Going to view a young horse who hasn’t jumped

andytiger

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Hi I’m going to look at a horse with a friend on Sunday ( the horse is for my friend ) she is looking for a youngster with the potential to event but has got a limited budget she has found this horse it is 4 years old but it has been brought on slowly and never seen a fence but the horse seems to be everything that. My friend is looking for.
When we go and view it because we want to see it’s potential would you ask to see it go over some poles or ask to see it loose jumped or would this seem rude.
 

gallopingby

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l Would expect your friend to have asked questions about its jumping ability/potential before going to view, if the horse has been brought on slowly and correctly it may well have seen poles on the ground. Your post reads more that you’re out for a time wasting experience rather than that you are seriously interested in buying, if your friend hasn’t sufficient funds to buy better to wait a while longer and save some money.
 

ycbm

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l Would expect your friend to have asked questions about its jumping ability/potential before going to view, if the horse has been brought on slowly and correctly it may well have seen poles on the ground. Your post reads more that you’re out for a time wasting experience rather than that you are seriously interested in buying, if your friend hasn’t sufficient funds to buy better to wait a while longer and save some money.


Bit harsh!

There are plenty of people who would prefer to buy a 'better' youngster that hasn't yet jumped than a horse that is already jumping. If the buyer is happy they can train the horse to jump, if it has the potential, then it's a sound strategy, given that it's likely to save thousands and get you a young horse which hasn't been overworked to showcase how fabulously it can jump.

If it's the first time she has bought this way, then it's a fair question. AT, I'd ask to see it popped over a fence loose once or thrice, no more.
 

oldjumper

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Hi I’m going to look at a horse with a friend on Sunday ( the horse is for my friend ) she is looking for a youngster with the potential to event but has got a limited budget she has found this horse it is 4 years old but it has been brought on slowly and never seen a fence but the horse seems to be everything that. My friend is looking for.
When we go and view it because we want to see it’s potential would you ask to see it go over some poles or ask to see it loose jumped or would this seem rude.
Very much depends at what level your friend wants to compete? Most horses and ponies have the physical ability to jump 1 metre+. The more important issue is if they want to! If the horse has reasonably good conformation and if it's breeding (if known) suggests its bred for the job, I would just look for a bold, calm outlook and regard it as a positive if it hasn't been chased over fences. Good luck.
 

AGray825

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Hi I’m going to look at a horse with a friend on Sunday ( the horse is for my friend ) she is looking for a youngster with the potential to event but has got a limited budget she has found this horse it is 4 years old but it has been brought on slowly and never seen a fence but the horse seems to be everything that. My friend is looking for.
When we go and view it because we want to see it’s potential would you ask to see it go over some poles or ask to see it loose jumped or would this seem rude.

You don't mention what your friends level of riding or experience is with youngsters, but assuming she's got the experience and she's nice and confident with a green horse, and assuming the horse you're going to see is sound and happy and generally okay conformation wise, then I would say the horse you're going to see would be ideal.
I would much rather bring on an un-spoilt horse that hasn't been forced to jump at an overly young age and just expect it to take a little longer and have a few baby wobbles along the way (I don't agree with young horse event/sj classes.... 4 years old is far too young to be competitively jumping most horses in my opinion)

I talk from some experience in case you're wondering. I bought my youngster at 15mo with a view for eventing. Due to a number of reasons (terrible year in 2017 which involved the loss of his two fieldmates and a pedal bone fracture) has meant he hasn't been started until age 5 (and certainly not jumped anything other than a 50cm loose jump at age 4 briefly before he was sent to be backed)
He's still at the backers yard, and within 6 weeks she's had him jumping up to 90cm happily and he's taken to it like he was made for it.
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I will say his breeding was of jumping stock (his sire was from a National Hunt stallion), but this is a horse who hadn't jumped anything until age 4 and has had an injury.

I would suggest asking to see if she can see it jumped over a small cross pole maybe on a loose lunge, just to make sure they aren't hiding anything potentially problematic though.
 

Clodagh

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I think a potential eventer should be able to pop a cavaletti (does anyone still use them!?) Or equivalent. I would prefer not to see a young horse jumping anything massive but a tiny fence is a good way to show its movement and attitude.
 

ihatework

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I would rather see what it made of a couple of small fences under saddle than see it loose jump.

If someone is selling a backed horse as a potential eventer then it’s not unreasonable to expect it to pop a couple of fences.

I’d be inclined to forewarn them that is your intention though before you travel (if it is your intention obviously)
 

vhf

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Breeding, attitude and conformation will tell you how likely it is to do the job you're looking for regardless. A youngster that will pop through a grid sweetly may still never amount to anything. For me, a 4yo that hasn't jumped raises no flags, but it does depend a bit on why they are selling a potential eventer without apparently knowing whether it will leave the floor.
If it's because they don't have facilities to loose jump, or don't actually HAVE any jumps, or have no no-one prepared to teach it to jump, then all well and good. But this will impact on how you can try it out on the day. Also, they may not be too keen on a random stranger wanting to "test the horse over a small jump" without knowing how competent they are - personally I have seen way too many numpties coming to buy horses! (On the other hand, if someone I really rated came, I'd say "have at it" and find them some poles ;))
 

andytiger

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l Would expect your friend to have asked questions about its jumping ability/potential before going to view, if the horse has been brought on slowly and correctly it may well have seen poles on the ground. Your post reads more that you’re out for a time wasting experience rather than that you are seriously interested in buying, if your friend hasn’t sufficient funds to buy better to wait a while longer and save some money.

why are we time wasters this horse is everything my friend is looking for she is an experienced rider, and there is no reason why she couldn’t bring a young horse on, my question was would it be acceptable to ask to see the horse go over a pole,loose jump ect
 

MissTyc

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Similarly to one of the other posters, I too went to see a 4yo horse with a client. Horse had never jumped. My first question was: have you tried (and failed) or never tried. They said never tried as they have no facilities and no money for lessons. So my client paid for a lesson with a top trainer (not me! lol) and the horse did his first poles and a little jump lovely and forwards. She paid £3,500 for him there and then and he never even went home again. Attitude is everything, so I don't think it's unreasonable to see the horse over a small fence. None of my horses have any done anything but skip over their first small fence. If they're started correctly, straight, forwards, etc., it shouldn't be a problem.
 

JFTDWS

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TBF we don't know the sellers are marketing it as a potential eventer...

Quite. This is such a "piece of string" question. A horse advertised as young with potential to event may well be reasonably asked to pop a cross pole for a competent viewing rider. A less competent rider on a horse not advertised as such may well be taking the piss - and I can well imagine a seller not wanting to take the risk of letting an unknown rider take the horse over its first jumps.
 

ester

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why are we time wasters this horse is everything my friend is looking for she is an experienced rider, and there is no reason why she couldn’t bring a young horse on, my question was would it be acceptable to ask to see the horse go over a pole,loose jump ect

Essentially it is acceptable to ask, preferably before the viewing so everyone knows in good time.
 

gunnergundog

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You can always ask the question, but be prepared for the answer to be a resounding NO.

If I had a quality young horse to sell that was broken under saddle (walk, trot & canter) but which, for whatever reason, had never jumped I would most certainly NOT want its first experience to be with a stranger of unknown ability on its back.

Given the above, in fairness to all parties, I think you should ask the question in advance of travelling - that way there will be no nasty surprises for any of the parties concerned.
 

AmyMay

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If I was selling a green 4yr old who i explained had never jumped (and many havent at that age) and someone came and wanted to see it over poles, my answer would be no, go and pay more for one you can see jumped.....

Tbf a serious buyer would have asked the question prior to visiting.
 

alexomahony

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Ive just started riding an ex racer who's 14, and was a hurdler.

He has all the ability and breeding to be a great eventer.... yet he is terrified of poles - on the ground! Hoping with a bit of work he'll come good, but if not we'll do some showing as he was V flash!
 

AdorableAlice

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I would prefer to see a 4 year that has never seen a pole. If the conformation, movement and breeding is right it will jump subject to it being produced properly. You can generally tell how the youngster has been brought up when you meet the vendor.
 

BOWS28

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I rode an 8 year old national hunt gelding a few years ago. Serious amount of scope, conformation and temperament to die for. Yet wouldn't go near a coloured pole.
I don't think free jumping will achieve alot for you if he genuinely has never done it before. If the horse is willing and eager to learn, that's almost as reliable as being a proven jumper. Even breeding wont give you a guarantee.If they don't want to jump they won't.
 

Peter7917

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It means very little to see them over a few poles anyway. I had a lovely youngster who in his home environment would pop sweetly over a fence. He ended up being very backward in going forward however in a competitive environment. We persisted for quite a while, employed a professional to work with him etc. In the end we just concluded that he did not have a competitive nature and was better suited in a hacking home with the odd fun ride, of which he is in now and thriving.

You didn't need to ride him over a fence to know he was never going to be a top competition horse. You could feel underneath you that he was just too chill for that really and lacked that necessary spark.
 
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