Sunshine
Well-Known Member
I've been out of the saddle for some time as my old horse retired and I saw my daughter through the LR/FR years. Over the last year I have been getting more and more determined to get myself another ride, just not as big as my previous one. I thought about a 15-15.2 but I am embarassed that I am not as lightweight or fit as I used to be. Having originally set my heart on an overheight connie, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that they are are so few & far between I could be waiting another year for one suitable in build, price and age and time is wasting. My aim is to get back into flatwork lessons, fun rides, hacks, little jumps, dressage comps and schooling, but with my daughter around so it has to be sane and not wind up her ponies.
So I started looking at ID & IDx horses, and have seen a lovely purebred mare for a very reasonable sum because she has done absolutely nothing and is 3 yrs old. It is taller than I thought but I am very conscious of looking tall on anything, I am 5"8. I don't know much about the breeding lines, I just like her stamp and temperament. I have bought and done ground work with daughter's ponies before sending them to be broken (purely because I'm too big) and had dealt with horses with issues before and managed. I accept that I am not riding fit and cannot realistically go out and ride a strange horse in fornt of the owner because I am so embarassed about my lack of fitness. So I was thinking that it would suit all round to go for one that isnt broken because it gives me the chance to do regular 15 min sessions and build upon them. However I am hesitating because lots of friends say I need to get myself a schoolmaster to ride now - funnily though one of them went and bought an unbacked 3yr old Polish WB last year and has since had a baby which means that the horse has done nothing for the last six months. But I have my own yard and arena, a reliable instructor and the plan is that whichever horse I get will be with me for life. I dont really want to look at a 15 year old that I will need to replace within ten years as I already have several old retireds and cant keep adding stables for more of them.
So - is it really ridiculous to consider starting together with an unbroken (no existing bad habits) horse, or should I keep holding out for the right one - no older than 8, mare, solidly built, but not lots of feather and with a bit of potential to take further.
So I started looking at ID & IDx horses, and have seen a lovely purebred mare for a very reasonable sum because she has done absolutely nothing and is 3 yrs old. It is taller than I thought but I am very conscious of looking tall on anything, I am 5"8. I don't know much about the breeding lines, I just like her stamp and temperament. I have bought and done ground work with daughter's ponies before sending them to be broken (purely because I'm too big) and had dealt with horses with issues before and managed. I accept that I am not riding fit and cannot realistically go out and ride a strange horse in fornt of the owner because I am so embarassed about my lack of fitness. So I was thinking that it would suit all round to go for one that isnt broken because it gives me the chance to do regular 15 min sessions and build upon them. However I am hesitating because lots of friends say I need to get myself a schoolmaster to ride now - funnily though one of them went and bought an unbacked 3yr old Polish WB last year and has since had a baby which means that the horse has done nothing for the last six months. But I have my own yard and arena, a reliable instructor and the plan is that whichever horse I get will be with me for life. I dont really want to look at a 15 year old that I will need to replace within ten years as I already have several old retireds and cant keep adding stables for more of them.
So - is it really ridiculous to consider starting together with an unbroken (no existing bad habits) horse, or should I keep holding out for the right one - no older than 8, mare, solidly built, but not lots of feather and with a bit of potential to take further.
