Annagain
Well-Known Member
So, Charlie. As you've probably read by now he's on schooling livery and once they've assessed him will be on sales livery. We had a brief discussion about price when I dropped him off to which my answer was "as much as possible but as little as necessary for him to find the right home. I will be guided by them, obviously, but want to have an idea myself as well. He's an 8 yr old, grey, 17hh ISH type (breeding unregistered).
Lovely hack - 100% in traffic, open spaces, goes first or last. Forward but with brakes. I haven't taken him on his own for a while due to my issues but he was going quite happily and is again at livery.
Established on the flat (although doesn't love it - can be a bit lazy). He won his first ever dressage test but I haven't done any more since last year.
Pops a jump happily (I've not gone above 60cm on him due to my nerves but he can definitely do it. I have photos from before me of him jumping much bigger, including huge hedges hunting in Ireland) not done XC with me but I'm sure he'd be fine.
Been to riding club, camp (settled happily away from friends) and fun rides - not bothered by a busy environment or other horses coming and going, would stand on the trailer all day watching the world go by.
Stands on the yard on his own or with others, great to clip, catch, load etc.
Turns out with others (he's on a geldings only yard but no reason to suspect he'd be any different with mares) very friendly loves to play and groom others.
Neither a good nor a poor doer, just keeps a nice weight all year with very little management. Lives out 24/7 in summer and in overnight in winter so happy in or out. Can ride straight from the stable and he's no different.
Teeth, jabs, worming all up to date.
His one big issue is pigs. He will not go past them alone or in front. He'll go past very reluctantly and quite unhappily, behind. Unfortunately they're on a junction we have to pass on 90% of our hacks. This is why I'm selling him - not the pigs per se but they've made us lose confidence in each other and we're not doing each other any good any more.
He has fairly recently been diagnosed with very mild kissing spine - two locations that are a bit close but not actually touching on x-ray. It has been medicated and his vet records will be available to potential buyers and their vets. The vet is confident that with correct work, it shouldn't trouble him in future. He was 100% sound according to the lameness locator technology, he didn't take one lame step during his investigations. The symptoms that led me to investigate were a reluctance to lift his back legs, the right in particular (not in a kicky way but literally all his weight on it and wouldn't lift it) and bucking in canter. It was only ever one buck at a time, which I (a not so confident, 40 something very average rider) could sit. Since being back in work, the bucking has stopped. He is still not 100% with his feet but improving. He's not shod behind at the moment due to this and it coping absolutely fine without shoes. Both issues are fairly recent and before they started he was fine in both respects so I'd expect him to go back to being fine with a bit of work. He might need some light sedation for shoeing for the next few times until he learns it's ok again.
I feel a hunting home would suit him as he's happiest out with others having a jolly old time. Obviously it's the wrong time of year to sell a hunter though! I've done everything wrong in terms of getting the best price for him but we are where we are and I just want the best for him. Having said that, what I do get for him will go towards another so it needs to be as much as possible. Obviously this diagnosis (and its symptoms, which are on their way out, hopefully for good) will reduce the price drastically. I feel, (judging by adverts of similar horses at the moment) that without them he'd probably be a £10k horse. Would £5k therefore be totally unrealistic in this crazy market? The right home is the most important thing - someone who will understand that if either of these things start again in future, he's asking for help and not being naughty - but I'm wary of pricing him too low, attracting someone who thinks they can make a quick profit and him ending up being passed from pillar to post.
Lovely hack - 100% in traffic, open spaces, goes first or last. Forward but with brakes. I haven't taken him on his own for a while due to my issues but he was going quite happily and is again at livery.
Established on the flat (although doesn't love it - can be a bit lazy). He won his first ever dressage test but I haven't done any more since last year.
Pops a jump happily (I've not gone above 60cm on him due to my nerves but he can definitely do it. I have photos from before me of him jumping much bigger, including huge hedges hunting in Ireland) not done XC with me but I'm sure he'd be fine.
Been to riding club, camp (settled happily away from friends) and fun rides - not bothered by a busy environment or other horses coming and going, would stand on the trailer all day watching the world go by.
Stands on the yard on his own or with others, great to clip, catch, load etc.
Turns out with others (he's on a geldings only yard but no reason to suspect he'd be any different with mares) very friendly loves to play and groom others.
Neither a good nor a poor doer, just keeps a nice weight all year with very little management. Lives out 24/7 in summer and in overnight in winter so happy in or out. Can ride straight from the stable and he's no different.
Teeth, jabs, worming all up to date.
His one big issue is pigs. He will not go past them alone or in front. He'll go past very reluctantly and quite unhappily, behind. Unfortunately they're on a junction we have to pass on 90% of our hacks. This is why I'm selling him - not the pigs per se but they've made us lose confidence in each other and we're not doing each other any good any more.
He has fairly recently been diagnosed with very mild kissing spine - two locations that are a bit close but not actually touching on x-ray. It has been medicated and his vet records will be available to potential buyers and their vets. The vet is confident that with correct work, it shouldn't trouble him in future. He was 100% sound according to the lameness locator technology, he didn't take one lame step during his investigations. The symptoms that led me to investigate were a reluctance to lift his back legs, the right in particular (not in a kicky way but literally all his weight on it and wouldn't lift it) and bucking in canter. It was only ever one buck at a time, which I (a not so confident, 40 something very average rider) could sit. Since being back in work, the bucking has stopped. He is still not 100% with his feet but improving. He's not shod behind at the moment due to this and it coping absolutely fine without shoes. Both issues are fairly recent and before they started he was fine in both respects so I'd expect him to go back to being fine with a bit of work. He might need some light sedation for shoeing for the next few times until he learns it's ok again.
I feel a hunting home would suit him as he's happiest out with others having a jolly old time. Obviously it's the wrong time of year to sell a hunter though! I've done everything wrong in terms of getting the best price for him but we are where we are and I just want the best for him. Having said that, what I do get for him will go towards another so it needs to be as much as possible. Obviously this diagnosis (and its symptoms, which are on their way out, hopefully for good) will reduce the price drastically. I feel, (judging by adverts of similar horses at the moment) that without them he'd probably be a £10k horse. Would £5k therefore be totally unrealistic in this crazy market? The right home is the most important thing - someone who will understand that if either of these things start again in future, he's asking for help and not being naughty - but I'm wary of pricing him too low, attracting someone who thinks they can make a quick profit and him ending up being passed from pillar to post.
He may not be lame but for whoever takes him on, he'll be uninsurable for the KS (and with it being so recent, there's no 'proof' of longevity of current treatment) which is a gamble for the buyer.
