Should i get a young horse???

T

TriggerHappy

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I really want to get a new horse, i've got an 18 year old at the mo! He has given me back the confidence that i used to have years ago, but i do not like pushing him as he's older. I do not want to give him up but want a horse that i can do more on.

He's not an 'old' horse by any shape or form and i would imagine he's got a fair few years left in him lol!! BUT.... i am considering getting a young horse to bring on.

I want to know peoples ideas on what the pro's on con's about getting a young horse??
 
18 is not old! he will do most things! push yourself to do more on him then qsk the q! do 3 dressage comps this month then 3 dressage comps and 3 sj the nest then 3 d 3 sj and at least 2 XC schooling. then the next month do 1 to 2 ODE with a couple of d inbetween! and a lesson a week! if you fancy a youngster then it wil be double the work load plus a couple of fun rides!!!!
 
To add to the above

Have you got the patience and the time to put into a youngster? yes they are very rewarding but you usually find you will go through a good patch then there is the inevitable "strop" stage where things tend to come to a standstill.

Do you have the experience to teach a youngster about the ways of the world?

Have you had experience with youngsters before?



They can be very rewarding for example I am taking my youngster to his first show next week but I am fully prepared for napping, rearing, bronking, bolting and general silliness as that is what you have to expect with youngsters. I have no shame in admitting I went through a "rough" patch with L where he would just leap of all fours, spin and bronk while we were hacking and it DID knock my confidence a lot!! fortunatley I had some very supportive friends and we managed to work through this and now *touches wood* we are back on a high again.


Good luck whatever you decide :)
 
Thank you for the advise guys!!!

I dont think my horse is old and he certainly doesnt act it either .....

I think your are all right about a young horse it is a lot of time, commitment and effort and my confidence maybe isn't fully back.

I will persist with Trigger and start to have some lesson's on him and do some shows. He is just very nappy at the moment so would dread taking him to a show by himself but he will have to learn!!!

xxx
 
Whilst I agree that 18 isn't old for a horse, only you as an owner will know how much is too much for him- horses do not all age the same, and what is easy for one 30yo pony may be the impossible for a retired racehorse of 14.
My mare hunted until she was 24, when she told me enough was enough in her own way, my friend has just retired her 14year old gelding for similar reasons.

I agree youngsters take work and patience, but if you decide your current horse isn't upto the tasks you want to do, why not go for something in the middle and get an established 10year old or there abouts.
 
unless you're very confident and have the time to give a young horse consistent work then I'd say don't do it! I bought a rising 6 yr old a yr ago who was very babyish and I vastly underestimated how much work he needed and how much confidence I needed to get him through his tantrums. Anyway I have decided to sell him and get something older as I now realise that I want a confidence giving ride that I can just go out and have fun on. It's so easy to lose your confidence on a young horse and really difficult to get back
 
My horse has certainly not had enough. He's very head strong and will jump (on his terms), school (on his terms) and hack (on his terms) lol.

I find him hard work and feel that because he knows every trick in the book and his difficult. I thought getting a young horse, i am used to strops, bolting, strongness etc but maybe something that i could out wit (instead of me being out witted)! As my horse currently is a pain in bum!!

But i agree having a young horse is hard work and to have the same problems as the currently older one maybe isnt the best idea i've ever come up with lol!! ...but i think sometimes you have these 'ideas' and need some sane reasonable people to tell it to you straight lol

Thank you xxx
 
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