Horse veiwing...

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monica987

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Got totally lost near Hook Norton - great
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We were 20 mins late but lukcily the rain passed by the time we got there.

He looked lovely, ever so gentle and well mannered. Got him out, watched him trot up and tacked up. Girl rode him first - walk trot canter jump - great. Jumping was deffo his forte, he had lovely paces and when he worked nicely, he looked super - the only problem was he stuck his head up in the air and waves it around. Now I didn't think too much of it at this point - baby trying to evade contct type thing. Anyway, I got on him and walked around for a while and he was better than I thought - he responded well to the leg and accepted contact well apart from a few hiccups with the head up thing. Popped into trot and he has a lovely uphill forward trot - more head up thingy but works well inbetween. Canter is much better in light seat but when sat down and asking for a deaper outline he starts head shakey uppyness again. He did work well after a couple of minutes argueing
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but still the odd head up. Then popped a couple of fences - he is fab. Really takes you tot he fence and meets them on a nice forward stride. He has a good technique but after fence, especially if tightish corner the head comes into action again. Jumped a double, a spead, a skinny, a cross and a couple of fillers - no looking/spooking. Did wobble a bit, but that was lack of steering on my behalf and a late turn
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So, I loved him - great fun and really responsive - great! But this head throwing thing is slightly odd. Now I don't think it was so much trying to evade contact as he was doing it when I was walking him round on a loose rein - my immediate thought was his back/teeth/saddle. Now this didn't occur to me when I was there but he did look uncomfortable when saddle put on - looked round but didn't bite/nip. He also had a good look when being sweat scraped oiver his back. He also chucked his head up ebfore bit was out in his mouth, but quickly came round. I wouldn't mind these, if I knew nothing might be wrong. What would you think it was? And what would you do as I really liked him.

I was thinking of ringing and asking when all above were checked, and if not recent then I will ask them if they can get it done and maybe looka t him again??? Is this really silly? What would you do?

Pics
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Slightly above bit - just after an episode
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Did you ask them about it?

Describe precisely what he does in more detail. Does he put his ears back when he does it? Does he draw back behind the bit or push into the bit when he does it?
Does he shake the head side to side?
Does he sneeze before/after?
Was the mouth open or closed?
Was he curling his lips, looking a bit cheeky?
Was the flash on tight?
 
Did you ask them about it? No
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Didn't occur to me until I was in car on way home
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Describe precisely what he does in more detail. Does he put his ears back when he does it? Does he draw back behind the bit or push into the bit when he does it? Comes behind and up
Does he shake the head side to side? Yes
Does he sneeze before/after? No
Was the mouth open or closed? Open - tried to grab at bit once, almost like trying to snatch
Was he curling his lips, looking a bit cheeky? No
Was the flash on tight? Not overly tight, but tight enough that he shouldn't have been able to open his mouth
 
Looks like a nice sort
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Would be concerned about the head throwing thing though, if he was just coming above the bit every so often then thats forgiveable for a youngster, you really dont want a youngster moving its head from side to side though, and as you say the other bit could be to do with back/teeth. Would investigate further as you sensibly are doing
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See, it's not really side to side - it's in no general direction
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He could also not like the bit he is in.... I am going to talk to trainer about it, and hopefully she will talk to the poeple (as I ma CRAP at things like this
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sounds like a good idea
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you want to be absolutely certain you're not buying a head shaker of any description either - pain in the backside as they wont really do a dressage test! and they dont have to curl their lips or look to have an itchy nose to be head shakey.
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Make sure you get him vetted whatever you decide (5 stage, so the vet sees him being ridden). My old dressage instructor had a headshaker, she said it would jump the moon but she never did any good on him as he got such awful marks in dressage because of his head shaking.
Did he seem better/worse/the same when you rode him as to when the owner rode him?
 
Well it was kind of the groom. To me, it felt better than she looked
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I had a shorter rein though, and asked a bit more of him and gave him a small tap when he did (incase it was bad manners?). He did do it more after a jump though, which prompted the back/teeth thought really...
 
Sounds just like J used to to (and still does occasionally
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He used to do it out of nowhere, in both a bit and a hackamore. Had everything checked and then checked again! Worked him through it and everytime he did it he got a real pony clucb kick in the belly and was sent forwards, he hardly does it at all now, except when I introduce something new and he has a tantrum

Not sure if that helps much!


Horse sounds lovely though, I really like the look of him
 
Shame about me sat on top though
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I look rather tense...a nd on the worng diagonal - oopps
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Yes - I can see how he could be trained out of it, and with winter I have plenty of time
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I will ask about everything, just in case
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But it did help, thankyou!
 
Definitely phone him tomorrow and ask about it. Dont suggest too many reasons etc, just keep it simple.

It sounds probably that it's just a bit of a cheeky habit and it could be worked on but it is a definite issue.

If what he says washes with you then ask if you can try him again but see him ride the horse.
 
Glad you liked him E, I would say that after a bit more digging from the owners, if you are seriously interested, ask your vet to check out your concerns FIRST whilst having him vetted.

I think he suits you
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He doesn't have the horse in his yard any more - since his last BE event, he has gone back for some 'fun' in the hope he will settle and have fun as well as schooling....

I am deffo going to follow it up though - nice horse!!
 
I assume that he is the first or one of the first you have looked at, in which case I would put him on a back burner and go and look at lots more. It's your first horse and so anything you ride is likely to feel super, (I well recall being in your position).
It's a buyers market and your money should really go far atm. you should be able to pick up a real bargain, unless this horse has fantastic form or is dirt cheap then don't be in a hurry!!
Depending on your budget I know a couple of nice horses for sale at the moment locally
 
What is his name?? How old is he?.....he looks very familiar and the horse I knew was much the same as you describe.....it turned out he had suffered an injury as a yearling......
 
Just seen your last post about the breeding. He's kinda a cousin to my boy. They sound very similar in terms of traits. -where was yours bred? -I have a theory about why my pony's a little tricky at times.
 
There goes my theory (flying out the window)!!
Mine was bred in Italy, and can be a little hot headed in that as I said before he's a real thinker & will never get fooled after the first time.

This is a link to the blooline of mine, but I'm really pro trakehners & think they are just an amazing alternative to your usual TB or WB. Good luck with what ever you decide.
http://www.trakehners.co.uk/foals/2001/sybari.htm
 
My horse did that really badly when I first got her but she was gorgeous, cheap and passed the vet so I got her anyway.

I since found out that it was an insecure greeness thing. Once she got comfortable moving into a contact and got more confident within herself and her work she was fine although she still does it occassionally if she feels stressed or stiff for any reason.

You should be able to get the vet out to check it if you decide to get her vetted. My vet said it was pychological because she had no physical probs and was much better and almost stopped it when the rider talked to her in a soothing voice.

It was my horses way of relieveing tension when she was young, she never bucked/napped/reared/spooked but just used to throw her head around! Maybe its the same thing???
 
REally like the look (I loved your pony so we obv like the same types
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) but am concerned about the head-shaking - primarily because of the fact it hasn't run since May. That would fit perfectly with a head-shaker wouldn't it? OK in the spring, better in the autumn? Otherwise I'm a bit sceptical about the "didn't run it to work on its dressage" story - if that were true of one of mine, I'd run it at least once AFTER doing all this work to prove that its scores had improved: doesn't quite stack up. Head-shakers and sweetitch sufferers always come on the market in the autumn don't they?

Quite happy to be proved wrong but I would really look into it.
 
looks like a nice type to me and the fact you like him is good also.
he does look weak behind the saddle and from what you describe is a bit uncomfortable.. i would def get more info on what he has had done recently (physio etc) and then have another think
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Looks lovely, but knowing the rider that had him (who is a very good jockey!) and looking at the dr marks I would say its a problem he has developed and stuck with.... I would be a bit weary. Looks lovely otherwise!!!
 
I would have a good chat to Mike about him. He's a nice guy!( you'll like him !!)

The excuse for not eventing him since May really does not wash with me either. In that time span he could have had 3 months box rest for some ailiment and then be gotten fit again.

BTW, have you googled singing halando? lots of blurb on him on the internet about him since he was a foal!

My main concern is that they were so excited about him when he was born, saying that he was going to be a stallion prospect and all that, and early comp results seem to suggest that they were really excited about him...and now they are selling him off cheaply? Something does not wash here!
 
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I would have a good chat to Mike about him. He's a nice guy!( you'll like him !!)

The excuse for not eventing him since May really does not wash with me either. In that time span he could have had 3 months box rest for some ailiment and then be gotten fit again.

BTW, have you googled singing halando? lots of blurb on him on the internet about him since he was a foal!

My main concern is that they were so excited about him when he was born, saying that he was going to be a stallion prospect and all that, and early comp results seem to suggest that they were really excited about him...and now they are selling him off cheaply? Something does not wash here!

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Exactly - and about him being graded and all. I am about to ring them and ask about back/teeth etc and if they say yes he has had it before then I am just going to say no thankyou. I really want a good horse this time and I am not rushing into anything. The thing that really concerned me was he still fidgeted with head on a very loose rien -
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