Sending young horse away to pro...

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Henry02

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Just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this.

I have a young horse (4 in Jan), whom has been backed, and done a little bit of work this year.

The aim is eventually to event him. I will be very busy over winter, and wont really have time to ride him/take him out to shows, which is what I would like him to do for a couple of months.

Just wondering people's thoughts on this - and any recommendations for around the Lincoln area for such services!
 
Personally, I would never send a young horse off to a pro again. Unless you completely trust this person.

Had a bad experience which has set back the horse's career back at least year so far. The horse in question was backed and going nicely (walk, trot canter, hacking alone etc..) before being sent off and he was returned to me "ready to compete" - however horse bucked, reared, napped and clearly did not know how to jump a course from canter. I won't go into anymore details but was told afterwards that I wasnt the first person this has happened to...

If you are sure this is what you want to do, please make sure you ask as many people as possible about the rider, look at their results and make sure you regularly ride the horse.
 
In my experience if you can do it yourself, do it yourself as you will give care and attention to detail that a lot of pro's won't as it's your horse for your future. Unless you really can't do it yourself or you have someone to use who really is a lovely person.
I've seen some of these professionals in action and sometimes it can involve cut corners and collecting the cash! Unless they have a vested interest or the horse is straightforward and fits in with their way of doing things I'm not sure they are any better than a competent, knowledgeable owner :).
 
If you really cant yourself could you not pay a good instructor/trainer to come to you a few times a week, it would probably be cheaper and you could keep an eye on the horse yourself?? xx
 
Yes absolutely, have sent horses away to pros before and will continue to do so with each of my youngsters. My one and only regret is not sending Rauti to a pro when he was 4-5!

At the end of the day unless you are an exceptionally talented rider I don't think you can genuinely start a horse as well as somebody who does it as a profession could.
 
Frodo, could i ask what pro you send to??

You obviously trust them very much and they obviously do a very good job with yours!

I would like to event my baby and would like to do the training myself but fear i wont be good enough so would like to have a back up plan too just incase!

Aimee xx
 
BBH said:
As said be absolutely sure you trust the person you choose.

Also had bad experiences.
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I hear this time and again! Friends who have had young horses absolutely spoilt by so called 'professionals'. Be very choosy where you go would be my advice and personally as a woman if the horse were for myself I would only send to a woman also. With no disrespect to male riders - they are just much stronger imo and you want young horse used to how you will ride.
 
Haven't been in the position of needing to send youngsters anywhere but if I was, I'd send anything of mine to either of these two:
Lauren Shannon in Wymeswold.
or
the Liddle's over at Wymondham...not sure if these are too far out?
 
My horse went to my trainer for a week whilst I was on holiday, best thing I ever did and wish could have kept her there longer !!!
 
aimeetb said:
If you really cant yourself could you not pay a good instructor/trainer to come to you a few times a week, it would probably be cheaper and you could keep an eye on the horse yourself?? xx
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This is a much better way and you can keep an eye on the horse and its progress this way.
 
I'm planning to do the initial work with my baby myself. So all the lungeing, long reining, backing and maybe some baby hacking. Then hopefully he will be going to JanetGeorge (posts on here sometimes) to get more established as this is a gap in my experience. He's my horse of a lifetime and I don't want to mess him up myself!!
 
I wondered at the time if I should be looking to send mine away as he was not only the first horse I'd ever bought unbroken but also the first big (over 16hh) horse I had ever had.
So glad id didn't, went with lots o experienced help from excellent instructors and had a fab lesson this week with a new dressage instructor who is a byrds selector and very experienced herself and she said he's a lovely unspoilt young horse ready to go BD if I want (he's 5)
Having read some horror stories on here and just some sad ones (recently a user called nelson I think springs to mind) I'm so glad I kept him at home - I'm really not that great a rider but with help have done ok so far....
Can I ask is he 4 this coming jan or last? Either way if it's lack of daylight etc that is the problem Im sure a few months off wouldn't do him any harm, as an alternative?
 
aimeetb said:
Frodo, could i ask what pro you send to??

You obviously trust them very much and they obviously do a very good job with yours!

I would like to event my baby and would like to do the training myself but fear i wont be good enough so would like to have a back up plan too just incase!

Aimee xx
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Several different people. Frodo was backed by a pro rider in Germany who came with my trainer's recommendation - it was a leap of faith as he had spent many years working as Head Rider at one of the big auctions (so not the kind of rider I'd have chosen for my precious youngster!) but my trainer guaranteed he'd be the right choice and I trusted her and I was delighted (and Frodo was never pushed at all...they took him hacking, was out in the field every day etc) Had a wonderful experience with that particular rider and will definitely send one of my yearlings to him as I think they'd work really well as a partnership - I have also already chosen the person to back my other yearling, my trainer's former Bereiter as again think they'd work well as a partnership). Then I got Frodo back after the initial 6 months, rode him myself/my trainer rode him until Jan this year when again I sent him to a pro rider in the UK (Cotswolds), will PM you the name. She was chosen on the basis of one video and a friend's recommendation, it was a bit risky maybe but clearly a risk which paid off as they're doing brilliantly together.

I think as long as you do your research you'll be fine. Just to clarify, with 'pro rider' I mean a well-respected professional who has produced and ridden horses to very advanced levels / GP, not merely somebody who happens to get paid for riding!

I really wanted to break Frodo in myself at the start, because he is so laid back I knew I would be safe. I thought if I had to do it with one horse, he'd be the right horse! But then I realised he was talented and I wasn't prepared to risk making any mistakes with his training just for the sake of being able to say "oh I did everything myself". I'd far rather get external help, and have a flawlessly trained horse at the end :)
 
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As long as you chose the rider VERY carefully, I think it is a great idea and something I will try to do with all of my horses from now on.

However, I have been stung a few times by pros who 'talk the talk' but when actually sat on the horse, lack the bottle to ride it as it needs to be ridden i.e. forwards!

Depending on where you are, maybe a few people on here could give you personal recommendations to follow up on?
 
Highly recommend Emily Chandler, not too far from you, a friend of mine sent her 3 year old to her to be started and she did a very good job, he's back there again now after a break and then will go back again before the event season for her to sart him off in BYEH classes.
 
My young stallion has gone away to be produced for both grading & first competitions. I did try and find someone nearer home but didnt get the right feel from the few I enquired with so took a personal recommendation and have sent him further away from home than ideal but to someone I trust to do the job correctly.
 
Hi all , i sent my 4year old horse away start of this year to be backed for 3months , he then came home for 4 months all we did was just hacking and boxing up taking him to the woods for rides, now he is back with the lady i trust so much for 4 weeks then home and hacking somemore with me his mummy ;) xx best thing ive ever done !!!!
 
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