The grey cob with the big head has turned up :)

[Wishfilly]

I didn't anticipate such a reaction when posting it or I might not have done. Nor that people were so down on RS. I just thought people might like to know given that he had his own thread. I should have picked one of the photo ones, like how giant his hooves are.

I'm not blaming you at all! If people on the forum were interested in him, then it's nice to know where he's ended up.

FWIW, I know quite a few riding schools where the horses/ponies have a home for life (even if they need retiring) and where the owners are sympathetic and kind.

It's also very unlikely he'll be ridden by students before the age of 5 at least, due to insurance reasons!

 

[Wishfilly]

It's not about any riding school being bad. It's about it being their job to be ridden by many different people a week, especially beginners, who with the best will in the world will make mistakes.

I couldn't sell any horse I owned into a riding school. Given a choice between a good private home and a good riding school it would just have to be the good private home.
.

I fully accept there are horses that don't thrive in an RS environment, but some seem genuinely quite happy about it. In the vast majority of riding schools, they will be owned by someone ultimately competent and looked after by competent staff. Many will have a home for life, and not be passed around unsuitable homes. They'll often get turned out in a herd, and given time off if they need it.

People have to learn to ride somewhere, and unless you think riding should only be limited to those with horsey family, riding schools need to exist. I don't accept it's inherently a bad life for a horse. Of course, there will be riding schools that aren't great, but there are lots of private homes/owners that aren't great too.

Fair enough you wouldn't choose it for a horse you owned- that's your choice, obviously, but I can think of far worse fates for a horse.

 

[Flicker]

It’s interesting, because I would imagine that the standard response to a cheeky FB post asking if anyone has a horse for someone to ride would be ‘go to a riding school and pay like everyone else does’. And yet, here people are saying that they’re bad. Where do people learn to ride, if not at a riding school (my previous post notwithstanding of course)?

 

[Red-1]

I love him!

Love the way he is ridden too.

Love their plan for him to do time and strengthening.

Love that the rider already has plans to steal him for dressage.

 

[[59668]]

I actually think he looks lovely with some potential to have nice paces. Love a cob. He just looks green and unbalanced
I really like him!

 

[Tiddlypom]

Good riding schools which took great care of their horses are closing around here - thinking of Foxes and Berriewood. They couldn’t make it pay.

Looking at the RS where the grey has ended up, they have immediate access to what looks like fab off road quiet hacking, which will be ideal for this big gorgeous lump of a lad as he strengthens.

 

[ycbm]

.

 

[ycbm]

One of these cobs needs an mri. The school will pay for it no question. A lot of private homes wouldn’t.

And there are other schools which wouldn't. Just like the private homes, in fact, in respect of paying for very expensive vet treatment.
.

 

[ycbm]

I don't accept it's inherently a bad life for a horse. .

That's good, because I never said it was.

It’s interesting, because I would imagine that the standard response to a cheeky FB post asking if anyone has a horse for someone to ride would be ‘go to a riding school and pay like everyone else does’. And yet, here people are saying that they’re bad. Where do people learn to ride, if not at a riding school (my previous post notwithstanding of course)?

But nobody has said they are bad. All anyone has said is that they would have wished for a good private home for this fugly lad so he never had to teach heavy beginners, (eventually), which is what he seems to have been bought for. Of course we all have to learn somewhere.
.

 

[rabatsa]

Riding school or not I think teaching beginner riders will be in the distant future for this horse. Until then he will be allowed to grow and balance himself with a balanced rider.

 

[Rowreach]

.

Ooh, now I'm wondering what you said in reply to me that you felt the need to delete

 

[CanteringCarrot]

But really, we have no idea. He could (could!) end up teaching beginners, maybe even heavier beginners. He could end up in the dressage ring with a single rider. Another rider, maybe even one from the RS might take a liking and do a share or even purchase him. Who. Knows.

I think if I were the owner, I'd be a wee bit salty. She just bought the horse and already people are judging and speculating.

But it is the internet I suppose. People are entitled to their opinions.

 

[ihatework]

Whatever he ends up doing I wish him luck, he looks a really honest kind soul.

I still can’t quite get over his head ?

 

[Scarlett]

Totally agree. I think the rider is doing a pretty good job for the first ride on a big unbalanced 4 year old! He looks very sweet but it must be like riding a ship in rough sea at the moment!

The more I watch him, the more I like him... and he’s totally not my normal type.

This. Yes, obviously the ideal is hacking out in big straight lines and walking up hills, and I'm sure he'll get that eventually as his new owner is clearly no idiot, but the videos are a first ride, on a big wobbly baby. He looks fine. Also, why wouldn't she sit on him and see what she has bought? 15 min trying a trot and maybe a canter round the arena in a controlled fashion won't make all his legs fall off, but it will give his rider an idea of where he is and what he needs to progress.

He's cute, not my type but I like him!

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

I’m not sure if take any new 4 year old out for a hack the first time I rode them ....

I had to do this with my latest purchase. 4 year old from Ireland, bought unseen and straight out on a hack alone, because I don’t have a school. Terrifying ??
But he was fine..!

Nice to see the big cob ended up ina good home

 

[IrishMilo]

He's gorgeous. He would go very nicely with my 14.2 bucket-head Connie.

As for the negative comments - of course he looks green and unbalanced. He's a bloody huge 4 year old in an arena for the first time.

 

[Shilasdair]

Whatever he ends up doing I wish him luck, he looks a really honest kind soul.

I still can’t quite get over his head ?

I reckon he won't mature until about 6 or 7 years old - and he'll grow into his head. His whole frame is still immature.

He's lovely though - glad he's got an educated and sympathetic home.

 

[doodle]

And there are other schools which wouldn't. Just like the private homes, in fact, in respect of paying for very expensive vet treatment.
.

but you wrote off riding schools as not as good as a private home. There are good and bad riding schools and good and bad private homes. In this case the bad riding school is paying for expensive treatment which a lot of good private homes wouldn’t.

Im not saying a riding school is a suitable home for all horses. It’s not. What I was trying to say is not all poor riding school horses only have beginners bouncing round of them all of the time. Yes at times they do but at time’s they go be eventing.

I just really dislike the attitude that riding schools are terrible places for horses.

 

[ycbm]

I just really dislike the attitude that riding schools are terrible places for horses.

So do I.
.