To buy or not to buy?

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Sauerkraut

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I need some help please!
I am in a dilemma to buy or not to buy :D

The situation: I am riding a lovely cob at the moment from yard owner which is very well schooled and YO is happy for me to do whatever I want with him. I really like him and enjoy riding him BUT I would love to have something on my own and something more ... hmm faster, more athletic and calling my own!?

Anyway, I went to see this Gelding, 12 year TB x, 16 HH, hunted the last 5 seasons and good to clip, box, shoe, live in or out (rugged), doesn't mind if he hasn't been ridden for a few days and so on. He was advertised for £1,000 quick sale due to financial problems. The young girl couldn't even afford to get the farrier out (lost one shoe). Talking to her I heard the whole story that she bought the horse just 2 months ago from the yard she worked for and paid £1.600 for him. The lady who sold him was in her 60's and downsized onto a 14.2 HH horse to get on and off easier :D.
Not getting any calls for £1,600 the girl has dropped the price dramatically to the above mentioned £1,000.

I can take him on a few days or maybe weeks trial, can get him vetted, obviously need to shoe him to try him out riding.

What would you do? Could this be a good bargain to be made? Not that I want to sell him on, I want to keep him and give him a lovely steady home.

Many thanks for your help. I have some welsh cakes for you all :D
 
It all sounds a bit suspicious somehow.... be very wary. That's a dramatic price drop so she's obviously desperate to get rid of him. Good luck though!
 
Two months in and she cant afford to shoe the horse? Crumbs....she didn't really think it through eh!
Ask for a weeks trial. If he is what you need in a horse maybe offer her £800.
He is after all only worth what someone is willing to pay.
Local auctions saw some VERY nice horses go for less than £500 last week....same horses would have been £2k plus a year or so ago.
 
If you really really want a horse and regardless of price he ticks all your boxes, then buy him.
If you are buying him because you are thinking he is a bargain then think twice. I would say about £1k is not considered a bargain in this current market with prices on the floor. If he has hunted 5 seasons (which pack?) then have a good look at his legs etc.

Sounds like a nice horse.

Feel sorry for his current owner though, taking such a financial hit when she can least afford to do so :( Quite a common story at the moment.
 
RebelRebel said:
If you really really want a horse and regardless of price he ticks all your boxes, then buy him.
If you are buying him because you are thinking he is a bargain then think twice. I would say about £1k is not considered a bargain in this current market with prices on the floor. If he has hunted 5 seasons (which pack?) then have a good look at his legs etc.

Sounds like a nice horse.

Feel sorry for his current owner though, taking such a financial hit when she can least afford to do so :( Quite a common story at the moment.
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I know! I feel sorry for her too ... and the horse. Moving yet another yard. I even offered her that she could come and ride the horse in the future once or twice a week as a sharer as we don't live too far away from each other.

I am sooo tempted :D Even hubby surprisingly said try to get him on a lwvtb for a few weeks. And he is not horsey at all :o

Wouldn't the vetting pick up on bad legs from hunting Rebel?
 
Sorry didn't realise you were getting him vetted so yes hopefully any signs of wear and tear will be picked up. Lots of horses hunt for years with no problems so not necessarily a problem :)
 
buy him if you like him - you dont need to shoe him to try him out tbh.
at 12, he probably wont have clean legs esp if he has been hard hunted - but if you like him - does it matter? xx
 
HelloKitty said:
I know! I feel sorry for her too ... and the horse. Moving yet another yard. I even offered her that she could come and ride the horse in the future once or twice a week as a sharer as we don't live too far away from each other.

I am sooo tempted :D Even hubby surprisingly said try to get him on a lwvtb for a few weeks. And he is not horsey at all :o

Wouldn't the vetting pick up on bad legs from hunting Rebel?
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Alarm bells & did she jump at the chance to ride him as a sharer if he is that great?

Wonder what really happened? You could be lucky but if you can trial him and find out. Your slow cob sounds nicer? Is he really slow? Good luck
 
If he is as good as you say and is a good hunter then even in the current climate he is cheap, ask which hunt he followed and ring them up if it is the same one the whole 5 years they will know the horse.

If you like the horse and hes right for you then go ahead do all the background checks and have him vetted.

He does seem very cheap though so go in with your eyes open.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Yes I know which pack he was hunted with and I also get the number of previous owner to have a chat with.

We agreed now that I will take him for a 4 weeks trial and maybe if needed a bit longer if I feel I need to. Want to take him out hunting beginning of October which fits perfect in the trial time.

Now the only problem I have is that my YO who would have been the driver to pick him up had an operation today on his wrist and my Volvo hasn't got a towbar yet ;( . I need to find a transport for thursday or a farrier short notice??!! Or do you think I could walk him home (I guess about 4 miles).
 
TBs are notorious for having soft/bad feet, so be wary of doing that. Couldn't you hire a box or get the farrier to go there?

I think the fact that she is letting you have a month's trial is a good thing.
 
Good idea a self drive, didn't think of that. The issue isn't that I can't drive its just that I haven't got a towbar but hiring a box could work.

And yes Indie the cob is fab but will never be mine. There is another lady riding him once a week and she wound like to do more too. Now a farmers daughter next door will have some riding lesson on him and we have to work out a time plan soon ;)

He can do with all the exercise but I would love to be flexible pm when and where I ride. YO is just too nice to say no to anyone :))))

I will make some phone calls tomorrow to see what I can arrange. Oh I'm getting all excited and bet I can't sleep ;)

Yes must be a good sign to get a 4 weeks trial, isn't it? She knows I'm going to vet him and she is confident he'll pass with no problems. Cross fingers for us please :)))
 
Get him shod, it is better to get her to arrange this [you just give her the cash], and walk him home, provided the roads are not busy, make sure you have him insured from the minute you put his tack on, and go for full insurance, as you don't want anything to go wrong, you can probably ask her to ride him to your place and you walk alongside.
 
Waiting for farrier to get back to me. Wish me luck :D
If I can't get anything sorted for tomorrow I will give the farmer next weeks rent
(starting on Friday, that's why Owner would have liked me to pick him up on Thursday).
I think she is definitely in some financial trouble :(.

Walking him home wouldn't be a problem concerning traffic. We hardly meet anyone on our back roads :D
 
Oh I hope this all works out! This sounds a very similar situation to how my friend got her horse and he really is the best big gentle giant i have ever met he was just caught up in the ex owners situation. Hope to hear how your getting on soon!
 
Farrier didn't get back to me yet
BUT we are picking him up tomorrow at 11.30 am :D
Someone jumped in and is helping us with a vehicle to tow trailer. Love village life, everyone is helping out when you need them.

I will report tomorrow and of course try to make lots of pics :D

Can't sleep again :cool:
 
HelloKitty said:
Farrier didn't get back to me yet
BUT we are picking him up tomorrow at 11.30 am :D
Someone jumped in and is helping us with a vehicle to tow trailer. Love village life, everyone is helping out when you need them.

I will report tomorrow and of course try to make lots of pics :D

Can't sleep again :cool:
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Ohh good luck! I read these posts with interest, glad it's working out for you!
 
Oh good luck! He sounds as though he was an impulse buy for the girl and now the cold reality of finance is kicking in.. With a month's trial you should get a clear idea of what his true nature and ability - they tend to be on best behaviour for the first week.
 
Oh how exciting for you. Best of luck.
I do feel sorry for the girl who has landed up in this position. Two months can make an incredible difference to a persons circumstances. I lost my job and OH lost all overtime in the space of three months cutting our income by half. Luckily we keep the ponies at home and werent left in this sort of predicament. At least the girl will know where he is going and what sort of home which will be a comfort to her

Cant wait for pics
 
"Bud" is home! (I am not sure on the name yet ;) buying a horse in Wales and his name is Bud :D:D)

He was easy to box and journey was okay apart from getting stuck in a lane for a while because next farm had cattle/sheep sale on and the traffic was ridiculous. But well done to Owen who managed to reverse for long stretch being totally out of practice :eek:

Anyway left him in the barn for now and will see him later again to let him go on the field next to the other horses. Hope he will enjoy the company again. He was alone at the farm but came from a bigger livery before.

Through all the excitement I have forgotten to take any pics yet :eek: but here is one on previous farm

Bud.jpg


Found a few marks and scares on chest and legs but I guess that's what you get out hunting :rolleyes:

Only downfall is I still haven't got a date farrier is coming out. Hope he is getting back to me soon so he can get his shoes done and get vetted asap.
 
HelloKitty said:
I need some help please!
I am in a dilemma to buy or not to buy :D

The situation: I am riding a lovely cob at the moment from yard owner which is very well schooled and YO is happy for me to do whatever I want with him. I really like him and enjoy riding him BUT I would love to have something on my own and something more ... hmm faster, more athletic and calling my own!?

Anyway, I went to see this Gelding, 12 year TB x, 16 HH, hunted the last 5 seasons and good to clip, box, shoe, live in or out (rugged), doesn't mind if he hasn't been ridden for a few days and so on. He was advertised for £1,000 quick sale due to financial problems. The young girl couldn't even afford to get the farrier out (lost one shoe). Talking to her I heard the whole story that she bought the horse just 2 months ago from the yard she worked for and paid £1.600 for him. The lady who sold him was in her 60's and downsized onto a 14.2 HH horse to get on and off easier :D.
Not getting any calls for £1,600 the girl has dropped the price dramatically to the above mentioned £1,000.

I can take him on a few days or maybe weeks trial, can get him vetted, obviously need to shoe him to try him out riding.

What would you do? Could this be a good bargain to be made? Not that I want to sell him on, I want to keep him and give him a lovely steady home.

Many thanks for your help. I have some welsh cakes for you all :D
Click to expand...

Hi ya, Id go for it. You have nothing to lose and it could turn out to be the best horse you have ever had. For that money youre not breaking the bank and i think it sounds quite genuine. Regards, Julie.
 
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