sold from the field. what to expect?

milo'n'molly

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I've been casually on the lookout for a new horse and thought id found one but it all fell through. I don't have megga bucks to spend and not interested in a tb (nothing wrong with them just not for me this time) so have been looking at youngsters.
Anyway, inspired by people on here's protect ponies I've widened my search criteria and found a 7yr old gelding that has done very little.
Hasn't been ridden since last summer and is being "sold from the field"
Any advice on what to ask to see? Should I just view it as if its a 4yr old? Or anything I should look for?
 

PorkChop

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There are genuine horses that are sold from the field, however there are a great deal that aren't genuine. I would definitely have it vetted, and tbh I have been known to hop on them if they seem quiet enough, disclaimer, I trust my husband implicitly not to let go!

Try googling the phone number, owners name etc, just to see if anything suspicious comes up!
 

Fides

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If you have the horses full name google that too (or look on BE, BD, BSJA sites) and see if there is a competition record. A lot of Ws and Es in BE for example would ring alarm bells. They may say done very little but there may be a reason.

On the other hand if I sold my mare tomorrow she could would be sold from field as she has been roughed off over winter - she is amazing though. Not that I would sell her!
 

milo'n'molly

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Thanks have done a full googling and not found very much at all. I'm thinking of taking a friend who has offered to hop on and just see and it will be getting a full vetting. A cheap horse ain't a cheap horse if it costs £1000s in vets bills.
 

TarrSteps

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Why is it the field in the first place? I'd be careful. Lots of horses get turned away because the riding is going badly and then, over time, people 'forget' that information and then the story doesn't sound quite the same. Yes, a longe and ride might flag something up, but even a vetting might miss something serious if the horse has been off. Usually horses in that situation are priced so someone will take a punt and you just accept you're gambling.
 

springtime1331

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I'd still expect a genuine horse to be ok with a little walk under saddle. I bought my 5 year old last summer. She had been sent to the breakers yard for a fortnight in the autumn of her third year. I tried her in the summer of her fourth year - so 9 months later and hopped on and went for a tiny hack behind another horse. She was fine.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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Mmmm, I'm always a bit suspicious TBH of horses "sold from the field" as it always sounds like someone's too lazy to be bothered to prepare the horse for sale!!

But....... sometimes, something's just chucked out because they haven't got the time, or the rider, and it is possible to acquire a gem.

If buying "from the field" I'd expect the horse to be at least halter broken and handle-able on the ground, i.e. will lead quietly without fussing and, hopefully i.e. good-day scenario, will allow feet to be picked up without creating a hoo-hah.

I would expect it to be roughed off & probably unrugged. Feet unshod.

I would be very suspicious to see any saddle marks or other evidence of having recently being ridden, i.e. shod/stud holes etc. That might indicate to my suspicious mind that there are some issues.

Sold "from the field" is just that. You basically pays your money and takes your chance.
 

Polos Mum

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I'd treat him like any other 7y/o just not fit, tack up, little walk round and a few trot strides, lead over spooky stuff etc.
- my big horse had 9 months off while I was pregnant and I tacked him up, lunged for 5 mins then when for little hack - no issue

Def full vetting
 

TarrSteps

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I would also EXPECT a genuine horse to be fine with a little ride around. But I would by no means ASSUME it. If the horse showed me anything I didn't like in the longeing or looked concerned by saddling etc I would not be getting on. Ask me how I learned that one? ;)

My rule is I don't just get on horses for sale I haven't seen ridden. (And I routinely get on horses for work I've never seen ridden.) If i like everything about the horse, the seller lets me take my time, and I keep getting a good feel, I'll likely go ahead but if the horse says 'no' then I listen.

I have had horses like this on trial, with mixed results, but I think that can be a decent solution. In at least one case my client didn't take the horse but the owners kept it once it was going
 

Orangehorse

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It could have been turned out for ridden issues, or soundness issues or just because the owner lost interest, went abroad, to uni, ran out of money and has no rider without paying for livery.

As above, it is a big gamble that may turn out terrific or terrible.
 

milo'n'molly

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Thanks, the story is that the kids ponies take up,all the time and he's never been in full work but is a sensible chap, guess it won't hurt to go and look
 

Fun Times

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I would ask to have it on trial to flush out any issues. The problem with an unfit from the field horse is that both physical and behavioural issues can take a while to show. With my current horse, you can give him time off and the first few times you sit on him again he is fab. Then he remembers that he preferred dossing in his field and chucks a wobbler on about the fourth ride. At least hes predictable!
 

milo'n'molly

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I asked about a trial and got told no, she also wasn't happy about me wanting to take him to my own vet for a vetting or even getting my own vetting done but would supply me with a vet certificate.That is a big no and has put me off so going to see a 3yr old this afternoon instead.
 

muckypony

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I bought my boy from the field. Something I would never have considered doing because, like others have said, there are so many horses chucked in a field because the riding hasnt gone well/owner can't cope.

I asked to sit on him, just to be sure he wasn't a total nut case - he was 5, so at 7 I would fully expect a horse to be sane enough for a little sit. I also picked up his feet, trotted him up etc (just what you'd do when you buy an unbroken youngster).

I bought mine literally from a field, no stables in sight, so I couldn't have him vetted.

Some people are genuine, some aren't. TBH, I don't think that buying a horse from the field is any different to buying a horse in full work nowadays - you can't trust anyone!
 

TarrSteps

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I asked about a trial and got told no, she also wasn't happy about me wanting to take him to my own vet for a vetting or even getting my own vetting done but would supply me with a vet certificate.That is a big no and has put me off so going to see a 3yr old this afternoon instead.

Good decision. :)
 

be positive

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I asked about a trial and got told no, she also wasn't happy about me wanting to take him to my own vet for a vetting or even getting my own vetting done but would supply me with a vet certificate.That is a big no and has put me off so going to see a 3yr old this afternoon instead.

The right decision but exactly what I would expect the sellers to do they are selling from the field for a reason, genuine or otherwise the price will reflect this, or should, having a trial is unrealistic and so is a full vetting I certainly would not expect to take it anywhere or do a 5 stage , buying untried from the field is a big risk and a total gamble if you are not prepared to take that risk walk away and find something that is open to vetting as you are sensibly doing.
 

TarrSteps

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The right decision but exactly what I would expect the sellers to do they are selling from the field for a reason, genuine or otherwise the price will reflect this, or should, having a trial is unrealistic and so is a full vetting I certainly would not expect to take it anywhere or do a 5 stage , buying untried from the field is a big risk and a total gamble if you are not prepared to take that risk walk away and find something that is open to vetting as you are sensibly doing.

I would agree completely. I think you made the right decision, OP, but I can see both sides of it. Buying from a field should involve a low price and a high capacity for risk. ;)

Re vetting, a 5* would be pretty tricky to do properly on a horse in a field, not in work, with limited facilities. Even given the usual caveat that a vetting is only good on the day, I wouldn't put much store in one being done on a horse that isn't doing more or less the level of job I want it for.
 

be positive

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There's no reason a five star vetting can't be done on a sold from the field horse...


There isn't in theory but the point of selling from the field is usually to get rid, at a low price, with a quick hassle free sale, for the purchaser to spend £££s on a 5 stage when buying what is a gamble anyway seems to me to be pointless as so much could be missed because the horse is not in work and cannot be ridden so limited to lunging which may not be enough to show possible issues, it is different to buying an unbacked youngster as it has worked so could have been turned away due to unsoundness under saddle.
 

muckypony

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There's no reason a five star vetting can't be done on a sold from the field horse...

If there is no access to a stable/shelter then a vetting wont or cant be done. I phoned 3 different vets and all refused to do it as they need a dark area to test the eyes. And they also prefer the horse to have been stabled overnight
 

Fides

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If there is no access to a stable/shelter then a vetting wont or cant be done. I phoned 3 different vets and all refused to do it as they need a dark area to test the eyes. And they also prefer the horse to have been stabled overnight

Vet missed a heart murmur on my friends horse and used the excuse that there was nowhere wind free to listen properly
 

Goldenstar

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I bought from the field once a skinny TB very cheap.
I took my friend ( a vet ) we led him to another friends stable did a 'vetting 'he had a ' leg ' I knew that already we trotted up did flexions did circles etc checked eyes and heart did not do the wind bit as he was so thin and poor .
Paid the cash brought him home he worked into his twenties and I sold him to my friend the vet who was with me that day .
He was a grand little chap had the heart of a lion .
 

Polos Mum

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If no stable why not take your trailer with you to the vetting them he can use that for darkness/ wind free area and if he passes hand over your £500 and take him home.

A cheap horse can still have a heart murmer and be able to collapes and break your leg any time - yes if he;s only £500 you've only got that to loose if he's lame and you have to shoot him - but if he falls on you with no warning he could do some serious damage!
 

dieseldog

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I have vetted a horse sold from the field, it was a 2 stage - but the main thing missing is the wind test. Did all the flexion tests. If she wouldn't let you vet it there is something wrong with it. I went and saw a horse that I fell in love with, and they wouldn't let me vet it, not a cheap horse, so I walked away. Wish they told me that before I drove 3 hours to see it. At least she told you first.
 

wench

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If there is no access to a stable/shelter then a vetting wont or cant be done. I phoned 3 different vets and all refused to do it as they need a dark area to test the eyes. And they also prefer the horse to have been stabled overnight

You could say this about any horse that's kept in full work, but lives in a field with no facilties.., what would you do then, big get it vetted?
 

meardsall_millie

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You could say this about any horse that's kept in full work, but lives in a field with no facilties.., what would you do then, big get it vetted?

Under those circumstances it would be reasonable to expect the seller to take the horse somewhere with suitable facilities for the vetting. I wouldn't expect them to do it for a horse being sold from the field.
 
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