Potential new horse, what do you think? **Pics**

sophs_c

sophs_c

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Went to have a look at a horse today, he is a 16.1 4 year old gelding by Harlequin du Carel with Lux somewhere on the the dams side (breeding doesn't mean too much to me!)
Came over from Ireland 2 weeks ago, broken about 6 weeks. Did his first dressage last weekend which I watched, behaved very well, didn't spook at anything indoors.
I am looking for something to mainly event, do a bit of everything but most importantly has a great temperament. So far he seems lovely, very honest as this was the first time he'd jumped properly, I think he has a bit of attitude as he was a bit nappy towards the exit of the school. Nothing nasty so I don't mind, I quite like a bit of character as long as they don't try and tip me on the floor every ten seconds..

Honest opinions please :)

This is his current owner riding him, apparently his first time in the school too, seemed completely unphased!
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And then my go..

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Hugo-13.jpg
 
I would think that if you wanted to event he would be jumping at least 2ft 9" as a one off by now. He should be failry level on both reins and able to strike off correctly in canter when asked.
 
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General first impressions, I want something to bring on over the next few years, maybe do an intro next year and see how we got on and hopefully be competitive at PN and Novice the year after. Also compete BSJA and BD to a good standard, not going to be going round 1.30's any time soon but want something fairly special to have some fun on!
 
Hi
I have a 10yr old by harlequin du carel out of a jalisco b mare- fab breeding.
H du c horses are very talented but quirky and can def be nappy! mine loves a good rear too!! he loves testing me!
i think 4 or 5 of the horses at burley young event horse final in the top 20 were by this sire.
Dorado shane breens international sj horse is by him- has won the eventers chalenge this year i think , won at Aachen and lots and lots of wins and placings at Grand Prix jumping.
thinks nick gauntlett has a young talented one by him as well at the moment.

IMO these horses excel at sj- they are brilliant at jumping BUT very quirky on the flat.
See my old post on H duCarel horses!!
They make good money at goresbridge and are very smart intelligent horses but very sensitive and wont take bullying if you know what I mean.

I love mine he such a monkey always messing about and loves people but as I said VERY quirky on the flat but a fab jump which is all that matters to me as I prefer jumping and dont need to do dressage as such just flatwork jumping.

lux - not a fan at all, quirky and usually a bit dumb!

He looks nice your guys though!
Hope this has helped!
 
he looks lovely and clean behind jumping- mines like that too- never fails to use his back end and really bascules over the jump. My guys is very clever and brave jumping and never ever stops- genuine sorts the h du c! excellent on turns etc as well!
 
He looks potentially very smart - very much my type. He looks like he could be a little sharp though - fine if you are capable and prepared to work with that.
Me having the suspicious nature that I do though...I would highly doubt that that was his first time in the school - especially if he has been out doing dressage. And very few horses come out of Ireland having not already done a fair bit of jumping.
However, if he hasn't done much, then those photos look very promising!
Good luck. Certainly a lovely type.
 
hes lovely but as prev said probs done a lot more over the other side have relatives over there horsey ones they get more money if broken and doing stuff
 
He's very classy, looks to have a nice pop too! I really like him :).
When I tried my horse in my sig, he was 4 and he whipped round a good 4 times when I tried to hack him away from the yard. Still thought he was worth a punt and since I've got him he's been fine. He does it occasionally still but it's more of a baby reactive thing and not naughty. I too like a horse that's sensible but with spark.
I think you should go with your instinct about this horse. He's had a lot squeezed into 6 weeks so it could be a bit of stress and confusion coming out as opposed to a nasty attitude :)
 
amymay said:
Done quite a bit in six weeks - but if his temperament can cope........
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I agree, TBH the amount he's done in 6 weeks would put me right off, 6 weeks after being broken he's been out and done a dressage test is jumping and has obviously been schooled extensively for it. I find with youngsters you can face them with too many things which will keep on top of them, when they know whats expected of them can be when the problems start..

I'd much rather have a 4yr old that been hacked regularly to buld up stamana and muscle tone than a 4yr old thats done as much as him. Very nice looking horse tho.
 
Ahhh have just PM'd you but looks like you beat me to it this is the lad I was talking about! Shes got a very good eye for a nice horse, love my girl and when I bought her she had only been ridden for 3 weeks! good luck! S x
 
nice looking horse but the 'nappiness' would put me off entirely. I have two very nappy horses (and one totally non-nappy horse) and would never again buy one with that personality trait - it's an attitude that affects everything you do.
 
amymay said:
There's a difference between napping - and a young horse that is 'unsure' of itself.

They all go through it......
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Very true!! Difficult to tell which is which til you get them home.

Like others have said he is bound to have done more than they let on. Horses at 4 from Ireland have usually already been backed and hunted

Doesn't mean you would have any problems with him because of it, Unfortunately you just never know.

If you like him and think he has what you are looking for then go for it
 
Smart looking chap, looks like he'll make a nice competition horse in time, certainly got presence and from the photo looks to have nice natural paces, nicely put together horse.

Although he's only a 4yr old and will mature more, he's quite a small looking 16.1 if that makes any sense, when I say this, I mean there's not much upfront, you don’t look too big for him (your only a slip of a lass :)) but if it was me that was buying something to compete say at SJ and BE for example for in the future, I’d feel like I needed something a bit bigger, so if I was friend that had gone to view the horse with you, that's probably what I'd of said but that's just down to ‘own’ personal pref. I'm not in any way suggesting you look big on him though.

Also if I was buying him or any other 4 yr old, I’d be prepared to give the horse some time off and bring back next summer, just my view so if your wanting a project to put some good schooling time and and start out jumping as well as getting out and about, I’d consider something a year older, again just personal pref.

Having said all that, he looks a lovely horse.
 
moneypit1 said:
I would think that if you wanted to event he would be jumping at least 2ft 9" as a one off by now. He should be failry level on both reins and able to strike off correctly in canter when asked.
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Um - you've GOT to be joking!! He's been backed 6 weeks!! My concern would be that's he's being asked too much at this stage - and that may well be why he's napping!

Our youngsters are backed at about 3 and a half - but they hack, hack and hack some more until they are 4 - with just the odd 10 minutes in the school.
 
I think he's a nice little horse but I have to agree with Kenzo that he's a very small 16.1. I don't know how tall the rider on the pics is but my daughter has a 16.1 TB and she's 5'10 and she looks a fair bit smaller on him than the rider in the pics.
 
JanetGeorge said:
Um - you've GOT to be joking!! He's been backed 6 weeks!! My concern would be that's he's being asked too much at this stage - and that may well be why he's napping!

My sentiments exactly - still a baby and has already been passed around, competed - no wonder he has the odd "moment".

Didn't think he looked 16.1 though as rider looked quite tall on him but looks very nice.

Think he has done more than enough at his age now needs a permanet mum or dad to take things quietly with him.
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moneypit1 said:
I would think that if you wanted to event he would be jumping at least 2ft 9" as a one off by now. He should be failry level on both reins and able to strike off correctly in canter when asked.
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*head falls off with shock*

really? i thought it sounded like he's doing too much already?!?! he's only be backed 6 weeks. and is jumping/dressaging already.... :eek:
 
Looks lovely... I must be honest though I thought the 6weeks since broken was a typo! That is a hell of a lot he has done in 6 weeks but each to there own. He still looks lovely though
 
Really just agreeing with what others have said.

He does look a nice sort to me but my first thought was that he didn't look anything near 16.1. However I had a four year old who was 16.0 and by 6 he was 16.2 so he will still have some growing to do.

Definitely agree that if he has come over from Ireland the chances are very high that he has already done a fair bit and likely been hunting.
 
Erm ... is that ringworm on his face?!

I'd agree with the poster who said it would be nice to see him jump a 2'9 fence at least as a one off.

I ride a lot of young horses here offered to the sale market here, and they are all jumping a single fence of that height, even cobby jobs.

I know some HDC horses, they are nice and he looks fairly typical. He's nice, depends how much they want for him really.
 
I think this thread really does show the difference between what the english buying market expects and what the irish market can supply.

I have bought 3 three and half year olds from ireland who could both walk trot and canter on both reins well and pop a 3'3" oxer with ease. One had hunted and the other 2 had been to training shows. I still have 2 of them (one was bought in 08 and is now 6 and the other was bought in 2010 and is now 4) and have never had any issues with the fact they have been started so young. It's just what happens. One of mine did BYEH (4yr) 16 weeks after being broken in and came 7th out of 42 and did his second one at 20 wks broken in and came 5th out of 52 at Hartpury International. He is now 6 and has just completed his first season BE. No issues at all.

The 4 year old has done Search for a Star this year and been placed 5th out of 18 and also county showing and i just hunted him for the first time this weekend. Again no issues what so ever.

I wouldn't be put off the fact that he has only been broken 6 weeks, if anything best not that anyone has had a chance to ruin him. Also the comments re moving home so much etc is pretty irrelevant to the irish horse, many have passed though a multitude of owners from weanlings to yearlings and so on. Each story is different. I am my 6 year olds 3rd owner (and last :o) ) and he was three and a half when i bought him and on the other hand my 4 year old was homebred.

My 5 year old was homebred too, sat in a field of 60 others for the first 5 years of his life, got hauled out of the field, clipped, backed and sold to me (from Ireland) within a week, and guess what...no issues! Well he's a bit sharp but that appears to be in his breeding.

I say if you like the horse (looks a cracker) and it's what you want you ought to go for it.
 
Equally, I have a friend who bought a young Irish horse to bring on who had a similiar background - she went very quietly with him but a year on and he is very badly broken and will never be able to do what she wants - vets opinion is that the horse had actually done too much too young. Awful particulary as said friend was so blooming careful with her new boy - and now she only has a 6 year old good for hacking.

Like the look of the horse, think all that in 6 weeks is too much and that you won't get a really good idea of what is like when life calms down a bit and the work load settles.

We have 2 being backed atm (both big horses)- one is 4 next time and the other is rising 5 so late but after 3 weeks they are still being long reined. On the basis that I might well end up with the rising 5 year old I am very happy to see the education being taken so quietly and 2 very chilled out babies.
 
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Had to read that again - only backed 6 weeks ago and already been out doing dressage, whatever happened to taking it slowly?!

I like the look of him though I do think he seems small, am presuming you are a tall lass then? ;)

There is something about his jumping pics, which may be camera angle, where he doesn't seem straight, looks slightly one sided? Possibly because he is so young and inexperienced?

Just my thoughts, and I like him.
 
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