How many horses did you look at before you found the one?

J

Jake's mum

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I was wondering how many horses people went to view before they found the right one to buy and how far have you travelled to view these horses? Do you find a lot of horses are very different to how they come across in adverts?

There are so many horses for sale, I would not know where to start!

Thanks:)
 
0. I've never ended up 'horse shopping' sadly :( I've always ended up with horses I've known overnight!
Work ones and stuff have been as far as Yorkshire etc, however very rarely go to view if that far away.
 
one
then tried honey and fell for her but wouldn't pay what they were wanting
so tried others
still wanted honey
tried more
still wanted her
came to a compromise on money and got her :D

i'm lucky though - i've ridden so many 100's of horses for work/friends/hirlings etc that i can sit on a horse and know instantly :) i only tried honey for 10mins in her own field and bought her unvetted 4 weeks later (ETA - 1k off what they were origonally asking ;))
 
Holly was bought in with another youngster with me in mind. I wanted a black cob gelding which the other youngster was but there was just something about Holly...She ticked all of the important boxes apart from the fact she is a mare :)
 
With my current mare I viewed about 5/6 before her, even had one vetted (failed). I spent ages on the internet though trawling through adverts, she was the last one I was going to see before having a break from looking as had been really disappointed the other had failed vetting. As it had failed vetting on bad hoof I became quite obsessed with healthy feet and limbs as such when I went to view her I spent less time assessing her temperament and as such have ended up with a very quirky mare who has been hard work (bought as 3yr old to back) no regrets though as we have learnt together and I love her to bits now.

It is very hard looking, think it's slightly easier if a youngster as they shouldn't have been spoilt, but hard all the same
 
erm, (hides head embarrassingly) I bought the first horse I went and tried.
In my defense, having had a horse on loan for 4 years, I knew what I wanted, and looked loads online before I even bothered to go and see him.
I guess I was lucky that the horse I looked at matched the description on the ad, and I had him vetted and home within a week of first seeing him - there are some honest people out there!
 
I tried one that was new to the yard I was already at - a handsome dark bay with a moustache called Billy. And then a past instructor got me to go and see a grey irish gelding called Minstrel. Didn't click with either of them, though both were very nice. Then they happened to have Cleo in at the same yard as Minstrel and asked if I'd like to try her too.

She was far more green than the other two but had the most incredible paces by far and just exploded over some tiny jumps. Think she'd been broken then out in a field for 6 months before we tried her, so she did well, and it was pretty much love at first sight and the rest is history I guess!
 
My current one I saw two others before him. The horse of my dreams that I lost I wasnt even meant to see. Had arranged to go view half a dozen other horses that day but they all rang that morning and told me they were gone. So went through the yellow paper again and rang an ad, told her that I wasnt interested in having a TB but had booked the day off work to see horses and that they had all gone, but was adamant that I was going to look at a horse. She said fine come down anyway and then I met him, and from the moment I first laid eyes on him I knew he was meant to be mine. 3 weeks later he was and I had the best 11 1/2 months of my life with him.
 
When I started shopping for a horse I really looked forward to it, over the four months it took me to find my horse, I ended up hating it - so many adverts were untrue, you just can't believe what people say about their horses. Even somebody I know advertised a horse and only half of what she said was true.

I went all over the place to find my horse and tried 7 so called bombproofs that were suitable for a nervous nelly. I tried a bucking spinner with the owner telling me I should buy a rocking horse, I tried a seriously overweight, grumpy mare that was mollycoddled and then a cob that the owner refused to get on and "unfortunately" didn't have a saddle for - and all sorts in between! I was looking at the cheaper end of the market and maybe you get what you pay for.......

Ignore what people say, try them out yourself and believe in only what you see. Take an experienced rider with you that you trust and is happy to be a crash test dummy for you. Get them to ride first to let you know if it's suitable for you to then have a go on (obviously only if you're a first time horse buyer).

I was giving up finding my 15hh+ 'coloured' cob but then found Joe. He was totally not what I was looking for at 14.2 and black - he stole my heart and knows to look after me.

Good luck and keep us posted!
 
None! My sister and mum went to view him whilst I was on holiday (as my mum wanted a nosey - the big timewaster!) and they rang me and said I should go and see him. I wasn't expecting to get a horse at the time, but get a horse I did and still have him 5 years later :)

First pony - only tried him
Second pony - had one on loan, then got him
First horse - viewed about 6 I think before deciding on him - although I came to the realisation that he was a mistake buy after about a week, but hung onto him for 5 years :)

The moral? Go with the first one you see! ;) :D
 
I tried 13 horses, and got so fed up I ofered money to a farmer for a mare that I had admired every day for the last year whilst riding by. The best bit....I have had her 5 years and shes my horse of a lifetime :)

During my search I went to see a 16hh that was about 18hh, a 16hh that was about 14.2hh and a competition horse that was a light hack..... 90% of the people selling horses are lying about something!
 
I've viewed three so far and think the most recent one might be the one.

We also had lots of abortive attempts to view horses whose owners changed their minds or who got sold or went lame just before we went to see them.

Oh and there was one that hubby tried and I didn't get chance to.......

Fingers crossed this one works out :)
 
Stencilface said:
..........came to the realisation that he was a mistake buy after about a week, but hung onto him for 5 years :)
Click to expand...

this is so true - don't expect your chosen horse to be perfect and for you to ride into the sunset - Joe, "the plod cob gelding" turns into a complete speed demon in the winter and scares the pants off me :D
 
The first horse I tried out bucked me off (and then tried to trample me - luckily I managed to roll under the arena fence), I think when the owner said 'broken in and working well' she meant 'maybe had a saddle plonked on once or twice.

Then went to a dealer who had been recommended, unfortunately I only wanted a gelding (there was a colt at my yard) and he had about 15 mares and two geldings - one was grey and a cribber (both no-nos for me), luckily the other one was perfect in every way, a complete bargain and passed a 5 stage vetting with flying colours!

So, I bought the 2nd horse, but I had been very very picky about which horses I had gone to see, had probably phoned up about 15 - 20 but decided they didn't sound right.
 
First pony I was asked if I wanted it, went to see it in the same village and fell in love. She was the only one I saw.

Second pony was conventionally advertised but 100 miles away, went to see him, decided not to buy him due to his having dumped all the other viewers when they tried him but was rung the next day by his owners who were desperate for us to buy him. He was the first one we went to see.

Third pony, went with a friend to view it - again in our village - for her but he was utterly unsuitable. So I bought him. I wasn't looking for a pony at the time but he needed rescuing and I always intended to bring him on and sell him. The day I picked him up I described the home I wanted for him and when I advertised him the first people to view were the perfect home. I was offered considerably more money by the next people but sold to the perfect home, who still have him five years later.

First horse, looked at one which my daughter and I both felt just didn't want to be ridden. I had a clear idea in my head of what I wanted - a larger version of the second pony we'd bought. I found just the animal I wanted the other side of Wales, so four hours drive away. Went and tried him, he was very very like the pony we had with just the same personality traits and I didn't want that. So I put up a wanted ad and got only one reply. That was about an hour and a half away but he was perfect so i bought him. He was the third I'd viewed.

2nd horse I saw an ad in the paper and went and fell in love with her. She was about an hour away. She was the only horse I saw (I shouldn't have been buying!) and was my "pocket money pony".

3rd horse We knew exactly what we wanted, tried one about an hour away but she just didn't seem right, tried another about an hour and a half away and he seemed right on paper but when we took him out XC he was really sticky and I fannied about and lost him. Then heard of one on here and travelled three and a half hours to see her. Daughter didn't take to her but she was perfect on paper and although she injured herself very soon after we bought her she has been (and is) back in work and is absolutely perfect for what we wanted. So she was the third horse I saw.

4th horse heard of one on here, went to see him four hours away and daughter fell in love and we bought him. He's a funny old stick who injured himself and still has problems on and off but he always brings a smile to my face whether I'm handling him on the ground or riding him! He was the only horse we saw.

5th horse, I'd just agreed a sale on the pocket money pony and thought I needed another one to stop me being sad. So I heard of one, went to see her and collected her the next day. She was the only one I saw and she is giving me a great deal of amusement.
 
FionaMc said:
I tried one that was new to the yard I was already at - a handsome dark bay with a moustache called Billy. And then a past instructor got me to go and see a grey irish gelding called Minstrel. Didn't click with either of them, though both were very nice. Then they happened to have Cleo in at the same yard as Minstrel and asked if I'd like to try her too.

She was far more green than the other two but had the most incredible paces by far and just exploded over some tiny jumps. Think she'd been broken then out in a field for 6 months before we tried her, so she did well, and it was pretty much love at first sight and the rest is history I guess!
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I lie! I also saw a novice eventer that belonged to a daughter of one of my Mum's colleagues. She was definitely talented and I'm sure she ended up making someone a lovely horse, but the jump from a 12.2 riding school pony to a 16hh TB was just too much at the time.
 
To be helpful about your buying a horse; the ones that have worked out best for me were those that I sat down and thought about exactly what I wanted. When I went to view I matched them against my "perfect" spec and even if we didn't click at first the two that I bought as head decisions not heart decisions have proved to be absolutely wonderful and we've fallen in love progressively with them.

The "gut feel" heart decision ponies and horses have all had their good points but I'd like to say I wouldn't just go for a heart decision nowadays. That is I'd LIKE to say that but actually the last horse on the list can be justified in all sorts of ways but I shouldn't really have been looking and yes, when I met her she would have had to do something awful for me not to buy her...
 
Well my first horse, I picked him out of the ad trader, it was between him or an unbroken chestnut. I went for him as he was already broken, made arrangements to see him but got let down so told the owners to bring him straight over, all this at 13! he was the best chance I ever took, I never new what he looked like, never even had a ride on him.

2nd -first one I saw, went back for him a week later, 3rd - only wanted him for a companion so took him within an hour of being there, 4th - never went to buy another but a head popped over the door - just had to have him, 5th - already had my name down when i brought his brother (no 5)6th - I never planed to have but couldn't let him go back to the sells.
 
I looked at about 8 before finding George, one of which I fell off and broke my nose and broke and dislocated a finger :(!! All the ones I looked at were in Essex where I live.

I was looking for somthing up to 16hh max, then one day I forgot to filter the height on horsemart and this 16.3 chunky chestnut fella came up 8miles from home. He was George and most definately turned out to be the one :):) also the lady selling him was an instructor and I got on so well with her that I asked if she would teach me, she said yes and still does!
 
not enough!! he was the third, and he's most certainly not 'the one', although that could just be bacause weve had a terrible week.. i love him really :)
 
None.

I have been lucky enough to have had two that qualified, for me, as 'The One' both arabs, both died too soon.

One was a broken down race horse that I did at a flat yard. I had her for 12 years and she was the kindest creature on four legs, shame that some oversexed arse of a gelding chased her into the ground and signed her death warrant with the injuries caused:mad: :(

The other, someone phoned me up after viewing a horse with a friend and said "I've found you a horse, **** for what **** wanted, but perfect for you" I wasn't even looking for a horse at the time!
She was right, he wasn't everyone's cup of tea, in fact you'd have to be an arab person to appreciate him and his considerable array of quirks, but he and I suited each other down to the ground.

I have 8 horses in my paddocks right now, none of them qualify as "Another One"
 
First horse

Tried one - Henry, didn't particularly like him
Went to see one (didn't ride it) - too small (size not mentioned in ad)
Tried another - Tex, had him vetted and bought him :)

Second horse

Went to see one (didn't ride it) - Patrick, didn't want to come back and try it, felt like Dad was dragging me out too soon after Tex was pts :(
Tried one - Dylan, p*ssed off with me when I tried him, but there was something I liked and my parents talked me into him. Plan was to keep him for the summer and then sell him if I didn't like him ... of course, I totally fell in love and have had him nearly 7 years :)

Both of mine were from private ads in the Ad Trader, and were almost exactly as described. Think I still have the adverts for both of them, actually ...
 
Wow thank you all for your advice and stories, it is giving me an idea on what sort of things to be prepared for in my search.

I really am amazed by the differences in a lot of ads and the horses in reality, slightly scary in some ways. I am amazed how far some of you have travelled to view horses. Maybe I need to 'widen my net' a little;)
 
a fair few it was horrible . some advertised bigger than what they were , also asked if they had eney lumps or bumps and got there to find splints ect ect .i hated it
 
My recent purchase was totally unexpected.

Went to see one who was way too small - rejected!

Saw a sweet looking mare on a dealers website, a lovely piebald, evenly marked nicely put together etc. So decided to drag a friend along all the way to Manchester from Worcestershire! She turned out to be a nightmare for me...way to forward going.

Having driven all that way, my friend persuaded me to try a little 14.3hh pony she had spotted. Palomino and white - not my first choice - a bit stiff on the right rein and falling in, but....she has been with me since February and I love her to bits :)
 
mine was the first on i went to see my horse at the time was off ot friend being schooled and well had decide it best to sell him so off i went found him on horsemart with a dealer and rang stright away discription was a bit off but he was safe and felt right had him vette and he failed but decided that he was so safe and had allready fallen in love with him that i was having him so a year and 1/2 later i still have him and his is amazing such a super boy although a bit grumpy when being tacked up :)
 
Looked at 11 but only got on 2 as the other 9 were just not what I was told on the phone.

We travelled 50 miles to see a horse which fitted the description on the phone but was the exact opposite in real life. agghhh
 
251libby said:
During my search I went to see a 16hh that was about 18hh, a 16hh that was about 14.2hh and a competition horse that was a light hack..... 90% of the people selling horses are lying about something!
Click to expand...

We had been through this in the past (although we've also bought the 1st we looked at on occasions), so the last time we were very firm about the requirements and the distance we were prepared to travel. We also asked a LOT of questions before arranging to view. Even then the first we looked at which I needed to stand still when mounted and dismounted, as I was recovering from a badly broken ankle. I never got on it, as the owner had to hop rpund the field for ages with one foot in the stirrup as she tried to get on.
The second one was lovely, was exactly as advertised and now lives here with us.
 
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