Has this horse had too many homes?

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dorito

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I have enquired about a gelding for sale, he is 14 and in his 5th home, lady selling has had him 18 months. Reason for selling sounds genuine.
Lady says he is near-enough perfect to ride...but has mentioned bit is a dutch gag.
It's a long trek to view - would you?
cheers all
 
Without knowing a bit more about him, about you, about what you're looking for, what he's done, your experience, etc., it's hard to give an educated opinion.

That said, my boy has probably been passed around quite a bit - we've had him two years now and he's just wonderful.

Re the bit, yes, dutch gags are quite severe in the wrong hands, but they're also common . . . so without more information it's hard to know why he's wearing one and whether or not it's appropriate for him . . . also whether wearing one means he's overly strong, etc.

In short, more info please!

P
 
PolarSkye, sorry but I'm being cagey with the details as I don't know if vendor uses this forum.
Just wondered if those 2 facts would have most people going 'yeah right' at the idea this horse is quiet, calm, easy etc.
 
If he'd had five homes in 3 years or something it would be perhaps more of an issue, but five in 14 years is about normal really. It totally depends on luck whether a horse is bought by someone who can keep them forever or not. Many teens go off to uni or grow out of horses, so they account for a few sales...
 
5 for a 14 year old sounds about right. a pony I sold about two years ago age 13, had come from Belgium at 4, then Sue, Kate, then me, now E. So I think that would be about normal. although of course at 14.1hh he was a child/teen pony and got outgrown, then sold. Might be different with a larger animal, but 5 would not worry me, ESP as current owner has had him a while. You could prob see from his passport how long he has stayed in each home.
 
My horse has had 3 homes (including myself) and she's 11 this year. There's nothing wrong with her!! Well, she's a bit ditzy and scatty but she's a genuine horse and pretty much what I expected when I bought her. I think it all depends on your gut feeling as to whether the seller is genuine. I had no doubt the seller of my horse was genuine from the beginning as she gave me in depth details of my horse's temperament, character, behaviour etc and she was very much contactable (and still is) for advice.
 
dorito said:
I have enquired about a gelding for sale, he is 14 and in his 5th home, lady selling has had him 18 months. Reason for selling sounds genuine.
Lady says he is near-enough perfect to ride...but has mentioned bit is a dutch gag.
It's a long trek to view - would you?
cheers all
Click to expand...

I wouldnt say that 5 at 14 was too many. Horses get sold for all sorts of reasons - they grow out of them/get fed up of them/decide its too much/want something with a bit more oomph/todays financial state, the list goes on.
Ponies tend too have more homes owing to people growing out of them and not in position to keep them, you havnt said what height he is.
As for the Dutch gag, some ppl overbit their horses because they cant manage them in milder bits, some do it because its the fashion, perhaps he does need it.
If he is a considerable distance away, perhaps you could ask owner for a video of him being ridden then you could see for yourself with regards the gag.
 
The mare I bought for the kids has had at least ten homes in the last 16 years according to her paperwork. Not sure I would have bought her if I had known beforehand? She only stayed two years at her longest home.
She is a typical chestnut welsh mare, fairly opinionated at times, but traffic proof and has taught my daughter lots. On the other hand I just can't seem to get close to her at all, we go through the motions together but she seems to be holding back all the time. I suppose she is just protecting herself in case it doesn't last, but it's hard. Hopefully at some point she'll realise we are for keeps.
 
That is nothing! Mine had had 7 homes by the time he was 6! He is now 20 (very nearly 21) and still with us competing! The reason was sold so much is because he was "unrideable" but he is the best competition horse I have ever had. Based on my experience, I would not say 5 is too many!
 
My gelding was passed from pillar to post a bit in the first 10 years of his life... There were 5 owners in his passport and I found out about another two (not in the pp) since... He is a big, strong horse and can be quite intimidating. He looks dressage type and appeals to slight lady riders ... Sort of Black Beauty like. Unfortunately, he is not an easy ride at all, quite lazy, with a decent pull and an even better buck! I guess that is why he has been passed around... He is an absolute darling until you ask something of him and or he gets fit ... Then he can turn into a monster ;-)
Sharer and I have got used to his antics and he has been with us for 7 yrs now ...
 
Not necessarily.

My pony had four different homes in one year and is a great pony. His breeder sold him age 4, he was then backed by that person and then sold on to someone who spent the summer bringing him on and then I bought him aged 5 and I have now had him nearly 5 years.

the three ring gag is a popular bit and just because he is in one does not mean he needs one. my pony wore one for jumping when I bought him and I have never needed to ride him in one.

Have you asked why the horse is wearing a dutch gag?
 
dorito said:
Just wondered if those 2 facts would have most people going 'yeah right' at the idea this horse is quiet, calm, easy etc.
Click to expand...

The number of homes wouldn't bother me... The dutch gag would definitely give me pause for thought... a) I don't believe I'm a good enough rider to use one properly and b) if it's really needed I'd probably think the horse wasn't as calm/easy as suggested...

Having said that - I didn't realise when I bought our young TB that the short amount of leisure riding he had done after race training was in a grackle, dutch gag and a fixed martingale... He's been perfectly fine in a regular bridle and eggbut snaffle... What someone uses isn't necessarily a sign of what the horse actually needs... But it would have my alarm bells ringing a bit...
 
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