Help! to sell or not to sell!!!!!(long, sorry.)

KL93

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I had this boy for 7 months now and he is a lovely sweet kind eyed lad, with a stubbon streak and intelligence he likes to use against you. Basicly i love him, but he's too much for me really, he cost only £1900 and is worth more like £7000 he jumps like a pro after only 3 lessons of every seeing a pole. and has dressage paces to die for, more than I could ever had dreamed for but he thinks of ways to get out of doing work like all smart cheeky boys, which has included napping, rearing, throwing bucking tantrums in a corner, spinning and other equine gymnastics. hacks incude not being able to stop, spooking at random things like rippiling water, oh and we can not hack out on our own because he turns into a nervous timebomb. when he's good he's the perfect horse but when he's not he scares me and knocks my confidence way way down. should I sell to someone who can take on his fits and take him to the top or perserve because i love him so much, (this is my first horse by the way.)

thank you for reading, my first post. xx
 
Oh,and i'm not a bad rider just not greatly experienced i've only fallen off 4 times in the seven months most being jumped out of the saddle he's that good. and I am a competetive rider.
 
Well if he does not suit you, sell him. Horses are supposed to be fun. If you decide to give him another try it might be worth getting a good instructor to see if he/she can help you both.
 
To be fair sounds a bit of a nightmare - and can't quite equate to the £7K valuation - if you can't get him to ride out out safely on a hack or in a school - £700 is sounding expensive......I am guessing he is taking the Mick - can you find an instructor to help you - more experinced rider to help? What was his CV prior to you having him? Probably a blip - hopefully.
 
but he thinks of ways to get out of doing work like all smart cheeky boys, which has included napping, rearing, throwing bucking tantrums in a corner, spinning and other equine gymnastics. hacks incude not being able to stop, spooking at random things like rippiling water, oh and we can not hack out on our own because he turns into a nervous timebomb.

I'm afraid that doesn't sound like a £7K horse to me. However, if you really think he is talented, albeit quirky, then I would ask a good pro to take a look at him with a view to producing and selling him for you.
 
I was exagerating on the 7grand mark although he could be in the right hands I just wanted to get accross how talented he is also he doestn't do all of it all the the he kind of thinks of something like napping for instance does it all the time and when he figures out its doesn't get him out of work, he stops doing that and moves onto something else he can think of.
 
How old is he?

Yes, it is supposed to be fun, personally I would give him a chance unless you deem him unsafe and have really lost confidence.

Can you have lessons on him? Is there someone who can help you to keep him in regular work? Is there someone supportive and experienced to ride out with you?

It sounds like my horse. I've had phases where he has scared me, also times when he has been great (these outweigh the bad times by 100 to 1), I've had help with him. Problems have been caused by him being at a yard where he hates it, lack of good hacking or turn out and my lack of time at some points. When he's in regular work and I'm feling confident he is great and worth the perseverence through the tough times. He's an oldie now though.

If not, and he's a nice horse, you are really convinced you are over horsed, can someone help you to sell him?
 
he is 9years old thoroughbred, he is in regular work and turnout 24/7 until winter and then gets a couple hours a day. we are having lessons once a week and she's great he's learnt loads but these behaviour quirks just don't seem to go away.
And he was a racehorse until he was 7ish.
 
Tut naughty boy - he really does seem as if he is trying it on.......I would suggest a confident rider who is used to TB's (lad / lass from local racing stables) to take him out a few times and tell him he is a being an idiot (one way to the slippery slope if not careful.....) Then when he is feeling suitably humble again - you jump back on and have some good lessons and hack him out with people who are gung ho too - if he was fine for 4 weeks - he will be again, just needs bringing in-line I would say. If you are SW based send me a PM - I have just the boy, son (from racing yard) who could help you.....but the racing scene is small - so if from somewhere else, then we might know of someone in your neck of the woods.
 
Tut naughty boy - he really does seem as if he is trying it on.......I would suggest a confident rider who is used to TB's (lad / lass from local racing stables) to take him out a few times and tell him he is a being an idiot (one way to the slippery slope if not careful.....) Then when he is feeling suitably humble again - you jump back on and have some good lessons and hack him out with people who are gung ho too - if he was fine for 4 weeks - he will be again, just needs bringing in-line I would say. If you are SW based send me a PM - I have just the boy, son (from racing yard) who could help you.....but the racing scene is small - so if from somewhere else, then we might know of someone in your neck of the woods.

This sounds like a brilliant idea. The lads/lasses from racing yards are pretty fearless and will take him through his little "episodes", and they also have amazing stickability!
 
I had some similar problems with my mare after Christmas - she went a bit mad and I started losing my confidence BIG time!! I sent her to an eventing yard for 6 weeks, when she went I wasn't sure if I wanted her back or if I wanted them to sell her for me. It was the best thing I ever did, she had a ball, got back on track and I started to fall back in love with her.....
She came home and we've never looked back but I always have that plan B should it all go pear shaped again. PM me for more details if you want them. Take care xxx
 
People told me to sell mine. 2 years on and I love him to pieces, although I have learned to live with a lot of problems. I am the most stubborn person. I wouldn't give in...
Depends how much you want things to work. If you're not that determined, sell him. If you are stubborn and determined, you will have to keep the bugger, just to prove yourself!!!! Also thin about where he might end up. If you can find a genuine good home I would do it. But don;t just send him any old where. You may as well keep him and work at it.
 
even if i do decide to sell him, i would never let him go anywhere i wasn't sure would look after him and give him the attention he deserves. A couple of more experienced people at the yard (and good experienced) have mentioned that I look perfectly capable and in control on him in the school on the flat even when he doest stupid things, but when i start jumping/hacking I suddenly become seriously overhorsed they described him as hyper sensitive, stubbon and strong. they have ridden him aswell.
 
We're all assuming that he's "trying it on", I have an 11 YO old ex-racer, when I first got him 4 years ago he did all the things you've just described and some - I have since uncovered, Navicular (now barefoot and sound), back pain, LGL caused by his liver not functioning properly - he's now on a liver tonic. Only then did we tackle the few remaining behavioural issues with the help of a very experienced trainer, the few naps and spooks that were left had become "default" settings so we taught him that he no longer needed to do them to get our attention.
My boy had been trying to tell anyone who'd listen that something was wrong but they all just assumed he was taking the mickey. He's now a very different horse, yes he's sharp and far to clever for his own good but he performs none of the airs above the ground that he used to.
If he's worth so much both financially and emotionally then at least have the satisfaction of knowing that you did everything you possibly could to help him.
 
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