Trying a horse (to buy) with a neck strap

At the yard where I have lessons, they sometimes have horses in to sell. They would put a neck strap on in case the potential buyer is not quite such a good rider as they claim to be. If you are concerned, you could always ask why they are doing it.
 
Nope. They have no idea what kind of rider you are and I am sure I would rather someone 'better safe than sorry' when trying a horse out than 'lets wait and see'.
 
WFP uses a neckstrap :p

What scares me more is if they automatically put side reins on or utter the phrase "oh his curb needs to be much tighter than that!"
 
Agree with above - I'd be reassured they were putting a neck strap on, horses will always react differently to new riders so if it does play up at least you have something to hang on to.

I'd be more worried if I turned up to view a horse and it had every gadget under the sun on it... if it goes in a snaffle and no martingale - happy days
 
I think its quite reasonable. You can get some real novices turning up to try your horse, if they feel unseated I would rather they grabbed at a neckstrap than the reins.

I might be tempted to pre-empt any comment from the prospective buyer by saying something like "I don't normally ride with a neckstrap but I know it can feel strange riding a new horse so I'm going to pop one on just incase you feel you want one".
 
I bought a horse who wore a neck strap.
If the buyer couldnt understand the reason then perhaps they are not as serious/experienced as they made themselves out to be?
My other thought is was it just a neckstrap or did you have a martingale or breastplate too? If the horse had had that type of tack then yes it would make me wary..
 
Darkly_Dreaming_Dex said:
My other thought is was it just a neckstrap or did you have a martingale or breastplate too? If the horse had had that type of tack then yes it would make me wary..
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A running martingale would make you wary? In an ideal world I wouldn't use one but Lil has one on at the moment because she has a tendency to go like a crazed giraffe when she sees something exciting. She had one on when i bought her but it didn't concern me as she was sold as a project rather than an expensive schoolmaster. I'd be far more concerned about the bit or noseband that a horse came in than a loosely fitting running martingale with a snaffle.
 
I think DDD meant if it had a martingale/breastplate AND a neckstrap ;)

After all, there is already an 'oh ****' handle there in the form of a martingale/breastplate, so why does it need a neckstrap too.....
 
I would be happier if they did so. They are taking both you and the horse into consideration. In honesty, a lot of people lie about their ability and I would rather a potential purchaser feeling insecure grab that as opposed to the horses mouth... I rode my own girlie with a neck strap for nearly a year. Now I have a hunting breastplate as it doesn't slip down her neck. I've needed it once in 5 years, but I know its there and that makes me feel happier, as you never know when you might need it... and I would rather grab that than her mane. :)
 
I was most unchuffed when I turned up to see my boy and there WASN'T a neck strap. I'm not the best rider (and very first to admit it) and I would have liked the reasurance of the strap just in case he tanked or did summin worse.

My guy needs a breastplate so I end up with a neck strap thing anyway - Wasn't one of these and the potential buyer didn't spot it?
 
I am a big fan of neck-straps and balance straps, even if you never ever grab them, its nice to know they are there just in case of pheasants (my great bugbear!). if i was buying and saw the seller put a neckstrap on the horse, i might question it in a pleasant way - a sort of "am i going to need that, ha ha" sort of way. It wouldnt really bother me one way or the other though.

If you were the seller and a buyer turned up with their OWN neckstrap, would you be worried?
 
SpottedCat said:
I think DDD meant if it had a martingale/breastplate AND a neckstrap ;)

After all, there is already an 'oh ****' handle there in the form of a martingale/breastplate, so why does it need a neckstrap too.....
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Thanks SC thats exactly what i meant :) i wouldnt be put off by ANY martingale/bit etc as long as the horse went well in it.

eg. We tried Dex in a snaffle and all 14.3hh of it bogged off with my experienced husband. I went back the following day with a pelham and because he was better- i bought him.

OP:
"Was a very basic snaffle bridle, a neck strap and a saddle. Nothing else. "

That sounds absolutely fine- IMHO buyer was either a muppet or a chancer trying to knock the price down if they were offended by that turnout.
 
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