Do I go back for a second viewing?

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hph

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I tried a horse out this morning (6yo ISH) and fell off in a trot to canter transition when he surged forwards and sideways as I applied the canter aid. We were in the school and I wasn't injured.
The seller (a dealer) said my aids were not subtle enough and that I had surprised him. She said that he's never done anything like that before and is a very placid, kind, easy-going horse who's not sharp or nervy.
I got back on straight away and walked and trotted. As I tried for canter again (more subtley, I hoped) I thought he was going to do the same so I pulled him up and called it a day at that point.
The other lady got back on (she'd also ridden him before I did) and he was fine.
Am I reckless/foolhardy/naive to still be considering him? I know that my canter needs work (as do my transitions and many many other things), I will be having regular lessons and we were getting on well in walk and trot.
I'm somewhat of a novice (I had a horse as a teenager, then lived in central London for many years and am back in the country now, been sharing a sluggish-in-the-school 17 yo TB x for the last six months) but prepared to put the work in. I suffer from nerves when I don't know the horse, but am working through them and don't want to buy a horse which I'll be bored with in a few months' time (which is what happened with the horse I had when I was younger and the one I shared).
My plan is to focus on dressage (yes, I'll definitely need to learn subtlety), possibly drag hunting, sponsored rides, maybe side saddle, happy hacking etc.
I've been looking for something to buy for about three months now and this one is the best so far. I know it takes time to find The One and I hope this one could still be it despite today's events.
I have a limited budget, don't want to travel too far and don't want anything older than 10.
There is lots of other interest in him and the dealer has two second viewings with other people lined up for later this week.
There are no share options in my area which will work for me at the moment, I don't want to loan for various reasons and I strongly feel that I just need to get on with it and that I'll only conquer my nerves and really start to improve when I have my own horse.
I'd love to hear people's thoughts before arranging to go back with my teacher for a second viewing. I'll have to pay my teacher for her time and it's quite a long drive away, so I want to gauge opinion before arranging this.
 
I would be rather cautious about buying a green young horse from a dealer, the horse over reacted to your aids which suggests to me it is a bit nervy and or sharp, probably lacking in experience generally and may get worried by someone giving mixed signals, you fell off when it went forward and sideways unexpectedly which to me means you are not ready to bring on a young horse with all the challenges they are likely to throw at you.
My view on buying the right horse is that in an ideal world you would get on and feel fairly confident, even accounting for nerves, to actually enjoy riding it in all paces and almost want to stay on all day, I do understand the feeling of not wanting to canter after the fall but if I was advising you as a client I would say walk away, not just because you fell off but because I think you really need a more established horse that you can enjoy, this one sounds too green for you to be able to hack out safely.
There are nice horses out there and I think you are missing out by excluding an older schoolmaster that can bring your riding on, older does not have to be slow or boring, horses in their teens still compete at the highest levels, with a limited budget you would probably get better value looking at horses around 12-14 rather than trying to find a younger one that has not done much and may prove greener than expected once you get it home.
 
Thank you so much for all your thoughtful answers. And apologies for my essay.
It's so frustrating and depressing being a bit novice AND nervous.
I know it's probably illogical, but I really want something as young as is possible for me so we can spend years and years together and develop as a team side by side.
 
this sounds harsher than i mean, but you need to get over yourself getting 'bored' with a horse. i've seen people with horses 90% of people would consider boring, but they have them pushed to their peak and excelling in all areas. There's a lot to be said for pushing a horse to its limits and turning it into way more than it seems. I guarantee you if a pro rider sat up on your loan horse they would have it doing stuff you would't imagine. So there's a lot to be said for being humble and working your arse off on a horse.

that theory of developing with a young horse works out in horror for 99% of people. It's usually complete bull*****. it's not fair to try and teach a horse something if you don't fully understand it and do it properly yourself. it ends up with a confused and frustrated horse.

you can develop as a team with a more experienced horse who can show you the ropes and help you out in times when you might struggle. In return you can teach it stuff it mightn't have done, and it will be mature and intelligent enough to learn without tantrums or bad behaviour.

so many riders (and i've done it to) try and pick a horse thats too much for them - the horse that suits you for the rider you are now is the one to go for. 100% walk away from this horse. Its like trying a dress opn in a shop - you know the one thats the perfect fit as you know you would walk out of the changing room immediately and be confident it fits you and you look great in it. horses are the same!
 
hph said:
That is a VERY sensible response, paddi22. Thank you!
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Agree, also being happy and comfortable on a sensible experienced horse is much better than being a little scared on something "with potential". You will have a lot more fun with the former. I would also be a little suspicious when a dealer says " he hasn't done that before"
Also its very easy to rev up a steady sort, (more food, jumping and some sharp rides) but much harder to calm down a lively one. Large natives can be fun - lots of common sense and ability too. Good luck.
 
If you describe yourself as novice and nervous I think you are wasting your time viewing a 6yo. The overwhelming type of story you hear is of people who have over horses themselves and are scared stiff rather than people who are bored of their horses. You are much better off getting a sensible, confidence giver and I bet you that you'll have loads of fun. If I were you I'd rethink the age limit and keep in mind that this a very bad time of the year to buy, best to wait till spring.
 
Agreed with all of the above, but also that a horse is likely to be more of a handful when you put them in a strange environment at home than in a controlled environment at the dealer's. Re: getting bored: it's far easier to whizz up something safe and sane (if so required), than it is to calm down something OTT, especially when you suffer from nerves yourself. I don't think the ISH sounds like a promising option.

It'll be worth it when you find the right one :)
 
My initial thought is that isn't the reaction of a horse that isn't sharp so I'd take everything the dealer says with a pinch of salt.

As others have said, getting a young, green horse when you're a nervous novice is generally a bad idea. There will always be exceptions to the rule, but confidence is easy to loose and hard to regain and in your shoes I'd be looking at something around the 10 - 15yo mark that's been there and done that.
 
Again, thank you everyone.
The horse my parents bought me as a teenager was six when we got him and good as gold. Maybe we were lucky.
I'm finding that I'm getting more and more nervous as I go to see more horses and riding in a less 'normal' way each time (I've seen about six now).
Any advice? Is this normal? I think I'm winding myself up by repeatedly telling myself how nervous I am. It can only be detrimental to both me and the horse.
 
The right horse shouldn't react to your nerves.

Do you have an instructor? Could you perhaps work with them to plan a routine to put each horse through its paces so you're feeling more prepared when you view the next horse?
 
hph said:
Again, thank you everyone.
The horse my parents bought me as a teenager was six when we got him and good as gold. Maybe we were lucky.
I'm finding that I'm getting more and more nervous as I go to see more horses and riding in a less 'normal' way each time (I've seen about six now).
Any advice? Is this normal? I think I'm winding myself up by repeatedly telling myself how nervous I am. It can only be detrimental to both me and the horse.
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You were probably a confident teenager who expected nothing could go wrong, the horse was probably broken at 3, carefully brought on and had plenty of miles on the clock, the 6 year old you have just tried has more than likely not long been brought over from Ireland may not have been backed very long and is being produced to sell quickly with no time to put miles on his clock.

You are now older, wiser and more cautious, that is causing you to be nervous riding strange horses, each time you try one that is less than ideal it will unnerve you even more and your confidence will plummet, totally normal and unfortunately it can get worse until you find the horse to give you the confidence you need.
I would suggest you are very careful about the next horse you go and try, really quiz the seller about what it has done, don't go to a dealer who will tell you they are all perfect and have never done anything wrong, ever!!! all horses have the odd moment even the boring plod can spook, once you have found something to go and see find someone you trust to go with you and see them ride after the owner before you get on, if they don't think you will be suited don't even get on.

When you do ride one really spend time walking, slop around a bit on a long rein see if it feels relaxed, do you feel relaxed? if not it is not going to be for you so don't push on to do more if it doesn't feel right, don't try too hard to ride perfectly, you are judging the horse the sellers should not be judging you, if you are very self conscious it will do you no favours and your riding will not be at its best anyway.
My test is to see if I can trot on a loose rein before I try canter, the same in canter if I feel I cannot leave the reins fairly long it will not suit a nervous rider, when selling something to less experienced riders or as a confidence giver I always show a canter on a loose rein doing a downward transition to walk and halt usually with just one hand on the rein, if I can do that confidently I know the horse is pretty sensible and unlikely to take advantage of a wobbly moment.
 
No and I feel I need to point out that you can get years and years out of a slightly older one too. I might my lad as an experienced chap of 12, he is now 21 and will be hunting on Wednesday and dressaging on Sunday... ;)

Do you ride a range of different horses normally? Do you have anyone experienced you could take with you, they could perhaps ride first and gauge how sharp etc the horse is if they have a good idea of how you ride. Keep faith, Mum and I viewed a lot of horses before finding Frank - and someone else had bought him first and I liked him when I first saw him, then they didn't click so I jumped in there ;) :D

are you set on type? you don't need an ISH to do what you want particularly (mine is a welsh cob!)
 
Be positive, that is such fabulous advice - thank you!
Actually no, I wasn't a confident teenager at all. And my gorgeous horse, Ted, was completely green, but just the kindest, easiest person in the world, albeit a lazy so and so despite his hunting background.
I can't wait to get back to that stage (when I know a horse well) where I laugh off spooks instead of thinking I'm going to be bolted with and die!
Do I have to canter the horse at all until I get it home if my teacher rides it and is ok with it (I know, I know, this is ridiculous, but would really take the pressure off)?
What would you say is the minimum number of times I should see the horse if I'm only going when I can take someone with me (who I'm having to pay, if I'm going to get the most impartial advice)?
Sadly my horsey friends who would give their time for free don't have a shred of fear and so can't really understand what it's like to be nervous.
 
Is your instructor going with you to view the horses? Their opinion would be good.

You are highly unlikely to be bored with a horse that you feel safe on. You are simply likely to be able to go out and enjoy yourself. If you have a nervous start you are likely to have a situation that gets worse and worse.
 
Good luck in finding the right horse, there will be one out there for you. I 'm not the most confident rider but have bought several horses over the years. I will go to see a horse on my own first, always get the owner to ride it first and then ride myself. If I think it's a possibility, I take my trainer with me with a view to putting a bit of pressure on the horse to see how it reacts. It's easy to feel safe on a horse that is a bit lazy but once you've got to know it you will want a bit more from it and some horses are fine if you don't ask anything of them but can become quite difficult if you do. This horse doesn't sound suitable for you and frankly if you are a bit nervous, I wouldn't take on a 6 year old. An older horse is a much better bet, but don't get saddled with something that is bone idle, although you don't want something sharp it's a real pain to have a lazy horse.
 
I always follow my gut, and that fact that you have asked for advice means that you are unsure. I would not pursue this one, the fact that several people are alleged to have tried him/her means that the horse may have been unsettled. it is likely to be sharper away from the dealer's yard. i bought a very laid back five year old and five years later he is a superstar so don't be put off a horse because it is sensible, they are hard to find and worth their weight in gold. Keep looking and try to be realistic about what can be achieved, look for big movement and a sensible temperament, they do exist , and the horse should be able to do anything you want in the future.
 
Everyone feels nervous when viewing horses, it's normal, and for you it's even an advantage because you need a horse that won't pick up on your nerves. If the horse reacts to your nerves at the viewing it's probably not the right animal for you.

I think you must canter and jump the horse at the viewing and if possible take it for a little hack, especially past traffic. If you are becoming so nervous you are concerned about cantering let up on the horse search and go back to having more lessons to rebuild your confidence. Finding the right horse is really tough but if you don't try it as fully as possible at the viewing you have even less of a chance of getting it right.
 
I wouldn't ..when I was looking I tried lots of horses and some just reacted oddly when I got on - in dealers yards on the whole...the one I bought behaved beautifully from the moment I got on. Keep looking...
 
I agree with the other responses on here. I think you should look for a quiet, older horse who is not going to get upset from mixed signals from you. Something that gives you confidence and is quiet and safe will owe you nothing, no matter how long you have the horse for. You can always sharpen a quiet horse up with work, fitness and feed if you find that he is a bit sluggish further down the line. Do not over horse yourself - it will end in tears.
 
There is some very good advice from everyone op, another thing I also wanted to say is most of the riders that work at dealers are very good riders, they are used to riding young green horses and are riding many different ones everyday, they can make a green horse look much more advanced than it is and find it easy,whereas many of us normal horse owners would struggle, my advice would be take a very good rider or instructor with you and get them to ride the horse as well, a friend of mine bought a very expensive horse from a dealer thinking she could go straight out on and compete, only to get him home and struggle to do some basic schooling, her instructor after riding him herself thinks the horse has only just been backed and just lacks the work they claim he has had.
 
Good advice, Pinkvboots - thank you. Don't worry, I would never buy anything without input from my instructor and a five stage vetting.
It's just maddening that my nerves are making me a different, less accomplished rider from the one I'll be when I'm settled in with the horse I know.
 
hph said:
Thank you so much for all your thoughtful answers. And apologies for my essay.
It's so frustrating and depressing being a bit novice AND nervous.
I know it's probably illogical, but I really want something as young as is possible for me so we can spend years and years together and develop as a team side by side.
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You will always oullive your animals, and with horses in particular, their working [ridden] lifespan can be curtailed by unsoundness.
A novice rider cannot teach a novice horse very much, exceptions occur, but horses do not look at life in the same way as riders. I have only had a few horses who I can relate to as in "having a relationship" and I have ridden 100's, maybe thousands. To me, it is better to get a suitable horse, and for it to be the first of a series. Things change in your life, you cannot guarantee anything.
I really think you might be better to loan / part loan at this stage.
 
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hph said:
Good advice, Pinkvboots - thank you. Don't worry, I would never buy anything without input from my instructor and a five stage vetting.
It's just maddening that my nerves are making me a different, less accomplished rider from the one I'll be when I'm settled in with the horse I know.
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Yes but the thing is a rider needs both confidence and ability, for most people this means riding lessons on lots of horse until you understand that the horse needs to be ridden, he needs to improve continually, and the rider is not his passenger but his mentor.
You probably need a schoolmaster type horse with a willing temperament, young horses need to be confident in their work, put a novice rider on, and things can go down hill very rapidly.
You fell off for no real reason, you have a long way to go.
 
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