silverstar
Well-Known Member
Just wondering how far you'd travel to see a horse and generally how long do viewings take? Im just trying to work out travelling times to see a horse and getting back.
How far would you travel to see a horse & how long do viewings take?
- Thread starter silverstar
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MissSBird
Well-Known Member
I'd give about 3 hours to do a proper viewing, that being from arrival to departure. By the time you get there, examine the horse, see it trotted out, see it ridden, ride, chat to owners it all adds up.
How long is purely a personal choice. I went to Ireland and back in a round trip of nearly 24hrs for my boy!
How long is purely a personal choice. I went to Ireland and back in a round trip of nearly 24hrs for my boy!
Spring Feather
Well-Known Member
Viewings usually take between an hour to 2 hours depending on what you want to see and do. If the horse is all ready to do when you arrive then the viewing could theoretically last under an hour. The distance you travel is up to you. I've travelled 13 hours to see a horse and I've travelled half a mile, and everything in between.
waterlily
Well-Known Member
I spent ages looking for my youngster and was getting quite frustrated by the end of my search so was going miles out of my way to view, just in case it was 'the one'. I travelled about 3-4 hours to the arse-end of Wales to view a horse. Took 5 mins looking at it to realise that it took a good picture but was not what I wanted in the flesh.....4 hours home again. Finally found my perfect horse 40mins down the road :O
zoelouisem
Well-Known Member
I will travel up to an hour and half to view a horse, purely to the fact i dont have tranpsort and could rope a friend to collect a horse from that far, much further just becomes hassle. Also i found 80% of people lie. Once travelled 2 hours to view a 15.3 warmblood, bearing in mind im 5'10 to get there and it be a 14.2 Tb type pony!!! So i got fed up with travelling to view unsuitable horses!! I also like it to be a distance that i can get there fairly early. I like to get there nice and early to check theres no pre-exercising going on!!!
As to viewing time i think it depends what your looking at when i went to view a horse for myself i wasnt so fussed about how it was on the ground. As when i went for my daughters pony we were there for about 4 hours, (we did prewarn the owners that if pony was suitable to ride wed want the kids to play around with pony after) as for a kids pony i think handling them is just as important as the riding!!
As to viewing time i think it depends what your looking at when i went to view a horse for myself i wasnt so fussed about how it was on the ground. As when i went for my daughters pony we were there for about 4 hours, (we did prewarn the owners that if pony was suitable to ride wed want the kids to play around with pony after) as for a kids pony i think handling them is just as important as the riding!!littleme
Well-Known Member
normally an hour or two 
PennyJ
Well-Known Member
I set myself a limit the last time we were looking of about 30 miles. We were looking for a nice confidence giving pony for my daughter, so not really any need to travel further afield than that for one of them!
Regarding how long, well that's going to depend on first impressions of the horse, but I would have thought 2 hours is probably more or less right.
If its one you end up liking, I think you ought to be prepared to go back at least 2 times more to see if it really is the right one for you.
Of course, I never followed this advice myself, the first one I just looked at and thought he's got a nice kind face, he'll look after my daughter. Got him on a weeks trial and got him vetted and inspected by various friends of mine whose opinion I value and trust, and he's here till he leaves feet first in a coffin. The first pony I've ever bought in my life by the way, but I think fate took a bit of a hand in all of it, there are too many funny coincidences I have since found out about, like he was born up the road for starters... He's fantastic all rounder, family pony, general great mate, wins rosettes and sashes all over the place, tries his hardest at everything you ask him to do. And always a lovely chap to be around. Then there was one who was perfectly OK, but just the wrong pony for my other daughter, he went after 18 months (we did try to make it work) and then his replacement was offered to me when word got out we were in the "market" again, and again, she is one who was meant to be, she's been with us 3 years now and we don't want to move her on. She was a pony who wasn't really for sale if you know what I mean. So it is always worth putting word out that you are looking, you never know how far the bush telegraph will spread.
I believe this being succesful at buying a horse lark is as much down to luck as judgement.
Oh, and don't be afraid to trust your instincts if you just don't feel quite right about it. I pulled out of one sale after we'd agreed it all following a sleepless night and much to the sellers annoyance at the time: I said there is something very wrong with that horse, but I don't know what, and it won't show up on a vetting. 3 months later pony dropped dead (worm damage), so I was right to do what I did...
Regarding how long, well that's going to depend on first impressions of the horse, but I would have thought 2 hours is probably more or less right.
If its one you end up liking, I think you ought to be prepared to go back at least 2 times more to see if it really is the right one for you.
Of course, I never followed this advice myself, the first one I just looked at and thought he's got a nice kind face, he'll look after my daughter. Got him on a weeks trial and got him vetted and inspected by various friends of mine whose opinion I value and trust, and he's here till he leaves feet first in a coffin. The first pony I've ever bought in my life by the way, but I think fate took a bit of a hand in all of it, there are too many funny coincidences I have since found out about, like he was born up the road for starters... He's fantastic all rounder, family pony, general great mate, wins rosettes and sashes all over the place, tries his hardest at everything you ask him to do. And always a lovely chap to be around. Then there was one who was perfectly OK, but just the wrong pony for my other daughter, he went after 18 months (we did try to make it work) and then his replacement was offered to me when word got out we were in the "market" again, and again, she is one who was meant to be, she's been with us 3 years now and we don't want to move her on. She was a pony who wasn't really for sale if you know what I mean. So it is always worth putting word out that you are looking, you never know how far the bush telegraph will spread.
I believe this being succesful at buying a horse lark is as much down to luck as judgement.
Oh, and don't be afraid to trust your instincts if you just don't feel quite right about it. I pulled out of one sale after we'd agreed it all following a sleepless night and much to the sellers annoyance at the time: I said there is something very wrong with that horse, but I don't know what, and it won't show up on a vetting. 3 months later pony dropped dead (worm damage), so I was right to do what I did...
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Santa_Claus
Well-Known Member
well as when younger I lived on Jersey so when looking for a new horse/pony as the local market is so limited and often over priced I normally ended up coming to England for a long weekend to try several and they wouldn't all be in one area!
when looking for my first horse we travelled over a few days to dover, norwich, bedford, swindon and yeovil. When looking for my 14h2 just as wide a search radius again! For my 12h2 only actually went to see one who turned out to be perfect but still involved a flight to manchester then driving to anglesey. Just as well he proved to be the one
when looking for my first horse we travelled over a few days to dover, norwich, bedford, swindon and yeovil. When looking for my 14h2 just as wide a search radius again! For my 12h2 only actually went to see one who turned out to be perfect but still involved a flight to manchester then driving to anglesey. Just as well he proved to be the one
soulfull
Well-Known Member
It all depends for me on how long the horse has been for sale. I know a few don't agree with this BUT I found the longer they were for sale the less likely they were what the advert said they were, or what they said on the phone
To start with I was travelling up to 150 miles so a 5 or 6 hour round trip
I got so fed up when I clocked up well over 1500 miles
I looked nearer to home for a while then found one just advertised that day 80 miles away, I bought him
This is the 2nd time I have ended up buying a horse that was only advertised that day and they have been the two best horses of my life!!! Especially current one only had him a year but I know he is going to be my horse of a lifetime
To start with I was travelling up to 150 miles so a 5 or 6 hour round trip
I got so fed up when I clocked up well over 1500 miles
I looked nearer to home for a while then found one just advertised that day 80 miles away, I bought him
This is the 2nd time I have ended up buying a horse that was only advertised that day and they have been the two best horses of my life!!! Especially current one only had him a year but I know he is going to be my horse of a lifetime
measles
Well-Known Member
Inevitably all of my children's ponies were in a different country, be it England or Ireland. I think if a horse or pony sounds as though it is what you are after (based on videos, photos etc first) then popping on a plane is as easy and cheap nowadays as a few hours car drive.