Trying new horse-what helps your decision???

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Peanot

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Hi, I hope you all had a great Christmas.
Here is my queerie.
I have been to ride a horse and I liked it very much, schooled it, jumped it etc. Very easy to ride, lovely temperament, shoulder in, flying changes etc. Owner rode it for the first 10 minutes in draw reins, then took them off, and she worked really nicely both before and afterwards. The owner is a good experienced rider and has ridden in foxhunter classes and above and he always rides his horses for 10 mins in draw reins.
Agreed a price - subject to vet.
Luckily it is a friend of a friend that owns it so I was lucky enough to go up again and ride her 4 days later. They havn`t advertised her for sale as her owner has just been diagnosed with illness and can`t ride for 12 months so he was thinking of putting her in foal, but then heard that I was after something and a mutual friend thought that she would be ideal.
This time I rode her, she was a little more difficult. Easy to tack up etc, got on, and rode round the indoor school, same as last time. My son was getting poles out to make a jump and horse was spooking and being a little argumentative - nothing too bad, but settled after about 10 mins and we had some nice work again. She was a little stiff on the left rein especially when I asked her to turn a left bend round the school, and threw in a couple of fly kicks when I tried a flying change from the right to left rein. Flying changes from left to right were spot on. I didnt ride her in draw reins and without a martingale too.
It did give me a few second thoughts but in her defence, she hasnt been ridden for 4 weeks, and is kept in a stable most of the time, so undoubtedly, she may be stiff due to being in all the time and also if she hasnt had any schooling, this would also make her a little less supple. She has competed in unafilliated dressage which she competed with a female rider, (she is shared) and the male show jumped her.
I have watched the video of both days and she looks lovely.
I think with regular work and fittening her up, and having her back done, she will be great. Perhaps I will start off with riding her in draw reins for the first 10 mins like her owner did???
She has done show jumping to a good level but is still just eligible for BN, as the rider goes for clears not rosettes.
If I had gone with the first days thoughts I would most likely have her home by now but the second ride left me with niggly thoughts.
Has anyone else done something similar. Said yes, then had niggles, did you buy the horse? How did it work out?
I suppose I am looking for advice really, as i am a doubting Thomas sometimes.
She is my sort of stamp of a horse, with good breeding, good competition record etc and I did talk to owner 2 days ago and said that I needed to look at another 1 or 2 to compare. They are OK with this, but I have been searching the net, and nothing else has been worth looking at. I dont mean that disrespectfully, but they don`t meat my criteria, with me being tall, and needing something with a bit of bone and with a proven competition record. I did go to see a 16.1hh the day before, which turned out to be nice but not big enough and a little green.
Can anyone offer any advice please???
Thank you.
 
he he, that`s one way to look at it I suppose.
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i think you should do with your gut-it is very difficult trying a new horse....can you imagine yourself having her?
 
Personally, I wouldn't worry too much about little spooks etc after she hadn't been ridden for 4 weeks. It is to be expected that she tries you out a bit at first, and it is good that it is through friends - you know more about the background. Perhaps I am a bit naive though - I have not been through the process.
 
Yes Fran, she is very nice and loving, for a chestnut mare,
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. Easy in the stable and to handle. Owner says good at shows, jumps anything, stands well etc. Seems very genuine, but it is a big step and there have only been another couple that have caught my eye, height, proven record etc.
 
Without doubt get a 5* vetting and if paying over £7k also get x rays done so you can be totally sure. I would want to know that the horse was 100% physically ok.

Personally for me a lot of things would have gone off in my head: Riding a horse they are trying to sell in draw reins just seems odd. I only use draw reins when my older horse is being particularly objectionable and they make him knuckle down much quicker so that the proper work can begin. I would personally be horrified if a horse I was going to buy was being shown to me in draw reins and I would walk away especially if they are a decent rider.

I would ask to hack the horse out. It has been in the arena twice take it out of its comfort zone. Check the horse for dehydration by offering it water once its finished and view it early in the morning to check it has not be ridden once already.

I appreciate they are friends but frankly I can name lots of people that have been stabbed in the back by so called friends selling horses. This is not meant to be neagtive but just be careful.
 
I understand where you are coming from with the draw reins but he always does this, even at shows, its just his way I suppose. He is a show jumper, and a lot of them do this.
I suppose being as it hadnt been worked for a month he wanted me to see what it could work like straight away. She was light in front and using her backend and she didnt look like some horses do when worked in draw reins.
I rode her with nothing on from the start the second time, and she was OK - just a bit nosey as to what the boys were doing. She was just taking a while to accept the bit for a contact, not listening, and spooking on the corner where the jumps are kept. This was only in walk and trot. She may have been testing me out! But after about 10 mins, she settled and worked OK, but still testing me the odd time.
I could probably do with riding her again.
I remember thinking in that first 10 minutes, "I don`t know whether I want her or not" but then afterwards, thinking, "she is really nice though, the nicest one I`ve sat on besides my own, for a long time."
Yes I am having her vetted. But not sure about the x-rays, it seems a little cheeky when they are friends.
Having read this back, it seems like I am persuading myself to buy her doesnt it and having excuses for her every move.... sorry,
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It`s just that I need to be sure as it may be my last horse...
I suppose I am luckier than a lot of people as I have ridden her twice and been there without the owner to spend time with her. Most people ride for an hour and have to decide on that, with the owner present etc.
 
If you change your mind, i have a fab 9yo pre novice eventer/dressage/hunt allrounder 16.2hh with 9inches of bone, forward going but very safe, bombproof, won tons of dressage, O.D.E etc!
 
Personally, I wouldn't touch a horse that was ridden in draw reins as to me (and this is my personal opinion) it can flag the owner/rider as an idiot....
Now, I know that the great and good use draw reins...but it has still been my experience that they are often only used by the riders without feel as a shortcut...
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If its a youngish horse and you liked they way it worked when it was going well, I wouldn't worry about a less than perfect few minutes when you first get on. When you get to know each other and her schooling is more to your liking she will be more consistant. However if she's getting on a bit I would be concerned that her schooling should be further on and also about physical problems. If she's showing signs of arthritis you'd probably be better waiting for something else. I agree with lec that you need a five stage vetting and I'd advise front feet and hock x-rays as well to be on the safe side.
 
I think going with gut instinct is a good thing also will she do what you want? a few paddies here and there are inevitable. Wouldnt worry too much about the draw reins . Ive had horses who have had so much kit on it took longer to tack up than the ride itself! however once I get them it comes off one by one and I find they go much better anyway even with the older more set in thier ways horses.

I suppose the most important thing is do you like her? and as said do you think a bond will form.
 
I go for temperament, ability and history and usually in that order. If they haven't got the temperament then forget the rest unless you are a pro with time on your hands.

As an eventer, I would school, hack and try xc if poss. I just bought one and did all three and knew instantly that all the boxes were ticked and the gut instinct kicked in to say 'yep' without a doubt. This horse was younger than I'd wanted but every box was ticked and his breeding turned out to be immense and he was also impeccably produced. Would have bought in an instant and bit my nails until he was safely on my yard.

IMO never put looks into any decision! This proven producer said to me ' you might not like his colour' and I laughed and said I am way past what colour bay he might be!!
 
if you are looking for a decent jumper, you need brains. if you can get on a horse which hasnt been ridden for a bit, start doing medium dressage and it doesnt blink an eye.... id get off and walk away.

You dont want a robot if you want to do anything over 3ft, you need a horse with brains. these types will test you and are not push button rides.

if you want a push button schoolmaster type she isnt the one, however if you are capable of handling the odd spook and test untill she is warmed up and settled down then as long and it wasnt dangerous then she sounds fine.

besides she's a mare, always going to have more life than a gelding.
 
Thanks to all who replied, and took the time to read my long post.
Lampard102003, her temperament is lovely, she has loads of ability, and she has a good competition history too. I`m sure she will get me back my confidence. He says she hacks out looking after the babies. She is 8 now and TBH I was looking at something no older than 7, but she ticks all the right boxes, and I dont think this person would sell me anything that he didnt think was right for me as he knows what problems I`ve had with my mare with losing confidence etc.
I think the best thing to do would ask him if I could go and ride her again, 20 mins schooling and then a quiet walk down the road. Then I should know if she is right for me for definate, and just book the vet!
 
ah good luck then. If you get that feeling it's all going great go for it as the good ones don't stick about for long. all the very best.

oh and by the way went to a demo with WFP and he was asked the question you ask and oddly enough he named the three things I did and that order too so i think I'm not going far wrong if the great man himself uses this formulae! and ybefore anyone says he's looking for far more than we I agree but our criteria should be the same imo regardless of level of horse you are lookng at.
 
Thank you Lizstuguinness, your reply is much appreciated, and yes you are also correct.
I have been looking round on the internet on all the sites that I know of, and I haven`t seen anything that catches my eye with height, record and stamp and of course price.
thank you
 
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