Buying a schoolmaster

Birker2020

Birker2020

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I spoke to my friend who is an Equine Physio about the possibility of eventually buying a schoolmaster and whether it was a good idea in terms of soundness.

She felt there was a lot to be said for a horse around 12/13 that's been around the block, been out regularly competing but managed to stay sound all that time. I'd like to compete again riding club activities really, mainly SJ (max 1.0m/1.05m) and I'd like something that was a 'never stops' type of horse with experience.

My own horse was always rather spooky with brightly coloured fillers and although we used to do quite well in competitions I've had a few nasty falls due to stopping very suddenly at the odd spooky filler and seen the inside of an ambulance rather too many times now.

Did any of you buy a schoolmaster and is it still sound?
 
This is a can of worms!!

I agree that a horse that is proven to have competed well over a number of years into its early teens is a sound for purpose horse, usually/in general.

But I would caution you on expecting a fully sound squeaky clean schoolmaster. I’m sure there are some out there (most likely with the price tag attached) but most will have some wear and tear that needs ongoing management and you would be naive to think otherwise.
 
I bought a 13yo ex international eventer (3*)
When I bought him I dont think he would have passed a vet, he had had a hard season and was a bit puffy of a check ligament. I didn't vet him, and got ahim at a price which acknowledged that.
He also had disclosed kissing spines for which I was given the original x rays and treatment plan (injections) from a top vet and promised to continue

In the 3 years I have had him he has had 6 weeks off lame after xc schooling on heavyish ground, puffy check ligament in same place, now resolved.
I get his back x rayed and follow a KS-type programme (very round, lots of stretches, warm up back before getting on etc). He also gets joint supplements and I am choosy about the ground I run him on.

If he didn't have his back xrayed I'm 100% sure he would pass the rest of a vetting now at 16
He has never stopped at a fence, does a pretty much perfect dressage test, and has taught me loads. He's still a competition horse at heart and would buck and get on, so hes not finished yet... but I'd 100% buy him again and hes with me for life.
 
I hate to say this but I bought that exact horse for the exact same purpose and it didn't work out as expected

13yo well bred WB that was out competing BSJA Newcomers, I wanted something to teach me the ropes. Flew through a 5 stage vetting and gave me 3 months of amazing jumping round 70cm courses, never stopped, never looked, travelled amazingly. 3 months after I bought her went catastrophically lame, it took me 18 months to get her hacking sound again and we've never done any jumping worth talking about again.
 
I personally don't think of 12 as that old. I've had two 12 year old schoolmasters, both did 3 or 4 years BE 100/ Novice and then another couple of years 90/100. One I never had any soundness problems with and the other needed yearly joint injections when he got to about 15.

Both of them were brilliant confidence giving horses and I'd give my right arm to have one of them at the moment.
 
I think a portion of it boils down to a bit of luck. Everyone will have their own tales of positive and negative outcomes. Having bought a 2 year old (as that's all I could really afford at the time) I've just had been given a rather horrid list of problems that my now 7 year old has. Despite all my best efforts to do everything right, so I would have sound horse, it appears I'm not that lucky.

All you can do is go in with your eyes open and I would say a good vetting unless you fancy a bit more of a gamble lol! That and putting in the effort to help maintain a horses soundness. I hope you find a horse that you can really enjoy, I think thats all anyone really wants whether you ride or not!
 
atropa said:
I hate to say this but I bought that exact horse for the exact same purpose and it didn't work out as expected

13yo well bred WB that was out competing BSJA Newcomers, I wanted something to teach me the ropes. Flew through a 5 stage vetting and gave me 3 months of amazing jumping round 70cm courses, never stopped, never looked, travelled amazingly. 3 months after I bought her went catastrophically lame, it took me 18 months to get her hacking sound again and we've never done any jumping worth talking about again.
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Oh blimey, did they find out what was wrong?
 
lottiepony said:
I think a portion of it boils down to a bit of luck. Everyone will have their own tales of positive and negative outcomes. Having bought a 2 year old (as that's all I could really afford at the time) I've just had been given a rather horrid list of problems that my now 7 year old has. Despite all my best efforts to do everything right, so I would have sound horse, it appears I'm not that lucky.

All you can do is go in with your eyes open and I would say a good vetting unless you fancy a bit more of a gamble lol! That and putting in the effort to help maintain a horses soundness. I hope you find a horse that you can really enjoy, I think thats all anyone really wants whether you ride or not!
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Sorry about your horse.

Yes my friends horse who was well bred from her mare was pts aged 7 after developing juvenile arthritis at 4.
Her present horse (around 7) was diagnosed with some issue to do with his feet (thinking collateral ligament) and she's given him 18 months off and has never even sat on him. She and the vet doubt he will ever be sound enough to even hack out.
 
I had a 20 year old school master on loan. Tbx Connie. He had been round the block, alot! He was fit as a fiddle and sound the entire time I had him, bar an unfortunate kick incident in the field. It was his melonomas that got him in the end. He had been in the same home for 16 years and his owner was quite old fashioned type, it served him well though he was a fabulous horse. After him I bought a 4 year old, clean vetting at the time went lame at 7 retired at 9 pts at 11.
 
I think you essentially need to be able to write the purchase price off as it’s unlikely you will ever get that back as over time either the horse will be significantly older or have had soundness issues. If you have the money to write off then go for it... and that’s not meant in a negative way, I would buy an experienced, older horse, with that mindset.

I have bought experienced horses at that age to learn on. One had a DDFT injury in under a year, despite being very careful, likely due to wear and tear over the years (had hunted and evented a lot). He’s now at a hacking home. Another horse I’ve known for a long time and has always been a great hunter, although hunted hard, I bought him last year and he did his check ligament at opening meet. Also known many people with young horses that broke down before they got anywhere, atleast with an older horse you get a little “high” time.
 
Birker2020 said:
I spoke to my friend who is an Equine Physio about the possibility of eventually buying a schoolmaster and whether it was a good idea in terms of soundness.

She felt there was a lot to be said for a horse around 12/13 that's been around the block, been out regularly competing but managed to stay sound all that time. I'd like to compete again riding club activities really, mainly SJ (max 1.0m/1.05m) and I'd like something that was a 'never stops' type of horse with experience.

My own horse was always rather spooky with brightly coloured fillers and although we used to do quite well in competitions I've had a few nasty falls due to stopping very suddenly at the odd spooky filler and seen the inside of an ambulance rather too many times now.

Did any of you buy a schoolmaster and is it still sound?
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Yup, Todd. 14 years old and sound as a pound... it's the best decision I ever made!
 
I was had on loan (then gifted) a 14 y/o eventer that retired from top level with a list of insurance exclusions that ran to 2 pages of small print.
He would not have passed a vet on some days

He taught me so much and we had amazing fun - managing him appropriately. If we were at a ODE and I didn't feel he jumped well SJ , then I'd not do the XC - usually hard ground. He loved deep wet bogs ! I had 6 amazing ridden years and 4 retired before we lost him. I would have paid thousands for those 6 years without hesitation.
Having run through so many supposed to be sound (and past vetting) horses since trying to vaguely replace him I wouldn't hesitate to go into that situation with my eyes open again.
 
I think you need to go into these things with your eyes open as there’s no guarantees with horses. I’ve had a 5yo with a completely clean vetting breakdown the month after purchase and not make their 6th birthday, and a high mileage schoolmaster who needed shed loads of maintenance but barring ulcers and a couple of bouts of cellulitis never had a day lame in the 4 years I had them.

My latest purchase is rising 11 with a decent, consistent competition record but the trade off was a few management/medical quirks which I know would have been a red flag for some. My logic was I’d rather buy something knowing the facts, warts and all. That said, I’ve also had past experience rehabbing something with similar issues so was fairly confident the issues I was taking on were manageable for me, which I guess is the crux of it when it comes to horses really.
 
I have to agree, that I was prepared for it not to work, or to only get a year or two out of my guy - and basically write off the money.

I think the wonderful difference is that he knows what competitions are all about, and for him they are nothing to get worried about, they are just a chance to show off.
My previous mare hadn't evented before, and while she took to the XC like a duck to water, we never got the same in the dressage (!)
I've had a few others who I'm always worried about getting bucked off in the warm up, or will they jump that filler in the SJ, or will they stand on the box and be able for me to take them on their own and my own- and my guy with his miles on him just does all those things. Mostly when he wants to remind me that hes a competition horse and not an oldie, he chooses a really random time to buck me off, at home on a quiet tuesday or whatever, which is lucky...
 
I would think that a 12/13 yo is a good age and shouldn’t necessarily be an obvious one for health issues. But yes they will come with time and they might have some wear and tear.

Do folks think 12 yo is old and prone to soundness issues or are posters thinking about older horses?

Given prices at the moment I’m also wondering about vettings and x rays, over 10k with nfu they need a 5 stage and X-rays and in anything over 10/12yo there’s going to be a chance of not totally clear x rays?
 
Bernster said:
Do folks think 12 yo is old and prone to soundness issues or are posters thinking about older horses?
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I don't, but I would look very carefully at a horse of that age that is being marketed as a schoolmaster/to step down a level. As far as I'm concerned, a well produced 12yo is in it's prime and probably at the top of it's game, so I would imagine that there would be an if and a but.
 
Birker2020 said:
Oh blimey, did they find out what was wrong?
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Eventually diagnosed as navicular with PSD but it took me a ridiculous amount of time, money and vets to figure this out.

Bernster said:
I would

Do folks think 12 yo is old and prone to soundness issues or are posters thinking about older horses?
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The one I've mentioned up post was 13 at purchase/vetting, broke down just after turned 14 :(
 
I bought an 11yro, competing BE100 as a schoolmaster, I’d never jumped above 80cm before and never been cross country.
He took me from falling off at my first Intro to winning BE100 in 6 events.
He had done 6 seasons eventing when I bought him and did another 8 afterwards without a break- he didn’t pass a vetting when I bought him but never had a lame day with me!

one of my current horses I bought as an 11yro who had been 3*** eventing- very tricky ride and definitely not sound on any leg when I bought him.
With a bit of turnout and management, he was quickly back up to speed and is the most amazing schoolmaster.
He will take a joke, sorts out strides to a fence for me, never ever stops and very rarely has a pole- easily jumps 1.25m courses and I have no desire to go higher!

as long as you go in with your eyes open and expect a few niggles, you will find something.
If you want something with zero vetting issues and a really true schoolmaster at that age, expect to pay £20k plus easily.
 
Love a schoolmaster as I have always been very time poor with my job and raising a family. I’m not going to the olympics anytime soon but enjoy doing riding club events and need something that is not a clown when it goes out.

Ive always had my husbands competition horses once they reach an age that he wants them to retire but have them still remain active. These horses live their lives out with us but we do spend a significant amount of money and resource managing their health and soundness.

Schoolmasters do have a bit of wear and tear - but proactive management keeps them going.

My past schoolmasters were actively competing and hacking out until their early 20’s and lived to late 20’s where a stroke took one of them and colic (tumour) another and melanoma in the airways the 3rd one.
 
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I think how they have been cared for in the past, and who you are buying from is a huge factor. A horse that has only had a couple of owners in its adult life, and has had good care, which includes keeping it sound by no racking it around, is less likely to have issues.

I would consider twelve not old, all mine were being ridden in their twenties, with no soundness issues. The schoolmasters I bought were, if only's. If only they.. jumped bigger, was a bit smaller/larger, did a better test and usually had other issues that perhaps someone with less experience would find a problem, two had loading issues and separation anxiety. No horse is perfect, it's working out what the but is, and being able to manage it, however old they are.
 
I bought a schoolmistress 2.5 years ago, passport said 14, but seller cautioned me to make my own mind up about the age and we both agreed that she was older. My vet estimates her age today at 18 to 20 years, and since I have had her she has been sound with the exception of a hoof infection. Most reliable horse I could have, totally rebuilt my confidence, worth every penny. I tend to be quite careful with her, but then to be honest I am with all of them.

My experience is mixed. I have had horses that I have needed to retire in mid-teens, but equally I have had young horses that I have had to retire, or who just have never turned out to be what I wanted. Likewise I have had horses that just seem to stay sound and go on with proper work into their 20s.

Good luck with whatever you decide to buy.
 
It’s not really what I would define as a schoolmaster, but anyway.

Finding a sweet horse that has a lot of competition experience, doesn’t look or spook and is forgiving if you get a distance wrong is not that difficult.
 
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