Sales livery for BE100 gelding in search of an older schoolmaster

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LST

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Have a bit of a dilemma here & have been lurking for a while…

I own a 9 year old, 16hh TB gelding who I am currently competing at BE100. We have been placed at BE90 and lots of unaffiliated events including over 70% at unaffiliated Novice dressage.
He has never raced and is the first horse I have owned. He is a really fab boy, very kind and willing. He has a few recent blips at 100 due to my errors!

He is talented and would be capable of novice with the right rider who can bring him on to this level. I now feel I would like to progress on an older, more experienced horse to BE Novice (no desire to go beyond!). Me & my current horse have always learnt together as we go along but I would like a horse to now show me the ropes and to improve my riding beyond BE100. I feel terrible that my needs have now changed and my current horse may no longer be the one for me.

I’ve never sold a horse before – the whole process fills me with dread! Ideally I would be looking to put him on sales livery but who with? I love him to bits and he deserves a fantastic home. I am based on the Berkshire/Hampshire border. I wouldn’t know how much to ask for him either.

Otherwise, do you think anyone would take him as part exchange for a horse wanting to wind down to the lower levels and have fun? So torn on what to do for the best and whether I would regret the decision to sell my current horse who has so much potential.

Thanks for reading.
 
I know someone, a young small LW female recently gone professional, who could help quickly repair his record and sell on for you. She is honest and reliable, based in Gloucestershire. PM me if you want details. She wouldn't have a horse in PX though.
 
If he's capable of going Novice and you want to ride at Novice, why can't you progress together?

Not criticising you in any way, just genuinely wondering.
 
Thanks all.

Ihatework - please could you PM me her name & contact details?

Thanks Bernster - I messaged Ali via their Facebook page but didn't get a response. Maybe it didn't reach her so i will try again.

Nicnac - no its a good point & something that is causing a doubt in my mind whether to sell or not. Reason would be to get something that knows its job at that level. I feel I've taken my current horse as far as I can while we have been learning together. He has the quality to go round a novice if someone can school him to that level but I don't have the confidence to bring a horse onto that level. I need something now that doesn't need guidance or help. My boy is fab at 100 & 90 but would need lots of guidance at Novice. Hope that makes sense :-)
 
LST said:
Thanks all.

Ihatework - please could you PM me her name & contact details?

Thanks Bernster - I messaged Ali via their Facebook page but didn't get a response. Maybe it didn't reach her so i will try again.

Nicnac - no its a good point & something that is causing a doubt in my mind whether to sell or not. Reason would be to get something that knows its job at that level. I feel I've taken my current horse as far as I can while we have been learning together. He has the quality to go round a novice if someone can school him to that level but I don't have the confidence to bring a horse onto that level. I need something now that doesn't need guidance or help. My boy is fab at 100 & 90 but would need lots of guidance at Novice. Hope that makes sense :-)
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or, just to add to the confusion, you could find a good event trainer who WILL take yours novice a few times to teach him the ropes, while you give him a break stepping back to 100..wouldn't take much time to do and it seems quite the norm to step up a horse then give it a step down to take it all in before going up again.
 
I think the above comment is an excellent idea.

From an outside point of view, it sounds like you love and care too much about this horse to sell it because your worried about making mistake with him. You have obviously taken the time to produce him really nicely this far, I'm sure with a bit more time and practise the BE100 would become much easier and then think about novice.

Maybe hire a course and have some lessons focussing on the BE100 and novice jumps?

The horse may have the potential to go further - but he doesn't know that :) You are being too hard on yourself, everyone makes mistakes
 
If he has good results at BE100/90 you don't need to put him on sales livery with a pro - just advertise him and save yourself a lot of money. Also he is probably worth more with no points as he can still do BE100 etc, which is what a lot of people only want to do.
 
Why not get someone capable to take him round some Novice events and give him some experience at that level while you perfect yourself at 100. If he goes well amd gets some points you can still do the 100 opens. When you feel ready you could then take him round a small Novice yourself. Think how confident you'd feel on a horse you know so well and how great it'd be to do your 1st novice on one you've brought on yourself. If you get a new one, you'll have to spend time getting to know and trust it - at least you know and trust the one you've got already!
 
Taking on a "schoolmaster" can have its drawbacks too. Usually they are being sold for a reason, and that reason may not come to light until you have had it for a while! They often have quirks or confidence issues already, and since you won't have trained the horse up to that level it might actually be harder to take on something experienced with its own unknown issues, than to work out your issues with your current horse. As a few people have suggested on here, find a good trainer who can give your horse a few confidence boosting runs at Novice and then have a go yourself :).

Good luck.
 
I would agree to think carefully about taking on a schoomaster unless you have mega bucks to spend! I looked into buying a proven horse at int level but came to the conclusion that unless I had around 25k to spend (which I do not!!) that there woudn't be much point as likely the horses I would be looking at for sensible money would either be quirky as hell, old or crocked. Decided to stick with my fairly untalented but trainable young horse who has just done her first novice and think with a few more seasons should be a pretty good wee mare :) I have already produced another horse up to novice/CIC* level though so know it can be daunting! It's a tricky decision but don't rush into it lightly as the grass can definitely seem greener on the other side! Remember when I sold my first horse I thought it was easy to get horses at a decent level and it's taken me 4 years to get back to it due to various horses not working out.
 
I agree with the others, taking on a schoolmaster genuine enough to take you round a Novice track is a great idea but the reality is very very different. I took my mums very very average horse ( with dreadful leg conformation) to novice and we qualified to run intermediate but would have broken her huge heart. All decent sound horses are capable of novice and if your current horse is perfect in every way then I would find a way to get you both to that level. I must just say though you maybe need to change your attitude before you do anything else. Self belief and confidence will carry you half way round a Novice before you start.
 
What does your trainer advise, OP? I agree with some of the sentiments above - you will struggle to get a bonafied schoolmaster at the price you would get for the horse you have now (no offence to your horse, just that solid, sound Novice and above horses that will take a joke aren't that common) and if you like the horse you have it might be worth spending the money to develop him for yourself, rather than to sell. The devil you know, and all that. ;)

I will say though, "confidence" is all very well but I think if you are relatively inexperienced yourself you would do well to have regular guidance from someone not only more experienced but also good at developing eventers/riders. I'm not saying you have to be under their thumb but someone who will guide you and be there as a source of support and information can be invaluable and just as important, if not more so, than having the most experienced horse.
 
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