Potential hunters - selling unbroken

[Auslander]

Idle musing here, and not an ad ,as it's not my horse!
Hunting folk - would you buy an unbroken youngster specifically as a hunter? The youngster in question is rising 3, and never going to win any beauty parades, nor is he going to be a competition horse - but he's would make a lovely mans hunter - he's big, athletic, and very bold. Owner is elderly, and breeds for his own pleasure. He has some stunning sporty warmbloods, but this lad isn't one of them - he's a lanky, raw boned, roman nosed monstrosity, who will be enormous when he's finished growing.
Current plan is for him to stay here, be taught a few basics over the next year or so, and be lightly backed at some point when he's physically mature enough - but there is a strong possibility that he'll end up back in the field doing nothing.
Is there a market for unbroken young horses who will probably make cracking hunters, or would it make more sense to wait a few years and get him out hunting a few times before putting him on the market?

 

[popsdosh]

I would try to sell unbroken. A lot of people prefer a blank canvas to work on . To be blunt also very rarely will you see the investment in training and keep back . just my views.
He sounds the type thats not easy to find but its finding the buyer as well to make the match. If you are going to sell the hunting people generally look around the end of the season for replacements especially if the need backing.

 

[JillA]

In my experience people either want a weanling or at the least a yearling, or one that is broken and going. When I was selling homebred horses two and three year olds didn't fetch anywhere near as much as yearlings. Get him broken and going would be my advice - and horses ridden well always look better under saddle than they do in au naturel - even if it is as a green 4 year old

 

[Auslander]

I would try to sell unbroken. A lot of people prefer a blank canvas to work on . To be blunt also very rarely will you see the investment in training and keep back . just my views.
He sounds the type thats not easy to find but its finding the buyer as well to make the match. If you are going to sell the hunting people generally look around the end of the season for replacements especially if the need backing.

It will be me doing the training, but I'm not the slightest bit bothered about losing that income. He's sweet, even though he looks like Quasimodo, and if the right home came along, I'd be very happy. I've got two others to do for the owner this year, plus an endless supply of girls, once the boys are done - so I'm not going to be short of babies to start!

 

[Auslander]

In my experience people either want a weanling or at the least a yearling, or one that is broken and going. When I was selling homebred horses two and three year olds didn't fetch anywhere near as much as yearlings. Get him broken and going would be my advice - and horses ridden well always look better under saddle than they do in au naturel - even if it is as a green 4 year old

He might be more attractive when he's grown into himself a bit!

 

[ihatework]

Nothing to stop you advertising as a 3yo.
Especially as owner sounds like they are in the position to wait if needed.
If he sells, great. If not get him going under saddle, and try again!

 

[popsdosh]

It will be me doing the training, but I'm not the slightest bit bothered about losing that income. He's sweet, even though he looks like Quasimodo, and if the right home came along, I'd be very happy. I've got two others to do for the owner this year, plus an endless supply of girls, once the boys are done - so I'm not going to be short of babies to start!

Its just a question of doing your sums but I also know a lot of hunting buyers who prefer to buy unbroken . As he is going to be a bit niche maybe think about offering him to the right audience and take it from there if he finds no interest you wont have lost much but be realistic about what it will cost to keep him on and not least the risk.

 

[popsdosh]

Nothing to stop you advertising as a 3yo.
Especially as owner sounds like they are in the position to wait if needed.
If he sells, great. If not get him going under saddle, and try again!

FGS bloody MM again

 

[Auslander]

Nothing to stop you advertising as a 3yo.
Especially as owner sounds like they are in the position to wait if needed.
If he sells, great. If not get him going under saddle, and try again!

Worth a go - he's in no rush, but I've got a soft spot for the boy, and it would be nice to find him a nice home. He was pretty much feral until recently, but in the last month, he's learned to have a headcollar on, lead, load, go in a stable, and he's been cut - and he's taken it all in his stride. I think we'll wat til the spring grass comes through before anything happens anyway - as he dropped a lot of weight after he was cut, so looks even worse at the moment - bless him. His fieldmates are stunning, which doesn't help his image!

 

[D66]

Two year olds are often ugly. He may well improve as he matures, and anyway, handsome is as handsome does.

 

[Auslander]

Two year olds are often ugly. He may well improve as he matures, and anyway, handsome is as handsome does.

Absolutely agree! He is never going to be beautiful, but I think he'll be a nice workmanlike sort! He;s already 17hh, if not more, so he has a lot of growing into himself to do!

 

[conniegirl]

you may be very surprised at what he grows into! some top show horses have looked like deformed giraffes at age 2!

My lad is stunning now but was NOTHING to look at age 2 and my Connemara won everything he was entered into at county shows under saddle (and regularly beat HOYS winning ponies, so if I had had the money to do the HOYS classes would have been right up there with him) but as a 2 yr old was sold at clifden for under £50 and very nearly ended up on the meat wagon.

 

[ihatework]

That is an unfortunate neck and head!

 

[Auslander]

you may be very surprised at what he grows into! some top show horses have looked like deformed giraffes at age 2!

My lad is stunning now but was NOTHING to look at age 2 and my Connemara won everything he was entered into at county shows under saddle (and regularly beat HOYS winning ponies, so if I had had the money to do the HOYS classes would have been right up there with him) but as a 2 yr old was sold at clifden for under £50 and very nearly ended up on the meat wagon.

I have a feeling he'll be a big, upstanding, noble looking chap. I quite like a roman nose on a horse like that -so hopefully that's what he'll grow into. He moves really well, and if he jumps as well as he bucks, he'll have no trouble crossing big country!

 

[conniegirl]

That is an unfortunate neck and head!

I dont think it is. it looks weak currently and his head looks big as a conciquence but that is not unusual for a big 2 yr old. they do tend to look very gangly and weak as youngsters and dont tend to grow into themselves until 7 yrs old and in work.

my lad looked similar when he arrived.

 

[Clodagh]

My youngster that I bred looked like a pig with it's head stuck in a bucket at 2.
I like that boy, I like a common head, it makes them look honest.

 

[Auslander]

I love him, and if I wanted something to go hunting, I'd have him like a shot. I don't think he'll make a dressage horse though!
He is a really sweet chap - not the sharpest tool in the box, but very amiable. I'm going to stick a few poles up in the school soon, and see what he and his mates can do! The other two are bred to showjump, so I am expecting great things from them. He is not, so will be interesting to see what he shows me!

He has impressive levitation skills, so if nothing else, he can run away and join the circus!

 

[Goldenstar]

The low set on neck is unfortunate .
I would buy an unbroken gents hunter ( funnily it's something we have been discussing recently ) but I would need it to be very correct to justify the effort .

 

[popsdosh]

The low set on neck is unfortunate .
I would buy an unbroken gents hunter ( funnily it's something we have been discussing recently ) but I would need it to be very correct to justify the effort .

Surely you couldnt go wrong with those ears ?

 

[AdorableAlice]

How is he bred please.

 

[Auslander]

Surely you couldnt go wrong with those ears ?

Plenty to hang on to when it all goes pear shaped!

 

[Auslander]

How is he bred please.

When I asked that question, the answer was "Out of a big old Irish mare, by a big old Irish stallion"!!
I can try and find out a bit more!

 

[AdorableAlice]

When I asked that question, the answer was "Out of a big old Irish mare, by a big old Irish stallion"!!
I can try and find out a bit more!

Please do, have you got a proper picture of him.

 

[Auslander]

Please do, have you got a proper picture of him.

I can take one tomorrow - he needs to learn to stand up properly, so will kill two birds with one stone!

 

[Rowreach]

I would describe him as "old-fashioned" and there is nothing wrong with that

 

[AdorableAlice]

I would describe him as "old-fashioned" and there is nothing wrong with that

with sense, substance, stamina and normally sound. A rare find in these days of spindle legged dumb bloods who need programming by experts because they can't think for themselves.

 

[Rowreach]

with sense, substance, stamina and normally sound. A rare find in these days of spindle legged dumb bloods who need programming by experts because they can't think for themselves.

A "proper" sort

 

[Zero00000]

I think he sounds great and I bet he grows into himself.
If I was looking I'd be interested in him

 

[Maesfen]

Another fan here!

 

[LadySam]

His head reminds me of a puppy with enormous feet - a bit ungainly and doesn't all fit together now, but all works once he's grown into it. I bet he'll be quite handsome by the time he's 5 or 6. As you say, a great big man's horse. (Just my type, even though I'm a 5'3 woman!) He sounds like he has a lovely uncomplicated nature, too.

From a marketing perspective, if you don't mind hanging onto him and putting the work in, I'd say do it. Let him do some more growing and filling out, help him build up that topline and get him going under saddle. The end result will present a very attractive picture, I think.