Pictures New owner/rider check in

[Bernster]

I know a few on here have acquired new horses - joining in with the general lockdown/COVID craziness and bonkers horse market! I thought it would be nice to do a thread for everyone to check in and update on how it’s going, and share pics ofc as no new horse thread is complete without them ?

I‘ve been a bit quiet on here as I’m taking it slow but here are some random thoughts from my summer (hhmmm, what summer?!) so far with Bertie,

• I’m learning about Welshies! He’s a Welsh x, has a jack hammer trot and his canter in the school is a bit unbalanced. He’s a right busy body, always wanting to know what’s going on. Can get a bit anxious at times but not explosive thankfully.
• We did have a few ‘oops’ moments in the first few weeks. Now that we’re 2 months in, they do seem to have been new horse settling in moments, and I needed to make some adjustments too. Fiddly to mount at the big mounting block, got v attached to his neighbour and unsettled if he was in his stable block on his own, slight *cough* incident where I dropped the lunge line and he careered around the school with it chasing him…so I dropped his feed, upped his exercise, did some ground work, and changed his turnout so that he had company and wasn’t on his own. Pretty much all sorted now except still slightly co-dependent on his neighbour so he’s moving to a more open stable block to see if he prefers that.
• I haven’t cantered in the school after our initial ‘wall of death’ attempt. My ins is working with him to built up his balance and I’m doing more straight line work instead. Have hired a big arena soon to see if he finds that easier.
• Am trying not to beat myself up about taking it so slow. it takes me a while to get confident with a new horse and I’m quite cautious generally. I have a few outings booked in Aug which should help us get going a bit.
• He‘s a real sweetie though. I love riding him and spending time with him. He’s cuddly and ’wuffly’, which I love, and he def knows I’m the one with the treats! He’s very polite and has been fab to ride and handle. He needs more work on the flatwork than I’d expected but he’s improving gradually.

First pic is an earlier one, 2nd is from this week. Not sure I can see much change in him but he feels more ’even’ and less wiggly now. (He’s still as shiny as a conker, the light in the 2nd pic was a bit dull.)



When I went to try him out, little cutie!

Saddle shopping

Attempting long reining!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

I hope he and you can start to enjoy some outings soon, hes a lovely type x

 

[Peglo]

I have had the best time with my new girl. Got her in April and she makes me laugh everyday. But I have also been in a constant worry of doing things wrong. I’ve not ridden as much as I’d like as
1. I want to get a saddle fitter out but have to wait for one to come over (island life) before I do too much. She was very unbalanced when I tried her bareback so maybe should get a bareback pad.
2. Was going to get shoes back on but she was a bit iffy with farrier first time round. Fine with her next trim. Thinking now to keep her barefoot with boots? But I’m not sure how much road work I should do barefoot without boots?
3. She is great in company hacking but lacks confidence by herself. Getting better in hand walking but don’t know how much to push her.

Is all my excuses ok or should I be pushing her more? She’s just turned 6 and even after her mammoth journey over has settled in well and so so friendly!
Buying unseen from a foreign country definitely classifies as a covid crises purchase doesn’t it? ?

 

[Antw23uk]

Hopefully I can join in as got my boy late last year (so still covid related) I wasnt particularly looking (who does in October!) but my friends daughter occasionally rides for an old fashioned Irish dealer and mentioned a big grey that he had in that was my type. The rest is history really.
He is wonky, sensitive and because i fell in love with him on the trial period and refused to send him back (he did pass a vetting as well amazingly, lol!) I lowered my expectations to just happy hacker but actually, the straighter and stronger he gets the more he is turning into a great low level allrounder which is perfect for me and i just adore him. At some point in his life he was likely very loved and looked after and he didnt deserve to end up where he did. He is the kindest most gentlemanly horse who has taken my rock bottom confidence and elevated it back to a healthy, good place so he is worth his weight in gold

 

[ycbm]

My "bought unseen from DragonDriving, 'cos the market is crazy and I need a spare in case I sell my mare" is a total joy. If Deza passes the vet on Monday he should be backed by the end of next week. He's the loveliest natured mongrel you could hope to meet. And a proper leg at each corner small mw hunter. He was an absolute steal. 3 years old, he won't be doing anything much til next year.

Day of purchase, he'd been pulling a trap 3 days earlier.

A couple of weeks back, after 2 months on hills with good rough mixed grazing.

 

[Antw23uk]

My "bought unseen from DragonDriving, 'cos the market is crazy and I need a spare in case I sell my mare" is a total joy. If Deza passes the vet on Monday he should be backed by the end of next week. He's the loveliest natured mongrel you could hope to meet. And a proper leg at each corner small mw hunter. He was an absolute steal. 3 years old, he won't be doing anything much til next year.

Day of purchase, he'd been pulling a trap 3 days earlier.

A couple of weeks back, after 2 months on hills with good rough mixed grazing.


View attachment 77529

Blimey that was a good find. What an eye you have. He's lovely.

 

[ycbm]

Blimey that was a good find. What an eye you have. He's lovely.

To be completely honest although the photos I was sent suggested he was more horse than they realised they were selling, I would have bought him whatever simply because of his price (£1175) as I needed a companion and the market was insane.

Once I got relatively decent photos I was biting their hand off, when I saw him in the flesh I couldn't believe my eyes, and what he's grown into is beyond any expectation I ever dreamed of. To cap that with his solid, affectionate, respectful temperament is just icing on an already really lovely cake!

He's got a huge stride, I'm really looking forward to feeling how he moves. I hope to back him myself and he's been completely blasé about being leant over, so fingers crossed I'll manage that.
.

 

[ycbm]

Adorable Alice - yes I've banged his tail now ?

 

[Bernster]

Peglo your girl looks like a real sweetie. Love her muzzle. I have similar issues about how much to push and how fast I should be progressing. Mine is 12 so he *should* be ready to go but it’s about me and him together being ready, and that isn’t a quick fix. But I do think I need to push myself a bit more now that ive done the initial getting to know him.

Ant, you look so happy in that 2nd pic! Did he have a difficult history? Glad he’s found a good home now though.

ycbm, he is looking stunning. Bit of a diamond in the rough! Am glad he is now sporting a banged tail ?

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Stunning horses! Hope everyone continues to enjoy them and those currently being ridden can enjoy some outings soon!

YCBM - all fingers crossed for Deza’s vetting, and hopefully your youngster continues to be laid back about life, he’s lovely!

I’ve already officially introduced him. But my recent purchase is Pepsi. I’ve had him 6wks now but he’s only been in work for 4 of those because he had a 2 week holiday while Was a bit of a whirlwind romance, because I put a deposit down on him less than 48hrs after he arrived on the dealers yard from Ireland, after sitting on him once.

He’s not the easiest horse to ride in some ways, but he’s dreamy to hack and loves to jump. I’m so enjoying the challenge though! Didn’t realise how much of a rut I’d been stuck in with Henry. But I’m so much more motivated to ride now I’ve got a project/goal/things to aim for.

We’re still working on flatwork/contact issues. He’s got a tendency to be very tight/over bent and very fussy in his mouth, so getting him to relax is hard. He also intermittently shoots away from your leg, but that’s getting massively better now!

he’s actually not jumped many times since I got him, probably 5 times total? Jumped him 95cm the other day which was amazing for me, and he made it feel very easy! XC he was great the first time, but last time was quite tricky. Have some ideas of what to change next time and we’ll see if that helps. Course booked for next weekend, and we’ve got 1 day clinic and another weekend camp in September, so hopefully will help iron out any issues.

Have our first SJ comp this weekend (70 and 80cm) and I’m absolutely bricking it!

 

[Bernster]

Pepsi looks very smart. Looks like he’ll be a talented fella and you‘ve done loads with him already. These outings and things do really help to build that bond, and to get to know the horse, so hopefully august will be a good month for me, getting to try Bertie in some different situations.

 

[ycbm]

This is a lovely thread, what great horses we've all managed to find at a difficult time to buy
.

 

[Antw23uk]

Ant, you look so happy in that 2nd pic! Did he have a difficult history? Glad he’s found a good home now though.

Thank you, it was my first outing with him (hunt ride) and i was feeling really worried about it but he was just immaculately behaved and it was such a relief, we had a great morning. A friend had tried to convince me to jump and we both (me and horse) bottled it so i was laughing at us running out of the jump, the photographer was in the right place, right time, lol! I had already spotted the jump i wanted to be our first jump so did it on the way back to the lorry. I'd never jumped him until then, my confidence wasn't there and I didnt even know if he could jump!

I dont know anything from his history other than what the dealer told me but that was taken with a big pinch of salt! (story changed a couple of times) He's from Ireland, last year, he's 13 and petrified to do the wrong thing. A flippant growl or tut from me (not even aimed at him) will have him standing in the back of his stable quivering, we had a misunderstanding about flies the other day and it took a week for him to even start to trust me again because he acted like i was the devil trying to kill him! He's sensitive, he overthinks things but honestly he is kind, honest and just an absolute pleasure. I believe he will be with me for life now

This height jump is more our style, lol!

 

[Widgeon]

My "bought unseen from DragonDriving, 'cos the market is crazy and I need a spare in case I sell my mare" is a total joy.

He is gorgeous ycbm, what a spot! Such a lovely face. I wonder what you call the...erm, "clip" he's sporting in the first photo?

 

[Abi90]

My mare was diagnosed with arthritis in one pastern due to an old injury and with things looking bleak (although she’s actually totally sound and fine to be in work, just have to wrap her in cotton wool) and with no one going anywhere and very much thinking “you only live once” she had a foal. I’m sure most of you have seen him. I’m counting it as a COVID thing as I probably wouldn’t have given her the time off if COVID hadn’t happened and would have worried about it too much

Percy - Challenge’s Perseverance

By Challenge (Lucky Boy) out of a Huntingfield Rebel x Ginger Dick mare

He is the apple of my eye. I also couldn’t afford to buy him for myself now!

 

[Antw23uk]

My mare was diagnosed with arthritis in one pastern due to an old injury and with things looking bleak (although she’s actually totally sound and fine to be in work, just have to wrap her in cotton wool) and with no one going anywhere and very much thinking “you only live once” she had a foal. I’m sure most of you have seen him. I’m counting it as a COVID thing as I probably wouldn’t have given her the time off if COVID hadn’t happened and would have worried about it too much

Percy - Challenge’s Perseverance

By Challenge (Lucky Boy) out of a Huntingfield Rebel x Ginger Dick mare

He is the apple of my eye. I also couldn’t afford to buy him for myself now!

View attachment 77562View attachment 77563

This is why i cant be trusted owning mares, lol! He is beautiful

 

[Bernster]

Abi - I loved your mare anyway, but even more so now with her breeding. Love that pedigree - my boy is by HR too ?

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

Hopefully I can join in as got my boy late last year (so still covid related) I wasnt particularly looking (who does in October!) but my friends daughter occasionally rides for an old fashioned Irish dealer and mentioned a big grey that he had in that was my type. The rest is history really.
He is wonky, sensitive and because i fell in love with him on the trial period and refused to send him back (he did pass a vetting as well amazingly, lol!) I lowered my expectations to just happy hacker but actually, the straighter and stronger he gets the more he is turning into a great low level allrounder which is perfect for me and i just adore him. At some point in his life he was likely very loved and looked after and he didnt deserve to end up where he did. He is the kindest most gentlemanly horse who has taken my rock bottom confidence and elevated it back to a healthy, good place so he is worth his weight in gold

Oh now he is my cup of tea! Big kind Irish head, solid type, dinner plate feet. I love him - can't wait to see what you guys get up to!

@ycbm he is super smart! The almost roman type nose makes him look like such a dependable sort. You really do have an eye!

 

[Bernster]

Awww Ant how sad for his past. Those are my kind of jumps too ?

 

[Annagain]

I'm not sure I count as Charlie's been here a year now but a lot of things still feel very new to me! We're taking things very slowly. I'm rubbish at remembering to take photos so I'll give you our year in numbers!

Lockdowns survived: 1
Lessons: Not many (see lockdowns survived)
Hacks: lost count
Bucks: about 15, all tiny, all around Christmas time, now stopped thankfully.
New saddles: 0 (Archie's fitted him, luckily)
Damaged Saddles: 1 . Luckily fixable
Saddler visits: 3 (gone up three saddle widths )
Falls: 1 (my fault entirely)
Meltdowns (Annagain): too many to count
Meltdowns (Charlie) : 1 (damn pigs) . Amazingly this did not coincide with one of the above. You know that thing about only one of you getting to freak out at any one time...?
New bridles: 1 (although he's tried two of my old ones as well)
New bits: 3 (should have had the bitting expert out straight away)
Fun rides: 6 (brilliant on all)
Competitions: 1 (I said we were taking things slowly!)
Rosettes: 2 - 1 red, 1 green
Riding club camps: 1 (great fun and he was )
Fingers almost lost: At least 10. No hand treats rule implemented.
Inches grown (between 6 and 7): At least 2. No more please Charlie.
Almost proper sized jumps jumped: about 5, last weekend (still only about 2'!)
Guilt tripping retired older brothers who want to come everywhere with us: 1 (thanks Arch)
Happy Annagains: 1

A few photos I have managed to take of the monkey (with said brother)

 

[Bernster]

Almost a matching pair! Love your year in numbers. Lots of fun rides ?

 

[Annagain]

Almost a matching pair! Love your year in numbers. Lots of fun rides ?

We're lucky to have a few in this area. I've missed a couple recently as they were all when I was away or waiting for my saddle to be fixed but there should be few coming up again in the autumn.

 

[Annagain]

oops - deleted.

 

[Birker2020]

I know a few on here have acquired new horses - joining in with the general lockdown/COVID craziness and bonkers horse market! I thought it would be nice to do a thread for everyone to check in and update on how it’s going, and share pics ofc as no new horse thread is complete without them ?

I‘ve been a bit quiet on here as I’m taking it slow but here are some random thoughts from my summer (hhmmm, what summer?!) so far with Bertie,

• I’m learning about Welshies! He’s a Welsh x, has a jack hammer trot and his canter in the school is a bit unbalanced. He’s a right busy body, always wanting to know what’s going on. Can get a bit anxious at times but not explosive thankfully.
• We did have a few ‘oops’ moments in the first few weeks. Now that we’re 2 months in, they do seem to have been new horse settling in moments, and I needed to make some adjustments too. Fiddly to mount at the big mounting block, got v attached to his neighbour and unsettled if he was in his stable block on his own, slight *cough* incident where I dropped the lunge line and he careered around the school with it chasing him…so I dropped his feed, upped his exercise, did some ground work, and changed his turnout so that he had company and wasn’t on his own. Pretty much all sorted now except still slightly co-dependent on his neighbour so he’s moving to a more open stable block to see if he prefers that.
• I haven’t cantered in the school after our initial ‘wall of death’ attempt. My ins is working with him to built up his balance and I’m doing more straight line work instead. Have hired a big arena soon to see if he finds that easier.
• Am trying not to beat myself up about taking it so slow. it takes me a while to get confident with a new horse and I’m quite cautious generally. I have a few outings booked in Aug which should help us get going a bit.
• He‘s a real sweetie though. I love riding him and spending time with him. He’s cuddly and ’wuffly’, which I love, and he def knows I’m the one with the treats! He’s very polite and has been fab to ride and handle. He needs more work on the flatwork than I’d expected but he’s improving gradually.

First pic is an earlier one, 2nd is from this week. Not sure I can see much change in him but he feels more ’even’ and less wiggly now. (He’s still as shiny as a conker, the light in the 2nd pic was a bit dull.)

View attachment 77503
View attachment 77504
When I went to try him out, little cutie!
View attachment 77499
Saddle shopping
View attachment 77507
Attempting long reining!
View attachment 77513

Oh he looks so lovely, what a nice thread to start. I only wish I could come in with some comments of my own.

 

[Birker2020]

My "bought unseen from DragonDriving, 'cos the market is crazy and I need a spare in case I sell my mare" is a total joy. If Deza passes the vet on Monday he should be backed by the end of next week. He's the loveliest natured mongrel you could hope to meet. And a proper leg at each corner small mw hunter. He was an absolute steal. 3 years old, he won't be doing anything much til next year.

Day of purchase, he'd been pulling a trap 3 days earlier.

A couple of weeks back, after 2 months on hills with good rough mixed grazing.


View attachment 77529

Wow I'm speechless.
What a totally different horse. So handsome. Lovely

 

[[59668]]

Loving these.
My ex polo mare is coming along OK. She's loving hacking and is doing really well at that. We've had ups and downs in the school....currently working through a canter bucking phase which I think is memory from her last home in the year since she came out of polo. She had a horrid time there.
We've been to some pole clinics and she's mostly kept a lid on it. Loading has improved and she's a great traveller.
Pics are when I got her 11 weeks ago and yesterday

 

[Annagain]

Loving these.
My ex polo mare is coming along OK. She's loving hacking and is doing really well at that. We've had ups and downs in the school....currently working through a canter bucking phase which I think is memory from her last home in the year since she came out of polo. She had a horrid time there.
We've been to some pole clinics and she's mostly kept a lid on it. Loading has improved and she's a great traveller.
Pics are when I got her 11 weeks ago and yesterday

What a difference. Well done.

 

[ycbm]

He is gorgeous ycbm, what a spot! Such a lovely face. I wonder what you call the...erm, "clip" he's sporting in the first photo?

It's a normal driving clip, apparently!

Pretty sure the bit between the front legs was supposed to be gone though, so I'm not expecting him to be easy to clip at first ?
.

 

[PSD]

I’m not sure you can really class mine as a covid buy because I’ve only recently bought him!

But TJ was an absolute gem of a find and well within my budget. Originally I wanted a cob, after hunting high and low I realised my budget wasn’t going to get me what I wanted. So I enquired about a friends section d mare that she’d advertised (I’ve always been a welshy girl) however she had decided to keep her due to the amount of time wasters she had. But she mentioned she had a wonderful laid back Arab mare that she would happily put on loan with view to buy - making sure we were both suited etc before purchasing. Arabs are beautiful animals but not a breed id consider owning, but at this point I was happy to consider any breed as long as the temperament was spot on.

Anyway I arrived and she’d been brought in but it took them a while to catch her which was apparently out of character and she wasn’t herself (she’d been out on loan previously and come back in a state) so they weren’t really overly enthusiastic about me trying her and tbh neither was I! So I was miffed but admired their honesty.

However they had a plan b, by this point I was giving up so thought ahh well I may as well try him. As soon as I sat in the saddle I knew he was my horse I’d been waiting for.

So meet TJ, my 8 year old section c gelding. It was love at first sight, we had our first hack together last night and he was absolutely amazing. I even cantered across a field which for me is HUGE on a horse I don’t know.
Today we went in the jumping field to school, I prefer schooling on grass and it’s closer to the yard. I’ve never known a pony (a welsh too!) that prefers to stand in the middle and watch in a field of grass when he could be cantering around instead ?

He’s amazing. I’m absolutely smitten with him, he’s very lazy but he’s unfit. But his temperament is beautiful, he’s cheeky but respectful and I trust him so much already. You can see I’m showing off riding him on the buckle too, showing his old owner how fabulous he is!

 

[abbijay]

My 2019 winter loan "pony", Asterix, ended up not going back at all in 2020 but I decided I had invested enough in his training with no prospect of return so I imposed a fixed return date to the trekking centre as things reopened this summer.
This meant the search for my next best friend started in earnest in about March 2021. I was looking at anything from 15hh upwards, chunkier type that would carry hubby or the kids and it had to be great to hack alone and in company; pretty much everything else was negotiable.
I was getting sent links by lots of well meaning friends to ridiculous things that were completely unsuitable or stupid money. Twice I came across fabulous horses on a Monday or Tuesday that were sold by the Thursday despite me being booked to go after work on Friday (they were both 3+hours away and having just started a new job I couldn't get over any quicker). I was seriously considering upping my budget to £7.5k so I could possibly find a 5yo cob of indistinct breeding but backed and ridden away and suitable as a family pet in a few years.
Then my trusty instructor said she knew of something I'd love. 15.3hh 5yo Irish mare - a lovely little busy type. I arranged to go that night - i didn't want to miss another one and this one had a second viewing lined up the day after. She was very sweet but I just couldn't relax, she didn't do anything wrong but my heartrate was through the roof the whole time. It felt like such a silly reason to reject a perfectly good horse on. I sent some videos to a buddy of mine and she instantly said "nope, not this one. Keep looking." This was 9.30pm at night and I had just resigned myself to more months of looking. Then I logged into facebook and top of my news feed was a for sale advert: 5yo, 17hh, green but ridden away, bay with 4 white stockings and a blaze. I got in touch, he was in budget and they were happy for me to come and visit on the next day. Oh, and he was a CLYDESDALE.
I drove 200 miles to go and see him and fell in love at first sight. I knew I was buying him before I even sat on him! I had him vetted and that was that. My dad and i set off in the trailer the following Saturday and home came Baby Ace.

He is adorable, sweet and a complete baby with a number of missing puzzle pieces in his learning but I am completely over the moon with him.
Ok, there was an incident when I tried to hack him alone on the cross country field for the first time... He saw the tractor (that lives in his barn) from 300 yards and galloped off. When I slowed him to a canter the fun really began. He bronced and bronced. All i could do was throw my weight into my stirrups, hold my jesus handle and wait for him to stop! We eventually got back to the gate and had a chat (and polo) with a transporter who was on the field but his confidence was shot. I got a good case of whiplash and he still can't ride on the field as he just stresses and panics. In the arena he is sweet, although his canter isn't exactly established and he tends to buck or stop! I had a look at him loose and i think it's a strength/balance issue so we have taken a step back on all that and will try again in a few more weeks. At least I know he's got the springs to play over a few jumps in years to come!
He is however a brilliant hack, both alone and in company. He has happily little ears that look around all over the place and is quite content on his adventures on the local lanes. I think a year of doing as much hacking as possible will get us to a great place.