New horse , not sure :/

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moodymare123

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Ok i have got a new horse on trial , he is cob x apaloosa 3yrs old but still needs bringing on and is doing really well,and has the sweetest nature ever and lovely to handle ect ect , but only problem is im not sure wether He is not foward enough going he isnt kick kick but he isnt like my old pony he just needed voice commandments , another thing too i willl be taking this horse to hartpury college with me and im worried people will look down on me with there tb's

Thanks x
 
Urmm...well he is only 3 years old.

He will need backing/bringing on, and you can always teach him voice commands yourself. I backed a mare last summer who was as dead to the leg as an old trekking pony used for novices, once backed and turned away for the winter is now forward going but safe.

If you think like that then maybe get a TB and be done with it. Who cares if they look down on your horse? I have been to Hartpury and there are plenty of hairy little ponies as well as big competition horses.

Also is it really wise to take a 3yr old to Hartpury? Once backed it would be advisable to turn him away to grow and mature probably over the winter...and Hartpury have very little grazing in nice weather and pretty much absolutely no access to grazing throughout the whole winter/early spring.
 
TBH the horse is 3 years old, I'm not sure what you are expecting from such a young horse. My horse wasn't even broken at 3 and if I were to have tried I know she would prob have killed me as she was not mature enough to deal with ridden work at that age. Maybe your horse just dosn't understand fully what you are asking him to do as yet, at three they are still learning that they need to move away from your legs my 6 yr old WB was really sluggish as a 4 and 5 year old but has found her way now.

I'm sure there are all types of horses at College, some don't even go with horses, the only thing that would worry me is don't your horses at college have to go on working livery, that was the only livery offered at the college I was at and I certainly wouldn't want to have a 3 yr old on working livery. Just my thoughts.
 
You'd rather have something safe which you can feed up if needed.
He is also 3, so probably isnt as fit or has as much muscle as your other horse so needs the extra encouragement to get going. And, as he is so young, he might not understand as it's all new to him.
You probably need to get used to eachother, and know which buttons to press.
 
Haha , dont worry guys i wasnt planning on taking to hartpury at the age of 3 , and he has had his break and now being brought back into work , he is nearly 4 , and i guess i am asking alot of him :/ thankyou so much guys :)
 
I hope Hartbury at least teaches you that a 3 year old hasn't been broken in long enough to learn that leg means go forward. I also strongly suggest you wait a few years before taking on something unmade because if you don't have the knowledge yourself how do you expect to teach the horse?

Sorry if that sounds blunt, but having watched two teenagers planning to break in a purebred (and difficult) Arab filly with no experience of breaking at all between them, I tend to lapse into despair rather readily.
 
Oh for gods sake give the horse a chance its a baby,and if anybody looks down on you because of the type he is do you really care. We have all types my dad has point to pointers and we have everything in between from cobs tbx welsh fells you name it weve got it or had it and they have all done everything hunted etc.
Any real horseperson doesnt look down on a certain type i mean you dont intend to run it in the derby do you? As they say handsome is as handsome does, but if you feel like this about the horse i would say not for you just remember tbs are a different kettle of fish and sometimes buying a horse that looks flash for the sake of vanity leads to disaster if you dont have the experience.
 
voice commands are no good if you're doing dressage!;)

Personally I wouldn't dream of taking a 3 yr old to college. The environment is often pretty stressful and during winter a lot of colleges struggle with turn out.

As for being worried about people looking down on you because you havn't got a tb, wtf???? Who gives a dam. I used to take my little cob cross with me when I was on yard duties and everybody loved him. I could put the most nervous riders on him and he would look after them around a 2'3" course or take him to the clear round and jump with the big boys. If you're really worried about people looking down on you because you have a fluffy pony then I don't think he is the right horse for you. Be grateful for what you've got, many people would give their right arm for a horse of their own.
 
Three is very young. He is still trying to understand what the aids means. It sounds like he's a nice sort, and for a 3 year old, I'd rather have one like this, as he'll soon learn to tighten up and will become quicker off the leg once his schooling progresses.

and. erm... if your worried people are going to look down on you, and you're feeling like this about him at this stage, then definately don't have the poor pony. I'm sure someone else who isn't going to be embarrased of him will cherish him?
 
Charem said:
many people would give their right arm for a horse of their own.
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Agreed! I am 22 and have never been able to own a horse and am not even close to being able to afford it. I would rather have a big fluffy pony on a yard of smart clipped competition horses than no horse at all!

I think you are expecting too much from such a young horse and not every horse will be like your old pony, every horse is different. Bring him on and give him a chance. Better to have a chilled out 3 year old that will get better with work than a nutty one!

Also I would still say that it may not be such a good idea taking such a young horse to hartpury. It is a very busy environment that many do not settle in/no turnout etc. Have you looked into the many other yards around the area that are cheaper and can at least offer turnout?
 
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Well i think i am being a bit silly ands expecting a bit much of him and he is doing fantastic atm and i do love him to pieces , and the only reason that i dont want people to look down on us at hartpury is because i will hopefully be spending five years and i dont want to feel as though im dirt there for that long, and he is a gorguese horse :) here is a picture of him :) and dont worry i wont be taking him to hartpury at the age of 3 , he will be about 7/8 yrs old

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He looks a stunner.
I don't understand why you think people at Hartpury will think of you as though 'you're dirt' (your words)??? Please explain?

I'd have thought he'll have many admirers there?
 
Any REAL horse person would never look down on a horse regardless of breed! I agree....if the horse is well looked after, worked and well turned out and makes me think wow.....it doesn't matter what breed it is.

Not every single person at hartpury is a snobby sport horse owner you know. And actually having something a bit different is a breath of fresh air there.

My friend came to hartpury with a fluffy little new forest, not been off the forest and backed for very long....never seen a school before etc and literally came with just some tack and one rug. Everyone absolutely loved her and she even has her own little fan club!! By the end of her time at Hartpury she can now compete in dressage and showjumping even better than some of the bigger more expensive horses.
 
Oh he does have quite a few admirers even though ive only had him a week and a half all the men at the yard love him as he is a very "manly horse" , But what i mean is , As you would know there will always be a few girl/boys who have top tb's and stuff and think there al iti dont mean it by apearance but by the breed(: hope that makes things better :)
 
He's absolutley stunning :)
And I agree with Misinterpreted why would they think you're "dirt"?

ETA - after reading your reasons for "dirt", don't worry about it. He is no way "dirt" and I'm sure neither are you. You'll be the one people talk about, because you will have a unique and very handsome horsey - compared to all the other girls/boys there having the same type!
If you are happy with how he is going, then thats fine.
Also, in reference to using your voice, I find it odd if I talk to a horse, especially when going up and down the paces. I wonder if people think I'm stupid for speaking to them as if they're human :p - not saying it is stupid at all, I just get self concious doing it.
Using your voice doesnt really show riding ability tp some extent , it shows an honest well schooled horse.
 
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moodymare123 said:
As you would know there will always be a few girl/boys who have top tb's and stuff and think there al iti dont mean it by apearance but by the breed(:
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There is normally always someone like that at any yard generally. But who the hell cares! Hold your head high and get on with your life and enjoy your lovely horse.
 
Thanks guys for the support well i will probably have hime by tomorrow so i will give you an update to tell you if he is officially mine (: Thankyoou! x
 
he is 3 years old :o give him a chance!! if you didnt realise that then i suggest you get some lessons on him to help you. good luck
 
He is absolutely stunning and anyone who says otherwise is just silly.

A young horse learns what the leg means from his rider which is why it is important to have very experienced riders start horses and teach them to work from very light aids. If you are not very experienced in bringing on horses and won't get to Harpury for a few years yet, I think it would be a very good idea to get very regular lessons from an experienced instructor.
 
Cob X Appie sounds lovely; I'm green with envy! Seriously. If people look down on you because of your choice of horse, then frankly they're not worth worrying about, and if you've made your choice, and he's YOUR horse, then you just be jolly proud of him and show him off at every opportunity!

Re. taking him to college; mine was at equestrian college for 2 years and I can categorically say that 3 yo is way way too young to take a horse to college. It will spoil him, possibly for the rest of his life, and you don't want that. Please don't do it! Let him be brought on gently and slowly. If he's a "kick-a-long" at three, then bear in mind there's loads of people (like me!) who'd give their arm-and-a-leg and their last buck to have a horse that's sensible rather than shooting off with them and putting them in the next county before they've got a foot in the stirrup.

Yours sounds an absolute darling. If I was looking he'd be just what I'd look for, and so would many other people too.

I don't wish to sound patronising, but I will say this, NEVER EVER let anyone put you down because of the horse you're riding, be it cob, TB, donkey or whatever. Unfortunately there are some snobby people in the horse world, like there is everywhere else. If its your horse, and you've chosen him/her, then that's good enough for everyone else out there and if they want to ride the horse they choose for themselves, then that's their decision. But never be ashamed of your horse.
 
i was at hartpury the other week, and treated about 20 horses... i'd say only 2 were TBs... the rest were a selection of welsh ponies, cobs, IDs, and Heinz 57ers.

okay there are some shiny TB/WB types there, but the vast majority are not! so don't worry at all! :D
 
I was competing there a couple of weeks ago against some of the students and trust me when I say they are nothing to be envious about I was shocked at the way they treated and rode their horses and too think they'll be working with horses is quite frightening!!

Give him a chance, but, when you get a new horse it should feel 100% right or they don't normally work out I never buy a horse if I have doubts but you haven't given him a chance to prove you wrong.
 
Well, he just looks adorable! Don't worry about people that may look down on you (although not sure why they would with him anyway), they are not worth knowing. Just love him, as he may love you and that is all that matters. A special bond between horse and owner, is far more important than what breed he is. Enjoy him. :D
 
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