ride before buy

A

at work

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I was just reading the posts about 'wrong horses' and started to wonder. Those of you who say you've made a big mistake when you bought a horse, what sort of trial did you give it before you bought? Did you ride first - at all, more than once, take experienced friend/instructor with you and still get caught out, or did you take a chance that went wrong? Could you have done something differently that might have helped you spot the 'worng one'?

I'm about to buy my next horse so I've got reason to worry
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i made a mistake only saw him once and one rode him once didnt take an expeirienced friend . Hes going up for sale again soon though i made a big mistake! shall start too look again soon
 

I went to look at Arch 3 times b4 I bought him!
The first time I went, I took my OH and I fell in love with Archie, but wasnt gonna buy the first horse I saw (Ive made that mistake b4!) I went back a further 2 times to make sure he was 100% right for me b4 I made an offer.
 
When I bought my latest horse, even though I was convinced I wanted her from the first try, (phone call even
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) I went twice. I made sure I rode her in the school, out on the roads, did some jumping with her; watched her being ridden, saw vids of her competing etc.

I think too many people fall in love too easy and let their heart, rather than their head make the decision. I'm the other way round I think; I'm so highly critical I'll dismiss a potential purchase very quickly!
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If you're nervous about making the decision and you have an experienced person to take with you then definitely do so
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Its a difficult thing, buying a new horse. I have years of experience and ive still been caught out in the past. One in particular - a lovely chesnut gelding that i went to see on a number of occasions. I rode him in the school, went out on a hack which included some road work...jumped him...i think all in all i went back about four times. The owner was lovely and she took my offer on him. He also passed a vetting.

When i got him home, he turned into something evil! I wont go into details but lets just say that he wasn't the horse i thought he was. I dont think i could of done anything differently, i just got caught out.

More recently i bought my current mare, i only went to try her once but knew a little history on her and heard about her through a friend. She is perhaps the best decision i have ever made! I think word of mouth really is worth alot.

The only thing you can do is take precautions to see if the horse is want you want and expect. Try it in different situations, turn up to places a little early so that your unexpected and will catch any dishonest people out. Get the horse vetted....get a second oppinion fromyour instructor if you find one you think you like.

Its a mine field, but once you find the right one, it'll all be worth it.

Good luck!
 
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I think too many people fall in love too easy and let their heart, rather than their head make the decision.

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I think this is SO true....and perhaps the best piece of advice you could follow. Dont follow your heart and buy something unsuitable just because you love it, think very careful about any potential purchse.
 
Jack is absolutely the right horse for me and I saw him once before I paid for him, didn't take an 'expert' with me and I didn't even ride him. I just knew, sorry that sounds so vague, and I was right.
 
I only rode my horse once, schooled, jumped and then took him out for a quick hack and I took a friend for back up too!
I was present at the vetting a couple of days after trying him and then took him straight home after he passed!
I agree that you have to ignore your heart - but if your head is saying buy him - then buy him!!
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I sat on my mare once for about 30mins before i bought her, she was a recomendation and very sweet, failed the vetting took the risk on what they said that had vanished 6 weeks later!
So depends on your experience and luck really.
 
I went to see over 20 horses before finding Beau, like Puppy Im very critical and so many were dismissed before id even sat on them.

Although 90% of the time this was because the seller had lied through their teeth describing the horses!

When I went to see Beau, as soon as I saw him I wanted him. despite the fact he had had a year off was a bit skinny and scruffy, he just had the best personality.

I didnt even ride him, I just wanted him
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OH who was a total novice at the time had a 10 minute ride around the field after his owner had ridden him, also loved him. he cane home 5 days later. Adn they were the longest days of my life.

It was the best decision Ive ever made and I think he is the best horse in the world.

I was stupid I guess, the reason I was looking for another was because I was missold my previous horse, who turned out to be a lunatic who would rear and try to roll with you on, couldnt even get her out of the yard most of the time.

So I was very lucky with beau, I just think after seeing so many crap or dangerous horses, he stood out a mile. And his owner clearly loved him and only wanted the best for him.

Mind you we had him on loan first so I guess it wasnt as risky.
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I fell in love with my last horse before i sat on him!
The biggest mistake of my life.
I tried him in the school after watching his owner ride him, he wouldn't walk, and instead of cantering nicely, he galloped.
He bombed sideways into the jumps too! All i saw was a horse that could stand still all day, bombproof in traffic, and would jump anything.
I bought him there and then, took him on a fun ride a month later and he blew his top
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Believe me i learnt a hell of a lot haha.

Please please make sure you try potential horses in all the situations you're going to be in if it's possible!
Traffic, open field, with other horses etc..
If they haven't got the facilities, ask for a trial/loan period where you can
 
Bought my first horse a couple of months ago (think I might have mentioned this once or twice!!!) and looked at about 10 before I found George. He was quite local and I went to see him 4 times, I got on really well with the owners and they were very understanding of my dithering. The first ride wasn't much as I was a bit scared of his size (16.3), but then I did schoolwork and they kindly took me out for a long hack as well. They also gave me time 'play' with him in the stable, brushing him etc. as well as tacking up and turning out. I also saw him ridden and jumped, and my riding school instructor came to see him. Having said all this I fell in love with him the first time I handled him as he was really lovely!

I obviously liked the lady who was selling him as I found out she was a qualified instructor and she is now my instructor!!
 
i rode my mare about 4 times over a period of 3 months in different situations before making my decision and watched other people ride her i also groomed her tacked and untacked her and turned her out being my first horse and not haveing unlimited funds i couldn't make a mistake however i didn't take an experience person with me cause i was having her 5 stage vetted anyway.

3 years on and i wouldn't ever part with her she has a home for life and it was the best choice i have ever made in my life!!!!
 
I've bought three horses without riding them (two too small, one unbroken). Bought one where my daughter had ridden him (and he'd refused to stop - didn't bolt, just wouldn't stop and I'd just had a sit on him and we'd both witnessed him dumping his owner and had heard that he'd had all the other people who'd been to see him off! He was off for meat if we didn't have him but he's been the most fantastic pony and taught us so much.

And one where I went to see him with husband and daughter, went back again by myself and then took my most nervous friend with me. I rode him all three times and buying him was a very good decision. This was also the only one I've had vetted

But I know that I've been very lucky - I've never so far bought an unsound horse or one that has caused us any problems that we weren't aware of before we agreed to buy.
 
Like many of the others, I spent ages looking for my current horse because I was so critical - I ruled a lot out on assumptions that I made from the phone calls!

It took me almost a year to find the horse, even though I was looking everywhere. I don't know how many horses I looked at, but we were viewing them nearly every weeked.

I saw some more than once, but then decided against said horses for one reason or another.

Some people many think that I am too fussy, but I have made mistakes in buying horses in the past and can't afford to loose money on them like that.

In the end, a horse was recommended to me by word of mouth from a freind. I was able to ride the horse for three weeks before I purchased him (because he was in for 'reschooling' at freinds yard!) I managed to pick him up for an absolute bargain.

Many people are so deceptive when selling horses. I think that you have got to be 110% sure that the horse is suitable for you before buying him or her, so you need to find out as much about the horse as possible and obtain the opinions of people you trust.
 
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however i didn't take an experience person with me cause i was having her 5 stage vetted anyway

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I think it's worth pointing out that just because a horse passes a 5 stage vetting it doesn't mean it's suitable for you.
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The experienced person (pref your instructor) is there, as much as anything, to make sure that the horse suits you and what you want it for.
 
I didn't ride either of mine before buying them, but they were unbroken at the time.
My old mare, I had known since birth so knew how she had been looked after and that her temperament was sound.

My new mare, I knew the person who had bred her, again knew how she had been looked after properly.

Both mares are absolute stars and will stay with me for life.
 
Went and saw pickle once with my dad, then once again with my instructor.

We basically vidoed the whole first trial bit, then gave the video to my instructor, if he thought it looked suitable he came to see it with us. Then he came to see pickle, gave me a lesson on him. Then he was sold!
 
I think I did everything I could with my first pony, she just turned pure evil once I got her home!
As for my current, he chose me. I think its an arab thing! And He wasnt a mistake, he's had some trauma and injury and I dont have the confidence to bring him back into work. If only all that hadnt happened, he was my perfect pony *sobs*

xx
 
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