Reliable plodder

[Princess16]

Thinking ahead to perhaps getting another horse for myself. As an older newbie to riding and not hoping to set the world alight, I'm looking for an older, reliable happy hacker, bombproof, safe plodder. Something that won't be used for jumping just a nice old walk and trot. So just wondering what would one expect to reasonably pay for something like this and best places to look.

Oh and it would have to live out 24/7 so would be ridden from the field.

Thanks.

 

[Mongoose11]

Depends on the kind of quality/age/type you are looking for really. You might find a semi retired horse that fits the bill for £1000 or you might find a perfect loan horse. Plenty of people are looking to allow their horses a quieter, hacking retirement.

Where about are you?

 

[Dry Rot]

I think the truth is that they are like hens' teeth and you will need to pay for anything that is reliable.

90% of the enquiries I used to get were for that sort of pony until I put a notice on my web site stating that, as breeders, we wouldn't have anything as, by definition, we only have youngsters.

As advised on a previous thread, keep scanning the obituary columns -- or bump someone off! This type of pony will be sold by word of mouth long before it gets into the advertisements.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

This is sort-of similar to what I'm looking for ATM, tho' don't want a dope-on-a-rope but something nicely forward going, but totally genuine.

I've set aside £3000 tops.

Its good OP to look around to see what prices are being asked for what you're looking for.

For instance, I went to see a New Forest 6yo, backed last Autumn, nice little chap, but green as a field (nothing about being green in the FB advert OR the fact that it'd only been backed relatively recently ).

It was VERY green in the school and needed a lot more work, particularly on transitions. Out hacking (with one other horse) it was reasonably confident at meeting new things, and excellent in traffic, but still very green.

When I went back with a friend for a second look, it flatly refused to leave its pair-bond in the field, and after being a lovely little chappie on my earlier visit (when the owner had very conveniently brought its pair-bond mare down to the yard and hacked out alongside us) had transformed into a monster! It was rude and bolshy in the stable, and wouldn't leave the yard - this in spite of the owner's assurances that "it goes out regularly on its own". Owner was asking £2500. Friend (who isn't a novice, she knows her stuff) said she wouldn't pay more than £900 tops for it.

Have just had another (cob mare) on LWVTB. Advert described it as a saint; had done shows & pleasure rides apparently. Owner had "lost her confidence" but said it wasn't on this particular horse, it was on another one. Tell that to the fairies! Had it home at my yard, hacked it solo and it was reasonably OK. However, hacked it with my other two horses and it went ballistic. Pulled like a train, shook its head like an elephant's trunk, and had the manners of a louse, tried to kick one of the other horses in the group and generally pulled my arms out of their sockets. Not exactly the horse described in the advert and frightened the *****e out of me. So back it went PDQ. Owner was asking £2500 for this. IMO worth £600 tops as would need a lot of remedial work to make it even reasonably rideable by anyone other than a professional.

Hope you find your perfect horse OP. I've been lucky in that I've had three cases of having the "horse in a million" so I know my next Best Friend is out there, somewhere.

Gotta keep looking I guess!!

Good luck to ya anyway.

 

[Red-1]

I was looking for someone else a couple of years ago, and fell in love with Daisy. She did not suit the other person but I begged my OH to allow me Daisy. She was £2,250. 14.3 Gypsy Vanner Cob. She would have hacked anywhere with anyone. She was solid, not the prettiest, but my word, her head was "sorted."

 

[JenJ]

I would first ask why you wanted a second. I've variously owned 1, 2 or 3 horses in my six years of horse-owning, and not at any point of multiple horse owning have I managed to have ridden both regularly.

I lost my darling girl six months ago and due to my turnout/stabling situation, needed a companion urgently and took a horse on loan. He's fab, and would be exactly what you're looking for, but I've ridden him probably less than a dozen times in six months. In a few weeks he's going back to his owner (or a new loaner if she can find one) as he stresses when I take my other one away from the stables to be ridden, which isn't ideal. But having accepted that two riding horses is one too many, I'm getting a shetland to replace him