How long did it take you to find your horse?

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silverstar

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Im horse hunting and its been 5 months since I started my search and Ive seen 7 horses none of which were suitable. How long were you horse hunting for and how many horses did you see?
 
Well with my little dartie, he was the first one we saw. But that probably doesn't help as my dartie is too young to be ridden yet (he'll be 2 in April).

Chin up - you'll find the right one soon :) I can do a spot of horse hunting for you if you like - PM me your requirements and area and I'll have a look if you want :)

x
 
a bout a month, and bought the only one i went to see.

the last horse I bought .. went all over the coutry but had horses and an over night stay all linked in, by the time I went to see the 3rd one my exact words were if she stays no 5 feet I would buy her.. she did.

before that I saw one then nothing else caught my eye at xmas I was in west sussex (live in devon) so went to a dealer. could only hack due to weather but again bought the horse.

I think ive been lucky that ive had 3 good horses, 2 off of private sellers, the middle one of thoose 3 was bought off a forum member and the only one I didnt have vetted. the horse was a star in her own right and is now in a new home.

the last one again a star but he just wasnt what i wanted in a horse, he got sold abroad.

and my current one.. the cob! Id planned to sell him this year after the showing season, but i think he will stay with me another year.

Ive also always had a large budget.. dont get me wrong ive never wanted to spend it all, the horse may be a decint price but add vetting on and travel its still not that cheap, the cob I bought, i knew what i wanted and had some very non flexible wants, but again after searching the uk I would of gone abroad if the right one was there.

I think sometimes you have to look beyond what an advert says, some people really dont know how to write one, and dont be scard to be going to look at horses upto 1k over your budget.
 
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I had been 'window' shopping for a few months before I started actively looking. Tried out one horse, who was the most talented bucker I had ever ridden.. Found that there was nothing much being advertised privately so went to a local(ish) dealer and found my boy there. Had him vetted and brought him home a week later, so think I was pretty lucky :)
 
I've known rose since the day she was born and bought her as soon as I sold my last horse, she's the half sister to my last horse and I kept them both at my friends stud where they were born so I was lucky :D
 
Window shopped from the beginning of Oct last year, hadn't had my own 'ride' for 7 years at this point.
Phoned one ad at the end of October - went down & saw/rode her the next day & she was delivered on the Sunday (2 days later).
We hack out 4 days a week & she's a poppet (with a sense of humour :D )
 
First horse was the 3rd I went to view. Had been looking off and on for a few months but lined up four or five horses on a horse shopping trip south over a weekend.

Had pretty much decided on the second I'd viewed but as Mini was lined up to view thought best go see him as a comparison more than anything. I never looked back, there was something about him the moment I walked in the stable and he'll be with me for life.

Second horse was by word of mouth and only took a matter of weeks. He belongs to a friend of a friend and it turned out she was looking for a permanent loan companion/ hacking home at the same time I was looking for a companion on loan. Worked out perfectly for both of us :)
 
I was looking about 3 or 4 months. Travelling over 1000miles all to see 'not as advertised' had one fail vet too

Then decided like the previous time I had been buying to only go and see horse recently advertised. both times I then bought the first horse I saw
 
I was not planning on buying a horse at all when I ended up with my mare :p. I used to poo pick for her previous owner for a bit of extra pocket money! I used to ride her occasionally too and really liked her. They told me they were selling her and I was devastated :(. I brought her off them and paid for her in instalments :p.
 
I have been looking since September. Seen 6 now (I am fussy about what I go and view despite friends telling me to look at everything I don't see the point unless I really like the look/sound from the start) and I thought the last one I saw was the one, ticked every box, 2 viewings in a week and vetting 2 days later but sadly he failed so back to the drawing board for me :(

Is hard work keeping going tbh - I was so excited when I first started looking and am now very disheartened. Haven't viewed anything for a few weeks now. I am lucky that I have a couple of friends horses I can hack and school in the meantime but is not the same as having your own.

I am just hoping that in the next few weeks all the people who have been holding on until spring will start advertising and there will be some suitable horses around (although will probably have higher price tags now). There does seem to be more and more going on the websites now so fingers crossed we will all be spoilt for choice soon.

Good luck with your search.
 
I am still looking and it's proving to be really boring now really...coming across same old stuff time and time again....although I am looking to full loan 1st....as don't have the funds to go out and buy instantly...wish I could though I would be paying a certain well known dealer a visit like tomorrow....
 
Im still looking and have been since Nov so not that long really.....more and more are being advertised and in the last couple of weeks ive had a lot of leads via an ad i placed on Equine Adverts so my faith is being restored i will find my horsey soon!!
 
To be honest i never intendend on getting my first one when i did let alone my third. (i always wanted a pony but did intend on getting my house etc... first) I never looked for any of mine, all 3 found me, and I'd never change them for the world... :D
 
Kerrydevon - equine adverts hadnt thought of advertising on there. Ive put a wanted ad up on horsequest had a few leads but a couple of sellers werent happy that the horses would be living out & one is mareish and I dont want that. Arghh I give up. I feel like Ive been away from horses for years not 5 months.
 
Anything on the horizon Silverstar? The one I was going to view today has been sold 2nd time thats happened now to me in 2 weeks. Got one booked in for tomorrow so fingers crossed!!
 
About 3 months and I think George was the 8th I went to see. My sister (not horsey) kept asking me the names of the ones I was going to see and they were all slightly way out names and she said 'no that one won't be right' :D Then I said I was going to see a George and she said 'that's the one' and it was :D

When I was searching Horsemart I always put in 16hh as a height limit as I didn't think I could manage anything bigger, then one day I forgot and this handsome 16.3 chap came up 5miles from home. SO I thought why not and arranged to have a look and of course it was George :D you just never know when you will find the one.

Good luck.
 
Same here I have 13 sites in my favorites which I check daily, but my 1 has gone to 3 tomorrow now!! Two are at the same yard though!! I don't even get excited anymore because you build your hopes up to have them knocked down again!! I'm crossing my fingers though!!
 
silverstar said:
Kerrydevon - equine adverts hadnt thought of advertising on there. Ive put a wanted ad up on horsequest had a few leads but a couple of sellers werent happy that the horses would be living out & one is mareish and I dont want that. Arghh I give up. I feel like Ive been away from horses for years not 5 months.
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can you change your wants list by a bit? or be willing to travel further. ?

imo plan a weekend.. have horses to view on the way out stay over night then head home with more to view.

if you head up wards, wales midlands etc the price seem to be cheaper and more about. vettings are also normally a bit cheaper travel wise you should be able to get a horse home for very max of £300

if you look on late rooms you can often get a hotel room for 30 quid for the night for 2 people.
 
Gorgeous George said:
About 3 months and I think George was the 8th I went to see. My sister (not horsey) kept asking me the names of the ones I was going to see and they were all slightly way out names and she said 'no that one won't be right' :D Then I said I was going to see a George and she said 'that's the one' and it was :D

When I was searching Horsemart I always put in 16hh as a height limit as I didn't think I could manage anything bigger, then one day I forgot and this handsome 16.3 chap came up 5miles from home. SO I thought why not and arranged to have a look and of course it was George :D you just never know when you will find the one.

Good luck.
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He looks lovely!
 
Vibella said:
Same here I have 13 sites in my favorites which I check daily, but my 1 has gone to 3 tomorrow now!! Two are at the same yard though!! I don't even get excited anymore because you build your hopes up to have them knocked down again!! I'm crossing my fingers though!!
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13 websites? I only scan the usual H&H, horsemart, horse deals, horsequest, ad horse.

I dont have any horses to school in the meantime so am getting withdrawal symptoms.
 
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Vibella said:
Try Cheshire Horse - http://www.cheshirehorse.co.uk/horses_for_sale_cheshire/index.html

Horse Hunter - http://www.horsehunter.co.uk/horses-for-sale.html

Mersey Horse - http://www.merseyhorse.com/new/horses4sale/horses4sale.php?page=0

Horses Now - http://www.horses-now.co.uk/horses_on_sale_now/horses-for-sale

Right Horses - http://www.righthorses.co.uk/

Amongst a few of the others I use!
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Great thanks vibella. I may also ring up some horses that are about 1k over my budget in case they're willing to negotiate.
 
Umm about 5 minutes! I saw him tied to the fence at a dealers, sat and had a play then took him home that day. Nearly 4 years on (in March) and he's my pony of a lifetime. The others have all been snap decisions and with the exception of one (nothing wrong just didn't "click") they were all fab.
 
About a week... I asked at the yard about livery, decided I could afford it, said I was going to buy a horse. Looked on line and found a couple of horses for sale in the general area, went to the yard to ask if they knew either horse - I assume the staff had discussed my wanting to buy a horse in the meantime - they didn't know the horses, but they did have one of their own that would suit, took a look, went the next day to try him. Job done!
 
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