Free to good home-success stories please?

nicolenlolly

nicolenlolly

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My husband's very good friend has offered him a 9year old 15.3 tb gelding. He rescued him from someone who wasn't looking after him properly and gave a couple of hundred quid for him but as hunt season approaches he is too busy to do anything with him. He was bought for a friend to ride but she isn't too great a horsewoman and is also very nervous. Apparently you need to be relaxed on him so he doesn't get excitable which is what concerns me. I am v nervous so I would lunge him but probably never ride, hubby could do that! He is the most stunning horse, looks like black beauty and I completely trust his friend, he has no reason to tell us anything but the truth so...what would you do? And a tb? I know nothing about them at all, I have big boobs, curvy bum and cobs to accommodate my more than 10st frame (less than 13.5 so I don't attract trolls ;)!! )
Have any of you taken on a freebie and did it all turn out ok?
 
Yes, one of mine was given to me by a friend. Nice mare, she's never been a days bother, nothing 'wrong' with her they just didn't have a job for her, she's a sweetie.

The one you are talking about though, I would pass. If you are nervous and this horse needs a relaxed rider, it doesn't sound like a great match for either of you. Does your hubby actually want to ride the horse? Unless you have an actual purpose for the horse, really, I'd say no.
 
My husband currently doesn't have a horse, he had to have his put down a while ago. He was hoping to hunt mine but in all honesty I can't see him being for in time as he is getting over hamstring trouble and has some muscle wastage as a result of all the rest he had to have so in that respect, I don't need to ride it, just get it fit on the lunge and he can take it cubbing almost straight away. From what we know it has had the hosepipe treatment and is just nervous. Maybe given time it would become less nervous? Trouble is I am often a rule with your heart not your head sort of girl-I really shouldn't have bought my cob, it was only because he was the spitting image of the one that had just been put down!
Maybe it could be a bring on and sell on prospect?
 
Nervous TB gelding, not the most ideal bring on and sell prospect I can think of, tbh. Shedloads of them out there, obviously I don't now this horse from adam and he might have bags of potential that nobody has spotted yet, but then again he might not.

If your husband actually wants the horse, though, go and have a look at it, nothing to lose at all :) Head not heart though, decisions made purely from the heart aren't always good for the owner OR the horse...
 
Yes i was given a freebie, retired from horseball due to an injury but fine to hack. He isnt for everyone as is sharp and forward going but have had him 4 years now and never been a problem :)
 
You need to decide as well, are you looking for a project to sell on, or are you looking for his next horse.
From your point of view, you need to make sure that if hes nervous, is a crazy with it, or does he just need some calm attention.
If he doesn't turn out to be suitable, or has something wrong, can you/ do you want to spend time and possibly money sorting it out.
 
My big horse was being given away because no body wanted to ride him - I didn't want another one but went 'just to look' he was a superstar once you got over the naughtyness and is now my horse of a lifetime so much so I sold my previous horse to his sharer and kept this one!
He did come along at the right time tho and now (having had kids and bouncing less well) I'm not sure I'd take him on again if the same situation arose today.

If your taking him to bring on and sell - I wouldn't bother, it'll cost you a bit to keep him over winter and if you don';t want to ride him bringing him on will be a challenge!
If you OH is used to/ likes nervous horses maybe go and have a look, if your OH wants something to hop on and go cubbing - it doesn't sound like this is the right one.
 
My last horse was a freebie, was apparently difficult to handle and had spent most of the last year lame from hock DJD and having ripped his front heel bulb off on stock fencing...

Turned out the best horse I've ever owned. Absolute gentleman to ride, liked things his own way but if you managed him and kept him happy he was as generous as they come. Wasn't a horse you could leave tied up, he was extremely clingy and attention seeking, and when he decided he didnt want to play he wouldnt - but the two of us just absolutely clicked, and I looked after him management wise, whilst he looked after me in the saddle. He turned a dressage diva into an enthusiastic eventer - he showed me how much fun xc can be!

HOWEVER, I had known him since he was a three year old (got him at 14). I had ridden him when he lived with the owner before the one I got him from, and whilst he had always been a horse who needed managing, I had ridden him then and knew how good he was to ride. Chatted to that previous owner, and she told me that he had always been funny with that hock since she broke him in, the current owner had only noticed it after a few months, and vet had gone down the route of arthritis treatment - she said she had always just ridden him leg to hand, and kept reminding him to use his back end, and the hock was never an issue. Speaking to the current owner, she admitted that he'd never actually been lame from the arthritis... so I took a risk on him.

Never had a lame day the whole time I owned him, until he tore his back trying to get us out of quicksand last summer, which he never recovered from and had to be PTS. I think I was so lucky to get a fab horse free to a good home, that just hadn't been completely understood and well-managed. However I did know his background, had known him a long time, and was prepared that if it hadn't of worked, and he'd kept going lame, I would have PTS him. Harsh, but it was the risk we were taking. I had a fab time with him, and miss him so much (I love my new boy but he's just not the same lovely character and not quite so generous and straightforward to ride!!).

So it can work, but you have to be very objective, have a plan for if it doesn't work because resale probably wont be an option, and know whether it is a risk worth taking for you and the horse.
 
Yes (hopefully not speaking too soon!) I've a lovely freebie who was given to me nearly two months ago.

Same as others nothing wrong with him but wouldn't do the job they had him for. They had too many horses and really wanted a good home for him.

I text and send her photos from time to time and she loves hearing from me.

BUT as with buying a horse you need to make sure it's the right horse for your situation just because it's free does not mean you "must" take it when you try it even after riding it you can say no if it's not right!!!

I tried two other freebies before this one and walked away from them as we just didn't "gel" (owners were a bit shocked that I walked away! Nice horses just not for me...)

A free horse cost just as much as an expensive horse to keep and can do as much damage to your confidence/ body/ bank account if it's more horse than you can handle or broken...

Use you're head... I know it's hard I was offered my "dream horse" for free but on the 3rd time I tried him he bucked and reared with me in the school I had to get off and was a shaking mess after... After my second ride I was ready to take him home but my YO insisted on coming with me to see him and that's when he put on a grand performance! lol

If in any doubt walk away there are plenty of nice freebies/ cheapies out there at the moment... the right one will come along if you're patient (took me several months and several heart vs head battles before ending up with my gorgeous boy!)

Token pic of my freebie just because he's beautiful!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/182943_10151799991362065_638005837_n.jpg
 
Hmm some useful advice thank you. I am a little sceptical as on the face of it, who gives away a good horse? But similarly, some of you have had them and this is his friend not just anybody. Hubby does lots of work for him so who would repair all his machines if he were a psyco? Lol
Hubby is a very good rider with a sticky bum and this tb likes to jump so maybe it will turn out good.

I wouldn't ever sell on a problem horse though, there are too many of them put there, I was duped into buying cobby who has sweet itch (was told he was hogged for hunting) and has a list of other issues that were cleverly hidden! :(

Head will go and view, heart can stay at home. :)

He is lovely looking though ;) xx
 
nicolenlolly said:
My husband's very good friend has offered him a 9year old 15.3 tb gelding. He rescued him from someone who wasn't looking after him properly and gave a couple of hundred quid for him but as hunt season approaches he is too busy to do anything with him. He was bought for a friend to ride but she isn't too great a horsewoman and is also very nervous. Apparently you need to be relaxed on him so he doesn't get excitable which is what concerns me. I am v nervous so I would lunge him but probably never ride, hubby could do that! He is the most stunning horse, looks like black beauty and I completely trust his friend, he has no reason to tell us anything but the truth so...what would you do? And a tb? I know nothing about them at all, I have big boobs, curvy bum and cobs to accommodate my more than 10st frame (less than 13.5 so I don't attract trolls ;)!! )
Have any of you taken on a freebie and did it all turn out ok?
Click to expand...
Yep, I did that in May. I went to look at a horse to buy, it wasn't what I wanted, I was driving past Reading and remembered that I was close to someone who had a TB mare (free to a good home) so I thought while I was in the area I would pop in. I didn't want this horse as it was a 7yr old ex acing mare, who had been out of work since being schooled by the stud when she came out of racing...to me she would be too much of a hot head and too much for me to handle. Also she was coming straight from the field. This is how the visit went:-
 
nicolenlolly said:
Kezz86 I love your freebie! Stunner xx
Click to expand...

:D thank you I think so too.. my beginner boyfriend even had a ride on him the other day and now keeps trying to pinch him from me! lol

Good luck with your decision... I think it sounds like it's worth a look especially if it's local you've nothing to loose!
 
I was given an 18 yr old tb last year from a woman we bought a puppy from and he's fab. He's a great companion for my youngster and also good to hack which my youngster isn't so I tend to just hack him and use him for a companion. He's not a novice ride so i'm guessing she may have had trouble selling him on at his age hence free to a good home.
 
I have two! My journey with Alf is well documented on here. Hes a 16 yr old former PSG dressage horse, who was gifted to me rather than being put to sleep - as he wasn't suitable to be a schoolmaster, and had a few physical issues which meant he wasn't competable. He did a suspensory soon after I got him, so hasn't done much for the last year, but I adore every fat, hairy work-shy inch of him, and now he's sound, Im really looking forward to doing a bit with him.
Spike arrived a few weeks ago - 19yr old Danish warmblood, former dressage horse, and complete sweetheart. I've not done anything with him yet, as he's very finely built, and I am not. Hoping to find a sharer who can enjoy him as much as I enjoy Alf.
Love both my boys!

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The fact the horse is free has little bearing. The horse may affect the price but the price does not change the horse. If anything the owner is less likely to lie about a free horse as they've got no money to lose.

Would you pay for him if he wasn't free? Can he do what you need/want. Is he suitable? Forget him being 'free' and decide if he's the right horse for you. If he is then being free is just a nice bonus!

I was offered a free horse but didn't take her as she wasn't suitable for what I wanted.
 
I think it very much depends on the rider. If your husband is brave and doesn't care, then it will probably be fine.

We had an elderly gentleman fellow livery on my last yard who had a TB ex racer. It was his first horse and frankly was not a first horse type - at all!!! He and gentleman had a real bond, and gentleman never really had any idea of what COULD happen in any set of circumstances because he hadn't learnt to ride that long before he got the TB.

And actually, they were and are absolutely fine together!!!

Edited to add, I would think it highly unlikely that anyone would offer a bomb proof confidence giving horse who is anyone's ride for free anyway - they are a bit like hens teeth even at a price!
 
A horse I can see from my house was a freebie, my mum went and collected it for them, came with a full wardrobe, everything!! I think the horse had arthritis or something but its not bad at all, mostly a field pony but gets hacked and is very happy.

If you have the time then give it a shot, your obviously both relatively knowledgeable.
 
I've had two free ponies. Both turned out to be fabulous and I had a lot of fun with them. One had an old tendon injury and I had three sound years with her and two more hit and miss years (she was 29 by that point). She was very sharp and really taught me to ride. The other was doing the rounds at pony club before he came to me, he was ill mannered, nappy and naughty. Took me 6 months but he turned out to be the nicest natured pony if a bit sharp once on board. I still own him but he has been out on loan in the same home now for 8 years with no signs of relapsing to his former naughty self. I've been offered other freebies, this is shallow but true, I don't take on an ugly freebies, ponies with certain issues or ponies that I just don't take to. If I have to look at them they have to be pretty and I have to think they will come right in the end.

There seems to be a fair amount of free to good home horses and ponies about at the moment. You need to consider what to do with the horse if you don't get on with it, could end up costing you.
 
I worked on a hunt yard for a while and their best hunter was a lovely NH ex racehorse that was given to them free, I believe he had been sold from racing but just been sat in a field, he was a star, a real gent to exercise and care for
 
Been Free shouldn't be the decision maker, been the right horse is; we have a free pony, the right pony for the kids. So I'll say if you go an view it and is the right horse for you then go ahead and have fun. The same responsibilities even if you exchange money, you are going to pay the same for keeping it regardless. Good luck x
 
I got offered an AA stallion once, didn't take him though. He was given away free to someone though and the poor sod went from someone who couldn't handle him at all, to another unsuitable home (they did geld him though) and he ended up being shot. I did feel a bit bad after I heard that and wondered if i could have done anything with him, but realistically, he wasn't anything I wanted. Been offered more than my share of freebies but only accepted the one. Had her about 4 years now!
 
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