'Quiet' horses

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Skhosu

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been to see two horses these past two days. One was 14.3, more like 13.2 . One was a lovely horse, but far too sharp for us, shot forward when mounted and bounced along. Pony bounced along too and napped, not badly but would put a nervous rider off. Why do people, even when told it is a nervous rider who has had a few falls call it quiet and bombproof, both were a tad spooky and forward going. Not suitable for a nervous rider, suitable enough for a normal confident kid for example, or a competent capable rider.
Arrrrggggh!
If it spooks at plastic/is forward going etc. it is NOT quiet!
 
It is very difficult selling horses, i have owned very very genuine quiet horses who are not as quiet when someone else gets on them, it takes time to get a level of trust with a horse as it looks to you as its leader and not the other way round.
 
I have yet to own a genuine quiet horse who changed when ridden by someone else, and we've sold some cracking ponies who were saints. I appreciate they love to show you up, have had a baby buck for the first time when being shown etc.
This is the normal behaviour of these horses though, the owners know that too, and they are doing it with their riders too!
 
I am afraid you are experiencing the joys of horsehunting
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When I was looking for a big HW safe-as-houses confidence giver, I ended up seeing horses that were a hand bigger/a hand smaller than advertised. Ones that napped for England/ shied at their own shadows etc., etc. Luckily for me I found Ella (from a fellow forum member
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) and she is worth her considerable weight in gold..... just keep looking, you have to kiss a lot of frogs but there will be a prince out there somewhere
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Perhaps you need to see ads that don't just say 'quiet' but more along the lines of 'Droid', 'half dead' etc, etc. Sorry not at all helpful but it is my half witted attempt at being funny in a what must be a nerve wracking and frustrating situation.
 
My horse was described as one up from stuffed. As i was fed up with my too forward going for me horse i thought great. Ill be able to liven him up a bit. How wrong I was.
 


Hmmm. I've recently decided that ponio is just too forward going for me & therefore have decided to hand her over to my sister & look for a replacement for me rather than her getting a new one. I'm only just 5ft & 7 stone so looking for a pony of around 13hh.

After previous attempts at looking for quiet confidence givers for friends littlies I'm seriously wondering if what I want exists!
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I know exactly how you feel. We have been looking for a safe but not dead horse for hubby. We need minimum of 16.2 really and have got to numerous places only to find said horse between 15.3 and 16.1 - they them come out with "Ooh, he/she rides much bigger?" He is 6'2 and would need roller skates on his feet to ride them.
I will only travel within an hour of travelling now as I hate wasting too much time.
Went to look at one on Friday described as ID x 16.2 mare that "is so well schooled, makes anybodies riding look good" well it was so poor I wanted to buy it as I felt sorry for it but it was about 16 hands max, more of a TB x and couldnt even canter on both reins and looked like it had never had a days schooling in it's life the poor thing.
Why do people put their horses through it when they know full well that it isnt what you are looking for before you even get there?
Good luck with your search.
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Been there done that. I now have gone from thinking everyone selling a horse is a liar to thinking that they must be looking at a horse in the next field when they describe the one that they're selling. Given up looking for another one for now. Beginning to think if it's for sale what's wrong with it that your not telling me? May pass a 5 star vetting but most seem to have a mental problem.
 
See we haven't had the quiet problem before as always buying competition animals that we dont mind if they feel fast (but still not spooky etc.)
We had a fabulous big horse, took spurs and a schooling whip to get anything out of him, but he then rode nicely (for a carthorse) and he really was super quiet, but at 17.2, far far too big for mum to manage realistically. We just need a shorter version of him!
Yep, everyone calls their horse full of potential, we don't want that, we want a safe quiet (dead is fine if still upright!) horse! Some people seem to think if it doesn't buck it is quiet...
 
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