mrchip
Member
First time post so please be kind...
I'll try to keep it short. I bought a 5 yr old cob from someone we know in Ireland end of last year. Everything started brilliantly but as he got fitter he started to get a little testing with me. My confidence is not as it was due to a couple of recent life experiences and previous horse with bordering dangerous behavioural issues coming from kissing spines (long story!). I didn't want to ruin him (he totally feeds off your mood) so gave him a few months off. He grew several inches up and several inches out. Ugly duckling turned swan and boy does he know it. Bought back into work by a trainer for 4 weeks and then went to a friend for 2 weeks hacking out with her horses and solo. He's come back home and been so much better but I am still struggling with my nerves on him a little and I think its due to his size (despite the fact I have always had and preferred larger horses). He can be nappy going out alone and riding at home and he's a big lad (16.3hh TB x Shire). I realise he is just a baby and this needs working through - there is NO malice in him whatsoever - but I'm not sure I have the energy or confidence to do it.
He lives at home on the farm with his pet sheep for company and is quite frankly the happiest most chilled out horse you could wish to meet. We are not blessed with bridle paths up here so its either road work (country lanes/big machines) or fields at home which are huge and which he finds terribly exciting when he's not trying to nap to the gate. I have no-one to ride out with which is what he needs so much more of and currently have no transport (waiting for box which keeps getting delayed) to get to lessons or to hack with others. He hacks like a dream in company (tractors/motorbikes/buses no problem) but we have had also some brilliant rides solo recently - its just I am aware of what he could do when we are on our own if we meet something a little scary. I know I have the skills to deal with it but its like I have a voice in my head saying I can't do it - anyone else have this??
My gut tells me to find a him a new home but my heart says otherwise. You see the phrase one in a million bandied about too often but he truly is. Beautiful, affectionate, quiet, he adores people - he has no vices, a toddler could deal with him, lives on fresh air and just so, so easy. I bought him for hacking, a bit of low level dressage and local showing but its becoming apparent he could do so much more than this. The lad moves like a dream for his size and picks things up so quickly I know he has huge potential dressage/showing and he even loves to jump. I spend alot of time with him, we have a huge bond and are extremely fond of one another. He takes everything on the farm in his stride - barking dogs/noisy forklifts etc. I am well aware horses like this are few and far between and I just wonder what on earth I'm doing everytime I write an advert for him. I know I would probably be more suited to a 15.2hh 10 yr old for what I need but I was looking for 6 months before he came up and everything that was in my (not unreasonable budget) came with problems. I go through days of thinking I can do it and other days of thinking it shouldn't be this hard. Having had youngsters before I wasn't totally up to having another but was assured he had an old head on young shoulders etc etc *rolls eyes!!*. We've got this far (and spent alot of money I don't have!) do I keep going??
I would just be interested if anyone could maybe throw a different light on this or what you would do?? Thanks so much for reading if you got this far.
I'll try to keep it short. I bought a 5 yr old cob from someone we know in Ireland end of last year. Everything started brilliantly but as he got fitter he started to get a little testing with me. My confidence is not as it was due to a couple of recent life experiences and previous horse with bordering dangerous behavioural issues coming from kissing spines (long story!). I didn't want to ruin him (he totally feeds off your mood) so gave him a few months off. He grew several inches up and several inches out. Ugly duckling turned swan and boy does he know it. Bought back into work by a trainer for 4 weeks and then went to a friend for 2 weeks hacking out with her horses and solo. He's come back home and been so much better but I am still struggling with my nerves on him a little and I think its due to his size (despite the fact I have always had and preferred larger horses). He can be nappy going out alone and riding at home and he's a big lad (16.3hh TB x Shire). I realise he is just a baby and this needs working through - there is NO malice in him whatsoever - but I'm not sure I have the energy or confidence to do it.
He lives at home on the farm with his pet sheep for company and is quite frankly the happiest most chilled out horse you could wish to meet. We are not blessed with bridle paths up here so its either road work (country lanes/big machines) or fields at home which are huge and which he finds terribly exciting when he's not trying to nap to the gate. I have no-one to ride out with which is what he needs so much more of and currently have no transport (waiting for box which keeps getting delayed) to get to lessons or to hack with others. He hacks like a dream in company (tractors/motorbikes/buses no problem) but we have had also some brilliant rides solo recently - its just I am aware of what he could do when we are on our own if we meet something a little scary. I know I have the skills to deal with it but its like I have a voice in my head saying I can't do it - anyone else have this??
My gut tells me to find a him a new home but my heart says otherwise. You see the phrase one in a million bandied about too often but he truly is. Beautiful, affectionate, quiet, he adores people - he has no vices, a toddler could deal with him, lives on fresh air and just so, so easy. I bought him for hacking, a bit of low level dressage and local showing but its becoming apparent he could do so much more than this. The lad moves like a dream for his size and picks things up so quickly I know he has huge potential dressage/showing and he even loves to jump. I spend alot of time with him, we have a huge bond and are extremely fond of one another. He takes everything on the farm in his stride - barking dogs/noisy forklifts etc. I am well aware horses like this are few and far between and I just wonder what on earth I'm doing everytime I write an advert for him. I know I would probably be more suited to a 15.2hh 10 yr old for what I need but I was looking for 6 months before he came up and everything that was in my (not unreasonable budget) came with problems. I go through days of thinking I can do it and other days of thinking it shouldn't be this hard. Having had youngsters before I wasn't totally up to having another but was assured he had an old head on young shoulders etc etc *rolls eyes!!*. We've got this far (and spent alot of money I don't have!) do I keep going??
I would just be interested if anyone could maybe throw a different light on this or what you would do?? Thanks so much for reading if you got this far.