How long did it take you to find your 'the one' horse?

Serephin

Serephin

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I have been horseless for about two months now (feels longer) and I have been to see a few, some nice, some where I have been shocked at how misadvertised they are.

And all have not come up to the 'click test' where i get on and know its 'the one'.

I am getting disheartened and not to mention, quite, quite bored - last weekend I just didn't know what to do with myself!

so, to make me feel better - how long did it take you guys to find the horse of your dreams?

oh, and have a Pimms on me for being kind enough to reply!
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I amdue to start my search soon too. With my last horse it took a few too, but then i saw 'the one' and knew. Although i'd have to say follow your head and not your heart.
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It took me about 6 months, and Ellie was the 23rd horse
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We searched all over the UK - in all we reckon we must have done 5000 miles, what with the horses that we went back for second/third looks at. As sod's law would have it, Ellie was right on our doorstep the whole time....
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One day you will just know - that's how it was for me, anyway! My instructor came to look at every horse with us, and there were some that were just plainly not right, some that he liked and I didnt, some that I fell in love with but he told me would have problems in the long run. Then, after months of searching and when I had pretty much decided to give up all hope, he got Ellie into his yard from the local dodgy dealer, and told me that if I could jump her faultlessly round his 2'6 course of Jump4Joy jumps, then she was the one for me. We did it...but TBH I knew when I walked in the stable that she was The One
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I think the 22 rejects had shown me what I wasnt looking for, so when I found the right one I knew instantly!
Good luck with your search
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about a week! my friend found him for me, her mum had to go to hospital after a fall and the nurse and her got talking and the nurse said they had a horse for sale, my friends mum got her number etc. we went to see him and i loved him! they then sold him to someone else, but then decided to sell him to mee
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but tbh we werent properly looking as i still had my 13.2hh which i was keeping for the summer and i got him at the beginning of the summer... i didnt go and see any other horses!
you will find yours, no matter how and when you find it you will just know
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ps. what are you looking for?
 
6 blooming long months! In the meantime I looked at countless horses, many misadvertised and thought I found 'the one', only for her to go lame the very next day!
In the end, it'll all be worth it.
 
You know my story matey! Lol.

Don't lose heart....... maybe looking for horses is like looking for the perfect man? Lol. Like Kitsune says... perhaps if you stop looking, the perfect one will appear right in front of you

Chin up! x
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Looking for the one is like looking for love.... let it find you!! Don't "over" search the web, every day as it will become a chore. Don't look in a mag or on the web for at least 24hrs and then when you look it will be new and refreshing!
Also, its surprising how close to home he/she could be!!
 
Have not found him yet!
I have always had a very limited budget and have had to settle for the best I can get for my money.
That said, I have and have had very nice horses even though the most epensive cost only £1800.
If you have more money you have more choice.
 
it took me two years to find my first pony!! But then again I wasn't quite sure of what I wanted when I set out so tried everything from 16.2hh thoroughbreds, show cobs and then after a year decided that welsh cobs were the breed for me. Mind you I wasn't out every weekend looking, I went to see about 25 horses before I got mine. Weirdly enough when i first rode her I didn't like her, drove half way home turned around and went back rode her again and put a deposit down on the spot. I learnt two valuable lessons one to know exactly what you're looking for speeds things up but sometimes you don't know until you try and two if you like a horse don't think about it for too long - I had three horses bought from under my nose!
 
I looked at three before I found Merlin...... I walked on the yard and thought .... Wow, I wish it was that one..... he looked nothing like the photo in the ad
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I rode him for about an hour and a half including hacking him out and put the deposite down there and then
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In all, about six months of sifting through ads, but I only viewed about four- only one of which was local to me. (I live on an island so logisitically it is quite difficult to travel to view)

Given the logisitics, I printed off a number of adverts in the area to look at on a trip to the mainland. Went to see horse "A", decided he was what i wanted- safe, reliable and suitable for someone not long back into riding after a long break, but I told his owners I would think about it overnight and get back to them the next day.

I had also phoned up about viewing horse "B", as a comparison, but travelled the two hours to see him thinking it would be a total waste of everyone's time, as he wasn't really what I was looking for- hardly a cob at any rate but the owners were keen for me to come and have a look.

Walked into the stable and "Click!" They tacked him up while he watched me with a kind eye (which I now know to mean- "You idiot"!
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) and J (who is now a good friend) rode him. All the while I was thinking- "he's way too good for me".

Then i popped on and touched his sides, to which he responded by launching straight into canter- (Note to self- less leg when going straight from riding ploddy cob to forward going tb x!)

A few glasses of wine and some new friends later and it was decided that Minstral was going to come and live with me.
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He is forward, can be excitable and a tad spooky if he's not in the mood, but wow, what a kind, honest and sincere horse and ultimately is safe. I have had him 2 1/2 years now and he's with me for life.

He has taught, nay forced, me to be a better rider so he has done me the world of good.

Wanted a cob, got a very well bred sporthorse and I think fate stepped in as everyone comments on what a great bond we have- based on him thinking I'm an idiot and humouring me
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Oops- didn't mean to write an essay!
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I wasn't looking looking if you know what I mean
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I had a rough idea of what I wanted.I was tempted by a Sec D but if I had bought him it would have been because I felt sorry for him as he had had a rough start in life. One of the girls at the yard said well if you like him come and look at Bella. I went round to another field and there was the baggage. She came straight to me when I called her, had a scratch and followed me across the field when I went to poo pick.

I thought about it for about 2 days and decided she was the one for me. Nearly 3 months later we are developing a great bond
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About a month, but I look intensively and during that time saw about 35 horses. Just enjoy trips out to look at horses, the day will come when you take one home.
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Daisy was the first i went to see and it was love at first sight. She's not a worldbeater and I'll probably sell her in the next few years so that I can progress with eventing but she was just right at the time. To me what sold her was that we went out for a lovely long hack and she didn't pull or try and tank off. Even in canter she was calm and relaxed and that was just what i wanted.
 
not sure i have found 'the one' tbh.

pilfer is with me for life as he is 15 and i want to safeguard his future but he is out on loan.

the 3 youngsters are all perfectly nice but i would sell any of them for a good offer.
 
Well my parents bought me 'the one' from auction 17years ago this month to be precise. We had 3 other horses before she came along, who were nice, i knew she was special but it is only as i have got older have a truly realised she has been and still is 'the one' Out of the 20plus horses we have had over the years, she is the one that has remained with me, for richer or poorer, well mostly poorer tbh!!
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My boy was the first horse I saw. I saw a piccy of him on the internet, like the look of, arranged to view. Had to drive up from Portsmouth to Lincolnshire. Met him and rode him over two days and said yes. It wasn't love at first sight, it wasn't a definite yes, my mouth said yes (that was my instinct kicking in) and my heart was saying no (he was covered in mud, hairy, chewed main and tail. So glad I went with instinct. He has proved to be the most loving, wonderful horse and I cannot imagine ever being without him.
 
My 'one in a million' mare came to me for breaking/schooling but she was so amazing I couldn't bare to have her sold on so bought her instead, been with me ever since!!! So I can't say how long it takes when out looking! I am lucky though!!!

I have been out looking for other peope though and have been shocked on several occassions at the difference between the owners views of the horse and mine!!!

As far as clicking is concerned, I'm not sure if you can click from just seeing a horse once, even my mare it was only after a week of working with her that I clicked and realised she was the horse for me....
 
Thanks for the replies, guys - I shall keep on casually looking and see what happens.

It is like finding 'the one' in man terms, I agree - I only met my now husband when I had finally decided that I had had it with men and wasn't interested anymore, low and behold I stumble into the love of my life!

so come on neddy, I'm waiting! LOL!
 
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Daisy was the first i went to see and it was love at first sight. She's not a worldbeater and I'll probably sell her in the next few years so that I can progress with eventing but she was just right at the time. To me what sold her was that we went out for a lovely long hack and she didn't pull or try and tank off. Even in canter she was calm and relaxed and that was just what i wanted.

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The type of horse you've got is the type I would like
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She belonged to a jockey boyfriend years ago, I bought her when she broke down and could no longer race, she outlasted him by 12 years.
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It took me six months. I started looking in October 2008 and found Freddie at the end of March 2009, bringing him home on 1st April 2009!
I looked at 17 horses in that time and had some bad experiences with misadvertised horses. Also nearly made a couple of sympathy buys but had to get my head to talk my heart out of it. I made an offer on one other and got turned down as someone made a better offer (not having him vetted) the day after, and one other I had vetted failed... I now know why and am a firm believer in fate! None of the come close to my boy now!
 
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