Help do i look at a 14 year old horse

[Jen1706]

Im after advice as im confused!

For the past 5 years I have not ridden much, and I have bought a property with land and converted it into a equestrian property, I am about 6 months away from being fully ready to start looking for my first horse.

I have seen a horse for sale (not my fault popped up on facebook lol) from a dealer who is very trustworthy but the horse is slightly older (14years) and possibly lazier than what I would like (always ridden forward going). I have not been in contact with the dealer yet as I don't want to waste anyone's time but im really tempted.

I would like to get confidence jumping as I never have been fully confident but I am confident with everything else, I am currently having weekly lessons but still have a long way to go before I can be confident jumping again.

I plan to do a bit of everything, hack, mini one day events, dressage, jumping, pleasure rides.

This is my first horse (I have always had shares) and I am DESPERATE to have one as once a week lessons is not enough for me. I don't want to go back to sharing.

Should I be patient and wait 6 months but risk not finding anything that suites me or should I go for this one?

Sorry for this being so long !

 

[alainax]

The age wouldn't put me off. I have a 13 year old who is an absolute star, have had ones competing into their late 20's.


What would put me off is it being lazy and you like forward going. I very nearly bought a lazier horse as I was looking for something safe at the time, but it dawned on me that within a year id be completely bored. Laziness can be an attitude or training or even pain, would be good to work out which.

 

[paddi22]

14 isn't that old, you could get years out of it. When you say lazy going forward, is this due lack of fitness/weight/feed? Or is it a horse that will never get its blood up and want to go xc etc? How lazy is it? sometimes horses just get a bit dull and can perk up with a new owner. But ifs it naturally lazy and you want something that will gallop xc you might have an issue down the line.

Is it a schoolmaster jumping that can help you get your confidence back? or will you be spending your time pushing it to go forward into fences?

 

[SpringArising]

Should I be patient and wait 6 months but risk not finding anything that suites me or should I go for this one?

That sentence reads as though this horse is The One and would be perfect for you, which is jumping the gun a lot!

In six months there'll be just as many horses for sale and you WILL find one right for you.

Don't rush for FOMO!

 

[PorkChop]

The age wouldn't put me off. I have a 13 year old who is an absolute star, have had ones competing into their late 20's.


What would put me off is it being lazy and you like forward going. I very nearly bought a lazier horse as I was looking for something safe at the time, but it dawned on me that within a year id be completely bored. Laziness can be an attitude or training or even pain, would be good to work out which.

Absolutely this for me too! Fine if you are happy to move the horse on, would certainly be safer, they say "buy the horse you need now"! However selling them once you have fallen in love with them and possibly loosing money on the sale are things to consider.

 

[be positive]

That sentence reads as though this horse is The One and would be perfect for you, which is jumping the gun a lot!

In six months there'll be just as many horses for sale and you WILL find one right for you.

Don't rush for FOMO!

This, you need to see a few once you are ready to buy, the first one may be perfect but until you have really started looking you won't know what is perfect and what is just being well advertised, the age would not put me off but I would want to know why he has ended up in a dealers yard, most straightforward sound horses will sell privately for decent money so it would ring alarm bells for me as a possible vet failure or it having something about it that made it difficult to sell, that may be a generalisation but it is rare for dealers to have older horses in.

 

[Amye]

Don't rush.

But a 14 year old would not put me off one bit. I was looking for my first horse 2 years ago. I looked at alot of younger horses (between 4-8) and none of them were right. The one i liked a lot failed his vetting on multiple things.

I then went to see a 14 year old warmblood. He was described as 'lazy' but he sounded good in every other way (that I could afford on my budget) so i went to view him. He WAS lazy, but he was also very unfit and undermuscled. He passed his vetting and I will have owned him 2 years in August. He's a superstar in most ways and is no longer 'lazy'. He can still be a more backward thinking horse than forward but he is so much better then when I went to see him and i'm glad i took the risk. He's no worldbeater and we won't be doing massive competitions but he has been the perfect first horse.
I did want more forward going as the last horse I loaned had been a strong TB but I didn't realise how much owning a horse would make me worry! So I'm glad I have my laidback WB because he's given me lots and lots of confidence and taught me tons. And when it comes to horse No.2 (not for a while yet!) I will feel a lot more confident in picking something a bit more quirky.

So I wouldn't let it put you off, if you like the sound of the horse go view it. My horse now is way more forward and capable at 16 than he was at 14 just because he had been allowed to get unfit.

But don't rush into buying if you're not 100% sure

 

[splashgirl45]

the age would not put me off but its prob too soon from the sound of your post. although it is nice to have your own place it can be daunting if this is your first horse. i would suggest that you get a friend to stable their horse with you so you have some help with hacking out etc and also your new horse will need company...

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Lots of people underestimate how much difference there is between sharing/riding other people's horses and having sole charge of your own horse. For a first horse, especially one that you will be keeping at home, you need to buy something that you can trust to do the right thing and not be constantly challenging you. A 14 yr old sounds like a good bet. You can't just keep one horse on its own though, horses need company of their own kind.

 

[Nici]

I would also wait the six months.
The excitement of the prospect of owning a horse is SO exciting, so I understand why you would want to buy him now.
Otherwise could you visit him a couple more times, if he's not too far away? Maybe you will find out more about his character and that will help decide.

 

[Jen1706]

Thanks all lots of very useful advice, think I have decided to be patient and wait until I am fully ready, but will not let a horse being 14 put me off when I am fully ready to buy �� Now I'm off to play the lottery so I dont have to wait 6 months ��

 

[spacefaer]

If you are considering buying from a dealer, however reputable they appear, I would suggest joining one of the Dodgy Dealer facebook pages. We are not allowed to discuss dealers on here but you will find a mine of invaluable information on those pages - both good and bad dealers are discussed.

 

[TGM]

If you are considering buying from a dealer, however reputable they appear, I would suggest joining one of the Dodgy Dealer facebook pages. We are not allowed to discuss dealers on here but you will find a mine of invaluable information on those pages - both good and bad dealers are discussed.

Totally agree with this - there are some dodgy dealers who target the first time horse owner and advertise all over Facebook. There are reports that they dehydrate, sedate and bute their horses to make them seem sound and beginner-friendly when they are anything but. And because a lot of people buy without a vetting and taking bloods they get away with it and the buyers end up with a problem horse they can't ride or sell on.

 

[Pinkvboots]

14 is not old but if and when your ready to look being that you are new to horse ownership if your thinking of looking at any horses at a dealer's please take someone who is very experienced at buying horses, not all dealers are dodgy but they can often make very green horse look like it's done a lot more than it actually has I know a few people that have paid a lot of money for what is basically a just backed and ridden away horse. If you have an instructor or a riding school you use at the moment I would speak to them they may have heard of a horse locally that will suit you. and just wanted to add keeping your horses at home is just the best thing I have had mine at home for 5 years now and never want to go back to livery good luck

 

[TGM]

not all dealers are dodgy but they can often make very green horse look like it's done a lot more than it actually has I know a few people that have paid a lot of money for what is basically a just backed and ridden away horse.

That is a very good point! And not just dealers, there are a lot of private people who bring on 'projects' to sell on - nothing wrong with that at all, but usually they are very competent and confident riders, and the horses know they won't get away with anything with them on board, but when they are sold to a more average and perhaps less confident rider, then their greeness and lack of experience can start to show through.

just wanted to add keeping your horses at home is just the best thing I have had mine at home for 5 years now and never want to go back to livery good luck

Agree with that totally, have had mine at home for over 20 years and love it. But it does raise another point in that if you are looking for a horse to keep at home, it is likely that you will be hacking out on your own a lot, so ensure that the horse you buy is happy and confident doing that, and actually try hacking the horse out alone before you buy it, don't rely on the vendor's word, videos or someone else riding it. And if you are accompanied on foot whilst trying it, don't let that person walk in front of the horse (ie essentially giving it a lead).

 

[Micropony]

I wouldn't be put off by a 14yo and in your situation I wouldn't necessarily be put off by something less forward going than you think you might want. As a first time owner keeping your horses at home, riding and handling on your own in all weathers, the absolute last thing you want to be doing is over horsing yourself. A horse that errs a little bit on the steady side is an animal you're going to have a lot more fun with than something that's ever so slightly more horse than you're quite able for just at the moment.

The benefit of keeping them at home on your own land of course is that the marginal cost of a second or third isn't as high as it would be in livery. If you find you want to upgrade to a sportier model in a year or two it will be pretty easy to find a sharer for the kind steady one.

 

[Jen1706]

More great advice thankyou the thought of buying does scare me as I have heard so many bad storeys, the dealer that is selling this horse I have been following for a few years, this dealer has very good reviews on the facebook dodgy dealers I think this is why im tempted so much ! I only have space for 2 horses which is why it is going to be very important to make the right decision as this horse will never leave me (if we get on). I plan to get a companion for a few years until I feel I would like a sporty model (that's if I want to). However the companion will then become a issue as I will then want to keep it and not have room for a third... but I think that will be another post when I get closer to the time of buying and has made me sure that I must wait.

 

[Nici]

If you are considering buying from a dealer, however reputable they appear, I would suggest joining one of the Dodgy Dealer facebook pages. We are not allowed to discuss dealers on here but you will find a mine of invaluable information on those pages - both good and bad dealers are discussed.

Good call. Which one would you recommend? There are four or five that appear in my search box.

 

[Sparemare]

A google of dealer reviews will often flush out the ones to absolutely avoid. For example the one based in Wickford, who change their trading name regularly and use the word ' bombproof' or ' novice' in every ad.

 

[Mike007]

YES definitely. You need a friend who knows the ropes . Young horses are for the "ambitious "riders to bring on. A horse at 14 has proved his soundness . A big thing. I gave the same advice a number of years ago to the mum of an aspiring eventer. Horse proved me right and now has a retirement home (well earned ) for life. daughter built on experience gained and is "out there"