Horses for sale... Nightmare!

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Leg_end

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Am really struggling to find something for OHs mum. We dont want a world beater, just something she can have fun on, do some low level bits, hacking and schooling but the ones we have been to see have not been as described... what do people gain from lying?!

We've had a 'schoolmaster' that reared when you asked to hack alone - despite saying and clarifying that it hacked perfectly alone and in company, a 'well schooled' ID that had no idea about engagement.. but it had its head tucked in so in must have been well schooled eh??
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to name a few...

Is it possible to find something sane and sensible but not a total plod?! We dont have a massive budget (max £4,500) but TBH I dont think we need one for what we want!

Is anyone else having a similar problem or is it just me?!
 
I am having the EXACT same problem. Like you, I want something quiet and sane that I can plod around on alone, put my absolute novice OH on without having kittens, pop a very small jump and maybe even try a small local show. I went to see one that was described as 'bombproof, novice ride, perfect, dream' (all that jazz) and my left buttock cheek ended up in a fist-fight with her teeth when I tightened up the girth, she would NOT stand to mount, wouldn't move off the school centreline unless kicked to within an inch of her life, pinned her ears when asked to trot/canter, humped and squealed at even the most basic schooling question, napped, tried to take out another horse in the school with a full hind-end nuclear strike as she charged past, you name it.

Saw another (super perfect! Even more bombproof!) at the same place and to be fair, she was lovely and had an eleven year old trotting her through poles with washing line reins and hands flapping everywhere, calm and sweet as a lamb, but she had blown-out front tendons, a lame off-hind and might not be fit to ride (begging the question why the owner was putting kids on her. Oh, and she wanted £2k for her).

I am very much feeling your pain and frustration and I am beginning to get shirty about it. Travelling fifty or a hundred miles to see something that is barely even the colour, height or gender in the ad is not just annoying, it's downright inconvenient, costly and, depending on the horse's behaviour, dangerous!
 
I think £4500 is more than enough for something like that! If you want one forever (or at least a while) have you thought about putting your name down on the lists at the rehoming sanctuaries? They do rehome some good ones for riding - think theres a long waiting list though.

There seems to be lots of these horses near me - very steady eddies that do a bit of everything - don't know of any for sale, but I can't imagine that their owners paid a tonne for them
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It took me months to find the right horse that was as described!

I was losing the will to live with the lie's in adverts and telephone conversations. I'd travel hundreds of miles to find a horse that just wasn't as described. . . despite the long lengthy questions on the phone before setting off to still find the horse wasn't as described when I got there!! Failed vettings etc, it just went on and on!

Nearly decided to just give up and buy myself a lovely new car when the ad for the right horse jumped out at me and he was just perfect! Knew he was the one as soon as I saw him before even riding him! Well worth it in the long run!!

Good luck on the search and the right one will come along ..... eventually!
 
I don't see the point in advertising a horse and not being honest. My ad for Ty has been more than honest and I've got viewings all week for him.

That said, he's one of those horses that just doesn't get on with electric bums (as chocolate log will testify ;-) ) so I've told people that when they've run up!
 
I had that problem when looking for Henry, even one lady (and I use the term lady very loosely) who had her horse at Badminton and spent ages on the phone telling me the mare was super sweet and would be perfect for my needs of happy hacker. Then when I hopefully turned up to try her out, told me breezily "Oh, she's already been round the xc course, been schooled or an hour and had a 2 hour hack this morning, but she'll be fine to do it again with you if you like!"

Yeah - a real happy hacker there then. The same "lady" then swore at me for wasting HER time when I said I didn't think the horse was what I was looking for!!

I travelled over 4 hours drive each way to see Henry, but I knew before I even saw him in the flesh that he was the one for me! Best of luck, you might find the right one just around the corner!
 
can't help as such but I knew Beau was mine the min I laid eyes on her and I needn't even have gone to veiw Iceni, I knew I'd have her from the advert!! She bit me when I went to veiw her, but that was just her way of helping me pull the price down!!

Good luck, the right horse will turn up.
 
We're based Berks...

I was very lucky with my boy, he was the 2nd one I saw and was the one for me
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This time its not going to be so easy methinks
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To be honest - I don't think there is such a thing as a "bomb proof" horse. They are living creatures and act as such!
When I first learned to ride and bought my first horse - she was an anglo arab and mad as a hatter - but it made me even more determined to be a good rider and learn how to manage her. Which I did and then she had a foal and I still have him also, with two other horses which all have their own personality. Its a question of bonding with them and if you dont you wont work together as a team.
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