New horse shopping criteria

ihatework said:
My new saying is in horse buying you can have cheap-sane-sound, generally whatever you are looking for you can find one to meet 2 criteria.

So sound and sane but it won’t be cheap.

Cheap and sane but it won’t be sound

Cheap and sound but it won’t be sane.
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I've heard this before, it's definitely something to think about.
Clearly I need to get more in the money pot and lose weight, those seem to be the two most important things by the looks of it.
 
indie1282 said:
Also, any horse can live out if its fed and rugged correctly with adequate shelter.
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Absolutely yes, almost all horses can live out. However, SLH does not have any stabling available on site as back up for a sick or injured horse which needs separating from the others. It's been an issue in the past. I'm with BP, I wouldn't sell a horse to a home with such limited facilities, I'm afraid.
 
Tiddlypom said:
Absolutely yes, almost all horses can live out. However, SLH does not have any stabling available on site as back up for a sick or injured horse which needs separating from the others. It's been an issue in the past. I'm with BP, I wouldn't sell a horse to a home with such limited facilities, I'm afraid.
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Neither would I
 
Tiddlypom said:
Absolutely yes, almost all horses can live out. However, SLH does not have any stabling available on site as back up for a sick or injured horse which needs separating from the others. It's been an issue in the past. I'm with BP, I wouldn't sell a horse to a home with such limited facilities, I'm afraid.
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I meant more that all types of horses can live out - obviously sickness or box rest for example would be difficult but a lot of people only have fields so what do they do? Maybe her set up needs to change if it's been an issue in the past?
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
Thanks Indie. We were thinking from 5-6 upwards that has been hacking out alone for some time and has a sensible outlook on life. I'm open to most things but I will be very honest and say that I'm reluctant to spend (what is to me) a large some of money on anything over 14/15, however wrong I might be on that.
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I have 2 horses, both from foals ( same stallion, dams are full sisters) one is 13 and was quite a handful as a youngster, very sharp and forward. He still can be a handful now but has chilled out a lot and is a much nicer ride.

My other was sweet, kind and willing when I broke him and is still the same. He is a lovely boy.

So I would say temperament and attitude is important if considering a younger horse but I would choose something that has done a fair bit - not something newly broken. It doesn't have to have set the world on fire but it should be hacking out regularly and sensibly.
 
I do agree a four year old with its head screwed on could be way more suitable than a mental teenager.. but having a youngster takes a lot of time and commitment, and you're ultimately responsible for setting them up for the future. With limited facilities, I'd wonder if that might be a bit of a struggle. I've also heard horror stories about bigger horses like IDs taking a bit longer to mentally mature - a few friends have over horsed themselves this way.

So I'm biased as I'm firmly in the 'olden but golden' camp, and despair at the amount of novices taking on youngsters (again, not at all aimed at you OP, I haven't followed any previous posts!)

QueenDee_'s suggestion is lovely!

I know these are over budget, but seem really sweet:
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-130903.html
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-130825.html

These are more in the price range.. but all seem to have no behind at all! (Is that normal for shire/ clydesdale types, or are these just terrible examples for their breed??) I confess to knowing nothing about heavyweight.. heck even middleweight horses but no harm in linking I guess!
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-129495.html
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-129338.html
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horseforsale-129816.html
 
Woah ok so this took a bit of a turn ??
I can take a fair bit of constructive criticism but this feels a bit more like an attack just because I'm not on a livery yard etc 😥😥
We (my friend and I) can't be the only people in the world who manage with fields and a shelter?? 🤔🤔🤔
No, we don't have a stable but we do have various yards around us where we can stable if needed. My friend had to do this with her horse when she went lame at the beginning of last year. It wasn't ideal but it got sorted.
We have 4/5 very well maintained acres split into two adjoining fields (can be opened out into one large field which we do over winter) with secure fencing. Both fields have self filling troughs and we have a large, solid field shelter. This is all on a private farm with CCTV etc. My friend and I live either side of our village and the field is right in between, less than a mile from either of our houses. We have a huge bridleway system up the road from my house on a beautiful country park forestry. Once I can sort a trailer I will also have better access to several local riding centres/schools etc.
It's not exactly roughing it 🙄
 
No you are not the only one we have pure grass keep they live out 24/7 no shelters or stables have a holding pen and if push came to shove could clear out the storage as a stable The horses are never sick or sorry and if they were I would take them to a horspital. All will stable sensibly if needs be but rarely do. The 28 year old came to me so stiff and sore he could barely walk his options were live in for 7 months no turnout or 24/7 turnout with me he now gallops round the field and races with the filly. He has llived at least 2 years longer than his owner thought. He was a bit poorly this year he got a bit runny tummy and a bit colicky but I treated him in the holding pen He is 100% well again. He is back out tormenting the filly and happy as larry. To be honest if people are so critical of the best way to keep a horse in my opinion I wouldnt want their horse as it will likely have problems either in wind or limbs but hey ho each to their own. I Try not to buy much over 2 years old and prefer them to be under a year
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
Thanks LeoWalker and windandrain ❤



Too be fair that's what I thought too..!! Until people started saying they'd never sell a horse to such limited facilities 😣
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I was a bit surprised too, because let’s face it all you want is a straight forward, non-blood type, happy hacker.

I wouldn’t sell you anything that wasn’t up to weight or who was young/green/tricky because I don’t believe you have the experience or facilities to deal with it.

But for what you want/need I would.

In fact I have a lovely teenager out on loan who lives in a not dissimilar set up, he has been there probably 4-5 years now and is very happy and loved.
 
I would be useless at helping you as I buy with my heart rather than head! I made sure I had someone sensible with me when I bought mine - even if you do know what you’re doing a second opinion is invaluable. The only thing I can add is that I bought mine as a 6 year old, ISH more tb than draught. Quiet, sweet, put in field for a week and get back on with no issues. He’s now coming up 9 and he’s a very different horse! He’s still great overall and I’m learning with him on a yard with professional help but he’s now a big strong fit horse (oops) and I could easily find myself out of my depth despite being fairly experienced. He only now feels like he has grown into himself (he’s quite a rangy build and about 16.3) and is showing what he actually is if that makes sense?
 
Meredith said:
I thought we were all trying to fing SLH a suitable horse whilst considering everything relevant, nothing more, nothing less.
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Not having a basic stable available on site is relevant, even when a horse lives out 24/7 (and I'm all in favour of that). It was sparked off by a link to the ad for the lovely 17yo, who an experienced poster opined would be used to TLC and may not take to living out. It was also relevant during the Bailey episode. OP had to handle and feed him out in the open, whereas a stable would have been very handy.

Horses have a habit of getting sick or injured at the most inopportune times and IMHO even a basic set up should have stabling of some sort (it needn't be posh) available for instant use in an emergency.

So whilst it might seem picky, IMHO the lack of stabling is a factor to take into account during the OP's search for a new horse.

ETA Otherwise, SLH's facilities sound great.
 
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Tiddlypom said:
Not having a basic stable available on site is relevant, even when a horse lives out 24/7 (and I'm all in favour of that). It was sparked off by a link to the ad for the lovely 17yo, who an experienced poster opined would be used to TLC and may not take to living out. It was also relevant during the Bailey episode. OP had to handle and feed him out in the open, whereas a stable would have been very handy.

Horses have a habit of getting sick or injured at the most inopportune times and IMHO even a basic set up should have stabling of some sort (it needn't be posh) available for instant use in an emergency.

So whilst it might seem picky, IMHO the lack of stabling is a factor to take into account during the OP's search for a new horse.

ETA Otherwise, SLH's facilities sound great.
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Not aimed specifically at TP:

I am not sure that you can equate TLC and a stable. I do sometimes wonder if the way horses are kept nowadays contributes to the unsoundnesses that seem to be prevalent. I think most horses would love SLH's set-up and cope well with 24/7 turnout with access to a shelter, which I would imagine can be used to restrict movement if necessary.

I absolutely love the look of the ArdennesxShire mare. Sadly we didn't win last night's Lottery, so I can't buy more land to put her on.
 
I genuinely suggested the 17yo one as he looks wonderful, the later photos on the advert shows him to have a fair bit of bone, and yes, as I said, I do think he would take 15 st for short hacks, but not that much for longer or athletic work, especially factoring in his age.

Genuinely I also said that when I bought my horse she was also too small for me but yes, that has been an incentive to lose weight as I have set weights (i/e I will not jump until I am X weight) and that has chased me into action. When I got her she was a bit smaller and lighter than this one and I was a bit lighter than you, but very comparable in terms of % wise. If I had not lost the weight, we would still be doing less than we can now.

I personally don't have a problem with a field/shelter set up for an established horse, as long as the land is free draining and there is somewhere dry to stand. I made a comment that the horse would rather live with me (and included two emojis to show it was tongue in cheek) as I do really rate that one. Apologies if you took that as a personal attack. I don't think a field is ideal for training a youngster, but then I think you would have a nicer owner experience with a more established horse anyway (which the 17yo is).

Of the others that tashcat suggested, I don't really like the three at the bottom, but other people may. Of the two at the top, one looks sweet, but the other is a notorious dealer which has their own FB page for horror stories! Have a look on the Dodgy dealers site too.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Not aimed specifically at TP:

I am not sure that you can equate TLC and a stable. I do sometimes wonder if the way horses are kept nowadays contributes to the unsoundnesses that seem to be prevalent. I think most horses would love SLH's set-up and cope well with 24/7 turnout with access to a shelter, which I would imagine can be used to restrict movement if necessary.
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at the very least, for an older horse I think 24/7 turnout can extend their working life, particularly the sort of work the OP wants to do. So I agree for an established horse it could be absolutely ideal.

I took my 2 oldies, both have had busy lives and lived in relative "luxury" but having soundness niggles, and turned them out 18 months ago. Like SLH I have access to stables a short distance away if we got in a fix, and they have a shelter. Best thing I could have done for them, they are hopping and skipping round the place like youngsters and tbh if there was someone that wanted to hack 3 times a week I'd get the tack out for them again!
 
I do think that some of the comments on here were phrased in a very unkind way.

I do think that having a plan of what to do if a bad injury/illness occurred is wise for all horse owners, regardless of facilities.

I think that the more time I spend with my horses/other liveries horses/neighbours horses the more I realise that one answer doesn't fit every horse. We must never lose our ability to be flexible and do what is right for the horse in front of us. Also experienced horse people and Vets do get it wrong sometimes. You do the best you can with the information and facilities available at the time and if something isn't working - change it!

I have rehabbed a tendon injury on a TB who couldn't tolerate being stabled. An electric taped smaller paddock was what the Vet and I came up with for her. The leg healed and she was sound on it until her death.

A local horse owner has a horse that had a hoof operated on. They gated off their shelter to make a loose box and the horse is recovering well and is now at the point that she can be turned out.

I've known people use rehab livery despite having their own stables.

Are any of the above wrong or indicative of lesser care?
 
SatansLittleHelper said:
Woah ok so this took a bit of a turn ??
I can take a fair bit of constructive criticism but this feels a bit more like an attack just because I'm not on a livery yard etc 😥😥
We (my friend and I) can't be the only people in the world who manage with fields and a shelter?? 🤔🤔🤔
No, we don't have a stable but we do have various yards around us where we can stable if needed. My friend had to do this with her horse when she went lame at the beginning of last year. It wasn't ideal but it got sorted.
We have 4/5 very well maintained acres split into two adjoining fields (can be opened out into one large field which we do over winter) with secure fencing. Both fields have self filling troughs and we have a large, solid field shelter. This is all on a private farm with CCTV etc. My friend and I live either side of our village and the field is right in between, less than a mile from either of our houses. We have a huge bridleway system up the road from my house on a beautiful country park forestry. Once I can sort a trailer I will also have better access to several local riding centres/schools etc.
It's not exactly roughing it 🙄
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I think your set up sounds lovely. In an ideal world we would all have an emergency stable if need but sadly not all of us have that!

I think the comments about horses used to being spoilt with stables and such to be unfair and rather inappropriate. I would bet that nearly all of those horses would love a happy life out 24/7 with good company.
 
I have a horse away on loan where there’s no stable but a big field shelter and shelter under a huge oak tree which has a tree house in it .
But I would not have let him go if the lady loaning did not have access to a stable at a friends a few minutes away in a disaster .
J’s a laid back person used to travelling who would settle somewhere strange so that made the arrangement ok for me as I knew moving him in a emergency would be easy to do .
 
I think the comments about stables have been taken a little out of context and were not meant as a personally as is now being implied, I keep mine mainly out but know that many horses take a while to settle to a new home and routine so the benefit of having a secure stable to bring them into during that time should not be dismissed, especially if buying a horse from a home where it has lived a long while, being able to keep to a similar routine for at least the first week or two usually helps with the process and is one that is so often brought up on here when someone is having issues with a new horse.

The OP wants one to live out and I agree that there are not many that will not be happy doing so but not all settle immediately, some may be best with geldings and be disruptive or clingy with mares, I have one gelding here that became very difficult when out with a mare yet until I put him out with one I had no idea he would be so clingy, his whole personality changed beyond recognition.

Buying any new horse will be a learning curve, having very limited options of how it is kept will potentially make that learning curve more interesting, not everything can be assessed before purchase however hard we try, which is why I have at times not sold to a home I considered unsuitable for the individual, selling can be as difficult as buying if the seller really cares about the horse .
 
Be patient! I’m as impulsive as anyone but there’s so many dodgy dealers in the ‘general’ riding horse market you really do need to keep your eyes fully open.
Also be realistic with your weight. If maintaining a lower weight is going to be tricky there’s no point getting a horse that can’t carry your more normal weight. Despite the best will in the world and love for the horse IME human weight management is a complicated and you can end up too big for a horse even when you do want to ride it. No one wants a pet riding horse they’re too big for so have to watch others enjoy!
 
Red-1 said:
https://www.horsequest.co.uk/search/206955


ETA - I like this one so much I have had to have serious conversation with Mr RED - who says no more horses. I think someone will have a huge load of fun with this horse, and yes, I wish it could be me!

It says home of top importance which indicates movement in the price.

A thoroughly nice horse.
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Isn’t he smart!
 
I'm a little calmer now, I admit I did feel a bit attacked about where the horses live 😳😳
3k might not seem much to some people but it's an awful lot to me. I will lose weight, I will try to add to the budget....but ultimately things are what they are. I have no intention of moving from my field set up. I like being on the farm, it's quiet and I don't have to deal with some of the idiots I've met at livery yards 🙈🙈

I've just had this from the Oracle (sane friend lol):

"Yeah ok I've been reading through that forum thingy you told me to look at and some of it is spot on. I'm not telling you to buy some boring old yak Im saying you need one with the right general outlook. I think someone on there put it as ATTITUDE, which imho is perfick. The TYPE of neddy you want definitely mixes with what you need, if you like big hairy clumpy things that's up to you :p Its the attitude bit we seem to be struggling with here; sensible doesn't always = boring. It actually doesn't have to be a dickhead to be fun!!!! I don't give a rats ass if its 5 or 15, you can deal with it but it has to be sane. If you want a 5 year old then buy one but for the love of God make sure it has been doing the job, hacking for now, for at least a year and is safe and reliable. The set up you have is fine, but a stable would help, fo you still have that woman down the road to contact for that? Anyway stop being such a bloody wimp about everything and chillax"

In case anyone hasn't noticed...she doesn't do "big hairy cart horse things" but she knows I love them. 🙄🙈
 
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