New horse a mistake

teddyt

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. Advertised as perfect gentleman, safe confidence giver, suitable for all members of family or beginner.

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A bit different to a 4 year old eventer. The safe beginners horses that have come on our yard have been exactly that, from day one.

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Yes but with a new home comes new experiences, feed, management, communication. Fine if the horse has seen chickens before, can cope with course mix, doesnt mind being in for 16 hours a day instead of its previous 10 hours, and can understand a beginners instructions/handling. NOT saying this is the case here (with OP) but so many things can affect a horse that even if just one thing is changed tha the horse doesnt know about then it can change behaviour!

Maybe the OP has been ripped off but thats why if you are a novice you have help when you buy a horse and help when you get it home. That way any problems you come across can be supported by someone more experienced so you dont feel like giving up.
 

Ranyhyn

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Im not saying seller was dodgy, seller clearly didn't tell the buyer everything though did they? Otherwise the new owner would have known to exercise the horse constantly in order to ensure its temprement... which you shouldnt have to do with a suitable novice horse!
 

saddlesore

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No idea- not being able to contact the seller is the only bit that seems odd to me..... perhaps they bought the horse from the same yard, perhaps he was spooky when they got him too and after having him a while he settled and they attributed that to their work/patience and therefore didn't expect it to happen again?
I honestly don't know and appreciate what you are saying, but every horse i've ever had (bar a 13.1hh old hand) have been a bit unsettled upon arrvial and i expect they would have been the same when i sold them on, although i have never thought about it until now!
 

Mithras

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Well I am probably going to get hounded for saying this OP but I don't think "beginners" should buy horses. I think they should ride at riding schools, share horses and so on until they are no longer beginners. Only that way do you get the realisation that horses are not machines and even ones which have been bombproof and safe all their lives may spook with an unconfident rider in new surroundings without being exercised for 4 weeks. It does sound like this is the second horse purchase that has not worked out for you and I do think you now should question whether possibly it might be you who is at fault and not the sellers or the horses.

When my horse starts doing something wrong, I always question whether it is something about my management or riding that is causing it. Invariably it is. And thats after 3 years of owning her. Horses can't speak so they can only tell you you are doing something wrong by their behaviour. Even a bombproof horse might spook if it has no confidence in the rider. Can you at least have some lessons on this horse before condemning it? Some horses do behave perfectly when sold, others dont. As said, they are not machines. Some take time to settle into new yards and build a bond with their new owners. It often means work and application to build that bond, but its worth it in the end. Why can't the OP work so as to build this bond or at least call on some expert help?

I also have sympathy for the sellers. You sell a horse, which in this case might be a perfectly good horse, and a month later you are told its this, that and everything.
 

Ranyhyn

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Kitsune, how would the seller know?!
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Well I know what my horse(s) require, maybe Im just superhuman!!
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's aside, I assume THEY bought it once upon a time so would know if its spooky to begin with....
 

Elle1085

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as others have said if the horse wasn't ridden for nearly four weeks after you bought him i wouldn't be at all surprised if it was a bit spooky. not only has it moved home but it has then started to settle into one routine and then suddenly it changes again because you want to start riding him. did you carry on after he spooked or did you give up then? and when you say he spooked what was it he actually did ie did he spin, jump backwards etc
 

AmyMay

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Well I am probably going to get hounded for saying this OP but I don't think "beginners" should buy horses. I think they should ride at riding schools, share horses and so on until they are no longer beginners.

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That makes no sense at all HH. Being able to ride a school plod successfully in no way makes a person a competent rider. Being a beginner is about the whole 'package'. Riding, management etc. etc. And why shouldn't a 'beginner' own their own horse. We all have to learn to manage these things on our own eventually. And with the assistance of a competent friend or YO - the learning experience can be greatly enhanced and accelerated.
 

Spudlet

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I also have sympathy for the sellers. You sell a horse, which in this case might be a perfectly good horse, and a month later you are told its this, that and everything.

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I've known that situation, and it annoyed me royally tbh. The horse was a lovely one, but he was in a totally new situation - moved from the city to the country - and was then sent hacking down an 'a' road with a child on board, with the totally predicatble result that he bombed off with said child! (not suggesting you have done anything so daft OP!) The horse had not been sold as a child's ride, he needed the guidance of an adult - which they were told.

In that case, the sellers warned the buyers that the horse would undoubtedly need time to settle and that he had not done country hacking for ages and WOULD without doubt be excitable - but they still sent him back saying he could 'not be trusted' and were very snotty about it as well.

Novice owners can be good owners and I would never condemn anyone for wanting to own but they need help and support - not to go from horse to horse to horse looking for some mythical 'perfect' horse that frankly, has never been born. This horse might not be the right one but no one will ever know if as soon as a problem arises it gets packed off back.
 

teddyt

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Sounds like horse is showing it's wild side all round. Maybe is had been shut in its stable a while?

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/sh...rue#Post4777553

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Exactly my point! Different owners, etc often mean a different horse.

I sold a show pony last year. It has since developed sweet itch. Never so much as broke a hair with me. Does this mean i sold a pony not fit for purpose? NO! It means the new home is next to woods and a stream and the pony has become allergic to midges because it is bitten all the time.

People do lie all the time when selling, horse people arent the most scrupulous lot but as i said before people just need to understand horse behaviour a bit more. Maybe then horses wouldnt get pushed about so much.

And i also agree that people need a certain level of competance before owning a horse. yes, people have to learn but not at the expense of the horse

edited to correct spelling
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Horse 14, yes its the one that wouldnt be caught. I have only just managed to find a saddle to fit him so he hasnt been ridden. He doesnt have feed, only been lunged and brought in and out etc to get into a routine. Have not had a so called confidence giver horse before that was so spooky all the time.
 

rockysmum

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Perhaps not being able to catch the poor creature is just another symptom of stress at moving yards.

It could have been in its old home all its life and suddenly its shoved in a strange field with strange horses and a total stranger chasing it around.

Perhaps a little sympathy and work on bonding might help.

And no I dont do NH before anyone starts just had horses for the last 45 years
 

Skippydo

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Why isn't the OP answering any of the questions people are asking, she's replied but not given answers to age, breed etc that will help everyone to help more?? Trying to contact owner, how often, landline or mobile, they could be away.

It took me 18 months to find my saint and hundreds of miles.
I knew instantly i tried him he was the one for me. When we brought him home it took him 2 months or so to settle, not that he was naughty, just a little spooky and wanted to rush everything, even putting his bridle on, he'd try to help so much to get said task done bless him.
But now he has settled and he's familiar with his surroundings and his new friends, he is now the horse i went to see but i did expect a settling in period and i was lucky it was only a short one, I expected longer seeings he had been in his previous home 6 years. My old boy took a year to come to terms with the fact that life had changed and it was for the better.
Need some more info from you OP??

Edit:- Just seen a little more info from OP which went on while i was typing this one
 

AmyMay

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Horse 14, yes its the one that wouldnt be caught. I have only just managed to find a saddle to fit him so he hasnt been ridden. He doesnt have feed, only been lunged and brought in and out etc to get into a routine. Have not had a so called confidence giver horse before that was so spooky all the time.

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I do think you're being a bit quick to judge (and I know others disagree, sorry).

Get a friend, get on your horses, and go out for a nice ride. I expect the horse is just fine, and needs to just get out and get on with some work.
 

Ranyhyn

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Not being able to catch the animal - to me is just another question about the seller.

OP, did they mention this at point of buying?

NONE of my 8 horses I have had in my lifetime have ever been bad to catch after purchase(unless they were hard to catch anyway!)..so not an excuse I'd wear.
 
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God you lot dont half assume,. I have not been" chasing horse around "do know about catching horses thanks.
Perhaps end this thread now as some of you seem to think Im a total idiot
 

Mithras

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Well I am probably going to get hounded for saying this OP but I don't think "beginners" should buy horses. I think they should ride at riding schools, share horses and so on until they are no longer beginners.

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That makes no sense at all HH. Being able to ride a school plod successfully in no way makes a person a competent rider. Being a beginner is about the whole 'package'. Riding, management etc. etc. And why shouldn't a 'beginner' own their own horse. We all have to learn to manage these things on our own eventually. And with the assistance of a competent friend or YO - the learning experience can be greatly enhanced and accelerated.

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OK, so I don't think people with little experience should buy horses. I think they should get more experience before doing so. So that if a new horse spooks after not being ridden for 4 weeks they have some inkling why. So that they have a little experience to realise that horses are not machines. And if they must buy horses.

The OP hasn't mentioned if she/he does have any help, or said much about her management at all. Its just all about it being the horse's fault and the seller's fault. Maybe the horse really is dreadfully naughty, but all we've been told is that it spooked a bit the first time it was ridden after 4 weeks. I do think the OP should be encouraged at least to consider that its something that she is doing or the environment the horse is now in that is causing the problems.

Theres also plenty of books out there on management and welfare.

And *whisper it* spooking isn't really the worst thing, is it? Most fresh horses would have a bit of a spook in a new home. Granted, its not nice to experience for a nervous rider on a new horse, but with horses the chance of a spook is really one of those unavoidable things, along with picking up poo.

If the OP really wants to give up on this horse, then I think she should consider taking references on her next horse, taking expert help with her, multiple trials, trial period, etc.. But often the best horses are nightmares at first and then you work together and get used to each other, and build a bond.
 

Ranyhyn

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God you lot dont half assume,. I have not been" chasing horse around "do know about catching horses thanks.
Perhaps end this thread now as some of you seem to think Im a total idiot

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I dont think you are an idiot for the record.
 

rockysmum

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God you lot dont half assume,. I have not been" chasing horse around "do know about catching horses thanks.
Perhaps end this thread now as some of you seem to think Im a total idiot

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Sorry worded that wrong, just trying to illustrate how the horse was feeling, I hae never thought you were a beginner
 

JM07

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God you lot dont half assume,. I have not been" chasing horse around "do know about catching horses thanks.
Perhaps end this thread now as some of you seem to think Im a total idiot

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not me OP...

Im totally behind you....get it returned
i certainly wouldnt tolerate the situation you are in
call Trading Standards and take their advice.....
 

Theresa_F

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Whilst I agree that a animal bought as suitable for a novice should get on with the job quickly, we don't know about the management for the past 4 weeks. This is not a criticism but just a thought that management needs to be reviewed.

My two are very laid back types and do settle into new places quickly and get on with life. They can be ridden by just about anyone and rarely get excitable or spook and even then it is a minor one (or so I think).

However, if I were to keep them in, feed them too much protein and speedibeet, give them 4 weeks off with no exercise, then Stinky can and has turned into super spook - and I mean a good spin and leap, and Farra once when fed molassed chaff with alfa in (before I got her) did half rears and galloped on the spot - you would not believe this of her if you saw her as she normally is the most steady and calmest of rides. Took her off the chaff and within a few days back to her lovely self.

If I were the OP, I would be looking carefully at the management and how it compared to the previous home - I got the owner of Farra to fill in a 4 page questionnaire so I knew as much as I could about management, riding, behaviour, likes dislikes etc for her in addition to the normal vices, last jabs etc questions.

I would also get an instructor in to see if how they evalulated the horse.

If they say it is an arse, management is of the type to create a calm mannered beast and it is still not, then yep, horse needs to sold to someone who can cope with it as this is not going to be a good relationship.

With regards to the catching issue, mine come to call and can be caught by anyone at anytime, but my TB, whilst she would come to me, took a long time to trust others to go to them and could very difficult to catch to the point that I used to say bring the others in, leave the gate and stable open and she will take herself in, which she was happy to do.

Sometimes it is not the settling into the new home that is the problem, but the settling with a new owner and developing trust and confidence with them. Again Chancer can be a little upset if he has a novice on that suddenly freezes and gets very nervous on him - he does not do anything, but you can see he is worried, a less steady and honest type than him would probably react and spook. With me, I can and do get him past the most scarey of things as he has trust in me.

Finally if I had sold something and they took 4 weeks to say they were not happy, I would not be that pleased but would go and offer to help but would wonder why they took so long to ride after getting home.
 

ecrozier

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Don't think people are saying you are an idiot hoffy - but would suggest that perhaps a little more time might be advisable. For example, did saddler actualy manage to see you walk trot and ideally canter on both reins in the saddle - you said she put new saddle on and you rode accross yard and horse spooked? Well friend of mine has just had sadle fitted and approved by saddler, and next day, horses reared three times, never reared in its life before....so a new/poorly fitting saddle could well be to blame? Not criticizing your saddler but they won't know if it fits til they've seen you ride in it!
Also when was this? Don't know about you but we have had awful windy weather for last 3 days or so, and even the older more 'sensible' horses have been a nightmare - one mare that the owner happily puts kids on was unrideable in the school the other day, she was so on her toes due to the wind.
My old mare is totally suitable for a beginner, in fact sharer brought a total novice friend up the other day, however if she moved yards and was left for 4 weeks, then (possibly with a new saddle that may not have been 100% comfortable?) was ridden on a windy day, she'd probably have a spook at things she hadn't seen before too!
 

Scheherezade

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Horse 14, yes its the one that wouldnt be caught. I have only just managed to find a saddle to fit him so he hasnt been ridden. He doesnt have feed, only been lunged and brought in and out etc to get into a routine. Have not had a so called confidence giver horse before that was so spooky all the time.

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Maybe if you try giving it a bit of feed when you catch it, or when you bring it in, it will be more likely to want to be near you? I wouldn't expect my horse to be willingly bounding upto the gate for hard work if there wasn't something in it for him (i.e. a bucket of chaff and a few nuts!).
 

ester

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I bought my horse without tack and I had prebooked the saddler to come out if he passed the vetting, he was there the next day.

Granted horse needed work due to looking more like a hippo than a pony too.

but 4 weeks just seems a long time to me.
 

Skippydo

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God you lot dont half assume,. I have not been" chasing horse around "do know about catching horses thanks.
Perhaps end this thread now as some of you seem to think Im a total idiot

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Needing help and advice does not make you an idiot, if it does it makes me one to
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(probably am)
IMO everyone is trying to help so stick with us there are alot of people on here with alot of useful tips and info.

OP How long had the horse been in it's previous home?
 
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