Too good to be true? Advice needed..

[doolally_tap]

I'm viewing a horse tomorrow (weather dependent), the advert went like this:

"Bay Gelding 15.2hh, 16 years old, has done all pc activities, sj, xc, easy to load, farrier & in traffic. No stable vices, looking for new home as owner giving up riding, does not need to be a competitive home, just kind. Best suited to confident rider"

The price is £900!!

I know he's slightly older than average - but does this sound too good to be true?

On speaking to the owner she says he's priced at that because of his age. She says he's sane and sensible but has his fizzy moments hence the need for a confident rider. She says she has had him for nearly five years and he has never bucked or reared or tried to tank off.

I stupidly forgot to ask what bit he is ridden in and whether he has a martingale or what type of noseband - but I'll be speaking to her tomorrow to confirm the viewing so can find that out then.

She says he has not had any health problems or any periods of lameness. He is still ridden regularly and loves jumping.

The type of horse I am looking for is something sane and sensible (I'm 38 years old, I don't want to end up ditched on the ground for no good reason), just for lighting hacking, a little bit of schooling, maybe popping over a small fence. Therefore I feel an 'older' horse would be more suited to me.

Any comments/advice would be really appreciated.

 

[rema]

Sounds a nice sort.It would seem that a good home is more important than price!.Good luck viewing.

 

[kick_On]

i think it's all summed up in statement

'Best suited to confident rider'

At this point you must be honest with your abilty- and if you want sane - why go and ride something that need confident rider - i only ask question - or it is price???

 

[sikaran]

He sounds worth a look at that price. Maybe find out which PC he went to so you can make some enquiries about him. Good luck.

 

[Paint it Lucky]

He does sound nice and well suited to what you want. The price is a bargain, but in fairness she couldn't ask more than about £1500 for him at his age as he hasn't done anything amazing. I would go and see him, check he hasn't got arthritis or any injuries which may explain the low price. But it may just be she genuinely wants a nice home for him and isn't interested in trying to make lots of money off him.

 

[doolally_tap]

I am a confident rider - but I lead the type of lifestyle whereby I don't want to take unnecessary risks - ie. take on a horse that is a bit of a nutter!! I'm approaching 40 (far too fast), and have two young children who need their mummy to much for her to get injured!

 

[kick_On]

i think you answered your question, as IMO price does reflection attitude, but not harm in looking BUT what may not be a problem for some people can be huge problem for others -

I personnel would be wary- i hope he suits

 

[Gucci_b]

I no some one that is selling a nice 16.2 dark bay TB mare for that same kind of money with tack, and a home is definitely more important than money, she does not have any time for the horse with work ect ect, she also had her horse for about 4/5 yrs

 

[pidgeypony]

Look at what the advert doesn't say. can you catch it in the first place? Good luck

 

[doolally_tap]

Good point! lol

I am planning to ask the owner to leave the horse in the field for when I come and then I'll go with her to catch him. I would then like her to bring him inside so I can see his stable manners, etc.

Will update you all tomorrow night after I've seen him.

This is such a big deal for me - first horse I've viewed for years. It's been such a long time since I've had my own horse, so it will be a learning curve for me.

 

[Blizzard]

There are bargains out there, yes it pays to be overly wary, there are so many liars around, but bargains do exist.

Just try to find out to what extent he needs a confident rider, I generally assume the horse can be a handful, perhaps not what you want if you are wanting a leisurely hack, but at the same time Ive heard of owners put 'needs a confident rider', just because the horse can spook occasionally!

Good luck and let us know how you get on! also check he is actually 16, ask to see passport, its hard to age horses of the 16-20 age group accurately,

 

[dozzie]

Sounds ok to me!! At 16 they are difficult to sell unless absolutely fantastic. Id Just make sure you ride him out on a hack to make sure you feel happy with his fizziness!!! It wouldnt worry me so long as I felt safe in traffic, but I dont have children so dont understand the feeling of needing to be safe for them, if you know what I mean!!

Id give him a good trial if I were you. At this age he wont sell quickly. But it is not old!!!!

Its just that insurance companies think they are!!

 

[wench]

I wouldnt be to put off by "needs confident rider".

I could say that about my horse, if you put a nervous/new rider on him the crafty so and so either tanks of with you round the school (about 3 laps), or if out hacking spooks at everything starts walking backwards and turning towards homw. However once he has had five minutes of this hes ace

 

[doolally_tap]

I've rang the owner again today as it's still damp and dreary outside and I really don't think it would be a productive viewing in the rain, so I may have to leave it till the weekend.

Asked her lots more questions about the horse and one of the answers has my 'nutter alert' radar going. Please forgive my complete ignorance in all things bit-related - but she said he's currently ridden in a gag. She says he can be ridden for general school and flatwork in a snaffle, but for jumping and hacking she puts him in a gag.

She says he's fully sound and has had no periods of lameness and shows no signs of arthritus. He hasn't had laminitus or colic to her knowledge.

 

[PapaFrita]

I jump PF in a gag; means I have instant response with a much lighter contact. I'd rather see a horse ridden sympathetically in a gag than hauled around in a snaffle.

 

[Blizzard]

It wouldnt worry me at all that he is ridden in a gag.
People are too obsessed with 'snaffle mouth', a snaffle can be a harsh bit , espec in heavy hands, I would rather use a gag or pelham and have a responsive horse, than play tug of war in a snaffle.

Beau our bay is ridden in a plain single joint snaffle, Lance our black one, is in a cheltenham gag, I hardly ever need to use it, but for fast work, jumping or fizzyness out hacking I need it, he is a strong horse and I would rather be safe knowing I could stop, than have my shoulders ripped out because I wanted him in a snaffle.

Lots of horses are ridden in gags to XC, so if he sounds great in every other way, go and try him!

Just be sure to try him out in as many situations as you can, ie everything you want to be doing with him.

Good Luck!

 

[Nari]

There's a nice teenage cob at my yard that's ridden in a cheltenham gag. I didn't know this when I first took him out & just put him in a french link (YO's instructions on which bridle weren't clear) & had no problems, in fact I rode him the whole summer in the FL & he was fine even when cantered out in a group. It turns out he had a gag because he was sometimes ridden by little kids &/or novices who didn't have a strong enough position (or were just too tiny!) to deal with a forward going cob but with a halfway competent rider he could be ridden in anything. If I'd known he was always ridden in a cheltenham gag I'd nbever have taken him out the first tie & I'd have missed out on a lot of fun on a perfectly sane & safe hack (far far saner & safer than my own snaffle mouthed horse!!)