Is there such a thing as

[Ceriann]

A 4 year old suitable for a novice?! My endless search for a neddie for hubby continues (I’ve missed out on one recently but it’s getting v hard to find any that tick the required boxes) but I trawl a lot of ads and came across one yesterday claiming this. Lovely horse (from a well known Irish dealer who I think tends to measure differently!) with a well presented video. I previously considered (fleetingly) a youngster but discounted it quickly. It’s now rare (in my experience) to see ads claiming this and I often see a green or not suitable for a novice comment on ads (which is great and saves lots of time wasting)!
Also seeing so many horses for sale with historical injuries (clearly been through significant rehab). For us it’s a no with one rehabbed mare (now thankfully recovered) and a retired mare but there are lots out there.

 

[ycbm]

Yes, but whether it will remain suitable for a novice at 5 and 6 is a gamble. Lots of 4 year old are very quiet but really wake up when they've seen more of life!
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[meleeka]

Only if it’s fairly high mileage imo. A year (assuming started at 3). is a shirt amount of time for a horse to have gained the experiences of life it needs to cope with in order to be suitable for a novice.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Some horses are just born sensible but a young sensible one will still be green and will need an experienced rider to bring it on. Your set up could be perfect for such a horse, if you are going to do the educating and the novice will not be doing all the riding.

 

[Casey76]

A 4-yo may be quiet enough to ride; but is your novice rider enough to improve the horse, to school it correctly, to teach the correct manners on the road or in the school?

It’s often not so much about the competency of the horse, but the competency of the rider.

 

[brighteyes]

Yes, but whether it will remain suitable for a novice at 5 and 6 is a gamble. Lots of 4 year old are very quiet but really wake up when they've seen more of life!
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Totally.

I will report back on this one - newly backed/ridden away 4yo arrives tomorrow. We have the experience and ability to bring on and this seemed very quiet on visit one and had woken up a bit by visit two. The intended rider needs sensible first and foremost but is not easily rattled with high jinks, if that's all they are. The rest is no issue as we have a 'rider' to do any correcting and establishing. I think you need to know them well enough to manage their developing personality under saddle and work through stuff carefully not to get in a pickle. 4 is too early to judge how much 'understanding' there's going be needed. As said, they haven't seen enough of everything by 4 to be sure. Hopefully, anyway!

 

[hobo]

Yes, but whether it will remain suitable for a novice at 5 and 6 is a gamble. Lots of 4 year old are very quiet but really wake up when they've seen more of life!
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Spot on ymbc as the owner of the quietest 5 year old I have know he is now 6 say no more!

 

[Sossigpoker]

Most 4 year olds are quiet because they don't know any better ! Once they know a bit more about life and work, how will the novice rider deal with this when the horse says "why should I " or "no" or even "feck off"?
The only way I see it working is if you but said 4 year old and put it on schooling livery on a professional yard where the pro does most of the riding and you will only ever ride under instruction. My yard owner specialises in producing horses suitable for their owners. And it works because she does 90% of the riding so by the time the owner climbs on board , the horse can deal with a little bit of bad /less established riding.

In my opinion and experience (I'm not a novice rider even ) it's a recipe for disaster. This is how i broke my back. Thinking I could go I alone with a weekly lesson from instructor. It didn't end well.

 

[Ceriann]

This is where I am and why I discounted the youngster option but just musing as rare to see this claimed in ads I see now. Most are very clear nice temp but green. I’m really looking at 8-12 in my checklist (might go a bit younger if v nice temp and done a bit).

 

[Melody Grey]

I agree with others that you need someone experienced or a pro on hand to keep the horse on the straight and narrow, but it’s worth considering if you get the ‘old head on young shoulders’ sort.

depends as well what the horse’s default response is to something new/ confusing and whether it’s something the novice can cope with. If it’s default is more stop than go, might be worth considering?

my OH has a green cob who was a very late starter, so 11 or so, but in-experienced. He does have a bit of maturity on his side admittedly, but his default mode is to stop if in doubt, so it’s worked well for us (so far!)

 

[MissTyc]

Yes, but the problem in my opinion is that you don't really know until they're 5-6 if they were in fact suitable for a novice or not. I have seen it work out fairly often with a good support network, equally I've seen many a raging 5yo tantrum horse that would not be pleasant for inexperienced riders ... then normally quieten again by 6, 7 if they're calmly worked through the rage age.

 

[scruffyponies]

Plenty of quiet 4 year olds around, but unless the novice is not the main rider, they will likely ruin a good horse.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

My first horse bought at 6 months old was the most level headed animal I have ever encountered. He never went through the difficult stage and remained as sane and sensible as the day I bought him so they do exist. It’s why when I returned to riding I bought a 3 year old. It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done but we got there in the end and at 11 we trust each other implicitly. Wouldn’t do it again though ?

 

[I'm Dun]

I'v had 2 that would have been and remained totally fine. But its a gamble.

 

[Mary3050]

Thinking it really depends on the horse and it’s up bringing at 4 it’s a bit of a gamble . They also change a lot at that age so what maybe safe now may change in the next year . Take my niece for example she is disabled like me. She brought a lovely just 3 year old and health wise was doing well . Over the next 6 months she took a turn got back on her feet broke the pony in her self at 4 and a half this pony was perfect for her . He let her get off which can be challenging for her . She did everything her self pony was doing so well the first 6 months were amazing walk, trot , canter and poles both at home or out . Then she got ill again so left him for a bit 4 months got better brought him back into work all was fine for the first few months then out of the blue he started being difficult for her as he got bigger and stronger developed that teenage Brian off I know best and would bolt off or take off if she put her leg on which isn’t ideal with not full leg control . Which has meant that she lost her confidence with him and has sent him on loan for a year to a friend now at nearly 7 he’s back with her, being schooled a lot by a professional and they are just getting back to having trot lesson. He is probably going to be perfect for her again in the next year but it’s cost her a lot and hasn’t been easy for her at all . So I think buying a 4 year old for a novice is fine but if it doesn’t work out it can be costly in money and confidence. Could you not find a suitable one to loan or something? Good luck

 

[ecb89]

I got my ID as a 5 year old, he was easy peasy until about 8. He’s now 10 and the last couple of years have been tough but I think we are out the other side.

 

[Ceriann]

Thinking it really depends on the horse and it’s up bringing at 4 it’s a bit of a gamble . They also change a lot at that age so what maybe safe now may change in the next year . Take my niece for example she is disabled like me. She brought a lovely just 3 year old and health wise was doing well . Over the next 6 months she took a turn got back on her feet broke the pony in her self at 4 and a half this pony was perfect for her . He let her get off which can be challenging for her . She did everything her self pony was doing so well the first 6 months were amazing walk, trot , canter and poles both at home or out . Then she got ill again so left him for a bit 4 months got better brought him back into work all was fine for the first few months then out of the blue he started being difficult for her as he got bigger and stronger developed that teenage Brian off I know best and would bolt off or take off if she put her leg on which isn’t ideal with not full leg control . Which has meant that she lost her confidence with him and has sent him on loan for a year to a friend now at nearly 7 he’s back with her, being schooled a lot by a professional and they are just getting back to having trot lesson. He is probably going to be perfect for her again in the next year but it’s cost her a lot and hasn’t been easy for her at all . So I think buying a 4 year old for a novice is fine but if it doesn’t work out it can be costly in money and confidence. Could you not find a suitable one to loan or something? Good luck

Not considering the youngster just commenting as saw the ad and the claim. I previously fleetingly considered a youngster given issues finding one but the HH forum sensibly steered me away. We could manage it probably - we have the facilities, I could help and ride it too, we have access to decent riders locally that could support - but the point is to get something nice and simple for hubby and this is not it!! We’ll start within our search criteria.

 

[windand rain]

Honestly it depends on who has done it and how novice the novice is my first horse was an unraced newly backed tb 4 year old he was a superstar I had ridden a few years hacking out but no formal lessons. I always buy foals and raise them how I want them to be cannot abide most made horses don't and never have felt safe on them

 

[irishdraft]

Yes, but whether it will remain suitable for a novice at 5 and 6 is a gamble. Lots of 4 year old are very quiet but really wake up when they've seen more of life!
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Absolutely agree with this, a friend of mine has just imported a rising 4 yo untouched from the field . She has already backed her and is taking her out for short hacks on her own , so far the nare has been a complete star not phased by anything she is a well bred Irish sport horse . Anyhow whether she will stay like it who knows but my friend is very experienced so won't have a problem but I would hesitate to put a novice aboard .

 

[Kaylum]

Depends on how the horse has been bred and brought on. At 4 ours would have been out on the roads, seen lots of different things and situations, done a bit of school work as we preferred to get them out seeing things. Better than most older horses to be honest. But you also need to put the work in to further the education and remember you will never stop learning ever.

But yes some are born easy I totally agree with that.

 

[Mary3050]

Not considering the youngster just commenting as saw the ad and the claim. I previously fleetingly considered a youngster given issues finding one but the HH forum sensibly steered me away. We could manage it probably - we have the facilities, I could help and ride it too, we have access to decent riders locally that could support - but the point is to get something nice and simple for hubby and this is not it!! We’ll start within our search criteria.

Oh right yer that makes sense . Don’t know if it’s near you or if you would consider a dealer but I have a friend who brought a horse from Gemini sports horse at Leeds . She wanted a horse for her 70 year old grandmother to hack on complete novice . They went to them as they supply horse for a couple of local riding schools/ trekking Centres locally . They were very honest with them told them all the bad points of each horse and everything was spot on . If they don’t have anything in she keeps eye out and let’s you know if she gets anything. Good luck with your search

 

[Rowreach]

If the dealer mentioned in the OP is the one I think it is, I wouldn't care if the horse was 4 or 14, I'd be steering well clear!