Dilemma? Advice needed.

Trifein

Trifein

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So guys, If you read my last thread (Potential Project) you would've seen the new possible horse I may be getting.
The dilemma is if I want to buy him, I'll have to sell Rosie.

I'm not fussed about selling Rosie the only problem is that she's come on such a long way and she would make an excellent eventing horse and I'm so proud with how she's come on. However she's 15 next year.
She is very stubborn and requires a very experienced rider which I feel will be hard to find as she can have her moments.

The horse i've enquired about (Tag - http://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-36692.html) is an 11 year old, who I would have more time to work with. I also think he is wonderful. I've been told he's a sensible boy and just needs bringing on.
Although I have this fear in the back of my mind that I'm scared he won't work as well as Rosie and I would've wasted an amazing horse for this boy.
I'm going to try him out a few times and see how he goes.

I feel like Rosie works in the perfect outline and carries herself absolutely lovely, her paces aren't as rushed and she always gives 100%. However Rosie has some problems that can't be ironed out due to her racing past (such as being very forward on grass fields, moving when being mounted and being a bit silly).
I just don't want to feel like I'm giving up my excellent mare for a horse who may not turn out as good.

The reason I have to choose between the 2 is due to the fact I can't afford to keep 3 horses.

Opinions please guys?
 
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He is a nice lad but I would stick with the devil I know and have brought on so much! If the lad you were looking to buy was only 6 or 7 then I could maybe see your point but tbh there is not a lot of age difference b/w 11 & 14


Hope this helps:)
 
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list the pro's and cons of each horse, having had an opinionated mare, (now with my daughter) I would say being a gelding is a plus.
failing that, follow your heart, I knew my lad was for me from first setting eyes on him and 3 yrs later, he's still a character but I wasn't wrong
 
this is a difficult dilemma. The horse advertised on DD maybe a paragon of virtue or may have issues too. If you are really not getting on with your mare would it be sensible to sell her first and then start looking for another horse in case you cannot find a suitable home for her and end up having to keep 3.
 
flirtygerty said:
list the pro's and cons of each horse, having had an opinionated mare, (now with my daughter) I would say being a gelding is a plus.
failing that, follow your heart, I knew my lad was for me from first setting eyes on him and 3 yrs later, he's still a character but I wasn't wrong
Click to expand...

Rosie
Pros -
Works in a very good outline and has excellent paces.
Very talented with it comes collection and extensions, she has natural movement.
Affectionate.
Would do very well in competition.
Picks up things quick.

Cons -
Very forward and strong, I wouldn't trust her on a show ground, let alone hack out with her.
She is very stubborn 99% of the time.
Very strong when being handled and requires an experienced handler.
Very mucky in the stable (:o)
Quite silly and clumsy, very accident prone.
A pain to catch.

Tag
Pros -
Very sensible from what I've heard, placid and lovely to hack out.
Very affectionate horse, not stubborn at all.
Doesn't mind being boxed, shod, clipped, easy to catch.

Cons -
I'm yet to ride him.
He will need bringing on.
He is a tad spooky.
 
My opinion is that I would not sell a 15 year old with issues that mean she will possibly be hard to find a suitable home for, she is unlikely at her age to become a "good eventing horse" and probably not suitable for a happy hacking home either.
To replace her with another that may have other problems seems to me rather unfair on the mare.
I would keep her and try and achieve what you feel she has potential for not move onto another project without finishing the previous one, that may sound harsh but I dont like selling horses if they are difficult as it can be a downhill road for them.
 
If Rosie is such an amazing horse then why do you want to sell her?

Don't mean that in a patronising way, just curious and would maybe help people give better advise
 
I dont think there will be much of a market for your mare

At her age she is not really a potential anything I'm afraid. If she was a schoolmistress then she would no doubt find a good home with someone wanting to do local competitions. As she needs an experienced rider, has problems from her racing days and does not have any kind of record, I think you will find it hard to find the right home for her.

And to replace her with something very similar but with unknown problems and needing work, seems totally pointless.

I would keep your mare, or go for something younger, which with work would actually have potential for something.
 
be positive said:
My opinion is that I would not sell a 15 year old with issues that mean she will possibly be hard to find a suitable home for, she is unlikely at her age to become a "good eventing horse" and probably not suitable for a happy hacking home either.
To replace her with another that may have other problems seems to me rather unfair on the mare.
I would keep her and try and achieve what you feel she has potential for not move onto another project without finishing the previous one, that may sound harsh but I dont like selling horses if they are difficult as it can be a downhill road for them.
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True, However she has some problems which I cannot personally solve. I have taken her to places such as Somerford Park before and she does get over excited but excels. I have lost a lot of confidence with this mare, however she has come through. I personally think she needs someone more experienced to help her with her cons in the long term because I have tried to break her habits but to no avail.
 
Trifein said:
Rosie
Pros -
Works in a very good outline and has excellent paces.
Very talented with it comes collection and extensions, she has natural movement.
Affectionate.
Would do very well in competition.
Picks up things quick.

Cons -
Very forward and strong, I wouldn't trust her on a show ground, let alone hack out with her.
She is very stubborn 99% of the time.
Very strong when being handled and requires an experienced handler.
Very mucky in the stable (:o)
Quite silly and clumsy, very accident prone.
A pain to catch.

Tag
Pros -
Very sensible from what I've heard, placid and lovely to hack out.
Very affectionate horse, not stubborn at all.
Doesn't mind being boxed, shod, clipped, easy to catch.

Cons -
I'm yet to ride him.
He will need bringing on.
He is a tad spooky.
Click to expand...

I have not read your other threads so no nothing about your history with your mare, but reading in between the lines, I guess that your mare has the talent but you can't hack or compete with her and I am presuming that you originally bought her as a project to event? The gelding sounds like a more level headed person to go out and have some fun on but personally I would look for something younger than this gelding to do that.

I would decide what I wanted to do with your mare first before window shopping for my next project tbh to avoid this sort of dilemma. If you decide to sell your mare, you may find that your mare is difficult to rehome/sell at this current time with the financial climate and for the reasons you have listed as her cons. You may have to give her away to a more suitable home if she has the issues that needs an experienced rider/ re-trainer of racehorses.
 
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Sorry just see your pros and cons, must have cross posted.

I think it depends on what you want in the long run and if your mare can offer you that
 
jnhuk said:
I have not read your other threads so no nothing about your history with your mare, but reading in between the lines, I guess that your mare has the talent but you can't hack or compete with her and I am presuming that you originally bought her as a project to event? The gelding sounds like a more level headed person to go out and have some fun on.

I would decide what I wanted to do with the mare first before window shopping for my next project tbh to avoid this sort of dilemma. If you decide to sell your mare, you may find that your mare is difficult to rehome/sell at this current time with the financial climate and for the reasons you have listed as her cons.
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The exactly what it is, She is a very talented horse. I did buy her as a project to event but she is very awkward out of a school. I personally think she may need someone more experienced and confident to help her out of the school. Plus I don't currently have the faculties to do much with her such as take her out eventing.
 
Trifein said:
The exactly what it is, She is a very talented horse. I did buy her as a project to event but she is very awkward out of a school. I personally think she may need someone more experienced and confident to help her.
Click to expand...

But the bottom line is that no-one more experienced and confident is going to want her.

Sorry to say it, but she will end up with bottom end dealers or the auctions and god knows what happens to her then.

There is no market for horses like this now
 
I don't think there will be much market for your mare to be honest. A 14 year old ex racehorse that isn't safe to hack or compete and isn't that good to handle is going to be very difficult to sell for any money at all.

No matter how talented she is, nobody is going to buy her for her potential at that age.
 
rockysmum said:
But the bottom line is that no-one more experienced and confident is going to want her.

Sorry to say it, but she will end up with bottom end dealers or the auctions and god knows what happens to her then.

There is no market for horses like this now
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That is where I would dislike to see her, Bottom end dealers.
Sometimes I think buying her may of been a regret for this reason, unable to sell.
/sigh.
 
Trifein said:
That is where I would dislike to see her, Bottom end dealers.
Sometimes I think buying her may of been a regret for this reason, unable to sell.
/sigh.
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And for that reason I wouldn't be looking for another project. You could end up with the same problem again. Project horses are for very confident and experienced people and there usually needs to be some gain for them in the end.

Why not go for something established which you can actually enjoy if you do manage to sell her.
 
Although I have had people interested in her before, That have been willing to work with her because of her schooling potential.
I think her main problems is she's over-excitable.
I think if I do sell her, I will get her into some hardcore hacking and such.
To be honest I have sympathy for Rosie because yes she is talented but there is no market for horses of her type.
 
Trifein said:
True, However she has some problems which I cannot personally solve. I have taken her to places such as Somerford Park before and she does get over excited but excels. I have lost a lot of confidence with this mare, however she has come through. I personally think she needs someone more experienced to help her with her cons in the long term because I have tried to break her habits but to no avail.
Click to expand...

She may need someone more experienced but sadly at her age she is not likely to find someone with that experience willing to take her on, there is no upward market for them if they put time into her, if she does start to get going the chances are she will physically start to go downhill and they will not get any reward for the effort put in.

The cons, in your list far outweigh the pros, even writing an ad will be difficult, possibly project horse for nominal amount but most likely to end up being bought by a dodgy dealers yard, poor girl. A riding school or college may be an option if she is really good in the school.
 
I can't see that if you can't bring on a 14yr old mare with some (sound like small ) issues why you woudl want to take on a similar (and he will have his own issues..) 11yr old? Have you tried good lessons with your mare? There isn't much market for her I have to say..
 
be positive said:
She may need someone more experienced but sadly at her age she is not likely to find someone with that experience willing to take her on, there is no upward market for them if they put time into her, if she does start to get going the chances are she will physically start to go downhill and they will not get any reward for the effort put in.

The cons, in your list far outweigh the pros, even writing an ad will be difficult, possibly project horse for nominal amount but most likely to end up being bought by a dodgy dealers yard, poor girl. A riding school or college may be an option if she is really good in the school.
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I have been asked before about her age and a lot of people are surprised are not phased by it, She physically is in excellent condition.
If she didn't have her hacking problems I would say she could be a Schoolmistress. She is excellent for dressage use as she picks things up very quickly and she won't flinch at a jump filter. She's been jumped 1.40 loose and a 1m-1.15 course with me. She's an excellent XC horse aswell, she has the stamina and she will clear anything in her path, she's not phased by water ect.
I think a college would be a good idea, actually.
 
SusieT said:
I can't see that if you can't bring on a 14yr old mare with some (sound like small ) issues why you woudl want to take on a similar (and he will have his own issues..) 11yr old? Have you tried good lessons with your mare? There isn't much market for her I have to say..
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I came back to the thread after some more thought to basically say this.

Her issues don't sound like anything that a competent experienced rider wouldn't be able to deal with. For that reason I wouldn't recommend getting another project until you are better equipped yourself to train a horse. Lessons with your mare would be a good idea.
 
SusieT said:
I can't see that if you can't bring on a 14yr old mare with some (sound like small ) issues why you woudl want to take on a similar (and he will have his own issues..) 11yr old? Have you tried good lessons with your mare? There isn't much market for her I have to say..
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Because she has a very bad temper, I had loaned ex-racehorses that have needed bringing on before and I have to say she has been the worst one by a mile. I have to say she is a different horse from when I got her. When i first got her she would rear into trot, bolt off when being mounted ect and now the only thing she does is walks a tad when being mounted.
Just being out in the open is her only issue :confused:
I have tried lessons with her but to once again no avail.
 
But she cannot be a schoolmistress if she has never competed and you would not trust her on a showground, she may do dressage moves at home, jump a 1m plus course but with no record she is just a well schooled 15 year old with potential to compete.

It would be worth trying a college, she may suit and it would give her a chance of a useful life.
 
Agree with others, there are plenty of young horses that sound similar to yours that aren't selling. Either get lessons on her & keep her, or have someone experienced work with her for you so she's saleable. If you do get rid I agree with others, get an established horse not another project.
 
be positive said:
But she cannot be a schoolmistress if she has never competed and you would not trust her on a showground, she may do dressage moves at home, jump a 1m plus course but with no record she is just a well schooled 15 year old with potential to compete.

It would be worth trying a college, she may suit and it would give her a chance of a useful life.
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I think I haven't mentioned (sorry) she has been taken to different yards before and has jumped courses there and such to get her used to a different environment and performs excellent, Indoor and Outdoor.
I understand a competition would be different but I must say she could go very far it's just a shame there is no market for her.
 
littlelegs said:
Agree with others, there are plenty of young horses that sound similar to yours that aren't selling. Either get lessons on her & keep her, or have someone experienced work with her for you so she's saleable. If you do get rid I agree with others, get an established horse not another project.
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Well to start off I'm going to start doing some outdoor work with her on fields and such and see if we get anywhere and see if a girl on my yard can ride her horse around the field to get her used to it, There's a small grass path at the side of our school which goes up for about a mile, I may take her up there tomorrow with someone at my side and when she's fine there. Walk her down the road (In hand) Then take her down the road with someone at my side, then on my own.
If she learns on the grass fields then I will start taking her to show grounds and gradually start riding her around.
Baby steps :)
 
I would like to add I have tried various things with her before but I realised it's time to put my foot down with her so if I do want to sell her, she's saleable.
Thankyou for your thoughts :)
 
Trifein said:
Well to start off I'm going to start doing some outdoor work with her on fields and such and see if we get anywhere and see if a girl on my yard can ride her horse around the field to get her used to it, There's a small grass path at the side of our school which goes up for about a mile, I may take her up there tomorrow with someone at my side and when she's fine there. Walk her down the road (In hand) Then take her down the road with someone at my side, then on my own.
If she learns on the grass fields then I will start taking her to show grounds and gradually start riding her around.
Baby steps :)
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Fair enough

Back to the original question, it will take you 12 months to sort her out, so the other project horse is out of the question.

I should try in hand showing first :D :D
 
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