Descisions descisions?????

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showley1

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Hello there everyone, i am new on here and after reading the very sound advice handed out i decided to put on my own dilema and see if i can get any help. Here goes, i had been searching for the right horse/pony for a few months( for my novice 13 year old twins) when i went to look at a stable on a private tiny yard (3 stables behind current renters home), which had a small arena and was nice and queit, i liked the idea of no yard bitchiness, which would be shared with the owners horse and in the short term a horse she had up for sale. We then resumed our horsey search, to be contacted by the girl with the stables a few weeks later to ask if we would like to loan the horse she had for sale.
We did this and now the problems have arisen, she wants us to buy the horse from her (which is not expensive) but we do not have the facilities to be able to completely decide if she is suitable, arena is only small and filled 2 deep with mulch so anything faster than trot is unsafe( have had instructors and they agree) and she naps when out only small spins but the girls are still learning so this knocks there confidence a little so do i follow my heart and buy her and move her and keep fingers crossed in a new enviroment with better facilities or follow my head and run a mile????:confused:
 
No. The trial facilities could be got round by going elsewhere for a trial, but the napping, even if its easily dealt with by an experienced child isn't good for a novice. It may well be a lovely horse for someone else, but I think novice 13yr olds need something that's straightforward. Kids confidence & their whole riding enjoyment can be very easily changed for better or worse depending on the horse they have. Keep looking!
 
When I was a child my Mum loaned a pony which wasn't a novice ride for me as a weedy wibley 10 year old. Ponys bad behaviour quickly escalated once he realised he could get away with it and my confidence was so bad I was practically back on the lead rein. We terminated the loan and bought a very honest school master, bombproof as you like who was worth his weight in gold 100 times over.

I don't think this one sounds suitable for your children to start with and its a real gamble to take it on if you haven't been able to try it out properly. What if it bucks in canter for example? Is it good in traffic, open spaces, shows etc?? Its far more expensive (and heart breaking) in the long run trying to sell on or reschool an unsuitable horse than paying a bit extra for the right one!!

My advice would be speak to the DC of your Pony Club and put the word out you're looking. Good ponies don't necessarily even get advertised.
 
Thanks to all, yes think already knew she was not suitable but she has such a lovely temprement was just finding it difficult to make the final decision :(
 
I agree nappy horse + novice can equal disaster. My first pony was amazing jumper but napped and ran off I could bearly ride, mum was taken in by dodgy dealer. While it never shattered my confidence the situations he put me in we're dangerous
 
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