Selling a horse because he is too good?

I know where you're coming from. My boy has foot problems and can't jump any more so I have a share horse to compete on. He is the sweetest, most genuine, talented horse I've ever known and I love riding him but I felt far more of a sense of achievement getting my boy round a 2'6" local XC course than I did completing a BE90 on a 30 dressage score + a few time penalties with my share horse. I felt like he had done it despite me, not that we had done it together...But then I would never be doing any BE at all with my boy as, feet aside,he'd never handle it mentally, so there's a lot to be said for easy. I've got very used to it now. I can take my share horse anywhere on my own, he loads, stands on the trailer, is easy to tack up even next to an XC course, does his job well without any fuss, he even did a dressage test about 20m away from the water jump of the XC course without batting an eyelid, and then goes back to sleep!
 
I have, I bought my shire x TB as a yearling from the field...such a scruffy scrawny little thing!!
I bought him to be a happy hacker, a bit of schooling etc etc but as he grew and developed in to a 3 year old I could see this horse had so much potential...even though he'd never been sat on!
I know people say things like "your horse has no aspirations to be anything but a horse" but I had a feeling he could be so much more than a mooch around the block a few times a week!
It actually stressed me out in the end as I worried so much that I wasn't good enough for him, I was holding him back, he could do and be so much more etc etc
So, as much as I loved him I sold him to a lovely lady who could take him further.
She had him professionally backed, and he wanted for nothing. Every week I would get updates on his progress and photos.
My little scrawny ball of fuzz had developed into a 16.3hh beautiful horse that got high marks in his first ever dressage test, he's been XC, he's won nearly every in hand class he's been in, he's been placed in every working hunter class he's entered, he's been on beach rides, he's jumping 1.10 tracks and is going higher this year...I'm a proud ex owner :)
I would have never done these things with him and he's now nearly 7.
I'm chuffed of the horse he is now but I'm also blessed to have been a part of his life and I'm happy to think that for the first 3 years he's loved, handled with care and taught the basics which helped him develop in to a well rounded horse.
I have no regrets except that I don't see him as much as I'd like as he's over 200 miles away now but I visit and keep in contact, I was very lucky she has stayed in touch.
 
FfionWinnie said:
No. To get to that point is a pleasure and there is always something else to achieve. I don't like badly behaved horses and everything I've bought has learnt to behave impeccably. That's how I want them.
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This, ten times over. ^^^ If it is a straightforward, trustworthy ride and I can put almost anyone on it, I have done my job well (the three horses I have owned were none of these when I bought them, but became that way after I owned them for a few years; people on my yard think I'm lucky enough to own a nice mare, and I am lucky, but she is not 'nice' because she popped out of her dam that way -- that's a whole 'nother rant). My riding and finesse with the aids and the lightness, strength, and suppleness of the horse can always be improved. Horse does not need to be trying to bronc or take off with me in order for me to feel like I am doing something.
 
Spit That Out said:
I have, I bought my shire x TB as a yearling from the field...such a scruffy scrawny little thing!!
I bought him to be a happy hacker, a bit of schooling etc etc but as he grew and developed in to a 3 year old I could see this horse had so much potential...even though he'd never been sat on!
I know people say things like "your horse has no aspirations to be anything but a horse" but I had a feeling he could be so much more than a mooch around the block a few times a week!
It actually stressed me out in the end as I worried so much that I wasn't good enough for him, I was holding him back, he could do and be so much more etc etc
So, as much as I loved him I sold him to a lovely lady who could take him further.
She had him professionally backed, and he wanted for nothing. Every week I would get updates on his progress and photos.
My little scrawny ball of fuzz had developed into a 16.3hh beautiful horse that got high marks in his first ever dressage test, he's been XC, he's won nearly every in hand class he's been in, he's been placed in every working hunter class he's entered, he's been on beach rides, he's jumping 1.10 tracks and is going higher this year...I'm a proud ex owner :)
I would have never done these things with him and he's now nearly 7.
I'm chuffed of the horse he is now but I'm also blessed to have been a part of his life and I'm happy to think that for the first 3 years he's loved, handled with care and taught the basics which helped him develop in to a well rounded horse.
I have no regrets except that I don't see him as much as I'd like as he's over 200 miles away now but I visit and keep in contact, I was very lucky she has stayed in touch.
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What a lovely story, and what an amazing horse he sounds. A very brave decision to have made.
 
I can understand what you mean. Some people are more 'thrillseekers' than others. The people who prefer quiet, well behaved horses would probably worry too much on a sharper horse and look for things it might spook at whereas those who like sharpness are more relaxed on them and are quicker to react when it spooks or misbehaves.

I personally prefer sitting on a well behaved horse which I can try to fine tune aids with and go up the levels rather than always be just starting out really as horse is difficult to progress with.
 
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