Dressage Horses - Astrid Bolton???

[onemoretime]

Id keep well away if I was you. There are plenty of other people out there. What about DHI I think they are still selling although I know the husband there died which was very sad but I am sure they are still trading. Friend bought a horse from them and is very happy with him. Heard some not very good things about AB.

 

[GlamourDol]

I would get lots of xrays and scans done - they are expensive animals after all.

Spotted cat, funnily enough I was going to say the same!!

 

[Oscar]

I do not know the dealer nor have i had dealings with, but I'm quite wary of these imported youngsters, prices too good to be true etc, there is often a reason they are a certain price bracket! Some foreign breeders will offer a uk dealer a good price on a youngster that has had chips removed, or has failed a vetting with them etc. some are sold with a clean set of x-rays but they don't necessarily belong to the same horse!

 

[bugsysmum]

Hi everyone! OP I hope you don't mind me jumping into your thread, but I've also recently been in touch with AB in respect of looking for a horse. I was promised video and photos of some 4 yo's for sale and three weeks later haven't ever received them.
I'm having a nightmare trying to find a horse at the moment - I've tried Garry Williams and after two texts, two e-mails and a voicemail I eventually had a reply, after which I have had nothing. I've asked for more info about a horse for sale and haven't had anything back.
If anyone can recommend someone who sells dressage horses please PM me - I've tried a few more dressage horse 'dealers' and no-one seems to want to know! I haven't got a huge budget, (i.e. not hundreds of thousands) but it is by no means unrealistic for what I'm looking for, and I would have thought if someone came along wanting to buy, the sellers would be trying to sell, but it doesn't seem to be that way....
Good luck in your search OP!

 

[GlamourDol]

Bugsymum, are you restricted in the area you want to look in? Also what are you looking for?

 

[Bradders19]

Thanks for your comments.. I have been given some advice from someone who had two horses from said yard which both ended up un-rideable... here it is ...

"If you are still interested in this horse the only advice I can give you is.... I'm not sure if she still does this but she gave us a list of 5 vets we could use, I would insit on not using one of those vets and get advice of a good vet in the area from your vet, make sure every question has been asked vices etc and make sure someone knowladgable picks the horse up and check the reciept. And if you want to be extra careful I would recommend a full set of xrays on all 4 legs"

Hope this helps!

 

[bugsysmum]

Bugsymum, are you restricted in the area you want to look in? Also what are you looking for?

Hi GD - no I'm not restricted - I was due to go and look at one in Gloucester last week but got a call from seller the night before to say it was sold. (I'm in East of England). Have also been looking and getting in touch with people in Germany and Holland so I'm not worried about travelling! I'm after a gelding between 3 and 7 years old, 15.2hh to 16.3hh, temperament must be good and movement correct - and preferably dark bay or black! Do you know of anything?!
BM x

 

[Fuzzypuff]

I don't have experience buying horses from either, but have you tried the Assoulines, or Classic Dressage/Rebecca Hughes? Rebecca will source horses for clients I believe.

 

[Tiffany]

I know 3 people who have bought from her and horses have been exactly as described. I also know someone who went to try a horse & she advised them the horse was too much for their riding ability. Don't know her but understand she's very straight talking.

 

[noname]

Peter Damgaard, nr folkestone. Lots of quality young horses (danish), very green horses but good movers. Know lots of people who have good experiences.
If your using dealers then you will hear the odd story that's not worked out for even the most reputable of dealers!
Hope you find a lovely horse!

 

[GlamourDol]

Hi GD - no I'm not restricted - I was due to go and look at one in Gloucester last week but got a call from seller the night before to say it was sold. (I'm in East of England). Have also been looking and getting in touch with people in Germany and Holland so I'm not worried about travelling! I'm after a gelding between 3 and 7 years old, 15.2hh to 16.3hh, temperament must be good and movement correct - and preferably dark bay or black! Do you know of anything?!
BM x

Hi BM,

Have you spoken to Jo Graham at all? I believe someone mentioned her above with regards to the DHI horses.

A friend of mine is selling this one, but he is 9.

We looked at one with Andrew Gould a good few years ago, and were very impressed with the horse/him,just at the time she was a bit much for me.

Are you on facebook? Sounds crazy, but so many people put various horses they are selling on their pages too. Will PM you re one big yard!!

GD

 

[LMR]

never dealt with astrid bolton so can't help you with that but i bought a fab 4yo from Emma Williams at Littletree dressage. can highly recommend

 

[JandP]

Woodlander Stud! Honest and professional people with plenty of quality animals that they have raised themselves. Why anyone would want to look at foreign rejects in a dealers yard when there are superb dressage horses being bred in this country is beyond me.

 

[Andiamo]

Garry Williams - I had the same experience - rang, discussed with him what I wanted, he said "we have several suitable horses", and said his other half would ring me back - she never did. They also didn't respond to my emails. Must be nice to not need customers

DHI - no experience of them personallly, but if you look in horse results in BD, search for DHI, quite a few of them have done really well.

Woodcroft Stud - try them - they just got 2 new geldings in this week - German, high quality, both black, in the age and size range you are looking for. They go over, view many, select one or two, then bring them back for sale in the UK. They also breed their own. Woodcroft horses also have very good results in BD. I'm not sure of the price of these two new ones, you'd have to ring to ask. I've been on the lookout for one, and they emailed to let me know they have new stock. I've never been there, they do seem really professional and polite in all communications though. The new ones may not be on the website yet, they're fresh off the lorry.

Assoulines - maybe. Be careful.

Good luck.

 

[Ferdinase514]

Garry is very good if busy!

Moody's have a couple of smart young horses for sale at the moment

 

[Wisnette]

Stephen Thompson near Retford, Notts also usually has a few for sale. He currently has one of our 4yo's - fantastic moving KWPN gelding, though ginger so may not be what you are looking for. Not sure what else he has in at the moment but he usually has 2 or 3 that he's prepping for sale for people. He's definately worth a call...

 

[bugsysmum]

Hi again and thanks for all the replies. I've e-mailed Stephen Thompson this morning. Have already tried Woodcroft - not going back. Woodlander don't have anything within my budget, as per Classic Dressage and Andrew Gould. I've also been promised a DVD from Holme Grove but it hasn't arrived. I've been keeping an eye on DHI website too.
Having lost my horse of a lifetime last year, and now finally ready to get another one, it's very frustrating!!
Please do keep the ideas coming!
Thanks BM x

 

[BORODIN]

After reading this resurrected thread...
It seems it's very easy to post about negatives....
I have a youngster from astrid and have no problems whatsoever,
Found her straight talking and calls a spade a spade, maybe people sometimes chose not to listen??
I know lots of people with horses purchased from astrid... All happy and doing fantastically!

She must be doing something right after all this is the h and h forum, do you actually read the horse and hound, I'm not sure I've read one episode where a winner hasn't been purchased from her or a horse from her yard has won a big title..!

I notice the mention of Stephen Thompson
Did his 5th old that's just qualified for the nationals not come from astrid..?

So yes guys.... Do your homework!

 

[Andiamo]

Have already tried Woodcroft - not going back.

BugsysMumWhat happened at Woodcroft? Just curious to know whether it's one to steer clear of?

 

[bugsysmum]

After reading this resurrected thread...
It seems it's very easy to post about negatives....
I have a youngster from astrid and have no problems whatsoever,
Found her straight talking and calls a spade a spade, maybe people sometimes chose not to listen??
I know lots of people with horses purchased from astrid... All happy and doing fantastically!

She must be doing something right after all this is the h and h forum, do you actually read the horse and hound, I'm not sure I've read one episode where a winner hasn't been purchased from her or a horse from her yard has won a big title..!

I notice the mention of Stephen Thompson
Did his 5th old that's just qualified for the nationals not come from astrid..?

So yes guys.... Do your homework!

Hi Borodin
I'm not trying to be negative, as I just haven't had the contact / promised photos and videos of the horses for sale! I've called, texted and e-mailed on more than one occasion and haven't had a response. If Stephen Thompson calls me back I won't worry about where the horse has come from, it's the calling me back that's important to me at the moment!
BM

 

[spacefaer]

I bought a young horse (rising 4 yr old) from Astrid some time ago..... he had been broken a month at that time. He is now an established PSG horse, competing Inter 1 and training GP...... I can't fault him - he passed a full 5stage vetting when we bought him and again this spring, aged 12, when he went back to her to be sold.

She is straight talking which I'd rather have than polite flim flam and has always been brutally honest both when we bought the horse and when I was organising sending him back there.

 

[Amaretto]

Hi - I posted the comments about the list of vets five years ago, when I had limited knowledge of AB Sporthorses. All true, but in no way negative - it was the policy at the time, but not sure about now.

Since then I have met, watched, seen possibly hundreds of horses from her yard out on the dressage circuit mainly, who are doing amazingly. Also know quite a lot of people since I affiliated my horse at BD who have got horses from her and are thrilled to bits. My neighbour has a young horse from her who is going great guns in his first season eventing. An operation of such size will always have good and bad output, that's just horses and happens on every single dealer's yard in the country.

Borodin, I thought exactly the same about Stephen Thompson's horse!

Also, where do you think DHI and a lot of dressage yards source their horses for sale from? Mainly the continent! It does not necessarily mean that the horse is broken. Equally, most of the youngsters are bought as yearlings or two year olds, left to mature in the field, then backed as a 3/4 year old - isn't this usual behaviour for most of us? Why would you consider an untouched yearling as a 'reject'?