Pictures New owner/rider check in

[Annagain]

He also had a quite a cute photo with his little grey friends. 3hh difference between each of them. The little 11hh pony kept up with us all the way and led for a lot of it!
I have no idea how I've turned the whole thing into a link but it works!

ETA - that's a body protector and an air jacket, I'm not enormous!

 

[Bernster]

Oh that reminded me I got one of our ride too! Can’t access yours though AA so your Michelin woman impersonation is safe ?. I’m sure it’s fine ofc, we are far too harsh on ourselves!

 

[Annagain]

Never mind, just imagine 17hh 14hh and 11h greys all in a line in descending order. It's nowhere near as nice as your photo with that lovely backdrop!

 

[snowangel5]

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

What a wonderful horse I h looked at the same website you bought your horse from but I don’t understand what you did with their tail

 

[[153312]]

What a wonderful horse I h looked at the same website you bought your horse from but I don’t understand what you did with their tail

'banging' a tail is just another word for cutting

 

[FestiveFuzz]

So we ventured out at the weekend to a local in-hand agility day to broaden the dressage po’s horizons and do a bit of spookbusting. We arrived to discover the flags had been set up right next to the entrance cue is waving at everyone but I eventually convinced him they wouldn’t kill him and we entered at a very elevated trot ?

The first 20mins consisted of hollering at anything that moved, forgetting we were not a stallion and passaging around whilst growing a couple of hands, I’m not going to lie I was tempted to head home there and then. But we pulled ourselves together, and took a wander over to a couple of poles that had been popped out figuring they’re our default way of getting him working through and relaxed when schooling. Amazingly they did the trick and he started to focus. The whole session was a tad chaotic (think busy warm up style chaotic) so to stay out of the way we ended up tackling our nemesis, the flags, first but after a couple of looky giraffe moments he absolutely bossed it and in the end we ended up tackling every obstacle. I can’t even put into words how proud of him I am. He’s a typical dutchie and not the bravest so the fact he trusted me with everything I threw at him was just amazing and definitely made me feel like our partnership is heading in the right direction.

A couple of pics from the day…

 

[ycbm]

What a wonderful horse I h looked at the same website you bought your horse from but I don’t understand what you did with their tail

Old timer's term for a straight cut at around hock level


I'm really feeling the gumption rising to get on him. Maybe tomorrow....
.

 

[Bernster]

FF that looks bonkers, but lots of fun!

 

[FestiveFuzz]

FF that looks bonkers, but lots of fun!

Honestly it was hilarious! I very much spent the first part of the session feeling like the epitome of “tell me you have a warmblood without telling me you have a warmblood” but once he settled he really surprised me with how well he took it all in his stride.

 

[ycbm]

Tadaaaa!

 

[Bernster]

??? and hopefully gloriously uneventful?! Yay.

 

[Marnie]

Tadaaaa!

View attachment 79262

He looks very chilled

 

[ycbm]

He looks very chilled

He was half asleep ? ? I even got on from the stirrup. We had a little walk round, about 20 metres or so, then I got off. I'm thrilled with him. He's even big enough for me, he really takes up the leg. I'm 5ft 8. He's gone from a 24 inch girth 3 months ago to a 28 inch girth now.

 

[Lexi_]

Tadaaaa!

View attachment 79262

Yayyyy! He looks supremely chill about the whole thing. What a good lad.

 

[[59668]]

Continues to be two steps forward one step back with Ex Polo Mare.
We had a great first dressage comp on weds bar some napping in the warm up arena, a lovely hack yesterday, but then today she was awful awful on the lunge. Sigh.

 

[Riding_my_Rozi]

This is my new horse, Bella, whom I've bought 2 weeks ago. She is a very sweet 16hh 15 years old chestnut mare. She loves to jump and is scared of nothing (except small ponies ??). We have our first show jumping comp planned at the end of September.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

What a lovely head she has.

 

[Bernster]

Ah she looks very sweet. Lovely colour.

 

[Red-1]

I already posted about my Covid purchase, Rigsby, the cob. Plus my inherited dog, Crackers. Now I have another Covid purchase...

I had been trying to buy another horse for ages, but kept getting gazumped by people buying unseen before I could get there. Even 2 hours in the car was enough to lose one, even if I set off straight away. I had always said I would never buy unseen. Then, I started to *think* about it. That meant I started to look at Ireland, as they seemed a little cheaper there, and didn't sell quite as quickly.

I looked at a few, one was a private sale, but I couldn't get enough supporting evidence, so it could have been a lame dog and I had no way to find out. Looked at another from a dealer, but again couldn't find out enough.

Finally I saw an advert for little Homer. He is a bit thicker set that I normally go for, was advertised as very young but sensible by nature. The video was plentiful, there were back up videos over long periods of time. I had actually spoken to the dealer before, when she was in England, a few years ago, when looking for a previous horse. There were also plenty of recommendations, where I had previously seen horses advertised, then later the horse was shown with the new, happy owner.

I decided to fly over to Ireland, to go view, as Homer looked really nice, but someone was going to view the next day... so I did it! Bought a 4yo, unseen, off video! I had the vetting, even though I believe that not many horses fail an Irish vetting LOL, but the vet sounded professional. It was Southern Ireland too, so whatever came off the box was going to be 'mine' as the chances of getting any money back by legal means from here to Southern Ireland, I believe, would not be easy.

The deal was done. I was kept updated on my purchase by video. He was purchased on Tuesday, the vetting done the next day, and he was delivered by Friday. I had photos from the transporter of his pickup, I followed the ferry on my phone overnight, more photos of him being transferred to a little box for the final leg, and he arrived on time. 14 hours travelling.

What came out of the box was exactly as advertised.

I tried to change his name. Mr Red hoped he had been named after an author, but no, whoever named him Homer knew him and he was defo named after "Doh!" Homer. He has been here 3 weeks and we have taken it slowly, a bit of schooling but not so much, some riding in the fields and a little hacking. Rigsby has been nannying him.

The dealer was Olivia Chamberlain, I would highly recommend. It was actually the easiest purchase I have ever made. I mean, ring up, agree to buy, pay the money, speak with the vet and pay, be told when he will arrive, and he did.

I used to train big 4yos for a living, and know how unusual it is to get one who is easy on the yard: ties up, picks feet, has fly spray, stands to be bathed, catches, easy to bridle, friendly etc.

He isn't perfect - he is GREY

Photo out with Rigsby yesterday. Rigsby is proving a good nanny, easy enough for a variety of people to ride him (although this rider is also a retired pro!).

 

[Bernster]

Hah I love that he’s a doh Homer, so he’s not one for deep philosophy?! He sounds well started for what I know of Irish 4 YOs!

 

[Red-1]

Hah I love that he’s a doh Homer, so he’s not one for deep philosophy?! He sounds well started for what I know of Irish 4 YOs!

His handling has been a pleasant surprise, that is for sure!

No, no deep philosophy. Homer is a good name, alternatively, he could have been called Tim!

I am delighted with him. Although I used to train youngsters for a living, I am older and more creaky now, and, TBH, wasn't keen on a 4yo. But, I was sold on him. He is the type to smile through the bridle. Nervous in some ways, but lovely all the same. And, a bit cheaper than if I had bought him in England.

 

[[59668]]

Today Ex Polo Mare and I managed to win our Intro C test with 68.69!! I cried!

 

[ycbm]

Today Ex Polo Mare and I managed to win our Intro C test with 68.69!!

? ? ?‍

 

[luckyoldme]

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

I love this transformation..he doesn't look like the same horse. His old owners would be gutted!

 

[spacefaer]

First pic is the March lockdown unbacked baby .
Second pic was taken yesterday, backed and with a fun ride and some hound exercise under his belt.
He has the most astonishing accepting temperament - whatever you ask him to do, he shrugs and gets on without it
A very lucky acquisition when I really didn't want another horse , let alone an unbroken one ??

 

[FestiveFuzz]

Some fantastic transformation pics ?

Not the most thrilling achievement, but today we had our first canter since I was unceremoniously dumped a few weeks back! Still waiting for our arena surface to be sorted so having to play in the paddock for now.

 

[Peglo]

Some fantastic transformation pics ?

Not the most thrilling achievement, but today we had our first canter since I was unceremoniously dumped a few weeks back! Still waiting for our arena surface to be sorted so having to play in the paddock for now.

great to hear your back on track. Love hearing everyone’s updates!
I had my first real bucks today (it was my fault) but happy to report they were comfy and easy to sit to. Good to get to know her slightly better.
Can you tell I’m totally smitten?

 

[Caol Ila]

Hermosa is mostly being a mom. So just a bit of desensitizing, getting her used to rugs, etc. Just happy she's easy to catch and lead at this point.

Foinavon thinks I should stop being so cheap and buy him a new saddle, so I'm working on it. Have a trial TreeFree saddle arriving on Monday, and the Riding in Balance lady from Edinburgh coming next Monday. He also thinks he deserves new, shiny shoes instead of Gypsum's hand-me-downs, so I have a hoof boot fitting kit arriving soon.

 

[Bernster]

That mane peglo ? but is it a bugger to keep it tidy?!

FF your horse looks seriously smart!

I also feel like bertie should have his own kit. He’s still in partly borrowed kit but he‘s starting to get his own stuff.

Had a good day today, did exactly what I wanted and had a low key outing to help us get to know each other without it being too much. Hired a dressage arena about 30 mins away. Went with a friend so Bertie had company. It was a nice relaxed venue, Bertie was much more settled than last week, and we did some decent work. Worked on the canter a bit - the downwards transitions are a bit messy but will work on that over the long dark winter. Although winter seemed a long way off today. It was gloriously sunny!

 

[Peglo]

That mane peglo ? but is it a bugger to keep it tidy?!!

Its getting a little bit dirty as you can see in the picture ? but so far it doesn’t get too knotted and easy to brush out. But if anyone has any tips on how to keep a white mane clean please let me know! Winter is coming ?

great to hear you’ve had a good outing Bernster. It’s all sounding like it’s going very well.

Caol Ila, at least foinavon has a great bridle