Is the best decision to sell my horse? :(

[Meadow21]

This is very upsetting to write, so please no nasty comments. A year ago I purchased a horse in lockdown, I did everything correctly. I viewed multiple times and had a full vetting. After a few weeks of being home it became obvious he was not a schoolmaster but rather a very young and anxious horse. The previous owners offered to take him back but stated they were bankrupt and he would be put down on arrival. I kept him and have been paying a lot of money to have him produced slowly over the past year, I am very novice myself so I ride a handful of times in the week. He has improved massively however I still struggle with him, I find him scary to hack, I get anxious in the school with him. He is however perfect on the ground to handle. I feel bad as it turns out he is an extremely talented horse, he is just very sensitive/anxious. I have had a very high up (I think PSG level) dressage rider offer to buy him after seeing him school because his paces. He also is very bold with fences weirdly, although he has only seen fences on the lunge. I just worry I am restricting him, I am purely just someone who hacks and lightly schools, while the man producing the horse stares he would make an incredible event horse for the right owner. I also only hack at walk and lightly school him, which I worry he will become bored yet I am too nervous to do more with him. He has ever bucked/reared, he is just very sensitive and I have not got the ability to ride him lightly enough. I have a tremor in one hand and get nervous easily, he was suppose to be a completely novice schoolmaster originally. I am debabting waiting for him to be produced and selling him on to someone looking to compete, however I worry he will end up with someone who is cruel. I hear so many stories of new owners cutting contact with previous. What should I do?

 

[Red-1]

If I were 'unsure' and a good home offered £££s, I would snap their hand off.

When you are happy with one, no amount of ££££s would make you want to sell (unless it was life changing).

 

[meleeka]

I only got halfway through that before I decided yes you should sell. He sounds like someone’s perfect horse, just not yours.

Price him optimistically and see what happens.

 

[Meadow21]

If I were 'unsure' and a good home offered £££s, I would snap their hand off.

When you are happy with one, no amount of ££££s would make you want to sell (unless it was life changing).

i was offered a decent amount of money from the dressage rider, however I turned her down as I know none of her horses get turnout ever. I have never had to sell a horse so the process is intimidating and scary, I don’t want him to end up in wrong hands however not sure how I can trust people when I barely know them!

 

[magicmoments]

This is very upsetting to write, so please no nasty comments. A year ago I purchased a horse in lockdown, I did everything correctly. I viewed multiple times and had a full vetting. After a few weeks of being home it became obvious he was not a schoolmaster but rather a very young and anxious horse. The previous owners offered to take him back but stated they were bankrupt and he would be put down on arrival. I kept him and have been paying a lot of money to have him produced slowly over the past year, I am very novice myself so I ride a handful of times in the week. He has improved massively however I still struggle with him, I find him scary to hack, I get anxious in the school with him. He is however perfect on the ground to handle. I feel bad as it turns out he is an extremely talented horse, he is just very sensitive/anxious. I have had a very high up (I think PSG level) dressage rider offer to buy him after seeing him school because his paces. He also is very bold with fences weirdly, although he has only seen fences on the lunge. I just worry I am restricting him, I am purely just someone who hacks and lightly schools, while the man producing the horse stares he would make an incredible event horse for the right owner. I also only hack at walk and lightly school him, which I worry he will become bored yet I am too nervous to do more with him. He has ever bucked/reared, he is just very sensitive and I have not got the ability to ride him lightly enough. I have a tremor in one hand and get nervous easily, he was suppose to be a completely novice schoolmaster originally. I am debabting waiting for him to be produced and selling him on to someone looking to compete, however I worry he will end up with someone who is cruel. I hear so many stories of new owners cutting contact with previous. What should I do?

It's not about whether he will be bored with what you want to do, but he makes you feel nervous so is not good for your confidence. Absolutely sell on to someone who will enjoy him. You can then look again for another horse more suitable for you.

 

[BeansNsausages]

You need to sell this horse. You have done your best by him and have set him up to succeed.

Go and get yourself a horse that you can enjoy, who does not make you feel nervous.

 

[FFAQ]

OP I accidentally bought a hand reared horse 12 years ago (previous owner 'forgot' to mention he was hand reared until I started having problems) and felt duty bound to keep him. He completely destroyed my confidence and has been a field ornament basically. I have learnt a lot from him and I love him to bits, but from what you have said in your post I would sell and try not to let the experience put you off. It can be crushing to have a perfectly healthy horse that you are paying a lot of money to keep and you're too afraid to ride him!

 

[AmyMay]

Sell.

 

[littleshetland]

Bite the PSG riders hand off and sell. He sounds like a lovely horse, but not the right one for you....hope you find your 'heart horse' soon!

 

[magicmoments]

i was offered a decent amount of money from the dressage rider, however I turned her down as I know none of her horses get turnout ever. I have never had to sell a horse so the process is intimidating and scary, I don’t want him to end up in wrong hands however not sure how I can trust people when I barely know them!

Well , you sound like you've already vetted one person out for a very good reason. I would ask any potential buyer what set up they plan for your horse without giving away what you want, before they perhaps even come to view. Further along the process, you could always ask for references of the buyer before the sale is finally agreed. Check out their social media profile too. I'm sure other posters will give other idea's too.

 

[littleshetland]

Oops....just read the PSG person doesn't turn out - maybe not them then, but I'm sure you'll find the right buyer - good luck!

 

[Winters100]

In your situation I would ask your trainer to sell the horse for you. If after a year of professional help you are still not comfortable then he will probably never be the right horse for you. It is always a hard decision, but you are not alone, most long term horse owners have had at least 1 who just is not a good fit. I had a similar situation with a lovely horse, who was just too sharp for me, and I was afraid of him. He cost me a fortune in training and lessons, and my mistake was that I waited until I had a serious accident before selling. When I replaced him with a lovely schoolmistress everything changed, suddenly riding was fun again, and honestly I really wish that I had done that much earlier and not wasted time and money trying to fix a situation which was never going to be fixed. There is absolutely no shame in admitting that you have the wrong horse, selling him on to someone who will appreciate him, and going on to enjoy your hobby with a more suitable partner, in fact the foolish ones are those who do as I did, and keep persevering despite all the signs that the horse is not a good fit. Good luck with it, and I hope that you will move on and find the perfect horse for you.

 

[Trouper]

Have p'md you.

 

[spacefaer]

Def sell him so that you can have a horse you enjoy. It's too expensive and soul destroying to have one you don't.
I've got a million years more experience than you (and the battle scars to prove it!) and I have been the first to admit when I've bought a lovely horse that someone else should own.

 

[canteron]

You need to find a really really good sales livery, it may not (or it may!!) be the most profitable solution but will give you the opportunity to distance yourself from the huge responsibility of choosing the new owner.
Discuss with the sales livery the type of yard you would like and that you would like to meet the new owner/visit their yard before the deal is finally done.

A good sales livery will have the horse for 2 weeks before looking for a new owner and will also charge you by the week and then give you the whole sales money. A yard who sells on commission only obviously has other motivations!!!

Having a buffer in the sales process of a trusted person really does make the process easier!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Life is too short and horses are too damned expensive to not be enjoying the experience. Sell him.
Then take a very deep breath, have some confidence building lessons and go slowly before choosing your next mount.
I've been where you are and it's not fun. I have two now that are my world, though not without their own little quirks, and my confidence etc is on point.

 

[Boulty]

It sounds like he isn't the horse you need right now but that he's the type a lot of people would love & get on well with. I'd ask for the help of the person producing him for you in showing him to potential buyers (they may even know of someone looking or might even be able to offer sales livery?) You could then use whatever money you get from his sale to find yourself a nice confidence giving hack.

 

[Antw23uk]

You need to sell and buy something that will suit you. What are you waiting for? Wrong horse for you, he will be the right horse for someone else.

Dont beat yourself up about it! sometimes it takes a few attempts to find the right horse and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that!

 

[Nasicus]

I find him scary to hack

I am purely just someone who hacks

That would decide it for me!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I didn't get very far into your narrative to be in any doubt that this horse is deffo not right for you!

You've basically said so yourself tbh........

There is the suggestion that he could well have "potential" - and what I am going to say here and now is that you admit you are a "novice", therefore I would strongly suggest to you that rather than attempt to sell this horse yourself you would be well advised to consult an Agent who will source a potential owner and make sure that you get the price you should. Please not I am NOT talking about your run-of-the-mill dealer here most of whom would rub their hands with glee to get a horse of this possible calibre through their yard and take the chance to make a quick buck.

Perhaps the person who's been mentoring you both up till now will have some ideas?

Am just trying to protect you basically, sadly the horse world is very good at ripping off people like yourself who may not know their way around the whole dealing & selling market.

Good luck!

 

[Wishfilly]

Do you need the money from the sale to fund another horse? If not, then perhaps an option to consider might be to loan to someone. This would allow you to retain control over the horse and secure his future, whilst also enabling you to have time and money to have another.

There are obviously downsides to this option too, but if you sell you would have to accept that future owners could cut all contact, and could keep him in a way that you would not agree with.

I do think long term, unfortunately, this horse will destroy your confidence, and he doesn't seem to match what you want to do?

When you purchase your next horse, I'd suggest having your trainer help and advise you, as I'm a little confused about him being advertised as a schoolmaster whilst young and without a competition record?

 

[HashRouge]

It's not about whether he will be bored with what you want to do, but he makes you feel nervous so is not good for your confidence. Absolutely sell on to someone who will enjoy him. You can then look again for another horse more suitable for you.

This, absolutely!
If you were enjoying your hacks in walk and light schooling sessions, I'd have said keep at it. Horses don't have ambitions and aspirations, so no need to feel like you're holding him back. But it's the fact that you don't sound as though you are enjoying things, and sound very nervous, that makes me think you should sell him and get a horse that you feel confident on and really enjoy riding.