Trish C
Well-Known Member
Hi all, I'm pretty new here but I have to share my excitement with others who 'get it'!! (A lot of my friends aren't very horsey). Apologies in advance for what will more than likely be a very long post, but I have to get it out of my system!!
I owned horses (mainly shared with my mother) for years and years, but gave them up when I moved away to uni. However, degree and masters completed, and PhD application put in, I've decided to get back into ownership. So I spent literally months debating it, doing sums and saving every penny I could as a 'contingency' fund, testing myself on getting up and going out at 6am every morning to prove that I could do it, losing weight I'd put on in college, going round every livery yard in the area... then finally I found the perfect yard, made the decision to go on the horse hunt.
Anyways long story not-quite-as-long, amongst other viewings, I drove 4 hours to see a beautiful big 17hh (I'm nearly 6" and not a slight frame) chestnut ISH gelding.
Incredibly handsome horse with plenty of personality on the ground - literally just personality, that's not code for bad behaviour, his manners are excellent - and as soon as I sat up onto him I felt so safe. The owner, who is a lovely girl and a qualified instructor herself, rode him first obviously and even though he hadn't been ridden in a couple of months he settled down straight away. Then I sat up, had a little school on him first, then took him on a hack - took him one way a good bit first, turned and rode him back past the yard gate, to see would he jog there or nap when I asked him to go past... he had a look at the gate but as soon as I put on a little bit of leg he walked on fine. Then took him 'round the block'. Got chased by three barky nippy border collies and he didn't bat an eyelid, a huge rattly cattle lorry drove past us, he just stood quietly and waited, couple of tractors didn't bother him at all, and he happily went for a paddle in the sea.
Then I asked to see him turned loose in the sand arena to see him move without anyone on as he's a little unfit from the winter, and he had these big beautiful uphill paces with gorgeous extention, definitely from his sire!
So I told her I was really interested and would ring her back in a few days, but please to let me know in the meantime if she had any other interest. Went to see a good few more horses and none of them even began to measure up and I couldn't stop thinking about that fella. So after a few days I rang her back, told her of my interest, asked what she wanted for him, stuck in an offer under that and she accepted without hesitation - told me she'd been really hoping I'd want him as she thought I'd be an ideal home for him. She'd had other interest but it was all from people just wanting to hunt him or for a trekking horse for inexperienced riders etc, which she didn't want him to go to.
So he's coming up here at somepoint in the next week or so, I'm going to give her a deposit on him, have him for a week see how he is with me on a new yard, get my vet out to check him over and the farrier to examine his feet (am paranoid about feet owing to a previous horse who had huge problems) and then all being well, give her the rest of the money and give him a home hopefully for life! I really think he's a great horse, I just hope my gut and judgement are right and it all works out!
Thank you for reading, it's great to be able to share!!
I owned horses (mainly shared with my mother) for years and years, but gave them up when I moved away to uni. However, degree and masters completed, and PhD application put in, I've decided to get back into ownership. So I spent literally months debating it, doing sums and saving every penny I could as a 'contingency' fund, testing myself on getting up and going out at 6am every morning to prove that I could do it, losing weight I'd put on in college, going round every livery yard in the area... then finally I found the perfect yard, made the decision to go on the horse hunt.
Anyways long story not-quite-as-long, amongst other viewings, I drove 4 hours to see a beautiful big 17hh (I'm nearly 6" and not a slight frame) chestnut ISH gelding.
Incredibly handsome horse with plenty of personality on the ground - literally just personality, that's not code for bad behaviour, his manners are excellent - and as soon as I sat up onto him I felt so safe. The owner, who is a lovely girl and a qualified instructor herself, rode him first obviously and even though he hadn't been ridden in a couple of months he settled down straight away. Then I sat up, had a little school on him first, then took him on a hack - took him one way a good bit first, turned and rode him back past the yard gate, to see would he jog there or nap when I asked him to go past... he had a look at the gate but as soon as I put on a little bit of leg he walked on fine. Then took him 'round the block'. Got chased by three barky nippy border collies and he didn't bat an eyelid, a huge rattly cattle lorry drove past us, he just stood quietly and waited, couple of tractors didn't bother him at all, and he happily went for a paddle in the sea.
Then I asked to see him turned loose in the sand arena to see him move without anyone on as he's a little unfit from the winter, and he had these big beautiful uphill paces with gorgeous extention, definitely from his sire!
So I told her I was really interested and would ring her back in a few days, but please to let me know in the meantime if she had any other interest. Went to see a good few more horses and none of them even began to measure up and I couldn't stop thinking about that fella. So after a few days I rang her back, told her of my interest, asked what she wanted for him, stuck in an offer under that and she accepted without hesitation - told me she'd been really hoping I'd want him as she thought I'd be an ideal home for him. She'd had other interest but it was all from people just wanting to hunt him or for a trekking horse for inexperienced riders etc, which she didn't want him to go to.
So he's coming up here at somepoint in the next week or so, I'm going to give her a deposit on him, have him for a week see how he is with me on a new yard, get my vet out to check him over and the farrier to examine his feet (am paranoid about feet owing to a previous horse who had huge problems) and then all being well, give her the rest of the money and give him a home hopefully for life! I really think he's a great horse, I just hope my gut and judgement are right and it all works out!
Thank you for reading, it's great to be able to share!!
