Viewed a potential pony at a show and...

L

Lowen Ki

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 June 2011
Messages
166
Visit site
To be perfectly honest it hasn't helped me at all - in fact now I'm more confused!

Owner took him to a big, busy showjumping competition (not to jump - but as a companion for her other horse) and I went along to watch his manners. On the lorry etc he was very quiet and when ridden around the lorry park he was a bit goggly but not spooky or jumpy and behaved rather well.

Then she rode him into the collecting arena (cue six year old 14.2 pony outnumbered by about 30 1.40m horses warming up!). He walked in confidently enough, but bucked a bit when he went into trot - they had warned me about this and i'll give my concerns about that later. After two laps of the warm up he spooked at something from a walk & basically just stopped dead, rider went out the front door! Poor girl I felt for her it must have been embarrasing.

a) Was this all a bit too much & never going to show me him in a true light?
b) Is the bucking due to the fact that he wears a different saddle every time I see him - none of which have been fitted to him? Or that he's obviously quite fresh as only gets turnout two days per week?
c) Do I take it as a positive that he wasn't badly behaved (just a bit 'looky' with one spook?) and I'd never actually want to take him anywhere as busy as that?!

I've asked to see him out again as I'm concerned about the bucking... I'm a bit disappointed because I was expecting to see the pony live up to his sales spiel - a 'doesn't put a foot wrong' description. Although to be fair they have been honest about the bucks.

Interested in your thoughts ladies as I'm in a bit of a turmoil about this one and after my ride on him last week I was really confident he'd be right for me. I really don't want to buy anything that's going to be problematic though. Green is absolutely fine, but so long as they have the right forward thinking attitude to develop and gain confidence.
 
Lowen Ki said:
Interested in your thoughts ladies as I'm in a bit of a turmoil about this one and after my ride on him last week I was really confident he'd be right for me. I really don't want to buy anything that's going to be problematic though. Green is absolutely fine, but so long as they have the right forward thinking attitude to develop and gain confidence.
Click to expand...

When you rode him, you liked him by the sounds of it. You've now seen him feeling fresh in a very busy environment - so you'll have pretty much seen him at his worst. If his worst is a stop dead spook in walk (and if that's all it was, it doesn't really reflect on the horse that the rider went out the front door - if he did genuinely only stop, not spin) - I wouldn't describe him as problematic ;)

The bucking is an issue, but it depends what you mean. It obviously didn't unseat a rider that was then unseated by a spook in walk, so it can be really serious, really means business bucking. Ride him again yourself, get him out for a hack if you can so you can take him for a blast which will invite bucks if they're going to come and then make your decision, with a vetting to check for underlying problems possibly causing the bucking if you decide to go for it.
 
If you were mostly happy with him, go visit him again, if things are a bit slow sales wise, they should not mind you having a few visits to be sure

I always tell people when I am selling (not often) that I don't mind how many visits thy make to try, because I know how hard it is to make a decision on one ride

he does not sound like he was really naughty, but would think you should find out a bit more about the bucking
 
If this pony is for a child, I wouldn't go any where near. All of my ponies with any child would behave better than this.
If its for you and you think its bad tack, management and the price is right then with your eyes open perhaps tempting, but if it turns out to be s**t it will be the devil to sell on.
 
OK
The pony is green? Yes. Possibly a bit more green at shows I know my 6 year old is. She took him in to a warm up that at local level you are never likely to see. The pony was a bit looky? What green pony isnt? But he was very quiet and well mannered on the lorry, I think that says loads about him and would take it as a positive. The pony stopped to look at something, there is a lot worse a pony could do and I think this kind of spook is actually rather promising as it means he was looking and thinking rather than running away in panik. The girl was unlucky/ what ever else you want to call it and fell off, it happens and the pony delt with it without freaking out, again I think this says lots for him temprement now you know what he is like in this situation. The bucking, have you had a look at the saddle fit? It would be a good idea to see what it is like so you can see if the saddle is likely to be making the bucking worse. I have found that young horses are particulaly sensitive to saddle fit. You have seen him when he was a bit nervous and he bucked a few times, bucking is dealable with and if he is young it is possibly just a phase, again my 6 year old went through it and now hasnt bucked for months. Good luck with your decision I personally would give him a chance as I think he sounds like a nice green pony that just needs a bit of expiereance and some one to hold his hand a bit so to speak untill he is more confident.
 
Thanks everyone. I did really like him to ride, and I liked his manners in the stable and on the lorry - it's very important to me to have a nicely natured horse as I'm trying to get my confidence back. I suppose I just want to make sure that I'm not going to buy another horse that I'll end up losing my confidence with again - green is fine so long as they're not dangerous with it! I'm a very cautious person and just want to make the right decision. I've looked at a couple of other things and compared to competition/training experience in the past 12 months I could argue that the pony is overpriced as it has only been out from the yard a couple of times. If the price was lower I probably would be more keen. I think I'm going to ask my OH to come and meet the pony once he's back in the country at the end of the week - and maybe see him out again as I think she mentioned he would go to a PC dressage in a fortnight.


I suppose as long as I get the vet to specifically look for causes of the bucking I'll be better informed. I don't know for certain that it's the tack/management that is causing it, I'm just looking for excuses really! He has been in a different saddle every time I've seen him so it did seem like a possible cause. Plus I know that my 8 year old mare is a nightmare if she's been in for days at a time, bucking would definitely be the result!
 
I would ask why he is in a different saddle everytime tobehonest. I also think that the bucking issue would bother me if I had lost my confidence. Had the owners said that the saddle doesnt fit him?

Saying that only you know how you feel.
 
Hi Kaylum, the owner just runs a big busy yard with lots of horses that she competes but she happens to have inherited this pony from a previous livery. I don't think he'll ever have had his own saddle since being there - and they were very open about the fact that the saddle I tried him in didn't fit him particularly well. The little chap just seem to wear whatever is going I think. It does bother me a bit, but am I just expecting too much? Many people have advised me that 6 years olds just buck sometimes, I'm wondering if perhaps it's too much to ask that he's completely faultless - and if he was I probably couldn't afford him lol! x
 
Last edited:
Well then LK if you think its right for you. Just make sure you get a vetting done. Any horse at any age can buck a few times I guess. Hope everything works out for you.
 
It's nice of the owner to let you tag along.

If you like him, try him again but its very important to remember that horses can act differently with different riders/situations. What you see now does not necessarily mean that's what you'll end up with - if that makes sense!
 
He sounds a great pony, and if the odd bit of bucking doesn't bother u then dont be put off. Chances are it will stop once he's a properly fitting saddle, regular turnout and work, he may also need to grow up a bit.
The 5 and 6 year olds at my yard all buck, but its all playful ones, the type my granny could have sat, my 5 year old does it and my 9 year old daughter rides him and just laughs at him x
 
Our mare (who is going to a lovely happy hacker home next weekend!)has had some massive meltdowns at competitions where she's practically throwing herself on the floor and the collection ring has to be cleared to let her through and you have to mount in the ring because she won't go through the gate so if I saw a horse behaving as you've described I'd feel well happy with him, but then my expectations are quite low :D
 
With a correctly fitting saddle and some more hours in the field I think you'll find he'll be a different pony. :)

What sort of bucks are they? Excitement/ nastiness/ pain?

Excitement and pain bucks are perfectly acceptable imo but nastiness bucks are a big no no! TBH a 6yo amongst horses warming up for a large show is a big test and I think you've probably seen him at his worst. :)
 
No one else seems to have suggested that you take a knowledgable friend with you to see this pony. Or do you have an instructor that knows your riding ability who could assess the pony for you. Does your OH know much about ponies or are just relying on him for character judgement of the pony?
 
I'm going to be the prophet of doom, and say that you don't sound quite right for this horse.

Even if you aren't going to be going to as big scale shows as this, doesn't mean the pony won't do it at smaller shows. Spookiness with a not totally confident rider can escalate, and you say that you need to get your confidence back and be sure of things... not good on a sharp youngster. If the price is also on the high side, keep looking. Find yourself something that will bring you on, not set you back.

If you are determined, get someone more experienced to come along and have a ride to see what they think.
 
Ditto Charmeroo, take somebody who'll know if these are nasty bucks or bunny hops in the eys of somebody who hasn't had a confidence knock.

Personally I wouldn't be too worried from the way you've described everything, in that I have a pony at work who I would have to sell saying 'he does buck in canter'. Yes he can, and does. He's 26 and literally bounces in canter, flying changing when he fancies and having a bounce and boing. He is also the comfiest horse to canter ever, I put kids who are stuggling not to bounce in canter on him, and in the 5 years I've been teaching with him I have never, ever had anybody fall off him. He is a Saint. But he does like a hop!
 
Honey08 said:
I'm going to be the prophet of doom, and say that you don't sound quite right for this horse.

Even if you aren't going to be going to as big scale shows as this, doesn't mean the pony won't do it at smaller shows. Spookiness with a not totally confident rider can escalate, and you say that you need to get your confidence back and be sure of things... not good on a sharp youngster. If the price is also on the high side, keep looking. Find yourself something that will bring you on, not set you back.

If you are determined, get someone more experienced to come along and have a ride to see what they think.
Click to expand...

sorry but I have to agree. A 6yr old pony is still young in the mind and I really dont hink its something to 'build' confidence on as the pony at that age needs confidence from the rider not the other way round. Get yourself a nice little steady cob a little older and then when you are feeling more confident, then look to get something like this.
 
Go again

Someone gave me some good advice the other day and said if it doesnt tick your boxes forget it. Ex jockey said dont just buy something for the sake of it. AND as I am on 14 viewing and going up I need to remind myself of this.

Agree go and see it again and see if you still feel the same and take someone else to view to get another angle on it. That your heart isnt ruling your head etc

Good luck personally if there is a doubt your gut instinct will be correct. It might be great on the ground etc but the saddle thing....?excuse? Sorry not an expert but...?
 
Another thing to think of doing if you do go and watch it at another show is get on it in the collecting ring yourself when he is on his toes and see if you feel safe on him when he is spooky... It will answer all your questions one way or another rather than just watching him with someone else riding at a show...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top