So what does a five year old need to be able to do to get a really good home.

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WestCoast

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First of all I'm not definately selling Bree, my 4 1/2 year old friesian mare. But I want have the option in the spring if I decide that at my age and slighly dodgy health a big, strong five year old isn't right for me. And if I do, I want to find an excellent home.

So she is currently learning her basic 3 paces in a good outline and improving her balance with a professional, and I am doing in hand work, walk, trot, back, lateral movement and free work (she is just starting canter). She's also going to be taken out on the roads and around the fields regularly. She is already good in the stable, bathing, farrier, loading in a box and traveling, standing around and used to lorries, tractors etc. I don't want her jumping yet due to her build and she still is still not very balanced.

Anything else we should be working on over the winter? I know you see all these five year olds that have done loads for sale, but I was hoping that being unrushed might be considered better for her lomg term health by a knowledgeable person.

Paula
 
Schooling wise it sounds as if she is doing plenty. At that age I'd be more keen to see that she can hack with company, and is willing to go alone even if spooky or looky. All the other things are important - manners on the ground, loading, handling, clipping, etc. (I say this as I am about to clip my 5 year old for the first time; wish me luck!).

Mine is such a big growing boy that I am not even schooling at the moment, he is too unbalanced and was struggling so we have gone back to hacking, working in big circles in the field, and some lunging, until he figures out where his feet are again.

How about some pole work to introduce her to them and get her picking her feet up a bit more? You could do this inhand or the pro can introduce them ridden. And if she is happy to travel, take her out to some local competitions just to stand in the box and watch, and walk her around to get used to the atmosphere (with company if it helps). Then she could do a walk/trot test when she's ready.
 
With her breeding your market will be limited to those wanting her either for that breeding or for what she is capable of doing at the time of sale, by this I mean not someone wanting a horse as an event prospect expecting to see her jump amazingly well for her age or expecting a bombproof first horse.

I think if she can show 3 really well established basic paces, going as a prelim horse should, capable of going out and doing a prelim either before you try and sell or with a good rider as soon as possible after purchase, hack out alone and sensibly in company, this should be enough for the person looking for a horse of her type and breeding. Some pole work would benefit both her flat work and her overall training.

Otherwise I would just do as you are making a well adjusted horse capable of going to a new home without being too stressed by a change in her lifestyle.
 
Best advice I was given by a pro, was to forget dressage in the first year and hack. If they can go alone, be confident with traffic and be willing to listen so they will pass any unusual things they encounter when out and about, that's fab.
Don't be precious, ride over all terrain, hills, mounts of earth, in the open, in woods, across ditches, water etc etc.
She'll build muscle and stamina, won't over tax muscles and tendons by too much schooling and will learn to enjoy being ridden, be confident and brave.
A forward thinking, sane horse with no problems - she loads, stables, farrier, etc etc already, which is a big plus - is what will sell a young horse.
If the building blocks of her education haven't been skipped over, for the sort of home, you'd want for her, she'll be perfect and ready for serious training.
Avoid anyone who wants to see her competition history etc, because for a long, healthy working life, a five year old that has been rushed is what impresses them. That's not to say, don't take her to a local show or two, do, but only as part of getting her out and about for fun.
 
I don't know much about the breed, but are there many in-hand shows you could take her to?

I know you are nervous of hacking with her at the moment, and unfortunately hacking seems to be what people think you should do with her... but as you are confident on the ground why not play to your strengths and show her off in hand, while you let others deal with getting her hack safe? That way you will still be enjoying your beautiful horse :)

ETA - sorry I just realised I totally missed the point of the tread!
 
It depends what job the horses would be marketed for if it was too be sold.
Good out hacking and safe in traffic is an essential.
As unspooky as possible and able to cross what comes in its path.
I would not expect a five yo to be perfect hacking alone but I would expect it to be able to do the short safe hacks that it's done a lot alone.
I would expect it to be able to jump even if it was just a small cross pole.
If it had not jumped I would get it off the ground when I tried it and if that was not possible I would not be paying much for it.
I would expect a five year old to be walk trotting and cantering in the school and that it would canter in a hacking situation calmly.
I would like it to be well mannered and not bargy in the stable and accepting hosing grooming etc respectfully.
I would like it to have travelled away from home for some clinics and shows ( dressage trot tests fine).
Having said all this that's my dream wish list you rarely get all that but that's what I expect to get in a five year someone is asking a fair sum of money for.
I literally tick off points when I am trying a horse working out if I like the horse how much I am prepared to pay for it.
I am always fair if you have done the work and produced the horse well I will pay a good price for it, if not I will offer what the horse is worth to me , to many horses are priced as if they are what they could be if the graft had been done well .
 
I dont know much about the breed but for me a 5 year old should be established on the flat ie could produced a nice dressage test. It should be jumping, for me to a decent level but i look for jumpers, so in this case i would expect it to pop a small course. I would like to see it hack but this can be worked on. Thats what I would want to see to be getting any kind of decent money for it. I buy horses to school and compete so something that hacks but isnt great in the school as a 5 year old is a no from me
 
Agree with golden star - I would expect to see a jump, even if a small x-pole. I would also want it to have been out to a show or two. This helps them to learn that this is part of "life", and helps them not to get stroppy when older and taking them out and about
 
Agree with Goldenstar & horse rider. 3 good paces & being responsive & willing to learn are my main requirements ridden wise. If you have a good basic working pace, its very simple to build upon it, to get transistions within a pace, lateral work etc. For decent money I would expect the horse to be able to shorten & lengthen, & do baby steps of simple lateral work on a hack. But I'd pay significantly less for one who did it badly, than one who couldn't do it at all. For decent money I would expect it to be in a snaffle for most stuff. I'd accept say a pelham on a hunter, but not one who needs one for flatwork. And I'd expect it to lead nicely in just a headcollar too. I wouldn't want a comp record, but I would expect it to have been on a few outings.
 
Right quick lunch break. thanks for all your replies.

I agree that she will appeal to someone who likes the breed (they are a marmite horse but very beautiful), but they are quite rare so that goes in her favour. Also if someone likes cobs she's effectively a big, posh cob. But she's not going to sell as a competition horse for jumping no. Friesians do dressage very well but are late maturers and so aren't likely to be doing much at 5.

I think getting her hacking out sensibly alone and in company is essential - she's going to be going out most days for the next two weeks with the aim of getting her keeping up with the other horses in training and moving over correctly when asked. Then I am going to get back in the saddle to go out with her in company. I was doing this before my fall.

She rapidly became very calm in the yard with firm boundaries and consistency and I cannot see why she shouldn't get like that out hacking.

Does occur to me that if she reaches everyone's criteria I'll be wanting to keep her. ;). Probably should just strap on my big girl's panties and get on with it. :)

Paula
 
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