Best time to buy a hunter?

[Bernster]

I realise this is a bit of a "how long is a piece of string" question (and apologies if that bugs you!), but am interested in views/experiences as am ruminating over this and not sure which is better, if any...

- to buy a new horse in the Spring, either after it's been turned out for a rest, or buy hossy and give it a rest, then bring him/her back into work over the summer, getting fit, ready and comfortable in time for the season? Are hunters generally cheaper at this time of year? But then again I'd have to pay livery etc for longer. But it does mean I'd have time to get to know him/her and find out if we do suit. I can probably get access to grass livery but would move onto full livery once we get into proper work.

- leave it until late Summer/Autumn and get something ready to go (if there is such a thing?!). Cheaper than having livery etc over the spring/summer, less risk involved (perhaps) but then the price might also go up and that assumes I can find something?

Would be mainly to do hunting/xc/HT but would also prefer something that vaguely knows how to do a corner, or has the capacity to learn and, if it jumps a coloured pole or two, and isn't a crackpot, that's a bonus of course

Don't really want to start shopping properly until I'm 100% ready to buy, as knowing me I'd be bound to find something if I dabbled in some "window shopping" now! I think I'd prefer to do one or the other, and give it a proper blitz, than spend now until autumn 'kind of' looking, if you know what I mean?!

 

[tractor]

There will be an awful lot for sale now, it always makes me sad as they've worked hard all winter and as soon as the season is over they're sold....but I'm soft

I think you would get a bargain now, plus if you're happy to give them a rest then bring back into work slowly then now is your time. As you say, it gives you time to get to know them and do a bit of non hunting stuff first. Once it starts getting towards Autumn I think people start to think "oh, I've still got horsey, I'll get him fit again" then they don't sell...

Hope you find a lovely horse - remember if he's sold as "has hunted" ask who with and give the secretary a ring just to check - there are many variations on "has hunted", from "hounds ran through his field and he jumped out and followed them" to "he's done two hard days a week for the past ten years and I'm selling him sharpish" and everything in between....the Secretary will be able to verify this for you.

 

[Bernster]

Ahhh - I know what you mean about them doing a job and then getting passed on. Not much thanks but some folk do see horses as more of a commodity/useful animal and less of a pet. I think I'm somewhere in between!

Also helpful advice about hunt secretaries - never really thought of that before and would assume they wouldn't always want to answer, but it doesn't hurt to ask, does it?

Quite like the idea that there would be some potential bargains around now. As if I needed more excuse to horse window shop

 

[AdorableAlice]

I think you need to replace 'hunter' with 'allrounder' if you want to do the odd corner and coloured pole. A really good one will hold it's price all year round.

Here is an amusing incident - I bought a horse advertised as a hunter many years ago in the Ledbury country, tried him with hounds and had a super day, he was probably slightly more in control of the day than I was, but with a brake realignment he would be fine. Passed the vet no trouble and home he came, it was December.

He hacked out on exercise alone and in company safe as houses and we finished the season with a smile. I enjoy a hack all year round and, all those years ago I was brave enough to do a bit of cross country/pleasure rides.

As soon as the routine of weekly hunting finished he refused to leave the yard big style, he could have got a summer job as a circus horse, he could rear and walk waving at his friends for ages. He really was a 'hunter' and nothing more, I found it amazing he would hack and canter to keep fit in the season but as soon as hunting finished he just chucked the towel in and became a nasty nappy little xxx. I looked back at the advert and it said 'good hunter' and nothing more apart from sound in wind/limb etc. The advert told no lies - I had assumed he would be hackable etc all year round.

That was 30 years ago and still makes me smile, but at the time he frightened the living daylights of me.

 

[Orangehorse]

I always thought at the end of the season was a good time to buy. If they are fit and sound at the end of the season that is a good sign! If you buy something in the late summer, it might have had a slight problem, had a rest and being sold before the problem comes to light again.

 

[Orangehorse]

Yes, I too heard of a horse that a lady had bought to do pleasure rides, hacking etc and it was a good hunter.

Well, it wouldn't leave the end of her drive by itself, just refused and she never did get it to go out by itself. It was a perfect hunter, well behaved in company, but it had always been in a group and didn't want to be someone's hack.

 

[Sherston]

If you just want a hunter then i'd leave it until September and buy when you can actually try it out hunting, unless you actually know the horse and how it is out hunting. Then you still have a couple of months to get fit for the openning meet. If you buy now that has hunted hard this season then you should give it a couple of months off on grass for a bit of R&R anyhow.

 

[Bernster]

Aye, I realise I probably am going more for a hunter with some allrounder abilities, so not truly an out and out hunter, who is a complete nutcase out of season!

But I do have an allrounder that I'm keeping (he isn't a natural hunter) so I'd be able to keep my hand in and focus on hunting in the winter. Am just thinking that, to keep a horse fit and working properly, it would be good if they didn't only go in straight lines as fast as possible and only with a 100 other hosses around

 

[AdorableAlice]

Yes, I too heard of a horse that a lady had bought to do pleasure rides, hacking etc and it was a good hunter.

Well, it wouldn't leave the end of her drive by itself, just refused and she never did get it to go out by itself. It was a perfect hunter, well behaved in company, but it had always been in a group and didn't want to be someone's hack.

It wasn't 30 years ago was it !!! Red road irish gelding sent through Leicester sales unwarranted by a Miss Smith !!! always wondered what poor soul bought the little xxxx !

 

[Orangehorse]

No, it was more recent than that, about 8 years ago. I think it was left in the field for nearly a year and then sold to someone who just wanted a hunter.