Loan to maybe buy 5 year old

[YoLaTango]

Hi Everyone,

So... its a bit of a yarn! I have been back riding for about a year and a half (started before COVID, but with breaks etc) after a looooong break. I really want to own. Like really really! (It pervades my waking and sleeping life - I m obsessed). I decided to loan first. There are very very few horses available for loan here (especially to a novice, understandably). But I found a place. Beautiful small family run livery yard with a few other liveries. But then. Just before I was supposed to start. The horse kicked out in stable and lamed himself. Vet has been. Horse is 20 (was perfect for me as though 'been there done that'). Vet thinks its just a small injury that'll come right but wants to give plenty of time.

But! The YO has another horse. (Or should I say pony). In fact she was in process of selling horse (hadn't advertised yet as was still being 'educated'). 14'2 cob. Unbelievable temperament. Seems naturally chilled. BUT is only 5. Was broken professionally recently (I think in last 6 months). YO swears blind that he is a saint and novice appropriate. Has had him since a foal. YO says she isn't desperate to sell. Would give me 2 days a week loan (could either take older boy if sound of young man). And in Spring, if we ve gotten on well, I have option to buy. If cob was about 5 years older I d jump at the chance. But the just broken five year old thing is making me nervous.

The plan is hacking. The place has phenomenal hacking (right down to the beach). They don t have an arena. But the pro who broke the cob lives about 15 mins hack from yard and is offering to give me lessons weekly if I want.

Does this sound barmy? I guess Im not taking a risk... But I don t really believe in my ability to 'bring on' a newly broken pony. I guess if Im doing a terrible job I can just stop the loan? And the pony does seem like the nicest pony ever.....

 

[silv]

Sounds like you will have plenty of support, go for it and see how you get on.

 

[stangs]

If the YO is willing to let you loan him, he's surely novice appropriate - otherwise you riding him would undo all their hard work, and they wouldn't offer. I'd go for it if I were you, life's too short and all that. And finding people who'll let you get some experience with green horses is no easy feat either.

If you're really worried, could you go out hacking with him but someone else riding him so you know what to expect? Equally well, a few lessons should do wonders for your confidence.

 

[YoLaTango]

O gosh... I was waiting for the 'don t go theres'. YO thinks Im 'being hard on myself'. She has seen vids of me riding and thinks I'm an 'alright rider'. Has offered to hack out with me the first few weeks to get me sorted. And the pony is a doll!!!!!

 

[Shilasdair]

I'd say 'go for it' too.
You sound like a very educated and sensible horse owner - and have already planned support in your cob-owning venture.
Hope you have fun - beach rides are the best.

 

[Red-1]

Can't see a disadvantage in a loan, if it doesn't work out you can quit.

 

[YoLaTango]

Im getting all excited now. Any advice for resources to use to learn - so I don t do a totally terrible job? I just bought a book by the Klimkes on training young horses. I like the look of the TRT method (but only done the free courses). Would TRT be appropriate for a young horse? To be fair, this cob looks so different from the warmbloods on the TRT videos. I think he'd just be looking at me thinking, what is she up to now, making those noises and swinging the lead rope.

I love to be prepared... Anything you can suggest?

 

[Petmurf]

So I bought a 5 yr old rising 6 Cob 18 months ago and I’m a novice rider, he is amazing ? we’ve been through the teenage year doing loads of groundwork and natural horsemanship, we hack out a few times a week and we just came 3rd in our first dressage test so go for it, it’s so worth it
We have just started doing the Cobs Can work book which is going well but I first started doing clicker training with him as he was terrible to get in from the field but I got to the point where I just clicked and he came running ? I love him so much

 

[New2this]

F

 

[Petmurf]

It’s not easy and there maybe times when you question your decision, I’ve ended up in tears asking him to give me a break but small steps and no rushing and you’ll get there

 

[ycbm]

Does this sound barmy?

Not in the slightest. My first horse was a newly broken 4 year old and you have a head start on me because I didn't even know enough to realise that it was a silly thing to do. It all worked out fine. Go for it.
.

 

[eahotson]

Im getting all excited now. Any advice for resources to use to learn - so I don t do a totally terrible job? I just bought a book by the Klimkes on training young horses. I like the look of the TRT method (but only done the free courses). Would TRT be appropriate for a young horse? To be fair, this cob looks so different from the warmbloods on the TRT videos. I think he'd just be looking at me thinking, what is she up to now, making those noises and swinging the lead rope.

I love to be prepared... Anything you can suggest?

I would listen to your trainer.Hope everything goes well and you enjoy him.

 

[Baywonder]

You have absolutely nothing to lose in a situation like this, and everything to gain. The support offered to you is brilliant - so yes, you go for it!

<<Whispers: don't forget the photos.......>>

 

[Trouper]

I think the only thing holding you back is your nerves - put them back in their box and go for it. I, too, had a long break and then went back to riding - which, of course, was not enough and I realised that I wanted everything which went with owning my own.

I would take up the offer of loan on the youngster to start with and see how you go out hacking with a companion. As for training him, I think I would need someone to train me first as there is a world of difference in knowing how to do things correctly for the horse - or not. By all means read, read and read some more to understand what groundwork is trying to achieve and to make sure you are doing things properly but get someone to watch you, too, as horses don't always behave as they do in the pages of a book!!!

 

[ihatework]

Virtually all the risk here would be taken by the owner so, from what you say, this sounds like a genuine set up.

What is this horse doing the rest of the time, if you get 2 days a week - will the owner be continuing with his education?

Your method of training will need to align with the owners, picking up books and trying things that you read may just serve to confuse you and the horse. There is nothing wrong with reading for knowledge btw, but the skill is in the application and knowing what to do and when. Invest in weekly lessons from the local trainer, then hack under supervision on your second ride.

No, I don’t think it’s daft to consider this.

 

[Petmurf]

I put my boy onto schooling livery for 2 months at our yard and that was a big turning point for us as I was too novice to do it properly myself, we then had Natural Horsemanship lessons with my instructor plus weekly riding lessons, I do lots of in hand pole sessions with him to improve his core and balance, long reining to improve his confidence off the yard, weekly agility sessions with other liveries as well as weekly dressage practice sessions, I’ve found that keeping him busy with variety has worked best for him…..I’m just skint and knackered ?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I would grab this opportunity with both hands. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose, go for it.

 

[Shilasdair]

Not in the slightest. My first horse was a newly broken 4 year old and you have a head start on me because I didn't even know enough to realise that it was a silly thing to do. It all worked out fine. Go for it.
.

Ha. My first horse was an unbroken four year old Thoroughbred. I like to live dangerously.
Best horse ever.

 

[Birker2020]

Hi Everyone,

So... its a bit of a yarn! I have been back riding for about a year and a half (started before COVID, but with breaks etc) after a looooong break. I really want to own. Like really really! (It pervades my waking and sleeping life - I m obsessed). I decided to loan first. There are very very few horses available for loan here (especially to a novice, understandably). But I found a place. Beautiful small family run livery yard with a few other liveries. But then. Just before I was supposed to start. The horse kicked out in stable and lamed himself. Vet has been. Horse is 20 (was perfect for me as though 'been there done that'). Vet thinks its just a small injury that'll come right but wants to give plenty of time.

But! The YO has another horse. (Or should I say pony). In fact she was in process of selling horse (hadn't advertised yet as was still being 'educated'). 14'2 cob. Unbelievable temperament. Seems naturally chilled. BUT is only 5. Was broken professionally recently (I think in last 6 months). YO swears blind that he is a saint and novice appropriate. Has had him since a foal. YO says she isn't desperate to sell. Would give me 2 days a week loan (could either take older boy if sound of young man). And in Spring, if we ve gotten on well, I have option to buy. If cob was about 5 years older I d jump at the chance. But the just broken five year old thing is making me nervous.

The plan is hacking. The place has phenomenal hacking (right down to the beach). They don t have an arena. But the pro who broke the cob lives about 15 mins hack from yard and is offering to give me lessons weekly if I want.

Does this sound barmy? I guess Im not taking a risk... But I don t really believe in my ability to 'bring on' a newly broken pony. I guess if Im doing a terrible job I can just stop the loan? And the pony does seem like the nicest pony ever.....

Sounds like you have a lot of support and you get a good time to loan before buying. Go for it I say.

If I hadn't gone out of my comfort zone in terms of price and hadn't listened to my friend and others on the forum when they said 'make an offer' then I wouldn't have Lari now, even though I've only had him since Friday afternoon.

Life is too short.

 

[Fjord]

It sounds great, and a good plan to loan first. The only thing I would suggest is seeing if you can agree a price now. I'm just thinking that if you got on really well, and helped improve him over the next 6 months, is there a risk the owner might price him out of your reach come spring? If that's not an issue then just don't worry and go for it!

 

[Polos Mum]

If you're just riding 2 days a week it would more commonly be described as a share not a loan - worth knowing who is doing what on the other days (so he's not in the school 6 days in a row for example) and having an agreement for holiday cover, what happens if he's injured, what notice period they'd expect etc.
Not that they are worth the paper they are written on - just useful to have talked through common circumstances.

What is the arrangement if someone offers to buy the 5 y/o in a months time?

Definitely agree with the above that it's worth agreeing the price now so you don't find he's £2k more expensive in the spring with more education.

I think the only immediate risk I can see for you is that you like him but he's sold from under you / becomes too expensive.

The other thing to consider is that they often do have a teenager phase aged - 6-7 , when the most sweet 4 y/o turns into the devil.
If you decided to buy in the spring (lots of if's before then) make sure you continue to have him in a place you can access good support.

 

[windand rain]

I would get a fixed price to buy him now and then loan until the Spring. I am a firm believer in young horses well started they are a blank canvas, no learned evil tricks in fact It is a truth that I haven't bought a horse older than 2 for close to 30 years as was horrified by a so called novice horse I had on loan that was perfect if you went where it wanted otherwise it stood bolt upright. Rearers are my pet hate.