The effect on leisure riders of a red-hot horse market…

[maya2008]

Do you think more people will end up with unsuitable horses as a result (because no time to view, buying unseen, not enough money so buying a youngster they wouldn’t have considered when they need an established horse…?).

What do you think the long-term outcome of that will be?

Just musing…we ended up with a (pregnant) feral 2yo because we desperately needed a companion and that was what was available. The 2yo bit I was fine with, and we are dealing with the foal. She has been doing the job I bought her for since arrival so all good there. Only snag is that my husband has decided she is his pet and wants to do all the handling. Good because he fences for her happily, poo picks and does all the day to day stuff. Bad because he has never dealt with anything feral before so it is taking longer than I wanted for her to be easy to handle. Have just bought him a book…!

 

[scruffyponies]

You are making the assumption that inexperienced owners make sensible buying decisions, and would have bought something suitable in a pre-pandemic market. That doesn't reflect my experience.
Previously, the novice was buying themselves a 17hh ISH, properly backed and ridden away. Now it's a 2yo badly bred cob for the same money, sat on once and sold as broken. They're probably more likely to make a decent go of it with the cob.

 

[Santa’s Irish draught]

yeah people will buy unsuitable horses . To be honest it will actually help the market calm down because when they realise it’s not the horse for them they will sell it. Sorry scruffypoinys but there is no way a novice would be able to ride a just broken horse it’s will end in disaster.

 

[PeterNatt]

I believe that theer will be many people purchasing unsuitable horses but this is nothing new as I strongly believe that if you go to any yard you will find that there are a large number of people that are 'over-horsed'.

 

[Widgeon]

Sorry scruffypoinys but there is no way a novice would be able to ride a just broken horse it’s will end in disaster.

I'm not entirely sure this is true - some people do strike it lucky with a nice natured horse and manage to muddle through with a good dose of common sense. One of our riding school ponies I swear was born backed. Although I agree it's probably not advisable.

 

[littleshetland]

Ive met quite a few parents that have thought they'd buy a nice young novice horse for their nice young novice child...and they can learn together. Aaah, how sweet. Cue ambulance sirens.....