Probably a crazy thought but..

[MrsNorris]

Need some help before making a big decision. I'm thinking of buying a local 5 yr old who was born, bred and has lived 2 fields away from my yard his whole life. His mother and sister will be within calling distance all the time and within sight of him when they're in certain fields. The fencing at our yard is not the best, holey hedgerows and barbed wire. He's very green and has never really been anywhere or done anything bar a few weeks with a trainer schooling for the last 2 summers. He has hacked out in company with his mother, sister and other herd members throughout the last 2 summers and has been turned away during the winter.
Now to the question, how will he settle at my yard when he is so close to his old friends? I hadn't thought about it before until a friend brought it up today. What are the chances that he'll hear/see his old friends and decide to try and go home? We don't have usable stables, so that's not an option, and I'm now worrying that he'll try to break through the less than ideal fencing and really hurt himself.
Also, I have to hack alone, no one else rides at my yard, and I'll have to go past his old friends to get anywhere. Will this be too much for a very green youngster who's never hacked alone before? I've hacked him out from his trainers yard with someone walking with me, and went a little way on my own with no company, and he was great, but with his old mates cavorting in the field next to him? Am starting to have doubts now, I'm not as young as I was! Sorry for the essay, any opinions gratefully received.

 

[be positive]

I think this is a good case for asking for a trial period, I guess his owners bred him and will want the best chance of him settling in his new home so they should be willing to let you try him from their yard for a week or so, ideally starting off hacking with them then venturing off on your own, then if you can hack him back to your yard early one morning and see how he is, the lack of decent fencing would probably bother me if I owned him but I would probably work with you if I felt you could offer a good home.
If they are not bothered where he goes or are not prepared to help with the transition I would say walk away as it could all go wrong leaving you with a horse you cannot ride or one that is injured in the fencing.