Catch 22 is the grass always greener or am I being stupid!!

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hostess99

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Am feeling a bit stuck and not sure what to do. I have a rising 6 connemara gelding he is a star and you can do pretty much anything to him or with him. The only problem is he is a bit to laid back and I just can't seem to activate the go button. I love schooling and dressage and brought him with a view to rebuilding my fitness and confidence after a bad experience with a ex race horse. He has done the job perfectly but now I feel I'm starting to push him beyond what he wants to do. When I first had him he was very lazy wouldn't go off your leg ect but now he has changed a lot when I think back. Every time I have taken him out he has either won or been placed in the top five with some pretty amazing percentages. But I want to go above prelim and he is just lacking any real get up and go if you know what I mean. I've tried various things from schooling in the field to competition mix!

So my real questions are:-

Do I try and sell him and find myself something with a bit more zest?
Do I keep him and just enjoy him for what he is?
What is the market like at the moment for his type?

I just don't know what to do!!???

Thanks anyone who has read this
 
Crikey, all I can say is lucky you!! It must be great to have a horse you can go anywhere and do anything with!! Just a thought but have you tried hunting him? A good day out might gee him up a bit!! If you really want to do more then yes I think there is a very good market for this type but you might just have to wait a while for a buyer to come along. Good luck x
 
If hes regained your confidence then personally i would have a very serious think about selling him. Better the devil you know! No horse is perfect, they all have some 'thing' or another. it depends whether you really cant cope or want the 'thing' about any particular horse as to whether you get another one. But another horse will have a different 'problem'!
 
If you want to keep, consider some professional schooling for him? Can make a huge difference and if he's a pleasant chap seems a shame to sign him off at 6 - many horses of his build only mature at 6-7-8, so it's entirely possible he has yet to fully come into his own
 
Sounds as if he has done such a good job with your confidence he has done himself out of a job!! If you have doubts about his/your limitations then ask yourself seriously exactly what you require from your riding/horse. If you are still dis-satisfied find him an appreciative owner and slowly go on to a more forward thinking horse who hopefully will satisfy your requirements! Personally I would appreciate him and enjoy what you have, but we are all different!;)
 
I know how you feel, I have a bombproof schoolmaster and after 3 wonderful years, I started to want to do more and found myself bored with my horses limitations. I ve bought myself a youngster to bring on and hopefully move up a bit with what I can do, but I am hanging on to my old boy. He is pretty much priceless and if things don't work out with the newbie then I will sell him and no doubt be very grateful for my old horse again.
I ve had some really worrying times already with my new horse and to some extent wonder if I have done entirely the right thing, so think VERY carefully before you part with you lovely safe horse and risk losing you confidence again.
 
If you can afford to own two I would recommend keeping him and putting him on half loan (so you have more control over ensuring he stays super safe!) but if he needs (or you need) more then put him on full loan.

That way if your confidence ever fails you he will still be there. I have had a nightmare buying that super safe horse and despite being very careful he is still quirkier than I was hoping. :D
 
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