Sale or return - would you?

dressedkez

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I have a lovely 16.3 7 year old TB , big, well topped, (think Denman!) who we have had for two years (purchased from Ascot) We pointed him last year, where he ran 5 times and completed once (coming 4th) a bit dissapointing really. But thinking that he was maybe backward and babyish we decided to have another crack this year. He is sane to ride (by a competant rider), 100% to clip, load, traffic etc. He jumps for fun and does all his schooling at home on his own, does not need a lead horse - eats his fences! He was working really well at home, but his first race back this season was dissapointing, pulled up with a circuit to go. The going was very heavy. I am inclined to think he is not a racehorse and sell him whilst he is fit and free of injury. I contacted a local dealing yeard who specialise in hunters. I am asking a sensible price for what is a lovely looking horse (and this is not an advert, so not going to tell you, but under £3K and not less than £2K.......)
The yard were interested but wanted to have him with them for a while.......but I am not sure that I want to send a fit horse off to an unknown yard on trial - and then risk having him back if they don't like him....or him damagaing himself whilst he is away. I also have a good pointer still, and am wary of having a horse that has been away, back in the yard. Am I being to too precious? Also for a relatively cheap horse can a potential buyer (who is a dealing yard), make these sorts of demands? Comments on a post card please!
 
Don't think you'll need a dealer. He sounds a lovely horse at a reasonable price. Why not just advertise him locally and see what happens?
 
Thank-you for responses so far, V encouraging and going with my gut instinct.....but to advertise a fit racehorse as a riding horse, and have happy hackers turning up to try him, fills me with dread. I could send him back to Ascot (where I am sure he will attract interest from eventers etc) - but £150 entry fee, £50 of diesel and a day that I can't find in a busy day job working life, puts me off. I suspect that we will race him a few more times, sees what happens and try and sell him in the summer when we can let him down. But I am glad that responses so far agree that i should not be letting him go off on trial.......
 
The above makes me sound like I don't care about the horse - just want to sell him! Argghhh - love him to bits - he is a real character, a real racehorse at the moment, you have to watch yourself with him in the stable (but all bluff and bluster) When I got him from Ascot (he came from Ireland) he did not know ehat a titbit or a polo was - he does now! We all love him lots and my 12 year old son does his rugs etc. He thrives on work, and last season did not let himself down during his summer break in the field, only relaxing when we got him in again and started light work with him again. He is a competitive animal but not as a 3 mile chaser I suspect! Bless..
 
Is there anyone at your local Hunt that needs a hunter, You must have been out with them to qualify him to be able to point him, so he would have been seen by them.
 
Ha Ha - you would think so wouldn't you.....my good horse has been out a number of times, but we are talking a small farmers pack with small trappy fields and not conducive to a big bold jumper......If I could have afforded the sub, this horse would have been out with the Vale pack, and loved every minute of it, our own hunt would have turned him into a raving looney! My good horse, is a TB who thinks he is a cob - madness!
 
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