Shopping for a newbie - where to look and am I being realistic?!

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emfen1305

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After a really hard 18 months of battling issue after issue, £9500 of insurance and at least another £1000 if not more in extras, I have come to the conclusion that my lovely Toby can't be the horse that I want him to be and he deserves to be left alone to lead the quieter life so I am going to rehab him to hopefully get him sound enough for some light hacking and then decide what to do.

As sad as I am about this, I am a little excited that this means I can look for something more suited to what I want but I am totally stumped on where to look! Toby fell in my lap from a Facebook group but where else do people look? Are there any dealers people would recommend or steer clear from? I am based in NW but happy to travel if there are a few to look at.

I am looking for a 15hh - 15'3hh LW sporty cob type, chunky but athletic - not exactly sure what breed they fall into but I know when I see one. I'm not fussed on colour, wanting something a little bit younger maybe 5 or 6 but I would like it to have started the basics. Mainly wanted for some local showing, hacking, some farm rides, usual all rounder stuff really. My budget is around £3500, does this sound realistic? If not, what would I have to drop?

Any help much appreciated - I won't be in a position to do anything until Summer as need to spend some time on Toby and save up but no harm in some window shopping to keep me occupied!
 
I am on a local Facebook Group, and dealers often advertise some quite nice horses from the County or adjoining. It seems to be the way to advertise. Other than that it is local advertising, Horse & Hound, word of mouth. There are nearly always some local people who buy a horse to bring on and sell around the Riding Clubs, hunt, etc. It is hard to start from scratch though.
 
I think you will have to look long and hard and move very quickly if you want to find something sound/sane/viceless for that budget.

You’ll get poor quality for that money but I presume you don’t want to be dealing with things like the hindlimb issues you are currently facing.

If you can stretch to 5K you will be more likely to find something.
Or if you buy just backed 4yo and make it yourself
 
I think it’s pot luck to be honest. You can pay more do all the trials and 5 stage vetting and still get one with issues I know I have.

I’d focus mainly on temperament and soundness the rest can be worked on. However if you buy from a reputable dealer then as above I think the £5000 mark is more realistic.
 
Thanks IHW and SBS, i'll revisit my budget as I get closer to buying and see what is out there. I have seen plenty that look nice for around £4K but I suppose you never know until you get there - i like the idea of buying from a reputable dealer as you know they have been put through their paces a bit but then I know they are more expensive!
 
I think your budget is fine for a horse of that size if you don't mind putting a bit of work in. You're not asking that much in terms of what you want to do.

I guess it depends on where you are in the country in terms of asking price but I am sure that in the north you could find something suitable, if a bit green, for that budget. Might be coloured, but you did say you weren't bothered by that.

I have a fairly athletic 15.2hh coloured Irish cob who was a lot cheaper than that. He had some behavioural issues, most of which have been resolved, and a sarcoid on his face which helped to reduce the price but I haven't reached his ridden limits yet!
 
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I don't mind green at all - i like to think I sit firmly in the "competent novice" camp and I will have a couple of very good instructors on board if I do buy something a bit younger. Ooh no I wouldn't mind a coloured, in fact more than happy to have a nice coloured as it will give me more options for classes at the local show haha! I should have mentioned that it really must be a gelding due to my current yard set up but that isn't really that limiting, I have seen plenty for sale.

I don't mind behavioural issues if they are due to greenness as long as they are not nasty or dangerous/with intent, Toby was a horrendous napper for the first 3 months I had him so I don't mind putting in the work if I will get something nice at the end. I know my budget isn't going to get me a "been there done that" but I don't want that either, i'd like to have some input into its education.
 
Rowreach said:
Your budget would buy you something very nice over here, albeit probably a bit green. What on earth has happened to UK horse prices, they seem to have gone through the roof?
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I have seen lots of lovely ones advertised in Ireland, maybe closer to the time I could look at a trip to try a load - do people do that? or do they just buy unseen? Would I arrange transport myself?
 
I know of one in Cumbria which sounds like it would fit your description though very green. Think it was advertised for £2500... probably on one of the Cumbria horse and pony for sale groups on Facebook.
I am not sure if horse prices have gone through the roof... refinery not in the north...I think we are maybe getting back to what they where 10/15 years ago!!!
 
I bought from Duckhurst Farm in Kent last summer, and got a sane sensible mare 15.2 from Ireland for under £4000. She has needed schooling work but has been everything described in ad and what I hoped she'd be.
I'd go to them again.
 
Looking in Ireland may not be a bad idea. Horses are generally much cheaper. It’s generally cheap as chips flights too so coming over to look at a few won’t be that much bother. Shipping is. It too much hassle either cause you just drive up to Belfast and go on the boat lol
 
CnG equine are well thought of dealers. They're in Staffordshire. They tend to deal in the steady average cob but they do get the occasional more sporty ones. They'd be well within your price range. Follow them on fb. They do loads of videos of their horses. They do sell like hot cakes tho, frequently unseen, so you do have to persist.
 
I would personally consider something younger - a 3yo or even 2yo - and then bring it on yourself. Yes it would mean a year or 2 without riding but you could still go out and do in hand. I do appreciate though that that isn't for everyone.

You would get more for your money though and could go straight to a breeder.
 
madlady said:
I would personally consider something younger - a 3yo or even 2yo - and then bring it on yourself. Yes it would mean a year or 2 without riding but you could still go out and do in hand. I do appreciate though that that isn't for everyone.

You would get more for your money though and could go straight to a breeder.
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And have money left over to get it backed and ridden away by the pro of your choice :)

I would say between 4 and 6k for your original spec in most of England, though you can always be lucky and find a gem if you're willing to hunt around.

There are people who do a horse sourcing service in Ireland. I think Wheels on here got her lovely connemara through someone like that.
 
I've had a long time without riding so looking for something I get cracking on with but I know where you are coming from. I think I've focused everything around a lovely one I've seen in Ireland so going to keep an eye to see if others like him
Exist and if not I'll up my budget and wait a bit longer!
 
there are a couple advertised on h & h for below £3000 and they sound really good, BUT they are from a certain dealer in kent who seem to have lots of ultra safe decent looking horses for sale cheaply, so please be very aware of this sort of dealer when you are searching. another ad from yorkshire saying ideal riding club horse,on this page, sounds like the sort you would like but a much higher price of £5750 so i reckon you should keep saving to up your budget....
 
Try Cobs'n'Plods in Leigh just along from Robinson's. They do a trial period and are as honest as the day is long.

I bought my unbroken cob as a four year old for £1200 four years ago. Your budget is perfectly reasonable I reckon.

My new appyx (3 now) will have cost me a lot less to get to a ridden away four year old.

I think you've made the right decision. Happy hunting :)
 
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