I've viewed 18 horses and had 2 failed vettings. Can anyone help me find a new horse?

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tina_day56

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Hello all :-)

I have been horse shopping on and off for 3 months (due to wedding in between). I have viewed 18 horses and had 2 failed vettings which were so upsetting. I am hunting for a mare or gelding 16hh+, 6-10 years for riding club and possibly some low level BE once a partnership is developed and it seems impossible. I thought it would be easy to find a sensible allrounder.

Does anyone know of a horse that would fit the requirements. I am based in Reading and can offer a 5* home. I can travel to Hampshire, Bucks, Herts, Oxon and off course around Berkshire.

I ideally need something that is ready to go out and have some fun. Is confident XC and has competition experience. My budget is £5,500.

Can anyone recommend any websites or does anyone know of a horse that sounds suitable in the location I will travel too?

I am getting desperate now and was almost ready to give up after the 2nd failed vetting of a horse I absolutely fell in love with. My stable is ready & waiting for a horse who wants love & fuss.

Tina
 
jhoward has a gorgeous coloures mare for sale. Think she's Bristol way, but wouldn't take that long to get there, straight down M4.

I love her mare! pm her!
 
There's a gorgeous 8yo boy just gone up on Horsemart! (ref: HM026D291) In Chipping Norton. Not sure he'd be quite ready for what you want but he has great potential! :)
 
jhoward is on Dartmoor in Devon, her mare is certainly lovely as I meet her out hacking!

I would have a look a henryhorn too if you're coming down to Devon, she has messaged me tonight about a mare she has for sale.
 
Hi guys

Wow didn't expect so many replies so quickly. Thanks for posting!

JoG - sadly a little too old for me. I brought my last boy at 14 so now looking for something younger sorry.

Galaxy - the coloured mare looks lovely, I went on the website. Sadly too expensive for me. My budget is £5,500.

Cliqmo - I have looked on nfed but nothing suitable in my price range.

Kildalton - Emma at Clip Clop looks like she has some nice horses. Too far away from me though :-(

Too Many Horses - thanks for the suggestion, My budget is only £5,500 :-( very nice horse though.

Hutchlou - he looks lovely. I am looking for something that is out competing now but thank you for the suggestion.

Tina
 
Don't rule out younger horses with the right temperement. You could spend £4000 or so and the rest on having them proffesionally schooled for a while. There's some lovely 4 and 5 yr olds about - the type that once somoene's bought them as a 4yr old, they won't be for sale again for many years. Which is why finding GOOD sensible 6-8yr olds is so hard!
 
Oh mannnn Tina, I know just he horse that ticks your boxes, but we are at the other end of the country in North Lincolnshire. Just in case you come up this way to try out any other horses, my friend is selling this loveable chap, he's called Danny... http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/marketplace/classified/4-details-horses-for-sale_240484.htm

She has 6 horses and is selling 3 due to lack of time for them all. She has Danny (as above), he's a willing chap and has a gorgeous quiet temperment, eager to please and is an easy ride. She has a fiesty little eventer mare just starting out, she has got plenty of talent and loves her work. Then she has a 4 year old mare that she has been schooling and has just started jumping. She took her to her first show the other day and did a ridden showing class. She was really well behaved, took everthing in her stride and went really well for the judge. :)

I also have another friend selling her horse as she is off to uni in September. He is an unspoilt blank canvas, he has an adorable temperment. He is only 5 but he's mature beyond his years. Absolutely fantastic in traffic! http://www.horsemart.co.uk/advert/5_yrs_5_mths_15_3_hh_bay_thoroughbred_lincolnshire/110320
 
i think if you can get a nice youngster 4/5 with a good tempremant you'd save some money and you'd probably have more fun that buying a horse that someone has already produced if you know what i mean, i planned on buying something between 8 and ten when looking and i ended up with a 3 year old :S but he's the best thing since sliced bread lol

erm you could look on adhorse thats also a good site, my pony sold from there in three days which was impressive

Cliqmo- i love the look of your horse :D looks similar to Taz
 
I think your search area is too narrow- it's worth travelling a bit further, esp if you can see a few in one go. For example you dont mention Wiltshire but the east of the county is no more than 45mins away
 
Beat this, I rode 32 horses with 2 failed vettings before I'm getting my new lad on saturday hopefully! Have you thought about posting a wanted advert on the horse sites? I put mine on horsequest and horsemart and had 20 phone calls + many texts and about 30 emails! Plus thats how I found my new boy, he found me :)
good luck!
 
It's worth travelling a couple of hours futher......what's a couple of hours i the car compared to the years your going to have with your new horse! Good luck!
 
Hi All

Thank you for the suggestions!!

Kallibear - definitely not completely ruling out 5 year olds. The first horse who failed the vetting was 5 but he had a very sensible temperment.

BitlessBill - 14 is too old for me unfortunately. I brought my last boy at 14 so wanted something a bit younger this time around. Thank you for the suggestion.

LMuir - I am ideally looking for something under 10 but thank you for the suggestion.

Rudey - Danny sounds exactly what I am looking for! Can your friend relocate :-). Perhaps I could arrange to see a few that way on. My husbands parents are in Notts so could always stay over. I have emailed your friend (email address on the advert). The other one would be too green for me.

RainbowSunny - I am afriad the first 2 sound too green for me. Need something with a bit more experience and the last one is nice but too small. Need something 16hh+ for OH to hack too.

Jodie - good suggestion. I will look into posting one on HorseQuest.

Thanks!!!!!
Tina
 
I know it's a bit out of your way, but what about Exmoor Eventing in Somerset, they have an excellent reputation (well if they are good enough for Madonna ) and fantastic trial facilities.

They've got a nice looking 16.1h 10 year old TB gelding called Romers Common who's classed as a RC/Eventer, for £5,250. Pics and vids on their website.

http://www.exmooreventing.com/horsesforsale.php#
 
I know you say £5500 is your limit and I haven't looked at the ads suggested so don't know how much over your limit these were BUT I would not rule out calling about some that are over your limit - especially if they've been advertised for a while - as it may well be the seller will take an offer. Put it this way a friend of mine has just heard about a 4 yo 17hh ID (she likes her big horses!) for sale. The owner was looking for £4500-£5000 for him. My friend only had £3000 to £3500 max (for something special) from the sale of her previous horse and rang the owner explaining this as no point going to see a horse you know you cannot afford.

Owner basically wants him to go to a good home as opposed to getting the full asking price for him so essentially has agreed the £3500 and is letting my friend try the horse several times beforehand. Said friend has even admitted that she knows the horse is probably worth a fair bit more as has a lovely temperament etc etc. However, I guess 17hh isn't everyone's cup of tea. Maybe what you're looking for is more a desirable type but still you never know with ads til you ask the seller.

Also, try widen your search - these days you can get a lot of info (pics, videos etc) of horses before decided if you think it's worth viewing so it's not like the odl days of seeing an ad in a newspaper describing a horse that was completely different to how it was in the flesh. Get a few in the same area and have a day out. Sure it's not ideal but if you are only limiting yourself to a small area it'll be a lot harder to find the horse for you.
 
oofadoofa - thanks I have contacted them via email as that one has been for sale for a little while I think so have asked if he is still available

Cluny - have left a message. The video does not work for me.

ladyt - my original budget was £4,500 but its gradually going up. It's worth a try though, thanks for the tip!

Tina
 
tina_day56 said:
Rudey - Danny sounds exactly what I am looking for! Can your friend relocate :-). Perhaps I could arrange to see a few that way on. My husbands parents are in Notts so could always stay over. I have emailed your friend (email address on the advert). The other one would be too green for me.
Tina
Click to expand...

Danny is a lovely horse, so definitely worth the viewing if you can find some others this way on. My friend will be able to email you back and give you alot more information about him. :)

Like somebody else mentioned, if you do end up having to travel further a field, it is definitely worth asking for more photo's of the horses to be emailed to you.

I bought Rox, (coloured in my signature last year) from a breeders yard. She had several horses for sale, I didn't like Rox, totally snubbed his advert, and I fell in love with his brother Rebels advert. We went, had a look at several, didn't like Rebel and fell head of heels for Rox! Talk about it being a womans prerogative to change her mind lol! :p xx :D
 
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i viewed a horse near Reigate in Surrey last Sat - not quite enough scope for me to hunt I dont think, but nice enough horse - popped 2ft9 in the school boldly without being stupid and strong - never thought he'd refuse, good to hack out, schooling needs a little work. He's a 7yr old 16hh ISH and he's on the H&H classifieds for £3995 but been on the market 3wks with only 1 viewing so could poss knock them down on price.
 
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