LankyDoodle
Well-Known Member
Hmmm.
So I find it incredibly hard buying horses/turning people down etc. I've been shown lots of lovely horses recently, but have to be realistic about the size of horse I need.
To be honest, it's really my husband that should be having the new horse because our mare was his ride. George is mine. He's seen a few that have given him back his sparkle but they've either been sold or inappropriate.
Our friends, who own the yard where we go on holiday in Cornwall, are selling their very well bred warmblood (pics on my post last night). He's very lovely from the ground, has great paces, very goodin traffic (but his bulk does make me feel more vulnerable) and generally a nice horse with oodles of potential at just turned 7. He has sweet itch which I feel I could control better than it is being controlled at the moment; and he had a splint a few years ago which was treated. He is 17.2hh and as such, I initially had trouble getting up there, but it's not so bad after practice! He has been seen to chew very occasionally, which worries me. He needs some practice with loading as, although he goes up easily, he can't work out the turning part of it! He would take me easily and I know our friends would never lie about anything to us, so we know his history, he's registered and we know it's all genuine.
He could be the sort of horse to help me do the things I want to do, like riding club, a bit of dressage and then who knows... George is great for hacking and hunting and will school and pop a jump or two, but he's getting on a bit and he hasn't got that potential.
The thing is, I am so so torn. This horse is not such a great hack as George - he's safe and very balanced, but get him off road and he tends to stumble more and he can be spooky (although he doesn't do a lot, just moves to the side unless it's major and then he spins which is a shock as he's so big!). His feet aren't in great nick but he hasn't had a lot of attention given to him; and there's the sweet itch and the chewing and the loading and the fact that whenever we go back down there on holiday he would never feel like my horse.
I didn't set out wanting a warmblood; I wanted an Irish Draught or another cob like George - good conformation, plenty of bone, honest, safe but forward going... and I know my husband really doesn't dig this horse as much as he makes out (because he knows I want to do a bit more than hack). I love the horse on the ground, feel great when I am up there, he's sweet, kind, willing, amazing potential, great breeding, but I'm nervous about committing, and they've given us until about now to make our minds up or else they are going to readvertise. I had him on pretty much a free trial for 18 days so I know all about his quirks and his little ways. I know he's a fabulous horse and that no horse is perfect (George was a nightmare initially), but what if it's a massive mistake? If it was a random horse, I could sell him on; but because he is a friend's horse, selling him might upset them.
I guess I know that we match - he can take me, I can handle him, he will allow me to try out different things that George won't. But on the sly, despite my yearning for more, I think I'm secretly a happy hacker who wants to hunt, hack and do the other stuff on the side. This horse would do all the other stuff and hacking on the side if that makes sense. He certainly won't make a good hunter. But we have such little time to make a decision; we have a yard waiting on our decision to move there and how many horses we are taking.
The thing for us is that we know what we are getting with this horse, have had a great opportunity to try him out and he's a quality horse with a few very low key issues. You go on these websites like horsemart and it's like a flippin' minefield: who's telling the truth? Who's a dealer and saying they are private? Really scary stuff.
Because George is a cob, some people, like our friends, I feel tend to laugh at us; and her riding instructor who gave me a lesson on the potential horse, said to me 'as you move away from George to a quality horse, you will notice...', and to be honest that really upset me. George now respects and trusts me, yes he can be stubborn and he's forward going, perfect in traffic, safe, a sure-footed hack and can hunt all day. He scrubs up nicely in the show ring and will pop a little jump at home. He loads well now and is viceless. To me, he is quality.
I just don't know what to do. I do want another horse and this horse is amazing, but what if it is all wrong and it all goes t!ts up? What if I decide hacking with him really isn't 'happy' at all, because he's so cumbersome and stumbly off road... Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
So I find it incredibly hard buying horses/turning people down etc. I've been shown lots of lovely horses recently, but have to be realistic about the size of horse I need.
To be honest, it's really my husband that should be having the new horse because our mare was his ride. George is mine. He's seen a few that have given him back his sparkle but they've either been sold or inappropriate.
Our friends, who own the yard where we go on holiday in Cornwall, are selling their very well bred warmblood (pics on my post last night). He's very lovely from the ground, has great paces, very goodin traffic (but his bulk does make me feel more vulnerable) and generally a nice horse with oodles of potential at just turned 7. He has sweet itch which I feel I could control better than it is being controlled at the moment; and he had a splint a few years ago which was treated. He is 17.2hh and as such, I initially had trouble getting up there, but it's not so bad after practice! He has been seen to chew very occasionally, which worries me. He needs some practice with loading as, although he goes up easily, he can't work out the turning part of it! He would take me easily and I know our friends would never lie about anything to us, so we know his history, he's registered and we know it's all genuine.
He could be the sort of horse to help me do the things I want to do, like riding club, a bit of dressage and then who knows... George is great for hacking and hunting and will school and pop a jump or two, but he's getting on a bit and he hasn't got that potential.
The thing is, I am so so torn. This horse is not such a great hack as George - he's safe and very balanced, but get him off road and he tends to stumble more and he can be spooky (although he doesn't do a lot, just moves to the side unless it's major and then he spins which is a shock as he's so big!). His feet aren't in great nick but he hasn't had a lot of attention given to him; and there's the sweet itch and the chewing and the loading and the fact that whenever we go back down there on holiday he would never feel like my horse.
I didn't set out wanting a warmblood; I wanted an Irish Draught or another cob like George - good conformation, plenty of bone, honest, safe but forward going... and I know my husband really doesn't dig this horse as much as he makes out (because he knows I want to do a bit more than hack). I love the horse on the ground, feel great when I am up there, he's sweet, kind, willing, amazing potential, great breeding, but I'm nervous about committing, and they've given us until about now to make our minds up or else they are going to readvertise. I had him on pretty much a free trial for 18 days so I know all about his quirks and his little ways. I know he's a fabulous horse and that no horse is perfect (George was a nightmare initially), but what if it's a massive mistake? If it was a random horse, I could sell him on; but because he is a friend's horse, selling him might upset them.
I guess I know that we match - he can take me, I can handle him, he will allow me to try out different things that George won't. But on the sly, despite my yearning for more, I think I'm secretly a happy hacker who wants to hunt, hack and do the other stuff on the side. This horse would do all the other stuff and hacking on the side if that makes sense. He certainly won't make a good hunter. But we have such little time to make a decision; we have a yard waiting on our decision to move there and how many horses we are taking.
The thing for us is that we know what we are getting with this horse, have had a great opportunity to try him out and he's a quality horse with a few very low key issues. You go on these websites like horsemart and it's like a flippin' minefield: who's telling the truth? Who's a dealer and saying they are private? Really scary stuff.
Because George is a cob, some people, like our friends, I feel tend to laugh at us; and her riding instructor who gave me a lesson on the potential horse, said to me 'as you move away from George to a quality horse, you will notice...', and to be honest that really upset me. George now respects and trusts me, yes he can be stubborn and he's forward going, perfect in traffic, safe, a sure-footed hack and can hunt all day. He scrubs up nicely in the show ring and will pop a little jump at home. He loads well now and is viceless. To me, he is quality.
I just don't know what to do. I do want another horse and this horse is amazing, but what if it is all wrong and it all goes t!ts up? What if I decide hacking with him really isn't 'happy' at all, because he's so cumbersome and stumbly off road... Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
