boy and rebuilding the confidence when I have had a wobble
 
I agree with the others, as by the time this 2yo is ready to compete in approx 3-5 years you'll be 3-5 years older yourself and you may not wish to compete at the same sort of things you think you do now.
 
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