I may potentially have my favourite mare on permanent loan/given to me....thoughts?

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Umbongo

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Wow just had some news (sorry a bit of a background....)

I used to look after a part bred arab mare when I worked at the riding school, really wasn't fond of her. She was very quirky, moody, nappy etc. I then took her on a summer loan and I worked through her very bad napping, started to get her to enjoy small jumps (after being over schooled in the RS). Took her out for long hacks, beach rides etc and I fell in love with her.

Gave her back and her nervous owner couldn't cope, as mare is quite flighty, nervous and a bit of a typical arab sometimes. She wanted to sell her to me 2 years ago but I said no due to uni. She was then sold to a mother/daughter share kept at my old boss' yard. She is looked after but barely ridden. I started working there over the summer after finishing uni, justa couple of days a week and I get to hack her out and realised that I do love her and she is so much fun to hack when you know how to press her buttons.

Owner now wants to give her up due to other commitments to the YO, who has just asked me whether I would be interested in taking her on.

Now: She is quirky however I can handle that and love her for it.
She has never been a huge fan of jumping, cat leaps/refuses/however on the rare
will pop a nice jump.
She is 16 now, older than I would like.
Cannot be clipped and possibly allergic to sedatives.
Absolute mess to muck out :)

I had decided to put off buying a horse as I have found it hard to find a nice all rounder that I can gain confidence in jumping etc. OH may be doing a masters somewhere in the country come september so I may not be settled in one place for very long.

I had always thought if I won the lottery I would buy her as my fun hack and give her a nice retirement, then also buy a nice all rounder type too...one day!!! However I could not afford 2 horses at the moment. YO is not sure what to do either, she has been used in a RS for years before and now fed up of that, YO cannot really afford her as well as all her others...only other option is give to me or sell.

What do I do!!! I would hate the thought of her being sold on and never knowing how she is being looked after etc. I feel like we trust each other and she respects me....come trotting and whinnying to me in the field when she won't let others catch her etc!

I must admit her age and dislike of jumping does put me off. However once I had her over the summer and let her have some fun, get out of the RS pony mentality I did think she could have got better...but sometimes I feel her age is against her and she will never be able to jump at competitions etc she is just too nervy for that I think...but who knows?

Sorry for the long post...here are some piccys from when I had her 2 summers ago:)

DSC00250.jpg


jumpingdressageandgallopday026.jpg


DSCF0259.jpg
 
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Rowenna said:
keep her!!!!! Its so hard to find a horse tht you can click with, but when you do, its worth a million!
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I know! I was out in the dark cantering her around the valleys trying to get home quickly the other night. I trusted her and would not have done that with another horse! I am just so confused with her age/ability, what I will be doing jobwise, probably will be moving about the country quite a bit with OH etc :(

If I just wanted a fun quirky hack, she is right up my street. I am not sure if she can be the safe all rounder to get me into jumping more.

At the moment I am unemployed, have 2 potential jobs lined up though.....ARGHHH!

I had decided to wait to buy a horse for a year or two until I am more settled.
 
16 really isn't old and she sounds like she's got lots of life in her yet. You sound like you have a really good connection with the mare and from personal experience I think you may regret not taking her on!! I say go for it.

There are no guarantees with any horse. You might get a horse 10 years younger than her that breaks down by 10 but she may carry on another 10 ... or even 20 years yet... you just don't know!
 
The main issue for me, is the fact that you're unemployed and horses are so expensive... Would the owner pay for her keep for a couple of months, if you do the looking after, while you get an income sorted out?
 
Honey08 said:
The main issue for me, is the fact that you're unemployed and horses are so expensive... Would the owner pay for her keep for a couple of months, if you do the looking after, while you get an income sorted out?
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If the current owner definitely is looking to give the mare away, she is thinking she could keep her until early next year. Obviously I would want her with me as soon as I could (whilst being financially stable). At the moment she is stabled about 40 minutes from me and will do so until a solution is found for her....unfortunately too far for me to drive every day.
 
heather_bambi said:
If I just wanted a fun quirky hack, she is right up my street. I am not sure if she can be the safe all rounder to get me into jumping more.
I had decided to wait to buy a horse for a year or two until I am more settled.
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Fate intervening im afraid!!!!
As for the jumping-its something you two can work on together, you can teach her to jump and she can teach you to be prepared for anything!!:p

noodle_ said:
get her. get cheap grass livery :D

you obviously want this horse and 16 isnt that old!....
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To keep costs down, she can live outside, get a couple of good rugs and she'll be fine. Dont worry about moving around the country, there is ALWAYS grass and grazing and livery yards wherever you go. Just ask on here every time you move for reccomendations! And think of the variety of hacks and scenery you two will be able to experience! You'll never have to be bored of the same old same old hacks! Jealous!!:D
 
Does the horse have any ailments or showing any signs of old age? just curious as to why you think shes too old, i took captain josh on at 21 still fit as a fiddle and jumping 4ft 6 we were still doing this 4yr later with no signs of slowing down. He was an arab one of the best fittest strongest horses ive ever known he could be flighty and a total tool at times but always such good fun he took alot of calming down and steadying up to jump sensible but once in control he would jump anything you pointed him at.
If the horse is free and owner can keep till you get yourself settled i wouldn't dream of saying no, if the horse travels well in lorry then if you move a bit with OH then she can move with. If shes paticularly stressed/anxious or dnagerous to travel i wouldnt be so keen to move her around much.
Good luck and i hope things work out for you but please don't right this lovely mare of for her age, i'd buy josh time and time again over many of my youngsters!
 
sounds like a keeper, but if she is "given to you" just pay £1 and get a receipt for her so technically she is yours and no-one can have her back. But she sounds great and 16isnt too old!!
 
Only reason regarding her age etc....due to her temperament I feel if I worked to improve her jumping, it could potentially take a couple of years/maybe even more until I feel she is ready to actually go out and not refuse every jump on the course (a combination of her stroppy mareish temperament, being quite a nappy backwards thinking horse and fear from what I think was being over schooled in the RS and whipped when she didn't jump)....and that is if she will ever change! Also I need to gain confidence jumping due to a previous accident, and then having her who refused and cat leaped about all the time didn't help much. She has started to look quite old, although may be as she is so woolly and can't be clipped!

Well I rang my OH and he replied with a firm no....after the amount of times I ran it through him recently (whilst trying to convince myself) that I was going to wait until I was settled, earning enough money to "comfortably" own a horse and could find the perfect one (basically her but bigger, younger and will give me confidence to jump properly!).

I think I will have a long hard think about this.....
 
I wouldn't worry about the age thing too much. Horses go on far longer than they used to. I think you've met my 21yr old and he's still going strong and loving life. Admittedly I don't jump him but he still does a good dressage test and can work properly. Truffle is now 29 and still in ridden work!
Horses can be run on a shoe-string - that's the way I have to keep mine so it can be done, but it depends on how well she does over winter and if you can find cheap grass livery.
It sounds like you have a lot of time to think about it so take it. :)
 
apercrumbie said:
I wouldn't worry about the age thing too much. Horses go on far longer than they used to. I think you've met my 21yr old and he's still going strong and loving life. Admittedly I don't jump him but he still does a good dressage test and can work properly. Truffle is now 29 and still in ridden work!
Horses can be run on a shoe-string - that's the way I have to keep mine so it can be done, but it depends on how well she does over winter and if you can find cheap grass livery.
It sounds like you have a lot of time to think about it so take it. :)
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I know, she is pretty low mileage too so could go on forever. I just don't think she is the horse to go out competing and give me the confidence to go out cross country etc. She is good with dressage (although she likes to have the last word and not do things when you ask her too :)) however you can tell she doesn't enjoy schooling much. ARGHH....I want to win the lottery to buy her as my fun hack then buy another to compete on :)
 
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Go for it!

better to have fun now, and enjoy her and maybe get her sorted to compete jumping in time, than to be horseless while you save up to buy one that ticks all the boxes several years down the line.

She may have years left, she may learn to love jumping (the picture looks pretty good) if she doesn't there are other things you could enjoy together. You could buy a "more suitable horse" in a few years and find that for whatever reason it isn't suitable to take you out jumping. She's being given away and you know you love her, I don't think I could turn that down.

I think after being allowed to chill out and trust you she may well be happy to jump again. Sometimes hunting or team chasing can give a horse its enthusiasm for jumping back as it can follow and get its blood up a bit. Or often just a change of scenery makes a difference, jumping outdoors or WH type fences.

If she never learns to love jumping you could do showing or trec or dressage or all manner of other things!
 
Keep her, could she live out might be cheaper for you and then you have another as well :D :D :D.

I had Toffee on loan just as she had the injury which we think started her arthritus. I hadnt yet informed her owner as she was on holiday, however when she got back she rang me to say she only had the one horse and no space for Toffee any more did I want her??!!

Considering at the time Toffee was lame and was headed for a winter off I never regret saying yes to my most perfect fun loving pony in the world. We cant jump anymore, never did after her injury, but she is so much bouncy hacking fun :D Love her loads. Weird tonight she came over for a scratch and I just thought how lucky I am to have such a solid bond with her.
I just had a letter written to me and signed that she was now in my ownership.
I will shut up now :D sorry
 
Totally go for it......
My mare i got 3 months ago is 16. She had a hind leg tendon injury years ago and so had 2 foals (previously an intermediate evented) person who owned her wanted to keep eventing so let her be a brood mare.
I had an awful time with my horse i put out on loan in july and the girl who owns my mare works at my yard offered me this mare as she has been there done everything and is safe....but forward going with sparkle.
She has come back into work brilliantly and we are having the most amazing time.
She is my horse of a life time...and im even getting into dressage/flat work. We hope to start jumping around xmas time.
My mare is loving the work and i dont ever give the fact thats shes 16 a second thought.

My first horse was an arab, we bought him when he was 14 and sold him when he was 18 to a showjumping home. He acted like a 2 yr old and was endurance fit.

If you click....dont think twice...you wont regret it!

I love older horses....they are often more fun than horses that are middle aged....they seem to get a second youthfull spell!! little monkeys! Mine is 16 and still wont walk past a dustbin without an oscar winning performance.....trust me....she knows they dont bite....but she just likes to lark about!
 
I was lucky enough to be given a horse I'd had on loan and I took him on. There were things I was unsure about but my heart said go for it and I have not regretted it. I love him to bits and wouldn't be without him now!!!

IF you can afford it GO FOR IT! It's not everyday you get given a horse you love to bits. You could always get her vetted, that way you know what your taking on with regards to age, fitness, soundess, injuries and future costs.

16 is nothing nowadays, she could be ridden for another 10years+ with the right routine.

Keep us posted!
 
heather_bambi said:
Only reason regarding her age etc....due to her temperament I feel if I worked to improve her jumping, it could potentially take a couple of years/maybe even more until I feel she is ready to actually go out and not refuse every jump on the course (a combination of her stroppy mareish temperament, being quite a nappy backwards thinking horse and fear from what I think was being over schooled in the RS and whipped when she didn't jump)....and that is if she will ever change! Also I need to gain confidence jumping due to a previous accident, and then having her who refused and cat leaped about all the time didn't help much. She has started to look quite old, although may be as she is so woolly and can't be clipped!

Well I rang my OH and he replied with a firm no....after the amount of times I ran it through him recently (whilst trying to convince myself) that I was going to wait until I was settled, earning enough money to "comfortably" own a horse and could find the perfect one (basically her but bigger, younger and will give me confidence to jump properly!).

I think I will have a long hard think about this.....
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Hmmm. Not sure she sounds what you want really. It sounds as though you want something that will boost your confidence, and that you can build up to XC etc. If you take her on, on top of the struggle to keep her (even at grass she will need foot care, insurance (which is more expensive for a horse over 15 too), feed and rugs plus god knows what else, which will mount up..), one of the down sides of a 16yr old is that in a few years time, if she doesn't work out as what you want, and you aren't managing to do the things that you'd hoped, and you decide to sell her it becomes a much harder thing to do, as nobody wants to buy a 16/17yr old. Just because the horse is free, doesn't make it something that you should just do without careful consideration.. Sorry to be the one that rains on your parade hun. Just giving you food for thought, its totally up to you, but don't let your heart rule your head..x
 
I agree with everyone else here.....take her on!

I was 'gifted' a 19yr old, 18.1hh Showjumper last year.....I wanted something 16hh, under 15yrs old and a forward going and confidence giving dressage horse. At first I did have doubts that Max wouldn't ever suit me but, we clicked and now I would do it all over again a million times!

He'd never done a Dressage test and had been ridden as a happy hacker by a novice for quite a few years before coming to me so on the face of it, he didn;t tick the boxes but something just felt right about him.

He is 20 now, not only does he still jump huge courses at BSJA events for fun (not with me as I hate jumping) but we go out to Dressage competitions at least once a month and always get lovely comments as well as pleasing scores.

Yes, it took work to get us where we are now but it's all been well worth it.

Honestly, I'd say go for it....don't let her age put you off (petplan fully insure for illness and injury for horses up to 25yrs old as long as they're insured before the 20th birthday) and yes, getting her jumping properly will probably take work, but just think of the fun you can have :-)
 
I would say that to go for it if that is what you really want.
I took on my horse who i had ridden for 2 years for previous owner. Gave her £1 for him and got his passport and ownership transferred to me. Would get a reciept aswell if you take her on.
Have had my horse now for 2 years and he has progressed so much, could hardly canter as was so unbalanced and jumping was awful. He is now 17 and is being placed in dressage and jumping around 3ft, he has just done his first one day event and loved it. Not bad for a horse who i only bought to hack out.
Older horses can be reschooled it just takes time and patience but the bond you build is amazing. I trust my horse anywhere and with anything and together we have built each others confidence.
I would say dont write her off due to age and what she is like now but dont just take her on because she is free as you are likely to have her for the rest of her days. My horse will be with me now for the rest of his x
 
heather_bambi said:
Wow just had some news (sorry a bit of a background....)

I used to look after a part bred arab mare when I worked at the riding school, really wasn't fond of her. She was very quirky, moody, nappy etc. I then took her on a summer loan and I worked through her very bad napping, started to get her to enjoy small jumps (after being over schooled in the RS). Took her out for long hacks, beach rides etc and I fell in love with her.

Gave her back and her nervous owner couldn't cope, as mare is quite flighty, nervous and a bit of a typical arab sometimes. She wanted to sell her to me 2 years ago but I said no due to uni. She was then sold to a mother/daughter share kept at my old boss' yard. She is looked after but barely ridden. I started working there over the summer after finishing uni, justa couple of days a week and I get to hack her out and realised that I do love her and she is so much fun to hack when you know how to press her buttons.

Owner now wants to give her up due to other commitments to the YO, who has just asked me whether I would be interested in taking her on.

Now: She is quirky however I can handle that and love her for it.
She has never been a huge fan of jumping, cat leaps/refuses/however on the rare
will pop a nice jump.
She is 16 now, older than I would like.
Cannot be clipped and possibly allergic to sedatives.
Absolute mess to muck out :)

I had decided to put off buying a horse as I have found it hard to find a nice all rounder that I can gain confidence in jumping etc. OH may be doing a masters somewhere in the country come september so I may not be settled in one place for very long.

I had always thought if I won the lottery I would buy her as my fun hack and give her a nice retirement, then also buy a nice all rounder type too...one day!!! However I could not afford 2 horses at the moment. YO is not sure what to do either, she has been used in a RS for years before and now fed up of that, YO cannot really afford her as well as all her others...only other option is give to me or sell.

What do I do!!! I would hate the thought of her being sold on and never knowing how she is being looked after etc. I feel like we trust each other and she respects me....come trotting and whinnying to me in the field when she won't let others catch her etc!

I must admit her age and dislike of jumping does put me off. However once I had her over the summer and let her have some fun, get out of the RS pony mentality I did think she could have got better...but sometimes I feel her age is against her and she will never be able to jump at competitions etc she is just too nervy for that I think...but who knows?

Sorry for the long post...here are some piccys from when I had her 2 summers ago:)

DSC00250.jpg


jumpingdressageandgallopday026.jpg


DSCF0259.jpg
Click to expand...


dumb fu*k! LOL;) do you really need to ask... she would be your lottery win, she obviously owns your heart! take her on :):):) I know many a horse who is capable of going waaaay past that age and competing at the top of their game and loving it... they would have felt neglected if they had not been allowed to continue working to that level...

your post answers your question...

say yes :)
 
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