Is this a really stupid idea - buying a youngster

[Leo Walker]

There are tons of green sensible 3/4/5/6/7+++ cobs about. If your concerned about undoing someone elses mistakes, its much harder to undo your own, and there will be mistakes. No one is perfect. The same with never achieving their goals. Theres a huge risk buying a youngster. It might not make the height, or go the other way and end up too big. It might hate what you want to do. It might be too ploddy or far too sharp. You might end up just not liking riding it.

Take it from someone who bought a youngster and held on to him even when it wasnt right. I lost him 10 months ago as a 6yr old and it broke my heart. But I should have sold him as a rising 4yr old when I realised he wasnt right for me. I now have an 11yr old, quirky, funny, little horse who is perfect 95% of the time, and a total idiot 5% of the time. I find him easy and understand him completely but he would be a monster in the wrong hands. He would be a lot of peoples worst nightmares yet for me he is turning into the horse of a lifetime and I worship the ground he walks on.

 

[weesophz]

ive just done something pretty similar!

i sold my last boy (i had for 10 years) due to starting college and having a lack of time, and money, to keep him. he was a poor doing tb and always injuring himself and it was becoming too much for my part time wage to cope with!

i had a year away from horses in that time i became majorly depressed sitting in my room all the time longing for a four legged companion again!

ive just started my psych nursing course and i bought a 2yo cob in august! he was £300 and i keep him on relatively cheap DIY livery and im lucky in that we have all year 24/7 turnout. My thought process is that he is a baby so all he really needs is to have good manners and eat and grow, ill start him next summer then turn him away so by the time i graduate he will be good to go!

its going well for me thus far, the turnout is obviously a huge plus and i have good friends that see to him on the days i cant make it up due to work/class. im very much a heart over head type of person, if it is something you really want then you will find a way to make it work i am always skint just now but i am the happiest i can ever remember being!

ETA i am also still new to the ways of youngsters, my only experience was working on a TB stud a couple of years ago and my baby cob is a whole other ball game from even yearling tbs! But if you have good horsey friends who are willing to help you and you are willing to learn then you will get there! im still learning every day and its a good feeling knowing you are learning as well as teaching your baby!