Moment of madness

[Glitterandrainbows]

Would I be crazy to go see and hopefully pay a deposit on a foal due to collect in November in the hopes that he would be my forever horse, current mare is abit too small for me to do much on she carries me fine but that’s how I feel. Has anyone done this and regretted it or has it worked out? Thanks for reading.

 

[JBM]

Do you have company for the foal?
It’s a great idea but can be challenging and after all your work she may not make height or be interested in the type of riding you like but that’s just a risk with a horse you can’t ride yet

 

[Gloi]

I've done it a time or two. There's always a risk but I picked my current one at a few weeks old and he's eight now and much loved. If the foal is what you want go for it.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Do you have company for the foal?
It’s a great idea but can be challenging and after all your work she may not make height or be interested in the type of riding you like but that’s just a risk with a horse you can’t

Yes have access to a feild my family own that currently has 2 youngsters and a brood mare that is five mins from my house or there is 2 local to me youngstock livery’s that friends youngsters are at

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Is there something unique about this coming foal that no other would do?
If possible I'd wait until birth so I could see what I was getting.

Sorry foal is born not ready to wean until November I’m travelling 200 miles to see him and hopefully pay a deposit if alls we’ll then will collect in November x

 

[Gloi]

Sorry foal is born not ready to wean until November I’m travelling 200 miles to see him and hopefully pay a deposit if alls we’ll then will collect in November x

Sorry misread it and changed my post but not quickly enough, sorry.

 

[JBM]

Yes have access to a feild my family own that currently has 2 youngsters and a brood mare that is five mins from my house or there is 2 local to me youngstock livery’s that friends youngsters are at

I’d say go for it
Be lovely experience and even if foal doesn’t grow up to be exactly what you want you shouldn’t have any problems selling her

 

[Glitter's fun]

Would I be crazy to go see and hopefully pay a deposit on a foal due to collect in November in the hopes that he would be my forever horse, current mare is abit too small for me to do much on she carries me fine but that’s how I feel. Has anyone done this and regretted it or has it worked out? Thanks for reading.

I'm not at all sure about you doing it to remedy a very specific current need (forever horse of a certain height) . It's a gamble. He could end up smaller than your mare, he may hate jumping (or whatever you're into), you may just not get along with him. If you have the facilities and other foals , like the experience of bringing them on, and like gambling then yes it might be fun.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I’d say go for it
Be lovely experience and even if foal doesn’t grow up to be exactly what you want you shouldn’t have any problems selling her

I’m actually going for colt will be gelding this time as always pinching my friends geldings when my mare in season, if anyone’s in Kent and can pm me maybe you know the breeder and can give advice on whether it’s worth just paying deposit without going down x

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I'm not at all sure about you doing it to remedy a very specific current need (forever horse of a certain height) . It's a gamble. He could end up smaller than your mare, he may hate jumping (or whatever you're into), you may just not get along with him. If you have the facilities and other foals , like the experience of bringing them on, and like gambling then yes it might be fun.

That’s the thing I don’t need something of a specific height really as only weigh 9 and half stone and 5’5 so can get away with riding most his dam is 15.3 and sire 16hh it’s more like you say what if I don’t get along with him or find backing him difficult than I have done with previous as I’ll be 32 by the time he’s ready to ride sure I’m just over thinking things but I haven’t stopped thinking about him since I seen him x

 

[Glitter's fun]

That’s the thing I don’t need something of a specific height really as only weigh 9 and half stone and 5’5 so can get away with riding most his dam is 15.3 and sire 16hh it’s more like you say what if I don’t get along with him or find backing him difficult than I have done with previous as I’ll be 32 by the time he’s ready to ride sure I’m just over thinking things but I haven’t stopped thinking about him since I seen him x

You wont know until he's backed whether you like riding him. In my experience it has a lot more to do with the way they move, than height or width.
I'm exactly your height and weight. In the more than 50 years I've been riding I can think of two real stand-out partnerships where everything clicked and felt like flying! One was a 13.3 cross bred and the other was a 16hh TB!

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

You wont know until he's backed whether you like riding him. In my experience it has a lot more to do with the way they move, than height or width.
I'm exactly your height and weight. In the more than 50 years I've been riding I can think of two real stand-out partnerships where everything clicked and felt like flying! One was a 13.3 cross bred and the other was a 16hh TB!

Yes it really does depend on the way they move I’ve always ridden what’s been available to me I’ve never been able to just go buy what I wanted but now I can and I can’t get my eyes off him haha

 

[Jenko109]

Four years of no riding the youngster
Four years still riding the one you feel too big on.
Four years to wait to see if you even gel well with the youngster.

Sounds nuts to me. Surely you want something you can ride now, if you are uncomfortable riding your current one?

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Four years of no riding the youngster
Four years still riding the one you feel too big on.
Four years to wait to see if you even gel well with the youngster.

Sounds nuts to me. Surely you want something you can ride now, if you are uncomfortable riding your current one?

This is true but I will enjoy raising the foal doing in hand work and going out to places in hand etc

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Four years of no riding the youngster
Four years still riding the one you feel too big on.
Four years to wait to see if you even gel well with the youngster.

Sounds nuts to me. Surely you want something you can ride now, if you are uncomfortable riding your current one?

But your points are 100% valid and something for me to think over

 

[ihatework]

Not mad given you have access to young stock facilities (which most don’t when making this sort of post),

But do consider that they are not always perfect/dream horses under saddle and making them into that horse is a skilled job - if you need to outsource any of that training (which let’s face it a lot of us need to) that gets very expensive.

So just don’t go into it with rose tinted specs because foals are cute and relatively cheap!

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Not mad given you have access to young stock facilities (which most don’t when making this sort of post),

But do consider that they are not always perfect/dream horses under saddle and making them into that horse is a skilled job - if you need to outsource any of that training (which let’s face it a lot of us need to) that gets very expensive.

So just don’t go into it with rose tinted specs because foals are cute and relatively cheap!

No my current instructor helped me back my current mare and Is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom also horsey family around me to help too and all my friends are horsey but it’s still scaring me the thought of making such a big decision I’d never be able to afford a horse like it full grown tbh so that’s why I’m thinking foal plus my mares fab to ride and it’s all me with help of my instructor

 

[ihatework]

No my current instructor helped me back my current mare and Is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom also horsey family around me to help too and all my friends are horsey but it’s still scaring me the thought of making such a big decision I’d never be able to afford a horse like it full grown tbh so that’s why I’m thinking foal plus my mares fab to ride and it’s all me with help of my instructor

You are missing the point.
What if the horse proves tricky and you need to pay £250 a week for 6 months to get it to a point you can safely and confidently ride?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Go for it, you are young enough to cope with a baby and it is a great learning experience.

 

[splashgirl45]

I would say don’t reserve without seeing him in the flesh , is it possible for him to be gelded while still on the mare ? That will make it easier to put him out with others without worrying as some yards don’t want colts…
I bought a 15 month old many years ago and loved the whole thing of a bit of showing while young , walking her out in hand with my friends who were riding and I backed her myself with no help, it went very easily as we knew each other so well , I would say go for it but go and have a look at him to be sure…

 

[eggs]

Speaking as some-one who has bred a few foals and bought a few I would caution against it and would buy the horse you want now rather than the one you hope you might end up with. However as it sounds as though you have the right sort of set up you might get a lot of enjoyment out of it. However it is not a 'cheap' way of getting a horse as the costs quickly rack up getting them to a ridden age.

I sadly lost 3 of mine as three year olds - all for different reasons (freak accident, colic, cancer) that could not have been foreseen and was told by a very experienced breeder than a large percentage of youngsters do not make it to 4 so it can be heartbreaking.

In reality I would not have bought some of the foals as riding horses as they don't really suit me but you go with what you have got so I have persevered with them and they have a home for life.

Having said that, my all time best and favourite horse is one that I bred. He was supposed to top out at about 16.2 but I stopped measuring him when he hit 17.3 ...

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

You are missing the point.
What if the horse proves tricky and you need to pay £250 a week for 6 months to get it to a point you can safely and confidently ride?

if a horse needed 6 months of training that I couldn’t do myself I’d be taking it for a work up to find out why it was so wild! I’ve never known any horse needs that??

 

[ihatework]

if a horse needed 6 months of training that I couldn’t do myself I’d be taking it for a work up to find out why it was so wild! I’ve never known any horse needs that??

Rare yes, but they are out there. Hopefully you won’t be on the receiving end of one

 

[Gloi]

if a horse needed 6 months of training that I couldn’t do myself I’d be taking it for a work up to find out why it was so wild! I’ve never known any horse needs that??

The only ones I have had any trouble with have been those not bought under two.

 

[Gloi]

You are missing the point.
What if the horse proves tricky and you need to pay £250 a week for 6 months to get it to a point you can safely and confidently ride?

Checking out the parents and siblings will greatly reduce the chance of that.

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

Rare yes, but they are out there. Hopefully you won’t be on the receiving end of one

Checking out the parents and siblings will greatly reduce the chance of that.

done research on the parents and grand parents and good temperament is mentioned but don’t know anyone personally as I’m in West Yorkshire there in Kent

 

[Blanche]

Speaking as some-one who has bred a few foals and bought a few I would caution against it and would buy the horse you want now rather than the one you hope you might end up with. However as it sounds as though you have the right sort of set up you might get a lot of enjoyment out of it. However it is not a 'cheap' way of getting a horse as the costs quickly rack up getting them to a ridden age.

I sadly lost 3 of mine as three year olds - all for different reasons (freak accident, colic, cancer) that could not have been foreseen and was told by a very experienced breeder than a large percentage of youngsters do not make it to 4 so it can be heartbreaking.

In reality I would not have bought some of the foals as riding horses as they don't really suit me but you go with what you have got so I have persevered with them and they have a home for life.

Having said that, my all time best and favourite horse is one that I bred. He was supposed to top out at about 16.2 but I stopped measuring him when he hit 17.3 ...

I worked on stud farms for nearly forty years and have never lost a large percentage of young stock. I can only remember two I looked after in all that time, one a foal pushed through a hedge by the mare and a yearling with a broken leg. I have never lost one to colic. I have worked on studs standing up to five stallions and having twenty plus foals a year , down to a Connemara stud with two stallions and and only seven or eight foals a year. I also managed a tb stud with mares going to outside stallions with an average of ten a year. I know shit happens but is not inevitable.

eta I did have one foal put down at birth as it was born with no eyes, forgotten about it as it was back in the early eighties.

Op I would go for it, it’s a great experience, but with your eyes wide open. Just know you may have to sell as it won’t end up being what you want.

 

[SEL]

A friend similar age to you bought a 6 month Sec D colt last year and is enjoying every moment of time with him and the early years training.

After a problematic quarter horse who she adored but kept the vets busy it has really reinvigorated her love of horses having him around but no pressure to ride.

Both parents were in work and she knew they weren't as 'buzzy' as many of the welshies so she's hoping the youngster will have their temperaments.

Its all a gamble anyway with horses!!

 

[Glitterandrainbows]

I worked on stud farms for nearly forty years and have never lost a large percentage of young stock. I can only remember two I looked after in all that time, one a foal pushed through a hedge by the mare and a yearling with a broken leg. I have never lost one to colic. I have worked on studs standing up to five stallions and having twenty plus foals a year , down to a Connemara stud with two stallions and and only seven or eight foals a year. I also managed a tb stud with mares going to outside stallions with an average of ten a year. I know shit happens but is not inevitable.

eta I did have one foal put down at birth as it was born with no eyes, forgotten about it as it was back in the early eighties.

Op I would go for it, it’s a great experience, but with your eyes wide open. Just know you may have to sell as it won’t end up being what you want.

If I don’t do it now I probably never will either tbh thanks for your input really a lot to take on board and consider Thankyou

 

[JackFrost]

Just do it. Life is for living. Like SEL says, everything with horses is a gamble.