Feel like giving up more than ever

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the owner was right and the horse found the whole process of being tried out overwhelming. At age 5 mine certainly wouldn't have coped with an unfamiliar rider hacking her and then taking her for a canter, or with multiple riders one after the other. I suspect the owner now realises that the horse needs to get comfortable being ridden by different people before being sold to or tried by anyone else.
 
I would not get a young horse if you want to compete straight away, and because you now know you don’t want to sit the silliness that comes with young horses. I would aim for age 6+.

On the cob debate - I have a cob x trotter who was mind blowingly inexpensive because she is full of absolutely endless energy. She’d need fully clipping at any time of year but would do endurance with enthusiasm and still be raring to go at the finish line!
 
Buy a horse that ticks that boxes when you view rather than having potential to be the right horse for you and your daughter. Just because potential takes so long.

As a family we have done lots of endurance and I competed on an irish cob. They take longer to fitten but are awesome. We have owned arabs too and my cob had to baby the young arab around his first rides. New forest ponies, connemaras etc are all great endurance ponies too.

Don't get caught up in a specific breed but go looking for a horse that suits you both. The main thing is that the horse is sound, has good confirmation and is comfortable to ride. I have seen all sorts of horses doing so well. Endurance is wonderful, it cements horse and rider partnerships with long hours in the saddle and you don't need a specific breed just a horse that you love.

Good luck and I hope your bruises heal quickly.
 
Kirstd33 said:
So this is a totally despondent post and apologies for that but after some tremendous highs over the past few week, namely riding a friends pony in my first 32km endurance ride and coming 2nd with a fabulous ride at an average pace of 13kph and then taking the same pony round a fabulous 27km pleasure ride last weekend, its all come crashing down with an awful 2nd viewing on a horse yesterday.
In a nutshell I went to see an Horse last week on my own and had a fabulous first viewing, ticked 90% of the boxes on paper for the mother - teen daughter share we’ve been looking for and the first viewing went well. I took the horse for a short hack with the owner and then into a large field where I W, T and did a short canter up a fence line all without incident. Horse was very nice natured, good to handle, etc SO…. Went back optimistically yesterday this time with my daughter and thr good experienced friend (whose horse I rode at the endurance and who rents us grazing where horse is to be kept. )
Daughter rode horse first, again short hack without incident, big smiles and then took horse in the field, horse was initially a tad nappy but owner advised her to ride more positively (she’s a quiet gentle rider) so off she trotted, she asked for a short canter, whereupon horse proceeded to shoot forward and then dropped a shoulder and deposited her on the grass. To her credit she jumped back on and walked round some more. I then was persuaded to get on and the horse did exactly the same with me, I gently asked for canter, had 6-7 nice strides and then it shot forward towards a stock fence, swerved and I too went over his shoulder and splatted quite badly. Owner was shocked jumped on for a few mins but rather tellingly didn’t attempt canter as felt that the horse was rather overwhelmed (which it may well have been tbh) we untacked him, him took him back to the stable, washed him and said that we would think about it and left.
I must have hit my head quite badly as have had headache and nausea all night and very sore this morning as it’s the first time in a couple of years since I’ve come off, daughter has fared a bit better with youth on her side. Feel embarrassed, more like novices than ever, despite recent achievements and that owning another horse (our coblet is retired) is just not going to happen for us at all. Friend still really likes the horse and thinks we shouldn’t discount it as it’s only 5 and homebred and only been ridden by the owner and a couple of people but I’m not sure.
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hiya, i was just wondering if there was any chance you could fill out my survey for improving research into concussion in eq sports https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/kmRKLvUF4z
 
My horse did this with me - turns out he had issues never picked up at a vetting so we never push him out of his comfort zone. He was supposed to event but my vet said because of his condition she didn't think he should be jumped. Turns out he also has a buck as well which he didn't do when I tried him out - it's very occasional but it's there. I'm in my 60's and don't want to fall off now so personally I wouldn't be taking the horse you saw any further. My horse is brilliant as a happy hacker as is good with all traffic including tractors and lorries, fine with motorbikes and push bikes, doesn't mind pigs,cows, sheep, alpaca's. Doesn't get silly if there are other horses ahead of him and will be turned out or stay in the stable on his own. But I miss competing.
 
Pebble101 said:
My horse did this with me - turns out he had issues never picked up at a vetting so we never push him out of his comfort zone. He was supposed to event but my vet said because of his condition she didn't think he should be jumped. Turns out he also has a buck as well which he didn't do when I tried him out - it's very occasional but it's there. I'm in my 60's and don't want to fall off now so personally I wouldn't be taking the horse you saw any further. My horse is brilliant as a happy hacker as is good with all traffic including tractors and lorries, fine with motorbikes and push bikes, doesn't mind pigs,cows, sheep, alpaca's. Doesn't get silly if there are other horses ahead of him and will be turned out or stay in the stable on his own. But I miss competing.
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We didn't proceed with that one no, although I follow his owner on FB and he recently sold and I did feel a small pang of regret as I do think his misdemeanor was from a place of nervousness and inexperience and he will be a horse of a lifetime and endurance machine for his new owner. We bought an ex-harness racing standardbred in November who we are hacking out lots and getting to know, he is proving lovely and challenging also as he's a pacer. But so far is proving very safe and loving. Our main issue was what we wanted/needed a a mother-daughter share was beyond our budget.
 
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Kirstd33 said:
We didn't proceed with that one no, although I follow his owner on FB and he recently sold and I did feel a small pang of regret as I do think his misdemeanor was from a place of nervousness and inexperience and he will be a horse of a lifetime and endurance machine for his new owner. We bought an ex-harness racing standardbred in November who we are hacking out lots and getting to know, he is proving lovely and challenging also as he's a pacer. But so far is proving very safe and loving. Our main issue was what we wanted/needed a a mother-daughter share was beyond our budget.
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Oops, I didn't realise this was an old thread, but good to get an update.
 
I don’t think you should make excuses for the horses behaviour. The woman selling it knows it needs to be able to be ridden by others as well as her or otherwise no one will be able to try. Trying new horses is hard enough without having your nerves shattered. Please get yourself checked out.
 
Hope you are both recovered , but as its left you with what sounds like concussion , please consider getting a new hat in case it has been damaged in the fall
 
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