Let’s find a horse for SLH

SpringArising said:
This sounds like the sort of horse who could go wrong very quickly in the wrong hands. Big old girl should she decide to twit about too.

I agree with IHW, she doesn't sound suitable for you. You seem to be drawn to horses with behavioural/trust issues. I also think she's expensive for what she is.
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Thought exact the same as the above, she needs a very experienced handler and rider I'd bet. Just reading their advert she sounds a bit quirky! They mention needing to build a bond etc a couple of times.. so guessing she can be a bit of a handful, so by 'getting to know her' so you need to learn what shes like!

The budget you have, you can find a nice horse if you get there quick enough as they sell fast, without looking at horses with issues or potential issues as they grow up. :) Don't change what you're after because of your budget, hold out.
 
Ambers Echo said:
Have you considered using a 'horse finder' type service. I bought both Dolly and Jenny that way and I don't think I'll ever buy from ads again. Just so, so, SOOOO many disappointments and wasted journeys looking at not-as-advertised ponies.
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How does this work and what costs are involved AE? Very interested in this sort of thing for next year, all being well.
 
I have seen the one AA posted he's fine but a fair bit above what I have money wise at the moment.
I haven't messaged JG because I know, at this point in time, I can't afford the type she sells. I'd love an ID but I'm being realistic.
It's all very well people saying which horses are nice etc but not much use if I currently can't afford them..!!! :(
I'm not really sure what some people are thinking I want/need but I don't want/need a plod etc. I like the Shire x cob, just my type but he's not into jumping which I like so that's no good really :(
 
splashgirl45 said:
SLH, please please remember you have to buy the horse you NEED now and not the one you want. :)

some of the cheaper ones will have behaviour problems, this is the reason they are cheap. you need a horse that you can manage easily both ridden and on the ground. , from your previous posts this mare is the type you like but realistically ones that are well behaved and suitable for you are nearer £4000..and she is not suitable i am afraid.....none of us know how much experience you have or how confident you are but from reading all of the threads you have posted, you have some health problems and would not be able to cope with a badly behaved horse...if you cannot get near to £4000 , an older horse (12 to 15 years) could be exactly what you NEED and at a price you can afford....hate to be a killjoy but wouldnt like you to make a mistake which causes an accident or losing confidence...
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Thanks, fair post.

I have accepted that I may have to buy something a bit older and that's fine. Though I did get told by several H&H'ers than an older ex hunter etc would be an idea....then when I posted one I was going to see I got shot down and didn't view him.
I'm not a complete novice, I don't need a lazy, kick along plod. Admittedly I'm not as physically tough as I used to be so can definitely see people's point about bargy horses etc. But I am used to BIG, heavier horses. Around 16.2-17hh is ideal these days, could be a bit smaller if built well enough to take up my leg. I'm just under 6ft and while I'm not huge I'm not a lightweight either.
I am probably not as confident as I once was, however, I have regained confidence massively over the last 18 months or so due to having a good loan horse and sorting out my friend's bratty young cob. I've managed to turn her from a rude, nappy brat into a nice little thing that walks on nicely and rarely even thinks of napping anymore. Now I'll be honest in that she is only 14.2 lol but I've stuck with it. My friend's previous cob was very very lazy and I hated having to ride it. I like something that's nice and forward going..!!! Something that needs a push on or even holding back (as long as it's not too strong) a bit doesn't faze me but I can't cope with something that wants to rear or put in big bucks when they don't get their own way.

Just to add, everyone keeps saying to give JG a message BUT I have seen alot of her beautiful horses advertised and not one has ever been near my budget. I'd love one but I'm being very realistic about finances.
I doubt I will ever be in the position to spend more than about 3k and I'm ok with that, I actually dont feel massively comfortable of the idea of spending alot more, that's alot of money to me..!!!!
 
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SatansLittleHelper said:
I'm going to be speaking to the owner of this guy in a bit
http://www.horsequest.co.uk/advertisment/208560

I don't like the look of the grey mare, bit small and fine for my needs really.
I'm trying very hard to look at what I NEED but I do actually have to like the look of it too 🙈🙈
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He's being sold by bridge house farm equestrian, theres a video of him hacking round their xc course on yasmin's horsemanship ltd on facebook
 
The good ones are definitely going quick - I had one ear marked for my mum (She wants smaller than you do) ad went up in the last week, was still for sale yesterday, marked as sold today.
I found one on HQ who meets your brief but he's sold and another who is spot on what you want but twice the budget.
What I'm finding when I'm looking at ads is that these chunky 16 handers are rare.
You can have a chunky 14.2, even 15.2, loads of choice. Or a nice little TB type 16.2, again loads of choice. But honestly I'm struggling to find anything which is chunky and taller unless it has a huge price tag.
You will probably have to be in this for the long haul and be quick to move when something comes up (as has been previously pointed out)

I don't think an ex hunter is a bad idea per se, but the one you've linked to clearly states no novices, bold jumper, confident hunter. Sounds bloody scary to me!
Now you may have no plans to hunt and so to hack and do a bit of everything he might be grand but he definitely sounds like a horse who does better if he has a job.
I think with an ex hunter it would be how much it had hunted - both from a wear and tear perspective and an expectation of managing a bit of stiffness but also how institutionalised in the hunting way it is. I don't hunt but I would have thought anything that has hunted regularly would be known in local packs and therefore easy to get references/background info on which is a plus.
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
I haven't messaged JG because I know, at this point in time, I can't afford the type she sells. I'd love an ID but I'm being realistic.
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But she knows your budget and thought she could sort you out with something suitable. It might be a friend's it might be a cross, it might be something she's had back for some reason, you don't know if you don't ask. You're assuming you can't afford it because you know what she breeds but you've been open about your budget etc - if she says she knows something that might fit the bill it's because she does!
 
Roxylola said:
But she knows your budget and thought she could sort you out with something suitable. It might be a friend's it might be a cross, it might be something she's had back for some reason, you don't know if you don't ask. You're assuming you can't afford it because you know what she breeds but you've been open about your budget etc - if she says she knows something that might fit the bill it's because she does!
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Thank you. I hadn't actually thought of that 😳😳
I will message her :)
 
chaps89 said:
The good ones are definitely going quick - I had one ear marked for my mum (She wants smaller than you do) ad went up in the last week, was still for sale yesterday, marked as sold today.
I found one on HQ who meets your brief but he's sold and another who is spot on what you want but twice the budget.
What I'm finding when I'm looking at ads is that these chunky 16 handers are rare.
You can have a chunky 14.2, even 15.2, loads of choice. Or a nice little TB type 16.2, again loads of choice. But honestly I'm struggling to find anything which is chunky and taller unless it has a huge price tag.
You will probably have to be in this for the long haul and be quick to move when something comes up (as has been previously pointed out)

I don't think an ex hunter is a bad idea per se, but the one you've linked to clearly states no novices, bold jumper, confident hunter. Sounds bloody scary to me!
Now you may have no plans to hunt and so to hack and do a bit of everything he might be grand but he definitely sounds like a horse who does better if he has a job.
I think with an ex hunter it would be how much it had hunted - both from a wear and tear perspective and an expectation of managing a bit of stiffness but also how institutionalised in the hunting way it is. I don't hunt but I would have thought anything that has hunted regularly would be known in local packs and therefore easy to get references/background info on which is a plus.
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Valid points there, thank you.
I was referring to the 17 year old ex hunter I posted about around 10 days or so ago. He has a good rep with the local hunts etc but I just got told it was sad he was up for sale etc and at that age/price there would be something wrong.
You'll have to forgive me if I feel a little like I can't win :(
Incidentally I dont hunt and will never hunt so something that does is unimportant in my list of "needs" :)
I would absolutely consider a 15.2plus cob type if it was full up and built like the proverbial outhouse :)
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
.....but I just got told it was sad he was up for sale etc and at that age/price there would be something wrong.
You'll have to forgive me if I feel a little like I can't win :(
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I do agree....they’re either too old, too young, Somethings wrong etc etc

I know everyone’s trying to be helpful but we can’t make assumptions on badly written ads or reading between the lines
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
I have seen the one AA posted he's fine but a fair bit above what I have money wise at the moment.
I haven't messaged JG because I know, at this point in time, I can't afford the type she sells. I'd love an ID but I'm being realistic.
It's all very well people saying which horses are nice etc but not much use if I currently can't afford them..!!! :(
I'm not really sure what some people are thinking I want/need but I don't want/need a plod etc. I like the Shire x cob, just my type but he's not into jumping which I like so that's no good really :(
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Ah I hadn’t noticed that Adorable Alice had already posted him! Re budget - maybe it’s just me, but if a horse is advertised with ‘ONO’ after the price I feel completely comfortable ringing up if my budget is up to £500 under that. So if you can find £3000 and he’s only up for £3500 ono, then no harm in asking if they’d consider that for a kind long term home? They can only say no!
 
At 17 and having hunted alot there probably would have been problems. But I do think there is an element of sound/fit for purpose. I wouldn't have expected him to have been sound per se, but I would have thought he'd likely stand up to a quieter (by comparison) life fine. But it is a gamble and probably not unlikely he would have needed to slow down sooner than a 17 year old who had had a quieter life. Only you know how much that bothers you.
What put me off about him was that (knowledgeable) people (who I count as experienced from their posts on here) were saying the yard had a good rider - makes it alot harder for the viewer!
I would have maybe asked some very thorough questions and wanted to speak to the actual owner on that one but maybe still viewed if he was local.
Yes it's sad to sell an old servant but he was in good health and had a far better chance of finding a good home than the skinny 21 year old with arthritis that keeps cropping up on my searches!

I definitely don't like the hunter you just linked to tonight though based on the description of him hunting. However if you won't hunt and you get more detail of what he's like when not hunting (ad is a bit vaguer about that!) Then who knows.

I do feel for you, it's hard enough horse hunting at the best of times and everyone is definitely posting with the best of intentions but it does mean you get conflicting views!
I do also absolutely get about still needing to like them, there's got to be a good feeling about them in my book - though this of course does make a hard job even harder, when you finally find a horse who ticks the boxes and fits the spec but you just don't get the butterflies for them - and then everyone around you thinks your mad!
I did exactly that and I'll be honest, I do now love my little mare to bits. But it's made tough times harder and it was quite a long process!

Eta - I do like the blue and white cob gelding (1st link) and also the bay mare (3rd link) in 3wb post. The gelding isn't fully mature but i don't think he is the type who will kill you in the process of growing up a bit as he sounds a nice person with a good attitude and isn't a total baby at 6.
 
Flyermc said:
OK, not what your looking for, but theirs a lovely looking Clydesdale yearling on dragons driving, if you could continue to ride your friends for a coupe of years and just do loads of groundwork and bonding, he'd be amazing!

https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horses.htm
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Nooooooooooooooooooo
I think we have all established SLH is not set up for youngstock.

SLH the more I think about it the more I reckon you should look for a loan, an up to weight hunter needing to step down. It might mean a bit extra monthly cost on vet maintenance but without the initial outlay it would be very much worth considering
 
Talk to Janet George...you have nothing to lose. She doesn't bite, but she will tell you like it is and not mess you around. If she doesn't have anything in your price bracket she will say so.....she will have no interest in wasting her time. If she does and you go and try, she will NOT sell you something that is beyond your means....she will tell you to get off her horse and that it is not for you. You may not relish such an experience in the short term, but in the long term she will be doing you a favour.

She has also taken horses back in the past.
 
AShetlandBitMeOnce said:
How does this work and what costs are involved AE? Very interested in this sort of thing for next year, all being well.
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It varies but Jenny and Dolly were both found for me by people who find horses for clients among other equine related services like competing horses for clients, schooling and sales livery and teaching. They both charged the seller not me. I can pm their details if you like though one specialises in ponies. The other in all-rounders and event horses though he also found me Jenny.

But when I sold an ISH via a horse agent she charged the buyer not me.

How it works was pretty simple: I told them what I was after and a budget and they found me ponies that matched my needs absolutely perfectly!
 
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