Found a lovely sounding horse...

CastleMouse

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 August 2005
Messages
19,169
Location
Ireland
Visit site
in the Goresbridge sales catalogue, all opinions appreciated, but he sounds exactly like what I'm looking for!
smile.gif

Dapple grey gelding, 5 years old, 15.2hh, Broken and riding. competed at training shows, good temperment. quiet to shoe, box, clip, ride, and in traffic. Hunted with the Longford harriers for one season. Nice step. Should make a lovely junior eventer. quiet in every way, no vices.
What do you think??
smile.gif
 
Sounds good, make sure you take a knowledgeable friend along with you, And remember you can never be quite sure what you are going to end up with from the sales, trial fracilities arent always the best (when they are available) Having said that you may end up with a super star, its a gamble you have to be willing to take!!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Are you selling Castle? Sorry if I have missed a really obvious post somewhere!

[/ QUOTE ]
No, of course I'm not! Couldn't bare to sell him. He's probably going to go out on loan to a nice showjumping/hunting home
smile.gif
And I'm getting a horse to do Junior Eventing on
smile.gif
(Starting at Junior C level of course!
smile.gif
)
 
IMHO Get older. A five year old is soo young and vunverble *sp*. With youngsters you either need to get them young and back them your self or go for about 7 years when they will be going and will be more to tell if done correctly. Do you really want to do the long hual not reaching your riding abilty because he needs to learn to do this and that, learn to compete etc. I seen to many people do badly with youngsters galloping, over jumping etc and of course the horse does it all in but never learns. Hang in there a buy from a nice priv seller.
 
That's what I like about Goresbridge, all horses have to be described correctly (i.e if they say their quiet and they end up being nutcases I am allowed a full refund and give the horse back), and all horses are vetted prior to the auctions
smile.gif
 
Just remember that you have limited years to get to where you want to be on the Junior circuit and a 5 year old will need nurturing, so you may be waving your peers goodbye if they are mounted on older, better schooled horses
smile.gif
Also youngsters have a knack of being fabby for a while and then jumping themselves back 15 paces etc, so make sure in your own head that you are in no hurry to achieve anything

Good luck
 
I think it depends on a number of things.
The horse sounds ok, but how experienced are you?
There is quite a big jump from what you have now in your signature to a 15.2hh five year old. Not in height, but in the mentality of a young horse and what it will need from a rider.
Do you have regular lessons? Can you truly say you are a confident capable rider?
I'm not being negative at all, but you have to appreciate that the above horse will need training for a considerable time, our four year old has been worked on consistently since last October and that's with supervision, training and a rider who has ridden dozens of youngsters fom day one of backing them. On Thursday we are taking her for a first jumping session, despite being experienced we want her to start with a BSJA coach advising us, as mistakes can't be got rid of..
I would advise getting an older horse to be honest, something around 7 or 8 that can help you too.
We made mistakes with some of our horses, Jonty for instance was the next step up for SR after a 15 hh welsh cob.. She treated her exactly the same ie galloping through the woods, generally having fun, when really she should have been schooling and hacking what turned out to be a hot headed TB...we had to go back to basic schooling and hacking her alone, and it's taken 18 months to calm her brain down again!
I don't want you to think I'm being a pessimist, but there are massive pitfalls with someone young buying a young horse.. You need help and someone very experienced to advise when things go wrong (and they do)
Our Layla came from Goresbridge, if you see any by Baron de Chantepie check them out, she has a calm willing temperament.(and despite popping over 4' off at the sale she hadn't a clue when it came to how to jump..those jockeys are very skilled at showing horses off!)
 
my sisters mare's dam sire is baron de chantepie and has the most wonderful temperament, she always wants to please and finds jumping effortless.

If you want to do junior eventing I would recommend getting something that has a competition record of some sort, and get a youngster when your older when your not pressurised by wanting to reach a cetain level before you reach a certain age.

i got honey as a 3 1/2 year old from Ireland and we spent the first summer schooling her and didn't start competing her till she was almost 5. I was only about 13 or 14 at the time.
 
he sounds lovely and a very nice horse however i don't want to rain on your parade but i really think an older horse would be a bit better. my first horse when i moved off ponies was a young one and it was the biggest mistake i ever made. looking back i learnt soo much that long term it wasn't a mistake in that it helped make me the jockey i am...but there was a hell of alot of blood sweat and tears and there were much more bad times than good...and this was with alot of help!! the last thing you want is a youngster that is too green and you both end up losing your confidence. if you do go for something this young and green you will need someone there helping you constantly...every day to start off with. i am not saying don't think about it just ask yourself can you give 110% and do you have the back-up team there to help. i was unlucky in that i didn't have good back up till a year after i got my mare. he rilled me and her every day twice a day!!! there were more days i was in tears of despair. my trainer was a godsend and is still an invaluable mentor even though i'm in dub and he's in tipp! i ring him to pick his brains at least once a week and he still gives me regular tune ups when i need it but even in dub i have another whole team of people on hand to help. one loud shout and i have someone in the arena to help if i'm having trouble!!
i don't want to discourage you...but i definitely don't want you to make the same mistakes i did. if you want PM me the sellers name. i may know them!
 
Top