"Didn't go to plan" viewing

LouS said:
I can't believe how many of you get on horses without seeing someone else ride it first! If they don't want to get on it I certainly don't. If they fob you off with excuses of injuries/no rider on the day then I'd just say no thanks.
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Yes that is a very good rule to follow. Trouble is I'd have missed out on my Sleepy.

When I've viewed a horse (both mine and my OH's and the latter before I'd been around horses - ever) I'm watching the animal very very closely. What it does, how it reacts, how it moves and only half listening to whatever the seller is telling me as in my experience (not just with horses but anything you buy) it's likely to be fictitious.
 
LouS, I watched the owner ride first in the little area then I got off. Then she got back on to canter and thats when she fell.

Just a bit confused as what to do, 2 options

A) It was a one off, Pony isn't used to lots of different riders, Didn't get turned out that day, wasn't warmed up correctly and was trying his luck, and being stubborn as wanted to eat the grass.

B) This in a common orcurrence, Owner a very good actress.
 
I was selling my Highland pony as he was an absolute b*****d with me. I'm a nervous rider on a good day and he used to knock me over in the field, get the bit in his teeth and bolt with me and so on and so on. Was honest in the advert and a woman came to see him from about 200 miles away. She was a riding instructor and very confident. He started rearing and bucking when she asked him to work in the field so she gave him a few good flicks with a whip and he went beautifully. She bought him there and then, but took us nearly an hour to get him in her trailer :D. I was so pleased to see the back of him , but she had a whale of a time with him. Depends whether they like you or not I think :D
 
LouS said:
I can't believe how many of you get on horses without seeing someone else ride it first! If they don't want to get on it I certainly don't. If they fob you off with excuses of injuries/no rider on the day then I'd just say no thanks.
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LouS - it was one of those things with me, i could see the owner was a complete novice, had bought the pony from a working livery, decided he wasn't right for her!

I Think i may have found out shortly after i bought him! He has quite a thick set neck on him, and every now and then he would set his neck and bu66er off in whatever direction he chose, he does however have exceptionally good brakes even in a snaffle! so not really a problem. He doesn't do it anymore, only tried it once or twice ;) If she had been confident around him i might have been a bit worried, but he's a total star, think she just bit off more than she could chew, think maybe she had only had a handful of lessons.
 
My mare gave me black eye when I tried her! But she was cheap (easy to see why!) and I knew she had potnetial. Anyway, she was the best horse I have ever purchased but she had just been allowed to get away with her rude behaviour. It is a very hard decision but I think that if you get a good feeling then it's worth a gamble. I think money is a very importnat factor... I would not have bought my mare if the owner had of wanted more as it took me a good 2 years to get her going well.

Good luck! :)
 
I was looking at a hackney mare that was being viewed as my first horse after a ten year gap of having a horse. I had been riding a wee bit again, but still fairly rusty. However I've always had fairly good reflexes and don't do falling off that much (touching wood) and manage to stick to a buck okay. However, I know my limitations and don't push it - I'm cautious.

Sooooo, drove four hours to see this mare which was advertised as professionally backed, but laid off as the owner's daughter was off to college and hasn't ridden the horse in a year or so.

Arrived to find a less than desirable place in which to view. No school, no flat field - just a rabbit warrened filled steep hilly field. Even the driveway was these huge jaggy stones. So there was nowt for it but had to see the horse while on a hack. People happened to have a ploddy cob as well - so it was suggested that we hack the two to a nearby field and then we could swap and I could try the horse somewhere "safer"? Okayyyy, so I started off on the ploddy cob and that was fine. We swapped over about halfway along the road, and it felt green, but nothing to worry about. Got to the edge of a field and asked if it was okay to trot round and maybe have a canter? I no sooner got the words out of my mouth as we were having a wee trot when this thing dropped shoulder and bronced several times hard. I went down, hand still on reins as I didn't want to let the wee cow go in the field. It broke my finger and I lost grip. We caught the horse, I got back on and hacked it back (owner didn't want to ride it again).

Meanwhile the friends I'd been with were back at the house with the owner's partner getting an earful about how horrible the horse was, it wouldn't load, didn't travel well and so on.

So as we were about to leave, the owner suggested that maybe I could take the horse for a month trial? And if it didn't work out I could send the horse back, at my expense. LOLOLOLOL. Yeh fricken right. No thank you.
 
LouS said:
I can't believe how many of you get on horses without seeing someone else ride it first! If they don't want to get on it I certainly don't. If they fob you off with excuses of injuries/no rider on the day then I'd just say no thanks.
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I always said I'd not get on something that the owner (or someone else) wouldn't get on first but I broke that rule twice on the first two viewings I did (same day).

The first one the owner told me honestly on the phone that she'd "wanted a family saloon but bought a sports car" and that he was too sharp for her but not naughty. He was very sharp - he hadn't really been ridden for months in a school and as soon as I was on he cantered off but did settle down.

Second one - girl had been in touch a lot about him as previous potential buyers had struggled to get him going as he needs you to be positive with him from the moment you get on. Then she texted me when I was on way to say she'd hurt back and couldn't ride. I nearly decided not to go but went anyway fully prepared to jump straight off if anything didn't feel right. He wasn't for me but I could see the owner was in some discomfort with her back and he wasn't the sort of horse you could ride if you weren't fully functioning.

I did ask the owner to get on the one I ultimately bought first though. He was far too flighty on the ground for me to feel confident enough to just get on. not that that's much of an indicator of everything.

I do think I was lucky though.
 
I rang up a dealer after seeing an ad for a big bumbly horse for my tall but novice husband. She had sold it, but said she had another big thing that was nice, only it was 4yrs old. I said that I wanted something older, but she said it would definately be worth a look and that the police were already looking at it. Against my better judgement we drove over. It was a pouring wet day, and the dealer was away for the day, leaving the yard in the care of two young teenagers. The horse looked gangly and nothing special in the stable, and was in a pink painted stable, which he had managed to rub into his mane! He was 16.2h, and the young girls couldn't get a bridle on him for love nor money. We had to persuade him for them. One of the teenagers then got on him and went into the school, which was a giant puddle. The horse could not canter in the school because it was so green, however his paces in trot were lovely, and instead of thinking "what a donkey" I started to think "actually..." I put up a cross pole for the girl, and the horse did this slow, huge leap over the fence, resulting in the girl nearly coming off and asking if I'd mind if she didn't jump it again! I then got on it, and it felt nice, if very green. My novice husband got on, and they got on really well together (still do - both as laid back as you can get!) We bought him, got his papers and realised that he had a fantastic pedigree, and he has turned into the most beautiful 7yr old, who can turn his hand at anything.
 
The classic "It's never done that before2

I went to see a lovely looking eventer, soon after a bit of a nightmare with my first horse who had decided to through me off a lot and crack a few bones before I gave up to look for a less lethal option.

As a bit off a novice with a slightlty briused confidence I made sure all potential vendors new my ability and what I was looking for. I had a thorough set of questions to ask over the phone to cut down on wasted Journies. THis included questions about fizziness, what bit was used for what and so on.

I arrived to find the right size and shape of horse, standing quietly. I noticed how fit he looked from being on the hhills around bath. The owner worked on an event yard and was obviously a good rider. She said something about wanting to ride him in a gag that day as he had been doing xcountry recently. First clue!

I watcched her ride and she looked like she was working the reins quite alot - I thought this was to put him into a nice shape. Second clue!

She asked if I was OK to ride, and sounded slightly nervous. Third clue!

I got on and the horse did 2 strides in walk and then bolted around the arena. On sitting back and pulling he just tucked his head in and ploughed on, lining himsef up with the manege fence. With no stearing I figured I should at least set him up for a jump to avoid disaster. He took off a massive stride too early, (Verty nis action though) and went over the fence, smashing the top rail as he went. As we landed I spotted a raised soft looking piece of ground and took the decision for a dismount at speed. landing safely as the horse galloped off victoriously.

guess what the owner said?
 
Good grief!

Although on the other hoof when selling mine I do worry someone unsuitable will come and think they're the next Whitaker and the pony will say 'no thanks mate'. But what can you do?

I would never knowingly let someone get on a horse I thought would behave in that manner doonrocket, how dangerous!
 
I really overhorsed myself with my first horse, and i had to sell him. It is so difficult to pitch it just right, so you dont put people off, but equally you need to be honest. I had lots of people who thought they were much better riders than they actually were, even though I told them he was not naughty, but expected a more experienced rider.

I explained this to one girl, who told me how good a rider she was. She got on, did one lap in trot, one in canter and then immediately took him to a jump. She wobbled on him all the way to the jump, and when the horse QUIETLY stopped at the jump, she wobbled off!
 
When i went to view my pony there was no riding facilities except hacking which would have been fine except there was a severe weather warning that day and he was kept on top of a hill near Edinburgh. Usually I would never have rode in the gale force winds and driving rain that we had that day but I had booked flights over and only had that day so had to get on with it.

Got on him in an open exposed field with the wind howling and the rain pelting and felt him getting more and more wound up until eventually he spooked, exploded and went flying down the hill. I tried sawing at his mouth with no effect and could see a stone wall coming up and he didn't look like he was stopping so gracefully let go and did an emergancy dismount that sent me skidding down the hill for meters. After lying still and groaning while I got my wind back I decided to get back on cause for some reason I really wanted him. We then had a hack that would have been nice if every layer i was wearing wasnt totally soaked and I bought him.

Worked out well, hes just the best and I haven't fallen off again yet (touch wood).
 
Wasn't a viewing but my first mare bucked me off during the vetting!

Bought her anyway, stupidly. It had been a sign of things to come!
Oh well, you live and learn...
 
Well I did buy my first horse for eventing, having been to a show and seen him dump his owner at the first fence. I was however, very young and easily influenced. It was not a great match (think cocky young girl, cocky young TB) and he put me in hospital a LOT!! was a standing joke about the times I would break something on him - never him always me. I did, finally, learn how to ride him thanks to a change of instructor who was, shall we say, a little more pragmatic. I did end up having him for over 20 years and he turned out to be one of the best jumping horses I ever owned, but OMG.. so not suitable for a cocky kid to be sitting on to start with.

Suffice to say I have never bought like that again though!
 
Thanks for all the replys!

I think I will go back for the 2nd viewing, if I'm still unsure and he plays up going into canter I will deffiently leave it.

If his good then I think I will ask to go back to the field where he did it and see how he is then.

I took my experienced friend with me and she also said she thinks it was a 1 off. To be fair to the owner, she got straight back on and cantered before she let me get on again. Didn't hesitate at all when I asked her to get on for a canter.
 
Yes, the chestnut in my siggy bucked while I was trying her and did an almighty spook as I hacked her back to the stables.

But I was head over heels in luuurve with her and it wouldnt really have mattered what she did :o .

At the vetting she went up in a vertical rear too and failed a flexion test. I was still besotted and went ahead anyway. lol

She was the best horse I have ever owned although she was v v v naughty, but it was all sort of done as a joke (I know that sounds barmy but she would be naughty for the sheer fun of it, not with the express reason of getting you off her back). I loved her despite her wicked ways and was never nervous riding her :D
 
But a couple I didnt buy....

Beautiful little bay mare who felt very sharp, but didnt put a foot wrong..... until the owner, who had been sitting on one of those giant hayledge bales covered in black plastic, decided to slide off it. Cue mare going vertical and spinning (me still clinging on like a flippin limpet at this stage), then she landed, went vertical again and spun about a 180 degree turn. Off I sailed and landed on my hand which broke. Obviously the horse had never done that before lol. Funny, she seemed pretty practised to me :confused:

The other was a big chestnut boy. I walked, trotted a bit all fine. Asked for canter and bronced down the entire length of the school. Finally stopped and owner says it was my fault I need to get a bit more impulsion in the trot. Of course I should have stopped there, but I didnt :eek: Off we went again, spanking trot this time, carefully asked for canter and he went orbital. Somehow I didnt fall off, but I was VERY pleased to get off and my legs were wobbling so much I could barely walk ha ha
 
I have also had a couple.Neither resulting in buying the horse
First one was my horse. A man turned up to buy him saying he was riding out on an ex racer so I expected a fairly competent rider. Bearing in mind my horse was a schoolmaster type and not a fruitloop but then again not suited to a total novice either I showed him in walk,trot,canter and over a small jump. The man got on and horse launched straight into a canter motorbiking the corners with the man hanging on for grim death and me clenching my teeth hoping for the best.Needless to say they didn't buy.The man didn't fall off though,surprisingly!
The second was a horse I went to view. He was described as a safe sensible allrounder with a fantastic jump in him. The rider who was showing him for the owner showed him doing a really nice walk,trot and canter and I then asked her to show me him jump. She agreed and they put a few trotting poles out which the horse leapt in one go.Then they put out a cross pole.The horse didn't have a clue,stopped dead in front of the jump leapt it with all 4 feet at once and then reared vertically afterwards. The rider went white as a sheet as the horse then tried its best to dump her. Needless to say I didn't even want to get on board that one lol!
 
Ha ha, it's funny when you think back to the horses you have tried in the past and all the cases on the "ooh he/she's never done that before"!The most memorable one we went to see was on for my sister - my mum generally made me ride them first (not sure why, maybe it was cos I tended to have an 'electric seat so if a horse was going to react it would!!) but not on this occasion. We went to a showjumpers yard as that was what we were looking for.

He showed us to the stable that contained a nice looking bay horse - Scottie he was called. God, he was stroppy - you couldn't touch his sides, we were told not to walk around behind him, you had to put a bridle on to load him into a wagon etc etc. Not sure why we didn't just walk then, we weren't really looking for a horse with that much going on!

Anyway, we stayed, the man got on, rode him round but he was a bit stroppy and pratted about a bit, ears flat back, bucking a bit etc. The guy said he didn't like him holding a whip so he chucked that away. The horse did have a fantastic jump but then as he came past the stable area again he went vertical (my mum and sister missed this somehow). The reason for this behaviour was because he didn't like being ridden in spurs! (on excuse after another). Anyway, sister got on and schooled round, jumped him a couple of times and, other than looking v unhappy the horse went ok. Then it was my turn.

I went round first on the right rein - god it was terrible, you couldn't have much contact, couldn't really use your leg or he'd get upset. I did jump him a couple of times andm once pointed at a fence he was amazing. I then decided to try on the left rein, was trotting round,coming towards the fence again, asked for canter but this horse decided "nope, that was enough" and he went up in the air and did the most almighty sort of fly-buck/plunge thing (he really wanted the rider off!) I went flying! Said horse turned and belted back to the yard.

The seller said nothing, I think he knew damn well exactly what the horse was likely to do. I mean we were/are both fairly competent and sympathetic riders but this horse was evidently not happy.

Needless to say we didn't buy him!

I do wonder what happened to him - when i think back I feel quite sorry for him as I imagine he was in some sort of pain to be honest.
 
Had a second viewing to jump a big bay chap who had been a good grade B sjer in a previous job and who hadn't put a foot wrong on first viewing with hacking and schooling in open field (no jumps at first viewing as the seller 'didnt 'do' jumping' so she hired an arena for second viewing)

He got so over excited about the fact he was jumping again, jumped twice as large as he needed, become twice as strong, stuck his nose between his knees and set off at a very fast determined canter, completely ignoring the dimensions of the arena and any aids I was giving him, slamming into the arena fence which were thankfully bordered by high leylandii firs twice after jumping a fence before I finally hit the deck on the third slamming. I was devastated because up to that point I loved him but for once i was sensible and thought if he was like that in an enclosed space than I would have no hope elsewhere as it was like being transported by an out of control tank!
 
I turned up at a viewing to see an absolutely stunning Gelderlander mare, her owner was standing holding her with her arm in plaster from shoulder to wrist, when she told me that the mare had thrown her off twice in the last 2 weeks, and then again the morning before which resulted in the broken arm I declined to even get on it :D
 
Both my boys were 'didn't go to plan' viewings lol

When I saw Lewi I was actually looking at the horse in the stable next door and ended up trying him out anyway, he dragged me all over the arena and was a bit of a pillock but I bought him anyway because he had such a lovely personality and very kind eyes, 13 years later he's still my lovely baby boy :-)

Max, well, I went to see him in the serious hope that he was the one, after having an awful experience with a previous horse. When I saw him I fell in love instantly, he's just gorgeous! When I rode him for the first time he bronced down the long side of the arena but sure enough I sent my friend off to collect her Lorry as I'd already decided I was bringing him home. It was a bit of a risk but he really is my perfect horse.
 
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