How long did it take you to find your horse?

[Miss_Millie]

How many weeks/months of searching did it take you to find your horse? I'm feeling very impatient

 

[Peglo]

I wasn’t really looking. Saw her picture became besotted with her and within 3 weeks she’d made her way from Italy to islands off the north of Scotland. Best gamble yet!

it must be very frustrating but definitely worth waiting until you have found a suitable horse.
while you wait, keep saving up. It never hurts to have a bigger budget. Even for new tack or rugs when you finally get your horse.
hope You don’t have to wait too much longer. ??

 

[Equi]

3 months.

 

[OrangeAndLemon]

He found me about 3 months after I'd stopped looking.

I'd called a breeder about a horse he had for sale. After a long discussion he felt that horse wasn't the one for me. I agreed. Life got in the way of my horse search but 3 months later he called and said he thought he had a horse that was right for me. I went and met the horse and knew he was what I was looking for.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Most recent two I wasn’t even looking, the last one got advertised, daughter rang me saying she knew the perfect horse for me (jury is slightly out on that one just yet!)
A week later he arrived at home!

 

[humblepie]

I wasn't looking but got a phone call from someone who said I should go and see him. Previous one probably a few months but it wasn't an out and out search and I did sort of change my mind during the process as I realised I had lost all competence to show jump! Good luck in your search.

 

[Bernster]

Generally a few weeks, to a few months. And have tried anything between 5-25 horses depending on the circs at the time!

 

[Miss_Millie]

Thanks everyone Maybe the market is a bit quiet right now just before Christmas, fingers crossed there will be plenty more available in the new year.

 

[Fransurrey]

About 3 weeks! He was the third horse I went to see! I actually saw two on one day as they were close to each other and had to decide, as both were ideal for different reasons.

 

[Emilieu]

I hadn’t even started looking. A friend shared her advert on Facebook and that was that!

 

[Annagain]

It took me 14 months but there were a lot of little breaks in there - I ended up in A&E twice (one very naughty horse, one just one of those things) so that put me out of action for a while. I then decided to take a break over Christmas and just as I was getting back into it, Covid hit. I found Charlie in between lockdowns one and two.

 

[Snowfilly]

Really varied. 9 months for the Clyde and less than 24 hours for my little yellow horse - brought the paper on Thursday, saw his ad and booked a viewing for Friday afternoon.

Around 3-4 months is my average, made worse by being in the middle of nowhere so there isn’t the same number to see in easy travel range.

 

[Brownmare]

My current 3 - no time at all! The first one, I was idly browsing preloved a week after losing my tb not sure if I was ready to buy again when I saw his advert. I knew immediately I had to have him so he came home. Second one I was half looking because previous horse was facing retirement and his advert caught my eye and I somehow found myself going to view him and of course he came home. The third, I had a message from the owner asking if I wanted her and that was that! I'm a hopeless case really, there should be a Horse Addicts Anonymous for people like me to get treatment (only something yells me there is no cure ?)

 

[outdoor girl]

A long time!!! I looked at about 29 and rode about 25, had 4 fail the vet and had given up, when someone phoned me to say that a horse I had enquired about, which had been sold, had come back onto the market and was I still interested. I was so I went to see it but didn't like the ride. In passing I just mentioned that if she heard of something I might be interested in could she let me know (she was a pro eventer). About 2 months later, at the beginning of December, she rang to say that her best friend, also a pro eventer, had something she thought I may be interested in. Went to see it, rode it, hacked it out, had it vetted and BINGO. I'd bought a horse - in the middle of December Don't give up. Your horse is out there, somewhere. Good luck.

 

[Gloi]

It's never taken me long. I always buy youngsters so normally have just rung round breeders I like to check what they have. Current one though I wasn't looking but I saw him on Facebook sold by someone I knew of and got him.

 

[Miss_Millie]

A long time!!! I looked at about 29 and rode about 25, had 4 fail the vet and had given up, when someone phoned me to say that a horse I had enquired about, which had been sold, had come back onto the market and was I still interested. I was so I went to see it but didn't like the ride. In passing I just mentioned that if she heard of something I might be interested in could she let me know (she was a pro eventer). About 2 months later, at the beginning of December, she rang to say that her best friend, also a pro eventer, had something she thought I may be interested in. Went to see it, rode it, hacked it out, had it vetted and BINGO. I'd bought a horse - in the middle of December Don't give up. Your horse is out there, somewhere. Good luck.

Thank you, this makes me feel better about how long it's taking. Glad you found the right horse in the end, it must have been a lovely feeling after such a long search

 

[SussexbytheXmasTree]

Last one two weeks.

Oldie I’ve had over 16 years he was a swap for a horse I mis-bought ie he was too much for me. I didn’t look very long though. I had one failed vetting then bought the second one after a couple of weeks which was a mistake. I got too impatient.

One before that was the only one I viewed.

 

[Flame_]

About 4 months. I picked him up a couple of days before Christmas 6 years ago.

I was totally sick of looking and I bought my horse without being able to try riding him, but he's wonderful. Wait for the right one.

 

[Hackback]

It's so weird because when I was loaning (I made the decision to loan for a year before buying my own) I saw absolutely loads of horses advertised that I thought would be suitable, but when my self imposed probation was up and I started looking in earnest there was nothing, very disappointing. Having said that I then went and bought the first horse I viewed - and that wasn't part of the plan at all! Probably took 3 months to find a suitable advert and then no time at all to buy the horse (even though he wasn't the one that was advertised). That was nearly 12 years ago though, it seems the market is moving a lot faster these days.

 

[Maryann]

I spent a ridiculous amount of time looking at adverts and then bought the first one I went to see. I was a bit worried about OH's attention span for viewings and I am very good at overthinking things.

 

[Ratface]

As I have had purebred Arabian horses for several decades, and rescue ones at that, I will probably continue to do so.
I hope the current aged one keeps going for the foreseeable future. He's strutting arrogance personified, but I adore him!

 

[Spot_On03]

First one took about 5/6 months, maybe less, but was 100% what I wanted... second, errmm, wasn't what I was looking for; certainly not a foal. However, she's turned in to a wonderful mare.

 

[FlyingCircus]

I find the accidental purchase style the best ? All 3 of mine I've seen on NFED/Facebook/Dragon Driving and decided I NEEDED them

 

[little_critter]

Probably about a month. But I feel fate helped me out.
I had viewed and agreed to purchase (subject to vetting) a horse who ticked all the right boxes but didn’t turn me on. It was a head over heart decision.
The horse failed the vetting without even leaving the stable.
Just a day or so later a forum friend, while commiserating over the failed vetting, said her YO was selling one that I should look at. He was a hand taller than I wanted and I nearly didn’t view, but she told me he was a poppet, and if I really didn’t like his height at least I knew I definitely didn’t want anything over 15.2hh.

I love him, he’s my heart horse ?

 

[Winters100]

I tend to not actively look, but rather put the word out that I am ready to buy if I find a really good fit. Sometimes they come up in a few weeks, sometimes months. My policy now, since I am older and break more easily, is that I would much rather have no horse than the wrong horse. I am very picky in some areas (good head, not silly, safe for my standard of riding), but I can accept health issues if my vet and I are confident that we can manage them, and that the horse is fit for the purpose I need, I don't mind older horses, and looks are irrelevant. I will travel for the right horse, my schoolmistress was 1000 km away, but I would much rather buy from someone I know, so it was worth the trip.

I think how long it takes depends upon standard of riding, and also age. When I was younger and would pretty much get on anything it was easier to accept something which might need some work. Now I never buy if I feel that the horse could be suitable with training, or with me improving my skills, I have to feel that if I took the horse home today I would be confident riding alone from day 1.

My advice would be to ask around, and do not rush the process. Having no horse is much less trouble than having the wrong horse.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

We advertised one of our horses for sale, didn't really want to but we had to for a variety of reasons. A mother & daughter, both adults, came to see him & fell in love fort him. We'd only advertised him for a couple of weeks but on talking with them they'd been looking for about 12 months. After all that time they'd slowed down on the searching as it was soul destroying not seeing anything they wanted but they had a quick look, saw our boy & fell in love. They came to view, rode him & loved him. This was a happy result.

Beware when looking for a horse that you don't fall into the various traps. Decide the type of animal you want & what you want to achieve. Decide what amount of money you will need to purchase the type of horse you want. So many people buy a horse who's lovely but after owning for a few months they decide they wish to go a different route & the new horse does not have the ability the owner now needs. Don't blame the horse for your ill thought out purchase. Don't buy one because you are fed up of looking & it's taking too long. Be realistic on how much the animal will cost. So many people post things like "I don't want a world beater, I just want to be able to hack out, go to local shows, jump a small course & do a reasonable dressage test. They have just advertised for an all rounder, they want champagne for beer money. Most dealers would kill to have a stable full of these, they can sell them all day & they are much easier to sell than competition horses. They also achieve good money. Be patient, don't think you have to drive hundreds of miles to find the horse you want, this is the curse of the internet. Providing you are not looking for a specialist horse you sould be able to find a decent horse within 50 miles of home & more than likely by word of mouth. Good Luck.

 

[eahotson]

We advertised one of our horses for sale, didn't really want to but we had to for a variety of reasons. A mother & daughter, both adults, came to see him & fell in love fort him. We'd only advertised him for a couple of weeks but on talking with them they'd been looking for about 12 months. After all that time they'd slowed down on the searching as it was soul destroying not seeing anything they wanted but they had a quick look, saw our boy & fell in love. They came to view, rode him & loved him. This was a happy result.

Beware when looking for a horse that you don't fall into the various traps. Decide the type of animal you want & what you want to achieve. Decide what amount of money you will need to purchase the type of horse you want. So many people buy a horse who's lovely but after owning for a few months they decide they wish to go a different route & the new horse does not have the ability the owner now needs. Don't blame the horse for your ill thought out purchase. Don't buy one because you are fed up of looking & it's taking too long. Be realistic on how much the animal will cost. So many people post things like "I don't want a world beater, I just want to be able to hack out, go to local shows, jump a small course & do a reasonable dressage test. They have just advertised for an all rounder, they want champagne for beer money. Most dealers would kill to have a stable full of these, they can sell them all day & they are much easier to sell than competition horses. They also achieve good money. Be patient, don't think you have to drive hundreds of miles to find the horse you want, this is the curse of the internet. Providing you are not looking for a specialist horse you sould be able to find a decent horse within 50 miles of home & more than likely by word of mouth. Good Luck.

good advice.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

When I was looking to replace one of mine 4 years ago I had searched unsuccessfully for nearly 2 years and been singularly underwhelmed by everything I'd seen so far; must've looked at nigh-on 70-odd horses. Had fancied three of that total, but all had failed vettings.

Then a friend mentioned she'd backed the sweetest little pony at her yard which had gone back to the owner. She really wasn't what I'd been looking for at all!! i.e. pony, mare, youngster, coloured, hairy-beastie. But there was another for sale at the same place so I thought mebbe worth a look. Ended up bringing the beastie home, best decision I ever made!

With my other horse that I bought just a few months after: came home from work and she was literally "jumping out" of Facebook at me! A lovely picture of her jumping. Ad said to ring seller as there were apparently a few "issues" with the mare - she'd been in an RDA centre but apparently when she'd gone out on summer loan she had "bolted". I still thought she was worth a look and as soon as I got on her it was very obvious she wasn't a bolter! So brought her home. That was three years ago. Sadly after only a very sweet year with her she developed trigeminal nerve headshaking and we had to PTS this summer. Such a sweet mare, she had other issues too it wasn't just the headshaking, she just didn't deserve the body she was in.

 

[spotty_pony]

How many weeks/months of searching did it take you to find your horse? I'm feeling very impatient

He found me. He was kept at the yard I was riding at, having recently come over from Ireland. I started riding him and bought him twin months later. This has actually been the case with all of my horses - I have never actually been to an official viewing as such!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I wasn’t really looking, either!

I was considering selling my gelding as we didn’t suit.. and deep down wanted another younger. I always browse horses for sale (come on, who doesn’t?!) on a regular basis.. and saw a little filly in Ireland.

The most awful photos, but something caught my eye and made me get in touch. Was sent a huge load of photos, videos. I thought she seemed super sweet and a very much ‘Can do’ attitude just from the trot up videos.. well, the rest is history!

I think word of mouth is a great way to buy a good horse!