Definition of "green" horse?

[Echo24]

I was enquiring about a pony that sounded lovely, albeit younger than what I'm looking for (rising 5). He has been brought on slowly and sounded more like a 3 year old (owner has broken pony in but has only really hacked it out and occasionally schooled in a field). I politely said that he was greener than what I was looking for and the reply I got was that he wasn't green at all, as green means a horse is fresh, and that he's safe as houses. I thought green meant a pony was new to its education and quite inexperienced (owner has not even jumped said pony or taken it out of the yard) but perhaps I got this completely wrong?

To show my inexperience with youngsters, I also asked if the pony was snaffled mouthed and owner was horrified it would be put in such a harsh bit as pony was only a baby! A friend on my yard has a rising 5 that happily goes in a snaffle so I thought this was a perfectly reasonable question!

 

[sandi_84]

I think maybe the owner was a bit confused really as you were correct on the definition of a green horse.
I would say that a snaffle was one of the milder bits out there, what did she have it in?

 

[Echo24]

I thought I got myself so mixed up then! I can't remember what she had her pony in, but it didn't sound that different to a snaffle! She's taken it to be professionally schooled now but still think he's too young for me.

 

[mandwhy]

The owner is either clueless or having a laugh....

Your interpretation of green is correct.

A snaffle covers everything from a straight bar rubber snaffle (about the mildest bit you can get in my opinion) to a single joint, French link, Waterford, there are many many snaffle bits. Some are 'harsher' because a snaffle basically means 'without a curb', but snaffle mouthed generally is seen as a good thing.

 

[sidsmum]

That's how I think of a green horse! In fact that's how I have been describing my youngster who I'm selling! Last week YO said that lots of people think 'green' means naughty and that I'd be best saying inexperienced rather than green. It had never occurred to me that people would think it meant naughty.

Oh, and my youngster is also in a snaffle! ;-)

 

[kerrileigh]

Fresh is fresh..Green is green!

You were correct. A green horse is something that as you have stated either new to education or hasn't done much schooling etc. I had a 8yr old gelding who was green as he had just been turned out and occasionally hacked out.
I have also had a fresh horse, who as soon as you hit grass decides to leap around all 4 legs off the ground and pretend to be a racehorse

I have had most my horses in snaffles, except a few who have been either badly mannered and too strong, but with patience and time this can be resolved sometimes

Good luck finding a horse