Seriously Confused.Com - do I keep/sell/swap??

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MissGee

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Help please... I just don't know what to do.

Here's the story... we had 3 horses, a 28 year old retired boy, and two competition horses who are now 18 and 19 years old. So we decided we ought to think about getting a younger horse to bring on. We wanted something that with a little work could pretty much "hit the ground running" so decided to not go for something too young but bought a gelding rising 6.

He's stunning, a lovely chap, easy to do on the ground, fits in great with our lot and the other couple of liveries horses we have. He's easy to do, nice to have around and great with the dogs etc. The problem is, he needs a lot more ridden work than we first envisaged... he has all the potential to make a fantastic horse, he's bold and brave and will I have no doubt make a fab showjumper (what we bought him to do) but he needs probably a year's worth of work before he will be ready to go out and compete. We've taken him out and about competing and when he's put under pressure he rears... here's the problem. I don't have the confidence to deal with it... so my husband ends up riding him all the time. Which obviously isn't what we wanted, he wants to be able to ride his horse (which is also quirky - so I wont compete him either)... I ride him at home and hack him about no problem.

So here's our dilema... do we keep him, put in the work and hope he turns out to be what we want... or do we sell him...? I have no doubt we (albeit more my husband) could sort him out, with time and patience. Or do we cut our losses and sell him.... I have had him advertised but no one suitable has been so far... I will only sell him to the right home as I don't want him to be passed from pillar to post. He is one gorgeous horse, very striking...

I just don't know what to do... I had one chap come and see him yesterday... agreed exactly with what I have said, fantastic horse, great potential and in a years time will be worth a lot of money, but not what he was looking for as he too wanted something that with a little work would pretty much hit the ground running..... he also said he thought I was mad to be selling him... particularly for the price I'm asking! :eek:

One other thought, what about swaps? Do people do this? Is there any likelihood of something with an older horse wanting to swap for younger/quriky potential?

PS - I've now had him 4 months....

So people help/ideas please....
:confused:
 
Cant you get someone to ride him for you?

Either a professional or someone looking for a share.

The right experienced and confident person will help loads and and you wont have to sell!
 
Depends how much money you want and how much of a loss you'll be making - if you are going to be honest about him rearing thats gonna dramatically drop his price. If you think he will be decent I think its worth perservering with!
 
I have been 100% honest about him in the advert. I really do like the horse and want to give him the best possible opportunity of finding the right home, hence why I've been so honest about him....

I could possibly take him back to the dealer where he came from and swap him but I would prefer to sell him privately myself to try and find him the correct home, hence I have advertised him at considerably less than I paid for him!

I'm just sooo confused. I don't want to totally give up riding my horse and my OH doesn't want to his either but at the moment... the girl who rides for us is only capable of riding mine, I'm riding my OH's and my OH is riding the new boy all the time... not what either of us want - it's just not ideal...

Maybe a competent sharer for the new lad is the way to go....?
 
A year doesn't sound like a long time when you have two other (albeit lightly) ridden horses to play with. Almost certainly less hassle overall to fix the one you've got.

If this behaviour is only at shows then you can do other things (in-hand, v low level local jumping etc) to build confidence more safely. If it happens at home too then consider physical/more fundamental confidence issues?

Treat yourself to the occasional lesson on the new one and enjoy the oldies.
 
littleme said:
Depends how much money you want and how much of a loss you'll be making - if you are going to be honest about him rearing thats gonna dramatically drop his price. If you think he will be decent I think its worth perservering with!
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This- I would not pay top whack for a competition horse that threw his toys out of the pram at a competition- well not at 6 yrs old anyway.

if you really think he has the potential then keep him, and put the work in, getting a "pre done" horse is terribly boring anyway!!
 
Thanks guys, all really helpful stuff. :D

His issues aren't physical, I've had everything checked and it's not like his throws his toys out the pram bigtime, he sends you a postcard first to tell you what he's going to do and then if you keep pressuring him, he goes up! Once he realises it's not going to get him out of work, he stops rearing and continues to work quite nicely. :rolleyes:

I think he just needs to go out more often but with less pressure so it gets no big deal...

After 6 years hard work (and heart ache) with my last horse, I now thoroughly enjoy every minute of riding her... hence why I don't want to give her up - perhaps this is more the problem. But at 19 years old I have to be sensible, she needs to start slowing down at some point! Particularly as she's getting very stale showjumping.

Maybe I need to stop being so hard on him (and myself) and give us both more time....:confused:
 
He sounds immature, like his training has been rushed at some point, so he just doesn't know how to behave under pressure.

I would take things right back to basics, stop jumping him for six months and work on the flat and ground manners. I would take him to tiny local shows where you can do in hand classes, or just for a walk to get used the the atmosphere. 19 is not that old, so you can still do the 'fun' stuff with your horse, whilst taking it slowly with the 6 year old.
 
Well I decided to keep him...

He must have read this thread as the penny just seems to have dropped with him :D he's really settled and seems to have really started to enjoy his work.

We've taken a step back, given him time to chill, so what if it take another year or two to get him out competing, he will still only be 8 in two years time! :p Let's just let him enjoy life and let his mind grow up a bit...

I now actually ride him regularly, hack him 3 times a week (plus my OH rides him a couple of time a week too) and I'm really enjoying it, rather than doing it cus I have to. We've started popping the odd log out in the woods and he's fab. Took him for an outing out to the local country park the other day (with our other two), he was a star never put a foot wrong, even enjoyed a mile canter across a field!

Don't get my wrong, I'm sure we will have lots more temper tantrums along the way but for now - it's all going good.

I'm now a very happy mummy!
 
How lovely to hear that, well done you. I didn't see this thread when you first posted it but if I had I would have said 4 months isn't a very long time and it sounded like you wanted to keep him and just needed a bit of support (which the posters then gave you). Hope it all goes really well for you both!
 
I would say that if you can afford to, keep him, what you have there sounds like a known quantity, you could easily sell him and find yourself in the same boat or worse with another new horse, at least with this one you have assessed him, you know what he will become, you know his nature and you know that you have the skills available to get him there, whats a year to get the right horse? I also agree that it may be a good idea to loan/ part loan him, to a suitable person who can help him with his education, and this way you OH can continue to ride his beastie too. :)
 
MissGee said:
Well I decided to keep him...

He must have read this thread as the penny just seems to have dropped with him :D he's really settled and seems to have really started to enjoy his work.

We've taken a step back, given him time to chill, so what if it take another year or two to get him out competing, he will still only be 8 in two years time! :p Let's just let him enjoy life and let his mind grow up a bit...

I now actually ride him regularly, hack him 3 times a week (plus my OH rides him a couple of time a week too) and I'm really enjoying it, rather than doing it cus I have to. We've started popping the odd log out in the woods and he's fab. Took him for an outing out to the local country park the other day (with our other two), he was a star never put a foot wrong, even enjoyed a mile canter across a field!

There you go then - sometimes standing back from a situation really shows you the way to go , I'm glad you're going to keep him cos it sounds like he needs a lovely mummy who's not going to put him under pressure he hasn't learnt to handle. Everyone is happier when our lives are stress free and enjoyable , so it's not surprising that he's begining to enjoy himself and therefore chill out. Good luck to you all.
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He's going nowhere!! :D

Tried letting a couple of other people ride him... that didn't work :( just went backwards... so for now will just stick for me and OH riding him. We have a lovely lady who will ride my "mature" mare so between the 3 of us, we will manage! :):)
 
MissGee said:
Well I decided to keep him...

He must have read this thread as the penny just seems to have dropped with him :D he's really settled and seems to have really started to enjoy his work.

We've taken a step back, given him time to chill, so what if it take another year or two to get him out competing, he will still only be 8 in two years time! :p Let's just let him enjoy life and let his mind grow up a bit...

I now actually ride him regularly, hack him 3 times a week (plus my OH rides him a couple of time a week too) and I'm really enjoying it, rather than doing it cus I have to. We've started popping the odd log out in the woods and he's fab. Took him for an outing out to the local country park the other day (with our other two), he was a star never put a foot wrong, even enjoyed a mile canter across a field!

Don't get my wrong, I'm sure we will have lots more temper tantrums along the way but for now - it's all going good.

I'm now a very happy mummy!
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**LIKE** :)
 
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