New horse, am I being unrealistic!!!!

Miss Horse lover

Miss Horse lover

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Hi all,

I've rode all my life and had a few horses over the years until a few years ago, with work Uni and 3 young children I made the hard decision to sell my much loved pony. Now the time has come that I have decided to purchase my own horse again(don't think I can live without one much longer lol). So I've been looking for a few months and last week I came across a 15hh tb mare that I have fallen head over heels in love with, but she is being sold as a project.

This is because she has been at grass for nearly a year due to the owners not having time. She is an ex polo pony is good to handle and in every other way and only being sold as the owners daughter got her for eventing but her jump isn't big enough they have other horses and feel that it's not fair on the mare as they don't. Have time to give her the attention she deserves. She is sound in every way and can be sat on just now but is overweight and unfit. I know it will take about a good 6 months give or take to get her back to a healthy weight and fit again and I'm totally prepared for that and know that I will need to take this slow.

My question is that due to my few year of a break from owning horses(I still rode and had lessons in that time) would I be being unrealistic in buying a project horse as my first new horse and would I be better with something that didn't need as much work? I don't know what it is I'm just so drawn to her that I have to have her :D
 
Well I think only you know whether you have the time and expertise to cope with it! I think having a ride on her to whatever level she can cope with is a good idea (and vetting as I hear ex polo ponies will have been ragged about a lot but can be awesome), and if you do get in over your head will you have help available, and do you have extra funds to pay for someone to come and give you a hand if needed?

If she is 'sold from field' I notice that can be a rather ambiguous term!
 
I would think a real ex polo pony would be a seriously fun ride however why is she an ex polo pony at an age where she would be bought to retrain as an eventer. How old is she? If she has really been a polo pony could be a sharp ride I think, 0-60 in 3 seconds with no other speeds in between :D. But maybe these people have reschooled her to a degree before they decided she didn't have a big enough jump. Just remember she will be much much sharper than she is now when she is fit.
 
Welcome to the forum. :)

I suspect you've answered your own question really. The sensible thing would probably be to take on a more straightforward horse to return to horse-ownership... but you've fallen in love and found the one you "must have" so it may be too late! :o

You're obviously thinking about it carefully, or you wouldn't be asking though. You will know your own capabilities. Do you think you could do justice to this horse? Or would you be biting off more than you can chew? If you're concerned it's the latter, you'll find another to fall in love with and might be better letting this one go.

I returned to horses after a gap of 34 years :o and if I'm honest, did not choose the right horse. I love my Mollie, but I'd have been happier and safer without her issues.

I really don't know what the answer is in your case, but I suspect you do. :) Whatever you decide, I hope it's the right one for you and the horse. :)
 
She is 10 at the moment, I don't have any further info on her polo back ground but I am going for a visit and to ride her at the weekend so will ask more. She is pasported so I know she has came from Ireland and has good bloodlines. I know what you mean about being forward going and I agree it could be a blast:D I'm not going into this with my eyes shut by any means and I know I have the time and feel I'm capable of getting her fitness back I have done this many times before with my own and other peoples horses. I think I'm just looking for reassurance that I'm not being silly over this.

And yes I have funds and help available should I ever get in over my head.
 
It does sound like you know what you're doing and aren't just rushing into it blindly. I hope it all works out well for you. I'm sure you'll make the right decision. :)
 
Depends on your previous experience & how much work she needs. But I don't think you should if you have doubts. Every horse I have bought either to keep myself or long term projects I have initially been considered mad, & should know better, but I have never doubted they were ideal & so far been right. If I doubted myself though I wouldn't have bought.
 
Thanks littlelegs for your advice,to be honest I don't doubt my ability in being able to bring her back to work and i dont doubt for one minute that im not capable and experianced enough to have her, however when I mentioned her to a friend she kind of burst my bubble so to speak it wasnt anything she said its just the way she looked at me and um and ahh about it. So thought I would get some advice and think it through a bit more as I do tend to just into things feet first :) without really considering things. But in light of people's comments on here if my vet gives her the all clear I'm going to go for her :D I'll be sure to let everyone know how I get on in buying her.
 
Take your time about the decision and if you have doubts, don't do it. There many other horses out there.

You have to decide whether it's right, none of us know you or your ability or the horse.

Let us know what you decide! :)
 
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Don't get me wrong, I have told people in rl not to buy. But that's when I've already been in an advisory role, & I have had good reason which I could explain, & they look into themselves. But tbh, very few people have ever agreed with many of my choices & I've never listened!
 
I think you have had some good advice here. Being sold from the field not having done anything for a while could be masking a number of non riding as well as riding issues. Was the horse lame and turned away until it was sound enough to be sold (ask to speak to their vet for a history), if its been out in a field 27/7 does it have a stable vice? (we had an ex polo pony at our yard and it weaved badly pretty much 24 hours a day)

If your main wish is to ride again, then get something that is riding fit now. Even if you are a great rider and can cope with a quirky horse, give yourself the best chance of having fun and actually doing what you want. You could risk buying a "sweet natured" horse where you do anything but ride!

Take someone who can give you a dispassionate and realistic view and perhaps go and look at a couple of other horses so you can make a comparison
 
My first horse after a 15 year break was an unbacked 4yo mare. I had nowhere organised for her to live, no experienced friends & no horsey contacts. So I found a yard & an instructor & took it from there. 27 years later, I have never regretted buying her. Just wish she was a few years younger. You don't sound as if you are in a rush to be out & about competing etc so have time to get to know her / bring her back into work. In your position, if I liked the mare (& she passed a vet), I'd buy her.
 
I would go for a 5 * vetting just in case she has been off due to lameness. As herts said re vices if there is a stable see her in it with no hay and see what she does. I would want to see her in traffic too. Get them to ride her first in all situations. It doesn't matter that she is unfit it's not going to kill her to show a little walk trot and canter then a walk on a road. See her caught too. If they refuse walk away.

Horsey folk are the biggest talents in lying by omission in my experience. ;)
 
Ps my first beast after a 10 year break was a very green 7yr old ex brood mare. I admit I was a little nervy getting on her bareback before I had a saddle :o but soon got over that and she is great fun.
 
Would def get it vetted and ask to see the veterinary history, if she's been off a year.

Also be aware that she will be quiet when you first start riding, and wont probably show her true temperament until she's fit!

Good luck if you go ahead though :)
 
I think, don't buy this one because its there. Make a list of what you want, forgetting about this horse for a minute. If what you want, and what you are setting out to look for, is an ex polo pony sold from the field then crack on with viewing and vetting this one. If your list of what is you want is nothing like this horse, just keep looking and there will be another horse who ticks the boxes and who you will love.
 
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The question to ask yourself is do you enjoy the process of slowly training a horse, celebrating small successes and accepting steps backwards pragmatically, or are you thinking about how great the horse will be when the project is finished?

I bought my four year old thinking how wonderful she would be at the end if the process, which was the wrong reason, but find now that I am really enjoying working with her and giving her the time she needs (although I admit I will be happier once she's hacking put alone as I hate relying on others).

Paula
 
What do you want to do with your new horse? Start with what you require and see if this horse, or any other, fits the requirements.

As others have said, 'a year off in the field' could be masking a variety of physical or behavioural problems. For this alone the mare should be really, really cheap as you would be taking a gamble.

Ex-polo ponies, I am sure, are great fun, but probably not suited to other competitions. The outline they are used to working in, and which makes them great polo ponies, is not suited to dressage or jumping. This doesn't mean she can't be retrained, but realistically you need to think in terms of years and not months for teaching a horse a new way of going.
 
Cant add to the great advice already given, but after a break of of some years I found that everything came back really quickly. You certainly sound like you have your head screwed on, so whether it is this horse or another one, I am sure you will have a great time :D
 
I would advise caution , you like the horse and feel you can ride it .
But if I where you I would not proceed without a five stage vetting , and I would not expect such a horse to be a lot of money in the current market.
I would not buy the horse unless I had seen in a stable a fair bit and was confident no wool was being pulled over my eyes in that direction .
The big question you must ask your self is am I happy to buy this unknown quantity or should I buy a horse who is doing the job I want a horse to do now.
Good luck and let us know how you get on.
 
Agree with the others that it is really important to find out whether there are any lurking veterinary problems that have caused her to be out of work for a year. Some horses can appear sound when not ridden much, but the problems start to show when the horse is put back into regular work.

Are you able to try the horse fully in the activities you want to do? If you want it to hack out alone and in company, would you be able to try her out in those situations? How well do you know the sellers, and can you really trust their assertions that the horse is good to do in every way?

If it is just work entailed in getting her weight down and her fitness up that wouldn't be so bad, but if she has some issues under saddle that you haven't been told about, then that is a different ballgame.

Also think about how you are going to keep this horse - will it still be out 24/7 or would you have it stabled for significant periods, in which case there is the possibility that it might become more of a handful in such a routine.

You also have to take into account how much time you have? Do you still have family and work commitments? Have you got time to do the work involved, or would you really prefer something you can just get on and go. If you have been out of riding for a long time, perhaps you would want to make the most of the time you have now, rather than having to wait for a 'project' to be finished.
 
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I've not taken this decision lightly and have looked at a number of other horses during my search but I keep coming back to her. I will have my vet with me the next time I go and see her and ask who the owners current vet is so I can speak with them also. The owner hasn't refused any of my requests of what I would like to see and do so far so I see this as a good thing. She is priced very low at the moment due to her condition and the market.

I have worked with a number of "problem horses" over the years some more of a challenge than others, but I love working with them and seeing them achieving the smallest of goals and I know that set backs may happen and while working with this mare other things may come to light I would see this as an issue but as an area to work on with her to bring out the best in her if you know what I mean.

Like I said I don't know much about her polo history but will be asking more, however she seems to have been trained or re-trained at some point as I know she had been to a few local shows and some local activity centres open jumping nights last year and was placed (I know the owners of these places so have asked).

But I will be sure to keep everyone posted on how things go I'm going to see her again this weekend. :D
 
I know what you mean. I recently saw a filly which I really fell for too. Had no immediate plans to buy a horse and certainly not a TB mare but she's all those things. Someone said that the right horse finds you. Good luck with her she sounds like she will be an interesting project and you can get fit together.
 
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