Horse searching, is anyone else finding it hard?

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emmaln

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Hi all,

Just a general post, my lovely friend has been looking for a new horse since August last year after sadly losing her mr perfect after he sustained a stifle injury in the field! She had a horse on loan over the winter but when the owner decided to sell she decided he wasn't the one for her so she has been looking for her new equine partner since end of feb and despite having a decent budget she hasn't found anything!! It just seems crazy! Is anyone else struggling to find a new horse at the mo?
 
I've just been being nosey rather than actively looking but is it me or is it all mares that are for sale at the moment? I'm not against mares per sae just click better with geldings like u say I can't see anything around at all some days . Thinking back to last year there was a fair number I thought looked nice
 
Same here looking for a gelding, cob type just for hacking. All I can find are mares, TB or arabs!
Really want a gentle old plod not a hot blooded highly strung hack!
 
It is so frustrating I had this as well. I was looking since November and I also had a decent budget. I even advertised for one! I saw lame ones, dangerous ones and one that she was riding before I got there! don't give up though Someone recommended a very good dealer and she Matched me to my horse that I have had since April. He is perfect for me and has lots of potential as well as a superb temperament. Good luck.
 
you might look on the infamous Dragon Driving,some reasonably priced cobs,which if clipped up could be perfect show type riding cobs.
 
Yes, definitely. Seemed like when I wasn't in a position to buy I saw hundreds of horses that I loved. Now I'm looking I haven't seen much that I like and none that I love :(
 
she may need to be more open minded, some TBs are actually level headed and good calm hacks, mine is and he's an ex racer. also I don't think you can really know from some pictures and descriptions on adverts, better to view even if they don't seem perfect as in the flesh you might like them a lot more.
guess the main problem is unless our a competition sort, every hacker/ local show type rider is after that perfect dream of a gelding cob!
 
I still don't get the geldings over mares thing? I find it illogical.

Obviously it's different if the yard you are going to keep the horse at has a space for a gelding and not a mare (if they have single sex turnout).
 
I completely agree! Theres so many for sale but just not what im after. Ive found theres a lot of ponies for sale but not many horses! And if there is they are thousands of pounds over budget. theres a lot of tb's too not many of them seem to be selling. I too have been looking for a while now finally found one (fingers crossed) but the horses for sale all seem to be the same!
 
Faracat said:
I still don't get the geldings over mares thing? I find it illogical.

Obviously it's different if the yard you are going to keep the horse at has a space for a gelding and not a mare (if they have single sex turnout).
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I'd never buy a mare that I hadn't already known for some time before. Seems like all the ones I've ridden/handled have either been grumpy old bags, or good most of the time and then suddenly momentary transform into an old bag and do a great honking buck/career off around the arena with you for what feels like hours. I've put it down to hormones, so no mares for me:o!
 
Well the only mares I've known who were like that ended up having genuine problems that once they were investigated, identified and treated, the mare was fine all year (and many were nothing to do with seasons or their reproductive organs). I was once talking to my Vet and she said that it really made her sad how many mares put up with problems/pain that no-one would ignore in a gelding because it's been put down to the mare being 'marish'. Surely no-one can put kissing spine down to gender?

Plus, why are so many women riders so unsympathetic towards mares that do have gynecological problems? I don't get that either.

Anyhoo rant over. :)
 
I'd have a good time looking then if I was in the position to buy :D love mares, my lady of a life time is a ginger old mare! My friend bought a few months back a lovely cob gelding for hacking...he's also 24 and sound as anything! Maybe look abit older than you've planned if your age range is limited?
 
Bit of an irony really,but I've talked to quite e few people recently and have heard a few examples of horses and ponies being bought very cheaply,then turning out good,and selling for big profits.A lot of horses advertised seem a tad expensive and i wonder about trying other options.
I also know a friend has a lovely horses she may sell to the right person,a really unspoilt young gelding who though smallish (15.3) has masses of potential.She bought him to bring on but is really enjoying him which is where ambivalence re selling him comes in.
 
I am only window shopping so I'm having NO problems falling in love with every advert I read. (I'm sure it will not be the same story when I am looking for real next year!)
 
PM me what you are looking for if I have anything in to sell or hear of anything it very rarely comes on the open market as they mostly go word of mouth. Know to 2 or 3 lovely kind and sensible 15.2hh-16hh at moment!
 
Same here, have been looking as my boy has torn his suspensory ligament and will need to take it easy. Called up about one on Saturday to be told be was still for sale and all the info about him, including arranging for me to view him on thursday. I asked if anyone else had called and was told that yes they had and were having a second viewing that evening, so basically sold then, :mad: why wouldn't you start with this before I get my hopes up and arrange to drive 3 hrs.
 
Southgate Farm have some nice horses on their website at the moment and have a good reputation, there's someone who posts in competition riders bought a cracking horse from them :)
 
Don't know what it is that people have against mares! I currently own two and have had four I total and they have all been perfect. Seems like when geldings misbehave they are sensitive and yet when mares put a foot wrong, it's because they are a mare! If anyone were to suggest I couldn't do my job because I was a woman I'd be outraged. :-p lol
I bought my last horse about 6 weeks ago. And yes I was actively looking for a mare! And everything I saw advertised was a gelding lol so opposite to everyone else!
Everything I looked at had won too much money for it to be suitable for me, even some youngsters. A lot were talented jumpers but had no basic education in other areas and lot had no flat work or wouldn't hack etc. not that that really bothered me as that can be worked on, but as these horses were going for a lot of money I'd really have expected a bit more for it!
But in the end I found Dee.... Not what I was looking for on paper at all, but a nice trainable attitude and all the raw ingredients to get what I want with a bit of work.
I guess what I'm saying is keep an open mind. I don't think the perfect horse exists, particularly if your last horse was fab (like mine was/is) don't make comparisons and look outside the box a bit and you will find what you are looking for with time!
 
Hmm, sister is looking for a potential dressage horse. She has an idea of what she is after, having won Mediums on two (mares:D) she broke in herself and competed Advanced Medium on a chap she imported from Holland as a Novice.

She has been looking since March for a 4-6/7 YO, 15.2 - 16.2 warmblood or with a good splash of it and on the occasions I have accompanied her, we have seen some very nice horses but all have had a 'problem' not mentioned on the phone, ie sarcoids, false quarter or something.

She is not after something cuddly, not overly concerned about the odd quirk and not worried about hacking abilities.

She has now upped her budget and says lowered her expectations ;) but I expect to still be horse hunting with her this time next year.
 
It's typical, when you aren't looking you are offered suitable horses every week. And when you are looking... it seems impossible to find anything within 300 miles.:rolleyes:

If anyone knows of a "nice person" pretty companion pony,please pm me.
 
We were in a similar situation after losing my husbands horse last April. We were looking for a gelding and had to be over 16hh. In the end after many disappointing viewings we looked at mares too. There are a lot of well written ads out there thats for sure as when viewing the horses were nothing like described!!

We eventually found a gelding 3 weeks ago - and sensibly priced. So far he's proving to be everything they said on the tin!! So don't give up - they are out there, but by god to you have to sift through the rubbish to find them!!!
 
We had terrible trouble buying for our daughter. Didn't have a huge budget at £3000 plus extra money aside for tack, but we only wanted a 14-15h gelding, safe in traffic as a happy hacker. Daughter competent rider so didn't have to be Mr Perfect in all situations or one of those who is worth their weight in gold types. We found pricings were all over the place and descriptions and actual horse rarely matched. We found her a nice pony in the end but agree with comment above, there is a lot of rubbish to sift through!
 
When we started looking in March, we initially wanted a gelding. Just a personal preference after having 2 previous mardy mares then a saint of a gelding. However, everything that fit the bill was a mare & tbh there wasn't much to choose from either! We went to try one anyway, she was a star! We had her vetted a week later then she came home to us. I haven't regretted the decision, she is fab, not mardy or mareish & so loving which none of our others had ever been. If there had been more of a choice at the time I honestly don't think we would have even gone & looked at her though xx
 
Just to clarify not against mares at all although I seem to get on better with geldings I do love mares too it's just o have three geldings and one who particularly likes to be joined at the hip with the ladies so not so much that I don't want a mare as such more I don't want to upset the applecart with my woosy gelding didn't mean to spark the mare/ gelding debate lol a good horse is a good horse lol just can't seem to find anything that grabs me at the mo
 
Smitty said:
Hmm, sister is looking for a potential dressage horse. She has an idea of what she is after, having won Mediums on two (mares:D) she broke in herself and competed Advanced Medium on a chap she imported from Holland as a Novice.

She has been looking since March for a 4-6/7 YO, 15.2 - 16.2 warmblood or with a good splash of it and on the occasions I have accompanied her, we have seen some very nice horses but all have had a 'problem' not mentioned on the phone, ie sarcoids, false quarter or something.

She is not after something cuddly, not overly concerned about the odd quirk and not worried about hacking abilities.

She has now upped her budget and says lowered her expectations ;) but I expect to still be horse hunting with her this time next year.
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Has she tried Mark Bosanko - he imports warmbloods and prices are usually reasonable.
http://www.bosankoequineservices.co.uk/
 
It's blooming hard. I have bored everyone to tears on here about it but I've been looking since March. I've had 4 failed vet checks. I'm off to see a horse on Friday. He does have a couple of sarcoids but I've spoken at length to my vet about them and we've been sent the results of the 5 stage vetting he had 4 months ago (he was sold, and the old owner bought him back because she didn't like how he was being treated). She reckons I should go and have a look and that there are ways round these things.

I've looked online at 1000s. I've reviewed 100s of videos. I've contacted at least 100 people. Word of mouth is what is getting me the decent ones through - because friends have spread the word that I can offer a 5* forever home (thank you for such lovely friends). But...and I have this ringing in my ears from two dealers...I keep being told no horse is going to pass a 5 stage in my budget but the two dealer horses were a bit under that. Well, my budget was 3.5k for a green horse, no older than 7 but I've spent a grand on vet checks and it has dwindled as a result. It will be a while before I can put those pennies back in the pot.

There are horses out there. Just a matter of finding them.
 
There's lots out there, on paper they all sound the same, even calling and speaking to owners they sound the same, I've found it's not until I've got to meet the horse I know if I've liked it or not, and that's not something you can do over the phone/via email. Yes you can weed out some of the unsuitables by being thorough with questions before visiting but you still may have a pointless trip out. For that reason I've been determined this shopping trip around I'm staying local.
Went to look at one who was totally not as described, but what I was told over the phone didn't put me off and the horse matched the verbal description given not the advert! He wasn't for me (foot balance all over the place and at 14 not something I'd want to try to correct & far grumpier than expected to be around & I need a horse who is pleasant to be around as horse isn't just there to do a job)
Saw 2 with a local dealer, both nice 1 just not for me and the other if I had more experience I'd have taken like a shot but too much for me currently.
Saw 2 at the Blue Cross (so much for looking locally, good 3 hour drive away, doh), nothing wrong with them, 1 was too much like my current horse in his attitude and the other I was smitten with but was quite wild still so not suitable.
Then texted a dealer friend who found me something within 24hours and I'm going back for a second viewing tonight & to hopefully finalise the sale. Wish I'd gone through word of mouth first! My farrier has also passed me the details for some-one if this doesn't work out so would highly suggest working horsey contacts rather than spending hours online looking at ads.
 
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