Feel a bit sick and angry

[Jazzy B]

I would be upset too! Some of the other guys are probably right and that in you need to take a step back but like someone else has said (sorry can't remember who and my computer won't let me type and look back) you need to go with your gut extinct on this one and if you really don't feel you have the want and or motivation and just want something to hack, then you are probably better off selling and finding yourself something else.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I agree that two year old tails aren't as full as 3 year olds, but I suspect hairy native cob types get much more tail earlier that everything else, so that's probably not too reliable.

To be honest, she does look quite young in those last two pics, but it's impossible to be certain. If you can't see any change in her centrals by May,(look at the gum line for any slight receeding, or the appearance of a small "neck" on the tooth) then she probably is just two this year.

If you can get a pic of her teeth up tomorrow, especially the gum line, some of us might be able to help!

Well I was asking vet about this, I was assuming the centrals must be due soon, and vet seemed to think they were no where near making an appearance, just so confused
Shame she cannot tell me!

 

[Sparkles]

To me, if she was one of ours, she'd be with the rising 2, or just 2 year olds. Going by the photos. Tail's not quite touching the ground, but almost there, still bum high, very short coupled in her back where she's not quite grown lengthways more yet, and not quite 'sprung out' anywhere, especially her shoulders, but still very chunky in build. Similar to my lad where he was around xmas/november time.

 

[Echo Bravo]

My questions are, Why did you buy a younster if you want to start riding? Why not just buy a schoolmaster or backed horse?

 

[Monkers]

It does sound then in all probability that she is two.
Don't be too hasty selling her. Just think of all the fun you can have working on the ground with her. You will have the time to spend teaching her some of life's most important lessons, it will make it so much easier to back her.
You can do a little long reining, lead her round some of your shorter hacks to get her used to the routes, get her used to tack, the list goes on and on.
Until recently I broke horses for a living and each one had to be done in as shorter time frame as possible. I used to wish I had a year for each one so I could really do it properly.
I do all the above with my own babies and they are a doddle to back.
Just think, you have this lovely clean slate to work with. Riding is only a small part of what you can achieve with your horse.

 

[ponypilotmum]

I can't advise on teeth as I checked one of mine and thought it appeared correct on the pasport (early 20's) but turns out - via a vet and EDT that he's into his mid 30's.

Anyway she's a pretty girl, and looks like she'll make a cracking pony for you. I would keep her regardless, because you'll bond so much more dong it all from the ground for now. You can show inhand, go for walks.

Can you beg and borrow rides from the yard? because selling her simply because you want to ride appears quite a hasty thing to do.

Give it a week or so, get a second opinion, and go from there.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

My questions are, Why did you buy a younster if you want to start riding? Why not just buy a schoolmaster or backed horse?

I thought I made it fairly clear that I thought she was a year older and hence I was happy to bring her on as I have been since she arrived. Backing her later in the year and then being able to ride more next year. Whereas she is a year behind these hopes. I said I missed riding, yes, and it has surprised me how much, and I was fine to wait the time I expected, not an extra year.
Thanks for the input, its of a real help now EB

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

It does sound then in all probability that she is two.
Don't be too hasty selling her. Just think of all the fun you can have working on the ground with her. You will have the time to spend teaching her some of life's most important lessons, it will make it so much easier to back her.
You can do a little long reining, lead her round some of your shorter hacks to get her used to the routes, get her used to tack, the list goes on and on.
Until recently I broke horses for a living and each one had to be done in as shorter time frame as possible. I used to wish I had a year for each one so I could really do it properly.
I do all the above with my own babies and they are a doddle to back.
Just think, you have this lovely clean slate to work with. Riding is only a small part of what you can achieve with your horse.

Well this is what I was after, a nice clean slate to bring on, it is the bonus, but she is a year behind what I wanted, I just dont know

I can't advise on teeth as I checked one of mine and thought it appeared correct on the pasport (early 20's) but turns out - via a vet and EDT that he's into his mid 30's.

Anyway she's a pretty girl, and looks like she'll make a cracking pony for you. I would keep her regardless, because you'll bond so much more dong it all from the ground for now. You can show inhand, go for walks.

Can you beg and borrow rides from the yard? because selling her simply because you want to ride appears quite a hasty thing to do.

Give it a week or so, get a second opinion, and go from there.

She is a lovely girl and will make a cracking mare, that is why I went for her, but it just seems like too long. I was led to believe she was a year older, which is not on at all, as it completely blows out my plans this year.

I can ride some one else's horse, that is why I thought that bringing her on now would be fine as next year would soon be here, but a year behind all this and I am feeling

Thanks for you responses and input for those trying to help and give advice on my situation, much appreciated

 

[Alyth]

One of the great qualities of a true horseman is patience. You are quibbling about a year here......if you are that upset about not riding, then sure, sell her and buy something older. But that seems such a shame when you liked her enough to buy her......there is far more involved in horse ownership than riding.....but it's your choice and decision.

 

[cronkmooar]

Have to agree with those that are saying a year will rush by.

I bought a foal what seems like about 5 minutes ago - he is now four and will be backed in the spring.

You also need to take into consideration that it could take a year to sell her and then you would be where you thought you were now.

I have been looking for a new horse to come on from my old boy for nearly 3 years - if this horse ticks all the boxes (and she must because you bought her!) do not be so quick to get rid - it might take you ages to find the same but a bit older - and you still wont be riding whilst you are looking!

Obviously this is a big disappointment to you - but there are lots of things you can do to fill the time:

Hack out for other people - there is always someone looking for help - in fact there are some out there that don't like hacking and will jump at the chance.

Do a bit of in hand showing this year - that will be educational and get you out doing something

Use the extra time to have some decent lessons (not being patronising here)

I do get your disappointment but I also think this is a bit of a storm in a tea cup and this time in a couple of years you will look back and wonder why you got so upset.

And on the flip side of things - I have a 25 yr old outside - I would do anything for him to be a year younger

Good luck with your decision making

 

[pip6]

Why not base your judgement by how she's doing in her body & mind? I have a rising 3 yr old who is very advanced for her age, with plenty of muscle even though she's never had grain or been worked other than being handled (probably due to the fact she lives on the side of a hill). She's ready now to be backed, even though she's not 3 until may. On the other hand I have a rising 4 yr old who's needed that extra year & is only ready to be backed this year. You have to take them as they are, not base your decision on paper ages. There's plenty of work to do before you get on her back. Why not start to long rein? You can then go for hacks, but you'll just be behind her rather than on top. It's good to hear you sounding more positive. Remember plans are bad (as they encourage things to go 'wrong'), go with hopes & aspirations. You'll have plenty to do this year, she's a lovely girl & it just gives you some more time to make sure all the ground work is up to scratch before you hop on board.

 

[NeverSayNever]

Actually, aging by the teeth is rather hit and miss. I used to run a stud farm and so knew all the horses ages exactly - you'd be amazed at how far out a lot of the teeth were (yes, by as much as a year in some cases). You'd also be amazed at how many vets couldn't age a horse for toffee.

true - but I believe in a baby under 4 it is really very obvious, unless a full compliment of baby teeth is mistaken for a full compliment of adult teeth.

 

[goodtimes]

Buying horses is always a gamble - and if we are honest - how many of our horses have turned out to be exactly what the previous owners said they were? My current horse is nothing like 'it said on the tin!'

You could sell her and get another that has a vice, sweetitch, bargy - anything - not all sellers are honest.

You know what this little mare is like now - ok so she is not the age you thought, but it could be worse!

Good luck in what ever you decide to do

 

[Jesstickle]

teeth can be very misleading. Nits has only just lost one of her central caps and she is most definitely 4 in April. And she very much looked like a 2yo last year despite me knowing she wasn't and despite her being an 'early maturing' TB

a year really will go very quickly. I can't believe Nits is 4 already. I bought her rising 2 and thought I had loads of time to sort BH out before I needed to ride her! It's gone so quickly I'm stood here looking at two to exercise everyday and I don't really know how I'm going to manage it !

 

[Spudlet]

The way I see it, you're looking at a partnership that could last 20 years or more here. What's an extra year when you think of it like that?

It might be worth sticking ads up at the vets, tack shops etc for a horse you can exercise while she's growing up, perhaps? Keep your hand in that way.

 

[indie999]

I know diddly squat about youngsters but this is a joke about the passport system. I often wonder how many horses are still not passported. I got old boy and another old horse passported and they were registered age unknown(one is dead) The dead pony the previous owner contacted me to trace him and I had sold him healthy lad to a nice home only to find out he had been PTS!! Despite a vetting when I sold him he became ill a couple of years later and it was decided he was hell of a lot older! I obviously passed him to the new owner at age we believed he was but obviously was hell off a lot older and also the poor child was devastated at losing their beloved pony.

So I had to contact his original owner to let them know he had been PTS and I reckon she damn well knew she sold him off as an oldie, as she pestered me to track him down,....so passports complete waste of time in some cases. This probably isnt the passport systems fault as it was when they were first established(I obviously had a porker owner..yawn yawn again). Shame the passport agency cant fine liars for inaccurate information.

I feel really sorry for you and sorrier for the poor equine as well. What a shame!! Makes me mad to read this.

 

[Spudlet]

Also, you could think of it as her being a year younger means that's a year less of someone else's training to undo.

 

[WandaMare]

As others have said though, better a year younger than a year older. Its must be a bit disappointing for you but it really isn't the end of the world, she's a lovely horse and is surely worth waiting for? Over a horse's lifetime there are plenty of reasons why they might be out of work, so no riding, I think its just part of ownership. Even if she was 3 this year there would still be quite a few limitations on riding for the next couple of years.

I would leave it a few days, try not to dwell on the negatives about it all but just enjoy her and think of all the things you can do this year. By the time you've tried to sell her, looked for a new one, dealt with all their problems that you discover once you've bought them you could be back to square one anyway! Horse ownership never seems to stick exactly to plan, not for me anyway!

I would just put it down to experience, put a training plan together for her and find a horse you can ride this year.

 

[Black_Horse_White]

I'm sorry she's not what you wanted, but she will be you have an extra year to bond with her. And it also gives you a chance to bombproof her so that she will be safe as you only want to hack. That extra year that you have is precious. I'd have given anything for one more year with Taz. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[mturnbull]

I really feel for you in this situation but i dont believe selling is the answer. I have not long bought a filly who is now 8 months old and with her being a warmblood and me wanting to event i am looking at taking her education slowly and it will be almost 3 years before i sit on her. However i plan to do in hand showing through the summer season, how about doing some local shows? I also plan to long rein her when shes a little older to get her confidence, although not quite how you wanted to see the countryside you could go out on long rein hacks! You also mentiones you were at a livery yard and on my livery i ride a couple times a week on different peoples horses so this could be an option at least for a wee while? I hope you find a solution that your happy with

 

[Wagtail]

Jeeze OP! You are only talking about a year! I have just had both my horses out of action through injury and KS for almost two years. It goes in a flash, it really does. What I am saying is that if your horse is healthy and everything else you would like in a horse then why sell just because you want to ride. How unfair to pass on such a young animal so soon after she has settled with you. Sorry, but your post comes over as a bit selfish and unthinking about the horse.

 

[Amaranta]

Jeeze OP! You are only talking about a year! I have just had both my horses out of action through injury and KS for almost two years. It goes in a flash, it really does. What I am saying is that if your horse is healthy and everything else you would like in a horse then why sell just because you want to ride. How unfair to pass on such a young animal so soon after she has settled with you. Sorry, but your post comes over as a bit selfish and unthinking about the horse.

Have to say that I agree with this, I feel for the filly tbh

 

[TarrSteps]

Re ageing from teeth, as a couple people have mentioned it's a very inexact science. And an immature mouth does often go with generally immature development so I don't think it's necessarily fair to assume the sellers were intentionally misleading (or misleading at all). In North America TBs are tattooed with a number that identifies their year of birth and even with that, you get 2/3/4/5 year olds whose teeth don't match their recorded age, sometimes by six months or more which, at this time of the year, makes the difference between an early foal and last years late foal.

Re keeping or selling the horse, that's your choice. But I shouldn't assume you've been ripped off and add to your upset. Re the riding, you wouldn't realistically be doing much riding on an immature 3 year old, though, as it's the horse's development as much as the age which dictates the pace of progress.

Btw, mistakes get made, too. Murphy Himself was famously a year younger than thought when he was registered to event. It got corrected later so someone knew the details but it didn't make much difference by then.

 

[somethingorother]

The way I see it, you're looking at a partnership that could last 20 years or more here. What's an extra year when you think of it like that?

It might be worth sticking ads up at the vets, tack shops etc for a horse you can exercise while she's growing up, perhaps? Keep your hand in that way.

This is nicely put If i ever manage to earn enough to buy, i won't want anything older than 2. Then you can be their 'person' from near the start, until the end, have time to build a trust in each other and do all that exciting prep work for backing. There's so much you can do with a youngster and it's exciting to see them coming along, learning new things and growing up In fact, i was missing riding after my last loan horse, then took on the backing of 2 fillies (for experience) and i forgot about riding, i was too busy long reining out and about and laughing at their reactions to the big wide world. And when it came to that first sit, and it went smoothly... well knowing that's because of you is the best feeling ever I can only imagine how much better it is, when you actually own the horse

I hope whatever decision you make is the right one for you BOTH. Because there is a young sweet horse involved in this decision, who you bought not too long ago and now owe it to her to find her a nice home where she will not be passed about again. Either be it with yourself, or if you sell her on. Also, i think you mentioned what you paid previously in other posts, and i think you will struggle to get that back with an unbroken rising 2 year old.

...(ETS) but if she becomes a well handled and loved 4 year old who is backed and a safe bombproof hack (thanks to that extra year of preperation) she will be worth her weight in gold

 

[touchstone]

I'm another who'd keep her, a year is really nothing in the scheme of horse ownership, and as already said it gives you extra bonding time and you can get groundwork well underway.

There are probably hundreds of horse owners out there who will never get to ride their beloved horse again through age or illness and many who need to give their horses time off for recovery, so you won't be alone and it isn't as if you can't do anything with her.

I'd keep her and beg or borrow a ride for now if it is so important to you. It will pay dividends in the long run.

 

[ponypilotmum]

Jeeze OP! You are only talking about a year! I have just had both my horses out of action through injury and KS for almost two years. It goes in a flash, it really does. What I am saying is that if your horse is healthy and everything else you would like in a horse then why sell just because you want to ride. How unfair to pass on such a young animal so soon after she has settled with you. Sorry, but your post comes over as a bit selfish and unthinking about the horse.

This is what I wanted to say, but didn't have the guts

OP: most people would give their right arm for a horse with such a sweet nature at such a young age.

 

[varkie]

I also think she is probably rising two, from the look of her. But even if she were rising three, I'd not consider her suitable for backing anytime soon - she does look very immature.

Sell her or don't, your choice.

I think it was a good suggestion someone else made, to keep her, and perhaps see if someone else might have a horse you could exercise a couple of times a week.

And if you did keep her, there is lots you could do with her - inhand walking, long lining (once she is comfortably two!), horse agility, inhand showing, etc. You could still have an awful lot of fun with her without sitting on her.

 

[Chestnutmare]

MM - I am really sorry she has not turned out to be the age you thought she was, but to be honest I know its not great when you don't have a horse to ride, but you now have the makings of a wonderful hack that you wanted, you can mould her into what you want with her being so young still.

She is an adorbale looking filly too she would turn out to be a crackin lil mare for you to have fun on, I would seriously re-consider the selling her bit a year will honestly fly by without you, if she was 3 you still wouldn't have been doing too much anyway, just playing with her really, so why can't you start doing little things with her now, in hand shows would be great for her get her confidence up, take her out for little walks with an older quite horse too... be the start of something brilliant I reckon, the bond you will build with her would be amazeballs too She would be everything YOU made her out to be and what an acheivement to have.

If you are serious about selling then please do make sure (as im sure you would) she goes to a fantastic new home as she looks just such a sweetie, shame she's not quite the height alawise I would be tempted.

Have a real sit down and think about it for a few days or couple weeks I really think she would be great for you another year is nothing really when you look at it.

Good luck though with what ever you deceide but don't be too rushed.

 

[smellsofhorse]

Not read the 9 pages bit did she have a passport with date of birth?
I know these can be faked but you could go back to seller and demand a refund as falsely sold as older.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

Jeeze OP! You are only talking about a year! I have just had both my horses out of action through injury and KS for almost two years. It goes in a flash, it really does. What I am saying is that if your horse is healthy and everything else you would like in a horse then why sell just because you want to ride. How unfair to pass on such a young animal so soon after she has settled with you. Sorry, but your post comes over as a bit selfish and unthinking about the horse.

Well excuse me wagtail you obviously no nothing about me at all.
My mare was out of action for a good year at one point due to pedal bone rotation so do not treat me like a complete fool or selfish! You have no idea about my life with horses so please refrain from pointing your finger. Point is, I do not feel she is for me, I wanted somthing at 3yrs at the youngest, it was one of my few criteria, and I was 'sold' a 3yr old who is only in fact rising 2! It is too young for what I want, by a year yes. If I decide to keep her then so be it, but your post is out of order