Buying a youngster from the field

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Simbapony

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Looking at a 3 year old, but it's spent the last 2 years in the field due to owners illness so has gone somewhat backward in terms of handling. A bit on the shy/nervy side. Has anyone bought one similar and how long did they take to not decide to be feral any more?
 
Like others would buy and have done.
Caveat to consider if you haven't- depending how much or little handling its had loading to take to a new home could be very tricky, if you don't have the right box or experience.
 
The best horse I ever had was a TB off the field at rising 4 and barely had a head collar on. She didn’t know what a feedbucket was or hard feed and had never been in a stable let alone a horse box. But…she was very bold, never scared of anything and, having lived with cows and sheep as well as her siblings, she knew exactly what the pecking order was for farm animals, I.e. way on down at the bottom 🤣 Perfect for hacking.

However - I would not have purchased her if she had been shy or nervy. She marched up to me, gave me a good sniff over then put her head on my shoulder. It was clearly meant to be, and so it proved.
 
I imported a 3YO mare from Holland in April. She knew what a headcollar was and how to be lead, but that was about it. Things like grooming were an alien concept.

You might at times feel like you're fighting an uphill battle over the smallest things like say, picking out feet. Even now, we have days where it involves a bit of negotiation. However, time flies and one day you'll realise how far you have come in a short space of time.

I think there is little more rewarding than starting from scratch to that first time you sit on them and realise you've done it :). If you're lucky enough to have horses at home, I think the 'normalising' process is quicker, but we are five months down the line at a DIY yard and I'd like to think she's nice to handle now (unless you want to pick her mud fever scabs off, ofc :rolleyes:).

Just don't leave any questions unanswered!
 
Mine was a fairly unhandled 2yr old. I saw video footage of him in a small heras fence pen while the hose was fired at him; to prove how quiet he was 😏🙄

I was sent another photo of him wearing a headcoller.

I bought unseen and Eric Gillies lifted him. We practically lifted him off the lorry and he had no clue about leading, picking up feet, eating out of a bucket etc etc

A lifetime ago I worked with semi feral horses and started a few (after watching them start a lot) and I've started domesticated youngsters.

Unhandled ones definitely respond better* to pressure/release and are quick to catch on.

*not all domesticated horses are "bad" but so many are spoiled/spoilt by being "babied".

I would say that I've always had a good set up, plan and time for unhandled horses. At those times I've been capable and confident.

I don't know you from Adam but asking randoms on a forum for experiences makes me think it could be possible that you don't have enough to take it on alone. I didn't have to think twice & when I started semi ferals a decade prior I was surrounded by people experienced in it as well as having the right set up.

The best person to ask is your trainer/instructor what they reckon to you taking on something only lightly handled and also how confident they are in providing support for you.
 
My now 5yo was an unhandled 2yo when I bought her. She did not wear a headcollar, lead, pick up her feet, etc.

Some things came easy. Others did not. I may have said many, many swear words and vowed to never buy unhandled again.

The horse is now a civilised, ridden 5yo who hacks alone and is very pleasant to handle on the ground. I'm quite proud to say that I did everything.

Unhandled horses are Type II fun. Not always fun at the time, but fun when you think about it later. Like winter mountaineering.
 
TPO said:
Mine was a fairly unhandled 2yr old. I saw video footage of him in a small heras fence pen while the hose was fired at him; to prove how quiet he was 😏🙄

I was sent another photo of him wearing a headcoller.

I bought unseen and Eric Gillies lifted him. We practically lifted him off the lorry and he had no clue about leading, picking up feet, eating out of a bucket etc etc

A lifetime ago I worked with semi feral horses and started a few (after watching them start a lot) and I've started domesticated youngsters.

Unhandled ones definitely respond better* to pressure/release and are quick to catch on.

*not all domesticated horses are "bad" but so many are spoiled/spoilt by being "babied".

I would say that I've always had a good set up, plan and time for unhandled horses. At those times I've been capable and confident.

I don't know you from Adam but asking randoms on a forum for experiences makes me think it could be possible that you don't have enough to take it on alone. I didn't have to think twice & when I started semi ferals a decade prior I was surrounded by people experienced in it as well as having the right set up.

The best person to ask is your trainer/instructor what they reckon to you taking on something only lightly handled and also how confident they are in providing support for you.
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It is probably worth me saying I am very experienced and have a good set up. It is just that it is a bit of a random one in that he was handled as a yearling and then been out in the field for the last 2 years hence gone a bit feral.
 
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Simbapony said:
It is probably worth me saying I am very experienced and have a good set up. It is just that it is a bit of a random one in that he was handled as a yearling and then been out in the field for the last 2 years hence gone a bit feral.
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Then have it!

It's much easier having a blank canvas than unpicking other's mistakes or, even better, finding a hole much further down the line.
 
Go for it. Life is still interesting at 3 and they are naturally inquisitive. Help the pony make life one big adventure and you'll have a partner for life. I don't often buy anything ready made, part due to cost, but mostly as I enjoy the development side of things best.
 
Simbapony said:
It is probably worth me saying I am very experienced and have a good set up. It is just that it is a bit of a random one in that he was handled as a yearling and then been out in the field for the last 2 years hence gone a bit feral.
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Why would that be worrying? Many breeders handle their youngsters and then let them away, either with a herd, a few or even cattle and sheep to grow naturally. If you don't plan to show then there's not a lot you need to do with them TBH while they grow and it keeps costs down for them too. I'd give full marks to them for not pushing their youngster.
 
i've done loads of these, helping clients with semi feral welshies (only rounded up to sell)

we've had a few that had to be chased on the lorry by dogs at one end (off the welsh hills) and then herded off the lorry down the track on to the yard at the other!

couldn't touch them in the stable for 2 weeks but then once leading came round quickly and were backed and riding in a couple of months.

my own boy HAD been handled and loved,but done nothing else, it took 2 weeks for me to be riding him up and down the drive in a headcollar! if they have no reason to not trust you they come round quick IME
 
I bought an absolutely feral foal last year as a companion for my homebred.

I was a bit naive and thought he would be like the other unhandled foals I knew, who were cautious but curious. Nope, couldn’t get near him for 3 months.

In the end I sent him away (literally had to herd him on the lorry)
but this was more because I didn’t have facilities at the time, I only had a field so too easy for him to get away from me. At this point, I didn’t understand how he would ever be a ‘normal’ horse. I could get relatively near him to feed but I couldn’t touch him at all without him galloping off.

I got him back 6 months ago. At this point, he lived in a headcollar and a dragrope. Still couldn’t catch in the field and leading down to the field involved a lunge rope and frequent skiing.

Now, he is just as easy to handle as my homebred who was cuddled to an inch of his life since day 1.

He lives out without a headcollar, immediately comes over for fuss and snacks when you go in, he’s the best of the lot to groom and do his feet.

In short - when I first got him, I’d say never again as I couldn’t fathom him completely getting over this fear. Now, I wouldn’t be concerned.
 
The horse I lost in 2020 was an unhandled yearling when I bought her. I think if they have a kind nature then it makes it easier, I also think it’s better they’ve had no handling than potentially suffered firmer handling and have then got a bad vibe towards humans.

Took mine around a week to be comfortable with me handling her, she was very sweet. She wasn’t totally feral just not very handled. I used to sit in her stable reading out loud to her and just made sure I was around her as much as I could be. Obviously she was only a yearling so no riding for a while 🤣 but once she came round to being handled I did a lot of ground work with her.

She turned out to be one of the best horses I’ve ever owned. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again if I had the time. I’d much rather have something unhandled than handled badly. If you have the time and experience I would 100% do it!!
 
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