HHO horse hunting posse

Yes, she is bonny. If she was a year or two older, I would check her out. I want something I can ride in Mugdock park at some point in 2021. Hence the 3 or 4 year olds. Could have happily bought a 2 year old last year, but we are where we are now.
 
Screenshot_20210127-193318~2.pngbit old but looks good to go on the palominos/Duns/buckskins in the UK etc. FB page
Apologies formal north of England ones I have a warped sense of distance as we're always driving from North Wales to Glasgow (excluding lockdowns)
 
Last edited:
Cloball said:
Smart wee girl

https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/120101896/welsh-section-d-mare.html?link=%2Fsearch%3Fkeyword%3DWelsh%2Bd%26sectionId%3D2188%26page%3D2
Click to expand...

Why has she been for sale for so long?? 170 days?

Caol Ila said:
Dryrot had a Highland stud, didn't he? He hasn't posted on here in a while. Did JFTD's horses come from his stud? She seems to have disappeared as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, Morrich stud is closed as mentioned. JFTD is live and kicking on FB, she just got fed up of the ‘Internet experts’ during lockdown.
 
Ruaridh is really well known in highland circles and I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him. Lots of his ponies about as well. But no drect experience.
 
Yes, was going to echo what others had mentioned about Raith being William Lowther if you want to Google.
Can't imagine you would go wrong with Ormiston stud pony but not sure if they have anything for sale at the minute, they would be more likely to sell foals/yearlings.
 
Looked at two Highlands today. One was much smaller than I wanted, and the other was rising 3. He was 2.5 and really needed another year of being a horse in a field. Nothing excited me. I wasn't in love. Should I be in love?

All that chat led to one of my fellow liveries telling me that she was going to get a cat from a local yard, which also breeds PREs. I looked at the website and they have a 3-year old and a couple 2-years olds for sale, apparently. At prices I could actually afford. I may have gotten really excited. I've loved Andalusians since I was old enough to say the word 'horse,' but owning one never seemed feasible. They're expensive, you have to faff with buying unseen from Spain, they can be really hot (but so was Gypsum in her misspent youth) and maybe I'm not a person who deserves an Andalusian.

But maybe I am. I just got so excited when talking to OH about Spanish horses. Even told him I'd buy a bloody two-year old and wait a year, because it would be worth it for a PRE. What's wrong with me?
 
If you're interested in a PRE, have a read of YCBMs threads - lots of info on what they're really like in those.
I know she's struggled as hers is, like most iberians, a very good doer (made harder by being on a different regime to her other one, which wouldn't be an issue for you of course) but she seems to get a lot of joy from riding her.
(Sorry ycbm, hope you don't mind me saying!)

A highland would seem very different to what you have currently and a bit of a strange choice if I'm honest

As a one horse owner in a weird environment right now, wanting to go and see them and them putting a smile on your face is pretty high up the priority list to me. Especially if you're going to be backing them - not necessarily a straight forwards or always fun task so it helps if you like them as a starting point I find.
 
Caol Ila said:
Does anyone know anything about the Highland stud up in Kingussie? https://www.ormistonhighlands.com/. I've driven past some of their horses hundreds of times, as Newtonmore/Kingussie are regular haunts for us, and they always look good.
Click to expand...

I've heard really good things about Ruwenzori Highland Ponies .. they have rare Rum bloodlines and consequentially some of the rarer colours .. They're on the Black Isle so a bit further up the road from Rory's herd.
 
The Ruwenzori ponies look gorgeous. Nothing of the right age for sale. Yearlings.

I got in touch with the local PRE breeder. The 3-rising 4 year old has been sold, but she has a couple 2-rising 3 year olds. I'll go see them this week. I would prefer a horse I could properly start this year, but those horses, of any quality, seem thin on the ground. Who knew unbroke 4-year olds are so damn hard to find? Not me. I guess I could still be in Mugdock park with the horse by the summer -- leading it around like giant dog. Would it be worth the riding wait for an Andalusian, when I could probably find a 4-year old cob if I look hard enough?
 
I personally would look at the younger, genuinely unbacked PREs.

ETA - finding a rising 4yo cob that hasn't been 'groundworked' or sat on will be a challenge. Undoing other people's mistakes is less fun IMO than waiting a bit longer for a horse that really you really love.
 
I've arranged to see the two-year old PREs on Friday. Either they will be sweet and too drop dead gorgeous to resist, or I will realise I want something a year or two older. So bummed the three-year old has been sold. But someone was always going to snatch him up.

As I should probably have a Plan B in the works, I was wondering if there are any dealers worth investigating. Was hoping to avoid that minefield, but maybe a good, honest one is actually helpful.
 
Caol Ila said:
The Ruwenzori ponies look gorgeous. Nothing of the right age for sale. Yearlings.

I got in touch with the local PRE breeder. The 3-rising 4 year old has been sold, but she has a couple 2-rising 3 year olds. I'll go see them this week. I would prefer a horse I could properly start this year, but those horses, of any quality, seem thin on the ground. Who knew unbroke 4-year olds are so damn hard to find? Not me. I guess I could still be in Mugdock park with the horse by the summer -- leading it around like giant dog. Would it be worth the riding wait for an Andalusian, when I could probably find a 4-year old cob if I look hard enough?
Click to expand...

Because everyone either wants a horse they can back now, or a proper baby that they can stick out with a herd or whatever. 2yos are always good value for money for that reason, and is why mine were bought at that age.

I actually think it is a great age to get a youngster - you have a year or so to tat about with them and get to know them before wanting to do much with them and they are much more likely to be genuinely untouched (from a backing/riding point of view).

If your heart wants a PRE then go have a look at a PRE. They are just as good for trail riding as most natives and a hell of a lot easier to play dressage with because physically it is a lot easier for them (as long as you don't try to make them move like a modern warmblood)
 
It also seems as if breeders/producers hang onto the 3-rising-4 year olds to produce themselves and sell for more money. Have been looking at some dealer websites, and they have 4 year olds advertised as having loads of jumping experience. Man, I don't want my 4-year old to have any jumping experience, other than the odd weensie crossrail. If it's jumping big tracks at 4, when did you start it?
 
This rounding up the age thing drives me mad. It's an annoying horse industry convention. Spoke to a breeder about a very nice sounding two-year old, but when I asked for more information, it turned out that the horse was a yearling and turning two in the early summer. There's a world of difference between a horse that's two right now and turning three later this year and one that will be turning two.
 
Ive been looking for an unbroken 4yo for years with very little luck. Most breeders/owners would rather break and ride them away at 3 so they’re worth more when they’re 4.
 
DirectorFury said:
Ive been looking for an unbroken 4yo for years with very little luck. Most breeders/owners would rather break and ride them away at 3 so they’re worth more when they’re 4.
Click to expand...

Yeah -- this is becoming very apparent. Probably a justification for buying one of the young PREs if I like it. I could wait a really long time for a quality unbroken 4 year old. :( You're paying a lot more for a horse of the same quality once it's broken in and ridden away.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top