Buying your first youngster..

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Chumsmum

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How experienced were you? What was your riding standard etc??

I have a 16yo 14hh native type who has been and still is fantastic for me in most respects and he will be with me for life as he is no trouble at all - the type anyone could ride and you can leave in a field for six weeks and then jump on. However, he is already slowing down and doesn't enjoy flatwork which is something I'm getting more interested in so I can imagine I will have to look at getting something else in next couple of years or so if I want to progress with my riding. Money for a suitable new horsey will be a problem - I guess that loaning might be an option but haven't looked in to this in great detail.

Out of the blue my friend mentioned that she had been thinking about me and my situation. She said that if I bought a youngster that she would help me bring it on (she is very experienced) and by the time it was ready to be backed (at least 2 years from now (depending on age) by a professional) I would be ready to start riding it myself if I have plenty of lessons and start riding other, more challenging horses etc.

I'm confident handling youngsters (ex YO had well-bred ones that I can cope with and enjoy helping them develop) it's just the riding side I need to work on. I've been riding 4 years, I would class myself as a confident novice rider that could sit a buck but who wimped out of hunting when pony was very excited
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but will still give it a go next season so not easily put off
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Just thinking out loud really, don't jump on me saying novices shouldn't buy youngsters, it's a long term plan really that I'm thinking about. The youngster in mind wouldn't be well bred / flashy - 15hh max native type, suitable for hacking/schooling/RC - a younger and bigger version of the one I have now hopefully.

Sorry to waffle on
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what I mean to say is when did you buy your first youngster and was it a good / bad experience?
 
I started riding when i was 5 (now 24), loaned & owned 2 git face ponies then moved on to horses, had two horses on loan (one an experienced all rounder and then one that needed serious re-schooling). Then took on my mum's mare who had various problems. At the same time helped a friend with a young pony and re-schooling an ex-racer.

My first actual real youngster was a cob who had been sat on a few times. Me and my sis brought it on to sell. Then my sis bought another cob (unbacked) and i helped her back it (she did the riding, i helped on the floor), then i bought Ru - unbacked 4yr WB and backed him. Did all these three with the help of our instructor at every stage.

I'd say def get some experience riding and doing groundwork with babies - they are very different but your plan seems sensible to me. If you do it right you'll be fine but get experienced help at every stage.
 
I bought my first youngster as my first horse - I'd been riding for a long time (15 years) but I couldn't afford a ready made horse
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We've had our problems and it's been a learning curve for both of us but it's been great fun and I wouldn't have swapped it for anything
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I bought my first youngster (just-backed 4yro) nearly two years ago when my other horse became unridable through ill health. Everyone said I shouldn't, mustn't, i'd make a hash of it etc etc.

But in reality i was prepared to put the time in, have regular lessons and learn from my mistakes. And now i have a fabulous horse who is good mannered and a pleasure to ride.

It is terrifying, makes you regularly question your abilities and sanity, but if you're prepared to put the time in and get help when you need it, there is no earthly reason why you can't have a youngster.
 
Thanks for reply.

You had a lot more experience than me before you bought the cob, perhaps I wont be ready? It's quite hard to guess what my standard will be two years time - I'm not a natural but try hard
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We know someone very well who would back it for me and who I could continue lessons with and I'm very good at asking for help, no way would I attempt this without lots of back up
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i think it depends on how stubborn and determined you are

i know someone who rode for a month then bought himself a full up warmblood 3 YO and got on famously, with lots of support

but we've all heard of the others who don't have such luck haven't we?

but as someone who's always had youngsters, i gasps in astonishment regularly at the things people do with youngsters - no wonder they get into trouble with them

if you've got some gumption, a bit of confidence and some bloody minded determination that goes a long way, and with someone who knows what they're doing to help out when it gets sticky-and it will, you'll stand a fair to middling chance i reckon
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experience is good, but how do you get it if you never try?
 
I bought my first one at 18 months old, put a huge amount of work into him, backed him, schooled him and never looked back since, we enjoyed 10 years together and you can't describe how much satisfaction you get when you end up with a horse that do will anything and put his heart and soul into it, show/hunt/XC/pleasure rides/dressage you name it and one that is easy to handle, never misbehaves, good to clip,bath, totally bombproof etc.

You learn a lot yourself on the journey, you build a really good bond with your horse and trust each other 100%, lots of memories, watching them grow, seeing the difference from a 5 year to a 8 year old....its wonderful.

I bought my other last year as a 2 nearly 3 year old WB, after selling my other (wanted something bigger to compete on a more professional level...hopefully!) This time we've encounter a few little problems but to be honest its only because he was not handled as much as my other and he's bigger and has a different personality but nothing major and seeing the difference even just over the last couple of months is just amazing, I lunged him, again spent time walking him out, loading etc and sent him just to be backed, got him back (no brakes or steering!) and started schooling him, he's come on leaps and bounds and he enjoys work and is so willing, I can't explain how thrilled I am with him. Takes some getting used to though because you get used to your other/previous horse and their temperament, you have to adjust yourself even thought your starting with a blank canvas, you have to iron out any bad habits, it can take a while for you both to get used to one another but once you get the bond, its just onwards and upwards, the sky is your limit, you need to have ambition and self motivation but you have to remember any bad habits you horse picks up, you've only got yourself to blame! so yes you need to be experienced but providing you have help, a good instructor or know a good trainer and have regular lessons and you are a confident rider and have the facilities (a ménage etc), put the time in every day, then you wil love it.
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ps...and get yourself hunting, you love that too!
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Thanks for reply - so glad that you proved them wrong and now have a wonderful horse, well done.

I am defo prepared to put the effort in, my ponies take up such a big part of my life that I would HAVE to put all my effort in to this youngster as hopefully he will be mine for life.
 
Thanks for reply, I'm not a perfectionist and will never be a great rider but I don't let anything stop me from doing what I want to do and the older and wiser I get just reinforces this
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experience is good, but how do you get it if you never try?

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My thoughts exactly, I do tend to think 'life is too short' etc etc and tend to try things and if they don't work out you just pick yourself up and start again - I will be shouting for help when I need it.
 
All these posts are making me feel excited even though I haven't made a final decision and we wouldn't be buying until the end of the year, can't wait to get my hands on a baby and start lol. I wont go in to this lightly but I wont faff about either, I'm sitting here asking myself hundreds of questions...

Thanks for the tips etc, really interesting and useful.

And I will take pony hunting - should be a doddle really if I'm even considering a youngster
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I bought Chancer at 13 months, took him home at 16 months. Spend a lot of time thinking about it. I have had horses for years, but never anything this young.

He is 4 this month, and last week we did our first W&T dressage test and some showing for the first time under the saddle.

He is now about to go away for 2/3 weeks professional schooling - he has all the basic and now needs to be ridden most days rather than the 3 - 4 days a week I can manage. One he is established, he will be fine with the time I can give him.

He has been so easy to do, gypsy cob. That said, I have had an instructor come to me twice a month since he was 18 months to make sure I was doing things right and help me.

I have never regretted getting him and he has taught me so much.

Finally, I was the first to sit on him, and I will never forget that feeling of achievement and pride.
 
If you take things at your own pace, and dont set yourself unrealistic goals, there is no reason why you cant do it aslong as you are willing to listen to someone who is more knowledgable than yourself and whom you trust
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I brought a 4yr old cob problem child as my first horse, he was a bit nappy and been handled by completely clueless idiots, so he was more of a turn around project as opposed to a try "knows nothing" youngster. Goddy was my first one of those!! I had had alot of riding experience, but no real baby before. He certainly hasnt been always easy, and I have doubted my own ability SO many times, but I think we are seeing light atthe end of the tunnel now
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It really depends on what sort of horse you get aswell, as that plays a HUGE part
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I think if you have common sense and good enough ability (you have been riding long enough from the sounds of it) then I think if you are sensible then a youngsetr is a good option. The youngest i have had is 4 and aleady backed but we did take on a small horse to back a few years back. he'd been sat on by the owner's kids but she wanted him ridden to sell and didn't have time herself.

He was probably the easiest animal in the world, we basically just got tack on him and got on. However, i think he had been lunged and long reined but never hacked out. It was great fun but he had a fab genuine character and was willing to please. We still see him around now (he was doing an intro 2 weeks ago) as he has been sold on several times when jockeys have outgrown him. He always seems to land in great homes though but iguess that's becasue he's so brilliant.

I think the plusses are you get to mould them into what horse they'll be and you don't take on anyone else's 'problems' but also there's the responsibility of this aswell that you teach them correctly from the start. Firm but kind I reckon and you can't go wrong!
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Again, a lovely story, but then again, lots more experience beforehand than me.

I do work full time so the time spent riding would be about the same as you can afford so need to consider that too as well as other points you have made.

Very interesting again, thanks for reply
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I had plenty of experience of horses but not of riding youngsters and believe me it is very different. If you are prepared for the hard work and patience you will be fine. if you get the backing right you won't need to be a top rider to get a nice horse, you just need to be patient and have plenty of common sense. Ru has only ever bucked once and that was my fault because i forgot the crucial thing for a split second - that he was a baby and can be easily spooked. As people have said there will be lots of ups and downs but the result is great. Ru has still got a long way to go as have i but the ups are outweighing the downs. To me temperament is everything when you start your first young horse as well.

I'd also advise regularly riding lots of different types of horses because they can feel very different. I went from a 16.3hh 16yr old ID x TB to a 17hh 4yr old WB and by god do they feel completely different to ride, it took me a little while to get used it and things still surprise me with Ru.

Good luck, i think you've got a sensible head and you will really enjoy the process, there are so many little things with a baby that feel such an achievement.
 
I have just bought my second youngster, a foal who will be sent to me at weaning in September. I bought my previous youngster the same way and she is now 3. I think that so long as you have plenty of experienced help and that you do make the effort to continue to improve yourself along the way then a youngster would be no more of a challenge than taking on a cheap problem horse from someone else. I think your main problem will ultimately be time. You will also need a degree in patience!
 
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It really depends on what sort of horse you get aswell, as that plays a HUGE part
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LOL - I will be looking for a dobbin compared to your boy!

I'm really looking for a small, quiet native/cob type that will be an absolute joy to own and ride - nothing well-bred need apply
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Thanks for reply
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LOL - I will be looking for a dobbin compared to your boy!

I'm really looking for a small, quiet native/cob type that will be an absolute joy to own and ride - nothing well-bred need apply
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Thanks for reply
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You have just described my boy!!
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Lol!!

Temperament is a huge part. Also, i would personally never get anything younger than 3, unless you have own land, it is expensive having a horse as a pet until you can do anything with it
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Just wanted to add too, if you do by a youngster...and I mean a real young one say 6 month/yearling etc then don't worry about missing out on the riding element, if you've got your other horse/pony which can you still ride or make the effort to go and have top top notch lessons every week so your gaining lots of good experience and riding in time for when you eventually start riding your new horse, having said that there is loads you can do with a youngster, you may wonder where you'd find the actual time to ride come to think of it, lots of walking out on the roads to get them traffic proof while their young is so important, taking them to a few shows gets them used to travelling, loading, handling, being around other horses and different places, daft things like walking them over plastic sheeting, paddling in huge deep puddles, all sorts of bomb proofing games and by the time you get to either sitting on their backs or sending them away to be broken in etc....they'll just think its a doddle lol!

You'll have you ups and downs though, you'll have you falls, a few near misses and yes it can be very dangerous too but never rush things, take every day as it comes, always think safety, as someone else said tons of common sense and endless amounts of patience.

You could always do a little work experience for a week or so at a local training yard/competition yard or stud and watch how they handle their youngsters etc too.:)
 
I started when riding when i was about three years old (am now 18), my parents would never buy me a horse because they knew i would outgrow it and they were a bit worrid that i would loose interest and they would have to do the work. In the end i did loose interest mainly because i wanted a horse so badly and i kept being refused one, i was about 11 when i gave up riding and started playing roller hocked instead. Then last year i started my riding back up, luckly i could still ride really well so it wasn't like i was a novice rider. My riding lessons were costing me a lot of money though and i soon worked out i could buy a horse for the same price as paying out my lessons each week.

Any normal person would have probably have gone for a horse between 5-10 years being a first horse but i ended up falling in love with a 2yr old TB x who i ended up buying.

I thought doing all the training with buddy would be really hard and even thought i may have to pay someone else to break him for me. But because he was so young he really worships me and follows me around like a dog. And through the trusting relationship with have had i am half way through breaking him without having any problems at all with him.

I have now even brought a foal which i will be having in september after she has been weaned because i really love young horses as you get such a great bond with them.

If you buy a young enough one i am sure you will get on great with it!
 
That small horse sounds fab and it's lovely that you still see him around and he is doing so well, well done.

I'm good at firm but kind - I've got two shetland ponies that I have to keep in check or they would be little buggers so I think my training to buy a youngster has already started
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Thanks for reply
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I agree about the riding lots of different horses - I was a lot more adventerous when I was learning to ride and rode different (but safe) horses that my dealer friend had in etc, but haven't rode anything else for a while and I enjoy riding my own but will start 'borrowing' friends horses...
 
What age do you think for my first time - the younger the better or perhaps 2yo? Forgot to say, it will be on either my friend's land for now FOC or on my own rented land.

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You will also need a degree in patience!

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LOL - I've got a lot more patience with animals than any person I know
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Thanks!
 
i had my first youngster when i was 11.... i had been riding for a year and was given it to school (under YO supervision) and then continued riding youngsters so far
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ie. of all my 5 ponies that i have had, 1 was a bad 1st pony as it spooked badly, 2 were green as grass who were 5(now both successful schoolmasters in reg. sj and eventing), 1 was a rescue pony who came in a pelhm and left in a snaffle, and my first horse (sig) i got when he was 5 and only broken a few months.

i like youngsters that are 5 - they are more mature and ready for "proper" work at that age. although my horse was 6 before he was a "horse" if you know what i mean!
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go for a youngster! the sense of achievment that you feel when you acomplish something is better than winning the lottery. you worked and got a result - and imo that is better than winning!
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nothing beats the smile you get from doing a fab dressage on a horse you trained yourself, or having a clear round xc and having that special bond.

oh, your saddle, advertise on ebay, they are highly sought after
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Hi

I bought my 1st 2 year old Anglo about 18 month ago now, same situation as you, my old boy is now 29 - still going strong but not competing etc. I've been riding for 33 years, I am confident (but not too confident) and I thought what the hell
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I've had a ball backing him and some hair raising moments too
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I had/have the help of a very experience instructor, I took loads of time to learn everything myself, and things went text book. When getting on for the 1st time - well it really is quite amazing if you've nevr done it before. I was scared, nervous, exhilerated - everything
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but you do need to have a good seat and blinkin good balance - babies haven't a clue why you are on top of them, its completely against their instict. My baby was as calm as a cucumber, but when we trotted for the first time - whoops - there went the balance, and my butt hit the deck
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they don't take prisoners! Not because they're nasty, but they don't know what else to do.

It is the best feeling in the world though - we've got our first dressage this weekend, and i'm already proud no matter what happens!
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I would be a bit more cautious than other people. I am not suggesting that things can't go very well, but they can also go very wrong. It really depends on what you want. If you want to learn how to ride better, then you need a horse that knows what it is doing and can help you learn - perhaps other people will disagree, but although you can learn other things from youngsters like patience or stickability, you won't learn how to ride better because the horse isn't very balanced. A lot of riding is about correct balance and a young horse will tend to put you out of balance. However, if you want to enjoy bringing on a youngster as such, then I am sure you will have a lot of fun. My personal view is that youngsters are more about doing what is right for them, whereas with more established horses you can just go out and have fun riding (I don't mean you can't have fun with a youngster, but you won't, for example, go to a show when you feel like it, you will have to wait until the youngster is ready). So a youngster is more of an education project for the horse, a more established horse is a more get-on-with-it proposition (even if it means just hacking around).
 
I bought Archie (the bay new forest in my sig) when he was 7 months old. I have been riding since I was 5 (22 now!) and had always been involved with horses but I'd never handled anything that young before! I bought him mainly as I'd just finished uni and I couldn't afford a ready made one and I also wanted to hopefully 'mould' him into my perfect horse! I've only had him since Feb and he is 13 months now and so far so good, however I'm under no illusions! He is ever so brave and cheeky and has a real character but I'm so glad I bought him over something older. I'm also very lucky to be on a yard of experienced people who have bred/ raised youngster so I'm always asking advice and questions which is great. It is alot of hard work and patience but definately worth it! I cannot wait to see see how Arch turns out, he is my dream horse already!
 
Thanks for replies everyone - I'm really interested in your stories and you've told me things I hadn't even considered so very glad I posted on here.

I understand the concerns regarding my riding. TBH if it was just a case of the groundwork side of things I would have brought one by now because I love that side of things and I know I would be good at it. It's just the riding that is holding me back and I don't know how advanced I will be in two years. I do worry that I'll ruin it and it will end up on Project Horses or something
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However, I am the type who will be honest about my abilities and if I don't think I would be up to the job - and more important, if my instructor and friend didn't think I was up to the job, I wouldn't risk the horse.

If I had the money I would be buying an older horse but now I've thought about it more I would still like a baby that was all my own work one day - the satisfaction must be fantastic.

I hopefully will still have my pony to have 'fun' for many more years - he really is the type you can just get on and hack - love him to death, just wish he was younger and bigger. He is fantastic with babysitting youngsters and I have two mini shets that are great companions so feel like I already have a lovely gang where a baby would fit in well.

I've just remembered that I 'backed' a shetland mare once - just stuck the tack on and went, she was fab - does this count?
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Thanks for replies everyone again, maybe/maybe not I will post a picture of a baby on here one day but whatever I decide - I love this website
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I had been riding maybe 8 years and owned my own horse for 3 years when i brought my youngster as an 8month old colt- not halter broken but quiet and happy with humans- i think with youngsters, handling wise as long as your confident and have horse sense you would be fine, when it gets to the riding stage is where it will get more challenging but by the time the horse is old enough to ride you will have built up such a bond you will be just as confident on his back as you would handling him.
 
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