Can't believe I'm writing an advert for Coblet :(

[SuperCoblet]

Going to loan gypsy out and get a new horse, hopefully a youngster I can bring on. I just feel I'm getting left behind from everyone else, all my friends have now got new horses and moved up groups and I'm bow stuck with the littleies doing tiny stuff and bit learning a thing. So we've decided not to sell but to loan him out and get a new one... So far I've managed to write a 2 line advert (in tears) which goes like so:
"13.3 gypsy cob gelding available for loan. Loves to jump but can be strong XC and doesn't hack alone. Has a past history of napping and needs experienced rider to ride him. Only going to the right home."

Can you tell I don't want him to go?

 

[Arizahn]

Aw, hugs x
I think your ad shows that you care where he goes and that he has the right rider

 

[JFTDWS]

given the number of issues you say you have (brakes, rearing, etc) surely there's plenty left for you to learn from him?

 

[SeasonalSituation]

Try and aim him towards a pony club home, a rider who is serious maybe?

 

[pixiebee]

sounds like you are only loaning as you want to keep up with your friends on bigger horses, just make you do it for the right reason not the jones's!

 

[Littlelegs]

Agree with jftd. Nothing wrong with loaning him & getting a schoolmaster but I'd say you could improve a lot with him if you wanted to.

 

[SuperCoblet]

It's not the advert I'm going to use I've had him for 3 years now, and I haven't gone a day without seeing him. I know loaning is better than selling, but I still can't bare the thought of his cheeky little face being there every time I go down the field. He's more than just a pony, he's my very best friend and we've both gone to hell and back to get to the stage he is at. No one will want him, because he only let's me ride him without being a complete twit so although I can't bare him going, I know deep down he's not going to go, so I'm stuck with him, good because I love him, but bad because I can't get another until hes gone :/

 

[JFTDWS]

Nothing wrong with loaning him & getting a schoolmaster.

Came back to add this. I think a youngster would be a very bad idea, but a schoolmaster type might work if you don't want to continue with the pony.

 

[Lolo]

I completely get what you want to do- you want to further your riding, and he's not helping.

I'd write an advert like:

"Stunning 13.2hh gypsy cob for loan, as hopelessly outgrown by current jockey. Done all PC activities and competed in dressage, SJ and showing successfully. Now needs a new, smaller jockey to help with the next stage of his education as he is still a little green." Then use a nice photo or 2 (any from your sig will do) and someone nice will come along and snap him up.

You vet them on the phone, not via the advert I think. We'd never have phoned about an advert that said anything about strong/ not a novice ride as assumed it meant raving lunatic and as sister was tiny she couldn't have coped. But we could have phoned and had a proper conversation about him from that advert and probably come and seen him at least- she was small but competent and would have relished the opportunity to ride him!

And also, I think you'd sell him quite easily for about £1.5k- £2k. He's smart, sweet and despite the difficulties does know what's going on now. It might do you both some good to have some time apart...

 

[dafthoss]

Are you really sure that moving up a group just because your friends have is worth it?

He still has issues so theres plenty you can still learn from him. If its about jumping higher or doing better flat work then he is more than capable (check out JFTD's flying cob), why not get some private lessons and see where you can go next with him. If your going to get another then I would suggest a schoolmaster because you will learn more from it and be able to join the group that your friends are in.

 

[SuperCoblet]

given the number of issues you say you have (brakes, rearing, etc) surely there's plenty left for you to learn from him?

Sorry I'm in tears and not thinking straight. When I first bought him (off those very honest dealers we all know about ) I couldn't even get on him without him rearing and bolting off, and long story short we've gone through thick and thin to get him even hacking out with a companion, which he's a complete saint at now, but I have no idea what he would be like with someone else on him, because it's trust he needs and it takes a while for him to trust someone (has been abused in past) so he needs a firm but understanding rider. Re the XC, he's again, a saint in enclosed spaces (say a 2 acre XC field with all gates closed) but if you take him where a gate in open and he's worried he will head for the gate and not stop, and believe me, nothing but a wall will stop him until you get off and lead him back. But he's not all doom and gloom, we do regularly show jumping at 2'9, when we first got him he wouldnt go anywhere near a filler, now he jumps anything and has reached as far as he can go.

The problem is he's too complicated for a youngster to ride, but too small for an adult, so we need to find a small adult that understands him, and they don't want anything that they want to hack alone on or jump huge.

I know what you mean by getting a school master, but they're like hens teeth for loan or a decent price, I don't mind being in a smaller group or whatever if I was on a youngster because I know we will improve in time but with gypsy I'm stuck on a dead end. I'm way too big for him and I'd like a project to work on.

 

[Lolo]

Also, don't write off little jockeys. I've posted many photos of my sister when she was younger riding a cob only a little bigger than yours round 3'9 XC courses/ ODEs. He was a tricky ride- he was very strong, and prone to tanking off and using his weight against her, and also rearing to get his own way and planting himself if all else failed. She schooled him, took him up to novice dressage and did it all despite being young and inexperienced. You get good kids who can only loan so really don't write them off... You might miss a trick.

 

[Mince Pie]

I'd sit and think on this a bit more tbh.

I do know where you're coming from though, ability wise I have totally outgrown my cob. Fortunately I'm in the position to be able to have 2 so I just play with him whilst doing the serious work with my TB!

 

[MerrySherryRider]

Completely agree with both Lolo's posts. A fresh jockey might do your lovely boy the world of good now he's grown up a bit and you'd be able to assess your riding by having the challenge of a new horse, something with a few miles on the clock and knows its job.

However, do be wary about moving on because your mates have, bigger and better isn't always the fun its made out to be.

 

[SuperCoblet]

Thanks everyone, I just feel that on a youngster, I will feel I have achieved something, and we can't afford anything else unless we sell gypsy, which isn't going to happen! I don't just ride him anyway, I worked at a riding school for 2 years (they're not your typical RS horses) and people have asked me to ride theirs for them (mainly one youngster who bucks her rider off when jumping, so my RI kindly offered ne haha!)

 

[Paris1]

At the end of the day we keep horses for our enjoyment. If you no longer enjoy him a loan is a good idea.
The best advice I ever got was my instructor saying to me my little cob still had a lot to give, I wanted another bigger, younger model. Thank god I didn't get one! I moved up two dressage levels following my wanting to get another.

 

[Paris1]

Oh, and now I am my cob has given all he can I will be looking into getting myself a share on a more capable horse. That way I'm not financially overstretched and my cob remains in my care after all his years of service. Plus I don't have the buying a new horse gamble.

 

[Tilda]

I know your heart is breaking to part with your boy but it might just turn out for the best for both of you. I currently have a horse on loan who was outgrown ability wise by his teenage rider. She was heartbroken to give him up but she just couldn't get where she wanted to with him. I was looking for a confidence giving but fun horse after a terrible time with my own horse and we found each other by word of mouth. We were the first people to go and see him and moved him literally 10 minutes down the road and his owner began helping at weekends at my yard. She now has been offered a horse at the yard to loan who is perfect for her and was being wasted as his older teenage owner has lost interest and they have asked me whether I would like to buy max as they can see what a great team we are and how happy he is.

So no real advice just an example of how what you think is the worst thing could turn out to be the best thing