Questions for if you've ever bought a "ready made" horse...

[gunnergundog]

wondering if at some point if a ready made horse would be best.

I am no great rider, and would be looking for a reasonably well schooled horse that will jump nicely. My ultimate aims are to get eventing,
If you've ever gone out and bought a ready made horse, how much work did you do to keep him/her in the same state as when you got him? (Ie loads of lessons, or horse was impeccably behaved every time you ride him). Have you found that the quality of their work/jump as gone "backwards" if your not as good a rider as WFP?

Depends what level you want to event at and what level you currently ride at PLUS what is between the horses ears! This is something that Vere Phillips drove home to me....for those of us who are past it/never quite made it or whatever......it is the attitude and the generosity of the horse that is paramount. Hence my buying a green four year old rather than a cuter older horse.

I have also sold several horses that have 'peaked' with me...........they have with only one exception been successful when sold on.........the new owner HAS to deploy the necessary time, money and skill/tuition in order to keep on top of and develop said horse. Horses do what works...........sooooooo.............if they can get away with going around an arena with their noses in the air and hocks trailing out, they will. You can only miss a horse big time so many times to a fence of a certain height without them jacking it, regarless of how much scope they have.

 

[icestationzebra]

I think the term ready-made is sometimes confused with push-button and to be honest horses don't tend to come pre-programmed in that way. Yes of course you can buy something well schooled and obedient, but you do need to know how to press the buttons and with a level of feel. A lot of horses that have been correctly and well produced do not always appreciate clumsy instructions, certainly when jumping. You need to be prepared to work and train as hard as if you had a youngster. If I was going to invest decent (or any amount) of money in your situation I would try and get my riding up to scratch in advance. Some schoolmaster lessons with a decent trainer will help enormously. You say that you have had horses that you have struggled with in the past. It is very difficult to improve your riding in these circumstances as you simply learn to cope rather than progress.

 

[TheoryX1]

I am reading this thread with interest as I am planning to buy something similar next year. I am going to retire my 21 year old some time next year and really do want to do some more competitive riding on something safe and generous (like my old boy), but with more buttons to enable me to do some BD, plus my daughter would like to ride it at BE90/100s if it jumps well. I dont want a push button horse as it would be wasted on me, plus only want to complete at BD Novice maximum myself, but if my daughter wants to take it higher I dont mind. All I am looking for is a well schooled horse, who is safe and safe and also fab to hack - not wanting much am I? I do have a decent budget, so I know I will find it eventually. Having spent the last five years or so as a happy hacker, knowing I can take my horse out and hack and be perfectly safe, I havent done any schooling for ages, so its off to riding school me for me I reckon, plus some fitness training as well - ouch.

Yes, I know I will have to chuck some serious cash at lessons, and will have to get my old riding muscles back functional again, which at lets just say over 50 will hurt, but it will be worth it.

Interestingly, my daughter bought her eventer as technically ready made at BE100 level. She has had so much fun with her little mare, who has such ability and is so generous as well. She's taken her from PC eventing to BE Novice, with 4 times at the Pony Club Championships, being placed every time, plus a win at dressage, and shes loved every minute of it. The plan next year is 1* and Intermediate, and we are so looking for it. I did pay a lot for this mare, but she is now beyond a price to us.

 

[agmp]

Just stumbled on this thread - really interesting!

I am looking to buy another horse in the new year and was thinking more along the lines of the produced, schooled type. Working at elementary with one of my boys, although we do a bit of most things, and whilst I get such a buzz from learning new things and we have a fantastic partnership, such a genuine boy.. I do find at times that I can get incredibly frustrated! My instructor is great and explains everything so well, but sometimes I just don't 'get' what she is asking me to do, because I've never done it before, and then I send mixed messages to my lad who then gets a little stroppy. I bought him as an unbacked 3yo from Ireland, backed him myself and he's 9 now and we've had a pretty good go at everything but it's only in the last year we have focused on dressage and we've never looked back. I could never replace him, and whilst I have ambitions of getting a bit further - set ourselves a goal of a medium test by end of next year, I thought perhaps a more advanced horse would help me to develop and learn to ride some of the more complex movements.

Have tried a few horses out and the main thing that worried me is that the horses who have been professionally produced not only have telephone numbers price tags, particularly the dressage horses, but I don't know how they would adapt to our reasonably relaxed way of life, I like my horses to be horses, get muddy, have their fun in the field etc.

is it better to go to a more professional yard/producer knowing you might pay for the premium or keep an eye out for private sellers? My instructor said might be an idea to look for an ex-eventer who will have had more than enough medium/advanced medium experience rather than a pure dressage horse - thoughts?

 

[ihatework]

Just stumbled on this thread - really interesting!

I am looking to buy another horse in the new year and was thinking more along the lines of the produced, schooled type. Working at elementary with one of my boys, although we do a bit of most things, and whilst I get such a buzz from learning new things and we have a fantastic partnership, such a genuine boy.. I do find at times that I can get incredibly frustrated! My instructor is great and explains everything so well, but sometimes I just don't 'get' what she is asking me to do, because I've never done it before, and then I send mixed messages to my lad who then gets a little stroppy. I bought him as an unbacked 3yo from Ireland, backed him myself and he's 9 now and we've had a pretty good go at everything but it's only in the last year we have focused on dressage and we've never looked back. I could never replace him, and whilst I have ambitions of getting a bit further - set ourselves a goal of a medium test by end of next year, I thought perhaps a more advanced horse would help me to develop and learn to ride some of the more complex movements.

Have tried a few horses out and the main thing that worried me is that the horses who have been professionally produced not only have telephone numbers price tags, particularly the dressage horses, but I don't know how they would adapt to our reasonably relaxed way of life, I like my horses to be horses, get muddy, have their fun in the field etc.

is it better to go to a more professional yard/producer knowing you might pay for the premium or keep an eye out for private sellers? My instructor said might be an idea to look for an ex-eventer who will have had more than enough medium/advanced medium experience rather than a pure dressage horse - thoughts?

Take a look on the BD classifieds. Ruth Edge (so it will be well produced) is selling a retired advanced horse that has done a leg for 3.5k as a dressage prospect.
I haven't done any digging on it, but would be if I were in the market for something.
At that price got to be worth a gamble?

 

[agmp]

Take a look on the BD classifieds. Ruth Edge (so it will be well produced) is selling a retired advanced horse that has done a leg for 3.5k as a dressage prospect.
I haven't done any digging on it, but would be if I were in the market for something.
At that price got to be worth a gamble?

Thanks, have had a look - certainly does sound an interesting prospect for sure, and the sort that I have been looking at. Been digging around and found that he is called Bojack JX. Certainly something to think about, thanks for the heads up!