Confirmation of possible new horse - comments??

It may just be the photo, but there is something there which would make me want to have a deeper delve.

I actually quite like the look of this horse for you - you both look very good together so may be worth spending a bit of money just to check that you aren't being sold a pig in a poke.
 
Ginn - thanks v. much for your comments.
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all very fair.

I have been worrying about his feet too - but hoped farriery would sort it - the front feet are totally differnt to the back.

He's not very expensive (I'd say reasonably priced for what he has done and his current condition)

He was lovely to ride - had a great jump - obviously very green and unfit but I hacked him and did some xc jumps on him and he seemed a nice little project for me.
 
Front feet - look long in the toe to me whereas back feet (now you mention it) look quite "boxy" - very short in the toe and comparatively long in the heel. Having noticed it I'd definately get xrays on all 4 feet - it may be nothing but it could also be deliberate trimming to mask something. Is he shod?
 
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Ginn - thanks v. much for your comments.
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all very fair.

I have been worrying about his feet too - but hoped farriery would sort it - the front feet are totally differnt to the back.

He's not very expensive (I'd say reasonably priced for what he has done and his current condition)

He was lovely to ride - had a great jump - obviously very green and unfit but I hacked him and did some xc jumps on him and he seemed a nice little project for me.

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Get him xrayed first - if they show nothing then drag your farrier up to see him and see what he makes of it. If the feet just seem badly worn/trimmed and xrays and further examination show nothing wrong I'd be inclined to use them as a bargining tool and try and get back atleast 1/2 the cost of the xrays. Cheeky but worth a try
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The front feet/back feet thing is just poor shoeing/trimming - a good farrier can fix that over time, I don't think its a problem. Its just his front feet are too long and heels too low.

Don't know enough about flexion test to advise - sorry - but guess he'll either pass or not. Your vet could advise, even if he fails on something, whether he think he could do the job you want him for.
 
My immediate thought was wow , hunting with a neck like that
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what fun
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There is no such thing as a perfect conformation imo and if he is right for what you want to do then he is right for you
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Personally, I like him and would think he would make a nice allrounder

exercise and feed would sort out the muscle tone etc and a farrier would sort the feet
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Is he nice to ride and good manners on the ground??
 
TILLY D - yes he definately jumps - I've jumped him and I've watched him jumped. He has a nice neat action and seems to find jumping easy - he popped over about 3 ft 6 when I watched. I saw a couple of horses on the same day and he jumped best.
Thanks for your comments
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Tia - thanks. I'll speak to the vet before he goes over to do the second vetting. Much appreciated.

Ginn - good idea - will also speak to farrier.

TT - very nice to ride, just green. Not strong - I cantered him in an open field with other horses around and he wasn't strong. He has hunted before and was apparently quiet. I really liked him to ride.
 
You obviously really like him, which is the main thing, and if he's jumping 3'6 he's more than capable of what you want to do. Talk to the vet - good luck!
 
He does look better mounted and the neck doesn't look so bad.
Main thing is do you like him?
Any horse will never be perfect and will he do the job you want him to do?
 
TT - he's just a nice quiet horse - who needs a bit of TLC and work - my only concern was getting something which had a conformational issue (or two), so that he wouldn't physically be up to what I plan on doing with him.

Tilly D - will def see what vet says. and then will tell you all what happens!

Thanks to all for the helpful comments. Much appreciated and taken on board.
 
If he's not costing the earth and the farrier isnt to bother about the feet i quite like him - the pics in the first part of the post do him NO favours!
the pic of you on him he looks like he needs work, but with correct work like he'll be a really nice boy.
 
I really like him TBH, and he reminds me of Rosiie's Oshka!

I also think its very hard to tell from photos as he looks like a completely different horse from the being held to the ridden ones, it really doesn't look like the same horse. In the ridden pic, he looks great
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He is being forced into a very strange shape by whoever is holding him in those first pics which doesn't help his overall look. He looks much better on the one when you are riding him. It really depends on how much you are paying for him and what you are wanting him to do. He doesn't immediately strike me as an event horse, I have to say. However, if you feel comfortable with him and the vet does not throw up any surprises, then he may be the horse for you.

Any horse that has slightly suspect conformation will tend to have more problems than others, however, there is nothing to say that you will not have years of trouble free riding with this one. May be worth mentioning your concerns to the vet prior to vetting.

Buying horses is the relatively cheap bit - it costs as much to keep a not so good one as it does to keep a great one - so money saved on the initial purchase may not necessarily mean a good investment.
 
I like him, I have a mare who is very short coupled and its never caused her any problems, she is very strong, the only drawback I can say is that when she bucks, you get the full force of it!

I think with a bit of schooling, your potential cob could look much better, I think he already looks better with tack on, and that saddle could go a touch further back me thinks.
 
I hate replying to these types of posts, as I always feel I have to be honest and sometimes it isn't very nice.
I wouldn't buy him I'm afraid. he is a nice enough very short coupled ordinary horse, but by the looks of him more suited to hacking/hunting than competing.
I can see him popping round the local Pony Club course but have a niggling doubt that he would ever be quick enough for BE, and that neck has come from somewhere, either as a driving horse or pulling against his rider perhaps!
Having bred one who is much heavier than him who has just done his first two Intros with places, (Narramore Minstrel a 17 hh heavyweight) I think he may be ok in that he would do a calm dressage test, probably jump clear etc, but you're asking a lot when a slightly lighter built freer moving horse would make the job easier.
I dunno, that neck on a five year old would worry me, so no, I wouldn't.....
(this is where I go red with mortification if you have already bought him
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sorry!)
 
As everyone says looks a whole lot different in the ridden photo, but I would pass on him. Conformation is important as depending on the issues depends on where the strain is put & how comfortable the horse is in his work. If they are only in light work & not being worked 5 or more days fine, most will stand up to general riding. If you want to do more then conformation can play a big part in how sound a horse stays. Also if the conformation makes certain movements uncomfortable then it can affect the horses temperment because it wont be so happy to perform them. Jumping puts strain on the legs, dressage asks for flexion & engagement. Therefore conformation is very important as it affects so much & can also determine if the horse is comfortable to ride, ie a long necked horse tilts more onto the forehand & can be heavy in the hand. A short neck wont be very flexible & can shorten the horses stride, which looks the case in the video. Anyone who thinks conformation does not matter, needs to think again.
 
Ive just skimmed through this post, but got the general jist and I personally like him, but I like cobby horses like that. He sounds a bit like my boy - bit cut and shut , and with the feet. My cob has larger front feet and boxy back feet, but he can jump and apparently he is a fabulous hunter (I was not brave enough to take him myself). He is also a bit on the forehand and that doesnt always mean heavy as i am learning with schooling. He doesnt have the longest strides and doesnt lengthen like the dressage horses or eventers on our yard but ho hum, he has managed to get round pre novice XC courses, and do medium level dressage tests and get placed! Also he has never been lame in the 3 years I have owned him and he does a lot of work with me and has tried lots of different tyhings.

If you like that horse, and he does what you want to do I would say go for it. Just know that he will have his limitations, adn if you are happy with that go for it as after you are done with him and if he is safe and sane he will make some kid a fab horse ot move up to - I spent 8 years looking for mine!!!

OPh and in that 1st bottom pic thats mine with a 16" saddle on, that looks normal/small. But he can take an 18" saddle - just.
 
HH - thanks for your response. I agree he certainly isn't an eventer. He is not supposed to have been driven, but I can't say for sure as I haven't specifically asked and they haven't volunteered that. But I will ask. Is ok - haven't bought him yet
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Should have been clearer on what I want/ expect from my new horse (whatever it ends up being)

I have evented my old horse in the past alot - only getting to Novice level - but I was more than happy with that. I then had a long break from competeing as my horse became a hacker and semi-retired. Last year I decided I wanted get back into things - and I got a horse on loan that I have done a bit of SJ with - but he has knocked my confidence a bit as he is very strong and I felt out of control hacking/ jumping him.

So I wanted something safe, not too flashy that would get me back into things that I could bring on a bit and sell in a couple of years to a PC or RC home (Hopefully). By which point I was hoping I'd be more ready for a step up again horse wise.
 
FMM - thanks - I do agree about conformation causing problems - I also worried that if I bought him then decided to sell him later, will he pass the vet...
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Beau2005 - you see I do still quite like him - and I knew he was far from perfect conformationally - but I want a safe and sane project horse to get back going again. I just don't want to saddle myself with something that will be hard to sell and could have more physical problems that a more correctly built horse.

hmmm.... I think I will speak to the Vet and Physio again next week - and see what they say.

thanks to everyone for the nice comments about him too
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I really appreciate everyone's honesty - has been really useful to hear peoples thoughts.
 
If you are buying him to sell on in a few years (and you are not convinced yourself about his conformation) you may find this a problem with future purchasers. It all boils down to how many pennies he is going to cost you in the first place.
 
Hey Widget! The horse we were buying past the vet! (We were chatting last week on AHHO abou flexion tests). He's now settling really nicely into his new home.
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Have to say, he's not my cup of tea, but I can totally see why you like him. If you are worried about his conformation meaning that he;d fail the vetting then speak to the vet who's already been out to him. Surely he must have more comments than about that one flexion test failure? Ours passed overall but the vet did comment on a few things, but siad he was suitable for what we wanted.

Hope you can work things out.
 
Looks like a completely different horse in the ridden photo. From the first set of pictures I would have said avoid like the plague, for all the reasons everyone else said. But seeing him ridden, with him being all soft and relaxed with you (and you with him) he looks so different and I reckon could go on to be a cracking horse for you. Certainly the two of you look good together and you really like him which is actually what matters the most as you are not wanting to do high level competing with him.

As long as you get a second opinion which you are happy with in respect of the vetting then I think the two of you would get on just fine.
 
i wouldnt pay alot for him,he isnt my type of horse.
his feet need sorting and he does look short on top but nothing i would say that would be detrimental to low level competing and hunting provided he can jump of course!
 
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