Buying a horse

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Neeskens

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Anyway, I have just written an Introduction about myself few minutes ago. I am a novice level rider with 100 private lessons in my name.

My riding school is a great school but lack horses suitable for my weight (72 kg, and 5 foot 9). They had sold 2 "big" horses recently which leaves me only 2 horses to choose from. One of them were too slow and old and I felt a step backward (!!)

I am looking for a suitable horse for myself and as well as for the school. I may be a novice rider but also am looking for a horse that can do advanced level as well.

Do you, in your experience, know where to buy a good horse from? Do you trust online "Mart" thing? I would prefer to have a Dutch Warmblood or Irish sports over Cobs.
The budget is up to £20k (not including VET/livery costs/insurance/etc). Should I bring someone who has more experience with horses to check out?

Thank you
 
Welcome to the forum!
Yes bring someone more experienced with you, without a doubt, and always get the horse vetted.
Buy the horse you need now, not the horse you might need in 5 years time. A horse that can do advanced level is generally speaking not going to tolerate someone fresh out of a riding school, and if they do they won't be £20k. Don't overestimate your abilities because the riding school horses have been forgiving.
A warmblood is generally not advisable for a first timer, but there are a lot of options between one of those and a cob, so you have plenty of more sensible choices you could make. Get something that has been there and done it if you can, and have fun!
 
Welcome to the forum. That's a very healthy budget for a first horse and might encourage you to over horse yourself.

The best advice I've heard for buyers is "buy the horse you need now not the one you want for the future". A good first horse will always sell.

Have you thought of getting a loan? Experience without the risk.
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If you do go warmblood then I would be very careful about the Dutch ones. They have certainly had a reputation for being more horses for professional riders than the other warmbloods. I have had 3 KWPN and loved them but none were first time owner horses.
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Hello, l would look for a 15.1 ish cob - could be bigger or smaller. You need one that’s been there and done it all before, maybe an ‘older’ say 14 or 15 years. You may consider a partbred ID or one of the native breeds x TB. Although you would like to do advanced stuff your best bet is to have fun for a year or so with your own horse. You shouldn’t need 20k and l’d be very wary of selling such a horse for riding school use. Buy one you’ll enjoy now, that will give you confidence to go out and have fun and consider the next stage in a year or so. Good luck. …..and yes absolutely do not go alone and do not even sit on a horse until you’ve seen the person selling ride it at all paces. There are a number of online selling sites, some are better than others. Different horses ride differently, it’s not all about height of either rider or horse!
 
I would suggest a share or loan to start
An older horse
Private horses are a lot different to riding school horses and on top of that managing a horse is an incredibly step learning curve
I rode lessons for 6 years and when I got my first horse I felt like a beginner

When you view horses get them to ride first. If they won’t ride don’t get on
Look for any sign the horse has been worked before you got there
Sweat breathing a bit heavy
If they have a place to wash horses check to see if it’s dry
Some dodgy sellers will lunge a horse for 2 hours in the morning wash them then have them dry when you arrive
If they have no facilities rent an arena and ask them to meet you there
Tack up yourself
Ideally catch horse yourself
Pick their feet
Hose their feet after you ride see how they are with the hose
Hack them (if safe to do so where yard is based)
Vet them, ask for vet history
Do not buy a youngster with an old head on young shoulders
 
What exciting plans you have!

You’ve had lots of excellent advice already. To that I would also suggest trying to make connections with horsey people locally, beyond your riding school. Although when you do start horse hunting, speak with your instructor, who may well have recommendations on trusted places they would look for suitable horses. They should also have a good idea of the type of horse that would be suitable for you, and perhaps may be able to go with you to view horses.

I entirely agree with the suggestion of getting the horse you need now. Overhorsing yourself will just end up knocking your confidence and that’s no good for anyone.

I bought my first horse late last year after riding as a child, then 20 odd years of riding as an adult, including a period of doing a horse share. The transition to horse owner has been a steep learning curve, despite my riding experience. I was fortunate enough to find a wonderful horse local to me, who is incredibly well mannered and well schooled. We are definitely a good match, but there have still been ups and downs. I had a nasty fall when he spooked out hacking that has really knocked my hacking confidence, and a poor choice of initial livery yard, necessitating a move about 6 weeks ago. He’s also very different to the riding school horses I’ve ridden before, although that’s not a bad thing.

He happens to be absolutely gorgeous and pretty much the horse I imagined buying, if a hand taller than I intended. I’d have bought him whatever colour/type he was, as long as he had been the same personality and level of horse for me.
 
Totally agree with everything said above. If not already on FB, join and check out the dodgy dealer sites. You will be amazed how may 'genuine sellers' are actually dealers under a different name and how many horses are re-advertised. Google is definately your friend in these times.

Ask for the breeding and name on passport and then google both. I did this and found a horse i had wanted to view had been up for sale longer than i was told and had been through a couple of dodgy FB sites.

Good luck, exciting times ahead! :D
 
Neeskens said:
Anyway, I have just written an Introduction about myself few minutes ago. I am a novice level rider with 100 private lessons in my name.
Click to expand...

Hello, welcome! :D
Neeskens said:
I am looking for a suitable horse for myself and as well as for the school.
Click to expand...
Sorry I'm confused. Do you mean that the horse will also be used in the riding school? If so, surely they would be choosing it?
Neeskens said:
I may be a novice rider but also am looking for a horse that can do advanced level as well.
Click to expand...
This is not a good idea. A novice coming off riding school horses needs a forgiving "half-way" horse to bridge the huge gap that is between riding school and private horses. A competition horse is another huge step up again & would be too much to handle right now for you. Also your budget is not enough for a good, not lame, advanced horse. It can buy you an excellent first horse though.
Neeskens said:
Do you, in your experience, know where to buy a good horse from? Do you trust online "Mart" thing? I would prefer to have a Dutch Warmblood or Irish sports over Cobs.
The budget is up to £20k (not including VET/livery costs/insurance/etc). Should I bring someone who has more experience with horses to check out?

Thank you
Click to expand...
The answer to all your questions is actually the same! Ask for help from your riding school. After 100 lessons they know you very well and can advise you exactly which horses will be suitable for you. They also have local knowledge and contacts & will probably be able to locate horses for sale that would suit your ability and suit the livery arrangements available (eg does it need stabling, can it live with mares etc).
Have you had horse care lessons, as well as in riding? You will need a lot of support from the yard owner or other liveries. Make sure you have a place booked before you start viewing horses.

Good luck!:)
 
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There definitely are Sport Horse types out there who have the ability and temperament to suit your requirements. This one for example, though only 6 years old, sounds like she would equally suit a novice or a more experienced rider - video evidence of her being ridden by a small child. It looks like she may be based in Ireland, but there others out there like her if you look hard enough.

www.horsequest.co.uk

Stunning Irish Sport Horse

Blondie Bouncer, 6 yr old mare by Zavatar F, out of an Irish draught mare by Grange Bouncer.<br/><br/>Blondie has competed at showjumping consistently at 110cm level. Amateur friendly,will take a miss,would never stop!<br/><br/>She has a beautiful temperament, forward going,but in a nice way...
www.horsequest.co.uk www.horsequest.co.uk
 
Sorry I meant to add to my post.

Think it also depends on who's budget this is too. If it's yours I would be rather wary buying a horse for the school, no matter how well you know them.

I went back to horses after 6 years recently, started with lessons, found a lovely school but wanted back to looking after horses, was so used to having my own. Found a share by chance on facebook (after some great advice here). Never intended to ride him really. Now I'm having regular private lessons on him and also attending the school for lessons. That's even after having several of my own for many years. It really is worth looking for a share, there are some gems out there not being advertised ☺️

If your still going to buy, join the dodgy dealers pages on fb, research everything! Always take a very experienced all round horseperson with you. Run videos by them too. Some good sellers are asking for videos of buyer riding too, i quite like that. Think of now, and have an aim of course. It only takes a second for confidence (and bones) to be shattered and you'll then still have the unsuitable horse.

Lat option is find a new riding school if that's possible in your area, it just may be they can't accommodate you at the moment.

Best of luck to you ☺️
 
Have a word with your instructor and take her to look at any horse you are interested in, & arrange to take her with you to view. Try not to fall into the internet trap, don't just look at the internet & travel hundreds of miles to see horse that probably won't suit you. Your instructor will probably know local dealers & she wold be able to recommend those that she knows are honest. She would be in the know regarding the horse that would most suit you. Many sellers do very little advertising & go by word of mouth which is probably the best way to go.

Remember horse dealers were the old time second hand car salesmen so be careful & take some one who knows a lot because by watching & asking questions they will probably understand if the horse is suitable for you. Wanting a quality horse who can do 'advanced' is admirable but a really good horse is probably not what you really need. They can get bored doing normal stuff. I was very fortunate I bought a beautiful bay gelding, 16h 1" , 5 years old and with training he could jump Foxhunter & also do a quality dressage test. a few years later I bought a grey French Thoroughbred, He was around 15"3 when I bought him, eventually he made 16h3". We gave him a load of training & he again could do most of the disciplines, show jumping, dressage, cross country. Both are now retired , still do their disciplines but at home & are still loved.
 
What are your exact plans for keeping this horse?

I’m kind of assuming you will be buying and then keeping on a working livery basis at your current riding school (I could be completely wrong?).

If so then a 15-20k horse that is bigger and suitable to take a novice rider up to then next level, plus tolerate a variety of RS clients is going to be not the easiest to find. But you have a very healthy budget so I think you will find it. However I would caution you that the RS would be extremely lucky to have that kind of horse in working livery do make sure you don’t get taken advantage of. Your expensive horse could rapidly devalue in the wrong set up.

Don’t get hung up on breed. You want type and temperament. 16hh MW give or take.
 
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