ImmyS
Well-Known Member
This is a long one but will try to keep it short. Basically my friend, the same age as me, 16 recently bought her first horse. She has plenty experience of riding as had ridden from a young age but no really experience of owning her own horse and neither of her parents are horsey themselves.
Late August she said her dads 'friend' has a horse for sale, a 5 year old ex racer that had done sponsored rides,hunting etc.. Which is what she wanted to do. I explained her my views in ex racers, I have one myself, and that they are rewarding but can be difficult. She went to see him and all seemed well and he was good at the viewing. She decided to buy him without a vetting or second viewing.
So when she brought him home I went over for a visit and was shocked at how thin he was, but seemed nice enough temperament wise etc..
For the first few weeks all seemed to go really well, she hacked him out and got on well with him however the last week or so he has turned extremely sour, bucking when ridden and also reared in hand as well as being moody and bad to catch in the field. She is now just lunging him but is adamant she wants to sell him as he's not what she wanted, which is fair enough. I have tried to advise from the start that he needs food, worming and insuring but she hasn't done any of these, which with the first two I suspect is what has made him bitter and I also think his back could be causing him issues, as she said he has lumps on his back, I suggested getting chiro out then a saddler but nothing.
She is convinced that she will get her money back on him although he is pretty much not rideable at the moment. I think that she should give him the winter off to just chill and put on weight until the spring but she doesn't want to do this. I know it seems like I interfere a lot but I have let her get on with it, just trying to give hints along the way as I know myself the quirks and difficulties of owning an ex racer. So basically I am just asking for advice, what do you think she should do in this situation, I'm looking for you're suggestions to give to her as I think she is just lost as to what to do?
Thank you for getting this far!
Late August she said her dads 'friend' has a horse for sale, a 5 year old ex racer that had done sponsored rides,hunting etc.. Which is what she wanted to do. I explained her my views in ex racers, I have one myself, and that they are rewarding but can be difficult. She went to see him and all seemed well and he was good at the viewing. She decided to buy him without a vetting or second viewing.
So when she brought him home I went over for a visit and was shocked at how thin he was, but seemed nice enough temperament wise etc..
For the first few weeks all seemed to go really well, she hacked him out and got on well with him however the last week or so he has turned extremely sour, bucking when ridden and also reared in hand as well as being moody and bad to catch in the field. She is now just lunging him but is adamant she wants to sell him as he's not what she wanted, which is fair enough. I have tried to advise from the start that he needs food, worming and insuring but she hasn't done any of these, which with the first two I suspect is what has made him bitter and I also think his back could be causing him issues, as she said he has lumps on his back, I suggested getting chiro out then a saddler but nothing.
She is convinced that she will get her money back on him although he is pretty much not rideable at the moment. I think that she should give him the winter off to just chill and put on weight until the spring but she doesn't want to do this. I know it seems like I interfere a lot but I have let her get on with it, just trying to give hints along the way as I know myself the quirks and difficulties of owning an ex racer. So basically I am just asking for advice, what do you think she should do in this situation, I'm looking for you're suggestions to give to her as I think she is just lost as to what to do?
Thank you for getting this far!