Viewing a horse to buy... Tips and pointers please

C

Carrots&Mints

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 October 2011
Messages
1,832
Location
UK
Visit site
Hi all,

Well im off to view a 2 year old welsh d gelding tomorrow,

This will be my first time going to look at a horse with intention of buying as previous have been loans and also this is my first time in even looking at a youngster.

What sort of questions shall I ask?

Many thanks in advance :)
 
I'd try and find someone who has got experience in buying youngsters to go with you. I'd also think of a list of things to do/ get him to do, it's all very well them saying he's find to have his feet trimmed but you need to try for yourself.

- does he have both balls dropped (so you can easily castrate)
- does he lead nicely/ be caught/ feet picked up/ groomed/ go in stable, etc.
- does he match his passport

Everything you want him to do when you get home, try it there to see if he'll do it in settled familiar surroundings.
 
Are you absolutely sure that you want your first horse to be a youngster that you won't be able to ride for at least a year. Would it not be better to consider an older horse, also I don't believe section D's to be the easiest, Having said that you need to be looking at conformation, basic manners and soundness. Good Luck :)
 
Polos Mum said:
I'd try and find someone who has got experience in buying youngsters to go with you. I'd also think of a list of things to do/ get him to do, it's all very well them saying he's find to have his feet trimmed but you need to try for yourself.

- does he have both balls dropped (so you can easily castrate)
- does he lead nicely/ be caught/ feet picked up/ groomed/ go in stable, etc.
- does he match his passport

Everything you want him to do when you get home, try it there to see if he'll do it in settled familiar surroundings.
Click to expand...

Absolutely this and whatever you want to do you see it done by them or by you if you are confident that you are not going to get seven bells kicked out of you! If you dont see it done the horse cannot do it. Do not take their word for it. You will usually get a gut feeling if its the right one. But a youngster I hope you will have lots of help to bring this kind on and an awful lot of time. Good luck, it will be a learning curve. Let us know how it goes as its always interesting. Really make sure its what you want though, there will be plenty of others to look at.
 
Ditto all of above. If anything has been done to save time (like he has already been brought in), be cautious. After all, not like he needs to be clean for riding. If they haven't done anything with him in terms of basic handling, why not? Are they genuine in lack of time or scared of him?

Personally I would expect 2 yr old to be halter broken & leading well. Feet should be confidently picked up, touch him anywhere. If not, why not?

Youngsters are very different to grown horses. Take someone with youngster experience. Ask them to dig out a soon after foaling photo, as that may give you better idea of the proportions he will attain (don't be surprised to find him rump high etc as 2 yr old). Be very certain you have youngster experience before getting one as your first horse. No matter how genuine, at some point they will test boundaries, you have to be able to cope. From my experience sec d's are bolshie, opinionated, bargy by nature. It takes a good owner to produce a well mannered one.
 
Last edited:
Can I put it from a seller's point of view also. I have bought youngsters and have also sold some. When buying, I take account of what the baby has done so far. If they have lived in a field most of their lives, then you have to expect a very different viewing to one who has been at shows most of their lives. A major aspect of this is that they will be very bonded to their fieldmates, so it is utterly unfair to expect them to be brought out away from their friends, walked away etc - if this is the case, ask for their closest friend to be brought out with them, you will get a much calmer viewing if you do.

As a seller, I have a lovely gelding who I tried to sell from 18 months of age to about 2 1/2 - he has top class breeding etc, but seems to attract completely numpties to come see him. At 18 months, a man came and asked to see him lunged. At 2, one couple came and wanted to see him walking away from field mates etc and they were concerned when he called back to them. (They felt he was not "bonding" with them). They then put a long rope on him and the man proceeded to stand in front of him, around 4 feet away, pulling on the lead rope. My poor little guy (I say little hesitantly as he is 17hh) looked over at me as if to say "what the hell" - he has been very well taught and would never walk directly into someone. "What exactly are you trying to get him to do?" I asked - "I want to see him move forward" says he "so stand at his shoulder and walk on!" said I! They did not buy him, mostly because I would not sell him to them but also because they felt he was not interested in them!

Last person who came to see him, said she liked him, it all looked promising, set up a vetting for 2 weeks time, in the middle weekend she came and wanted to BATH him. Poor guy has never been bathed in his life, but behaved impeccably regardless. Then she pulled out before the vetting even took place.

Mostly, what I am trying to get at, is some people have ridiculous expectations of viewings for youngsters. Yes, expect that they are ok at lifting their legs, are friendly, interested and well mannered on a lead rope IF they are used to all of those things. Also, if you want to see them at their best, let the owner do most things with them. They don't know you from adam, they are still babies and will always want to stay with those they feel secure with. If you want to walk them on the leadrope to see how they are, make sure the owner walks alongside you..etc...
 
Thanks guys that's helped allot :) well I've had a few long term loan horses on full loan not part loan so I know what I'm doing with like olde horses and horses that can be ridden etc and I've spent allot of time with my friend who breeds her own top quality section b's. Unfortunately she can't come tomorrow to have a look and what not so that's why I asked you guys :)

So basically can it have a halter on, tied up nicely and calmly (with its stable / field friend if needs be) can you pick his feet up and be groomed okay?

He looks rump high on the photos but will soon find out tomorrow!

Thanks guys :)
 
Please wait until your friend is available to go with you, you do not have anywhere near enough experience to view a youngster and make a judgement on your own.
Remember that Section Ds and Section Bs are completely different.
In fact I would suggest that you buy an older horse.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
Please wait until your friend is available to go with you, .
Click to expand...

This - or arrange to go back for a second viewing with your friend if you like him.

I'd suggest if you've not had any experience with youngsters at all you should really make sure he is very very well handled - while i totally agree with the poster above about them 'needing a friend' if they aren't used to being handled alone, if he is like this how will you manage when you get him home?

Why is it you want something that can't be ridden for a few years?
 
if you like him DEFO go back with your experienced friend!

i may expect to much of youngsters for some peoples likeing....but i would want to achieve all of the above without outside assistance (food!)/2nd person, in an enviroment the horse is use to, but also be able to put on/ take off a simple rug with head collar on horse that is 2 years old or more.

this is basic handleing that i wouldnt buy a horse without - unless i was sure that i could work on getting the horse to accept these things
 
This post is only aimed at making sure you don't get hurt and a horse doesn't doesn't get the wrong start in life...

But, the very fact that you have to come on here to ask these questions tells me that you are not ready to take on a 2 yr old colt.

What happens with this horse in the next two years will shape the horse he is going to become. With any youngster, it takes a great deal of experience, knowledge and understanding, not to mention skill, judgement and timing to create a well mannered and confident horse. Many section Ds are bolshy, bargy, stubborn and temperamental in these early years. They need careful handling from people that have done it before many many times.

I really don't want this to be a negative post, but I just think that if you are asking for this basic level of advice re: what to look for when viewing...you do not know nearly enough to be able to prepare and train a youngster.

I hope you see that I am saying this for your safety and well being. I had trained, backed and started probably 100 odd horses and ponies under expert guidance before I felt I had the necessary skills and experience to be able to do it by myself.
 
Ditto GG, not being negative at all op. Just a 2yr old colt is a lot to take on. I have two 3yr olds, the highland is in a mr C***y pants stage, and can be a quite a handful if your not used to youngsters it can be quite daunting task
 
Sprocket123 said:
Ditto GG, not being negative at all op. Just a 2yr old colt is a lot to take on. I have two 3yr olds, the highland is in a mr C***y pants stage, and can be a quite a handful if your not used to youngsters it can be quite daunting task
Click to expand...

Yep, if you handle bolshyness in the wrong way...it can create a very dangerous horse. Unfortunately, it is really easy to do the wrong thing with youngsters, and not so easy to know the right thing in different situations.

I have a rising 4 year old, very well handled over past couple of months, but watching very experience YO bring her in from the field yesterday reminded me just how careful you have to be with youngsters. YO has seen the way I react when Molly gets excited, so she did the same, only without the same experience with youngsters, she didn't get the timing right and Molly ended up rearing.

Being experienced with horses and being experienced with youngsters are two very differ things. With a youngster, knowing what to do is one thing, knowing when and how you can do it is a whole other ball game as my YO found out. She is extremely experienced, but not with youngsters and there is a big difference.
 
FulshawGirl said:
Thanks guys that's helped allot :) well I've had a few long term loan horses on full loan not part loan so I know what I'm doing with like olde horses and horses that can be ridden etc and I've spent allot of time with my friend who breeds her own top quality section b's. Unfortunately she can't come tomorrow to have a look and what not so that's why I asked you guys :)

So basically can it have a halter on, tied up nicely and calmly (with its stable / field friend if needs be) can you pick his feet up and be groomed okay?

He looks rump high on the photos but will soon find out tomorrow!

Thanks guys :)
Click to expand...

Not all 2 year olds will have been tied up - mine generally aren't. If I need them to stand for anything, they are held on a leadrope. I may groom them now and then, but as they live out usually I don't as it removes the natural oils which they need for rainproofing. Let the owner pick the feet up, they should have had a trim after all, but don't go doing it yourself...horse doesn't know you and we aren't talking old hands here (horse wise).
 
Agree with all the others. 2 year olds don't always look great either as growing and will not only look totally different in a couple of years time but will have undergone several personality changes as well!

Why are you looking to buy 2 year old ? You will have to pay for castrastion and then another before being backed, another year before being ridden away and ANOTHER year before this horse can start to really work. So you are going to be paying for 3 years before having a horse you can really do things with..
 
He's a gelding not a colt as I explained in my first post.

Well obviously a welsh d or a 2 year old is not for me by the sounds of it.

Never mind eh!
 
When I went to see my youngster at 10 months old (she's now almost 4 and backed) all I wanted to see was her caught, trotted up and feet picked up. She has lovely bloodlines so I knew she would have potential. I did not have a high expectation of her skills at this age haha! She was a little monkey when I viewed her but a real sweetheart. She shaping up to be a super little horse although we are concerned she won't make the height. The things you are looking for at that age are a temperament you can work with, a willingness and that the youngster has been handled enough for your level of capability.

The OP has not given much information about the situation so it's not really my place to say a two year old section D is a bad choice for a first purchase. The initial handling of a young horse does not have to be done by a professional. As long as the horse is handled regularly, consistently and with common sense then there's no reason this will end sourly. A good routine, patience and firmness will go a long way.
 
FulshawGirl said:
He's a gelding not a colt as I explained in my first post.

Well obviously a welsh d or a 2 year old is not for me by the sounds of it.

Never mind eh!
Click to expand...

So....now you have the fun bit, sit and think about what you want to do, then start trawling through the ads and its really worth the time to look at just about every website to get an idea of the market...and you are not waiting for 3 years to go out and about!
 
FulshawGirl said:
He's a gelding not a colt as I explained in my first post.

Well obviously a welsh d or a 2 year old is not for me by the sounds of it.

Never mind eh!
Click to expand...

I tend to use the term colt for any male under 3, so don't worry about that.

As I said, I didn't want you to take it the wrong way...I just can't refrain from pointing out the potential dangers with inexperience and youngsters. Obviously, if you feel you can do it, that is your call but even with years and years of experience, people, including myself can still get it wrong, so I just wanted to highlight that. I would hate to see someone get hurt just because nobody acted as a voice of reason.

Hope that makes sense and doesn't sound condescending...I just put safety first all the time.
 
FulshawGirl said:
Well obviously a welsh d or a 2 year old is not for me by the sounds of it.
Click to expand...

I already posted a reply, but had to post again when I spotted what you'd written above ....

Are you for real or was that sarcastic! Don't be out off by people who don't even know you or your situation!
 
If you want a 2 year old and have the time to wait to start riding, facilities (inc. other similar aged horses for him to play/ grow up with) and cash to pay for backing and help as needed why not?
All I did was ask why you didn't want something more ready to ride and simpler to do as your first horse?
 
There are positives and negatives with babies! I wound up with one accidentally when I bought my rising 6yr old just to be told 2 months after buying by the dentist that she was in fact only just 3! I had no previous experience of horses this age and everything I had planned for this year has had to change! On top of endless learning experiences and challenges and buying her at the beginning of this god awful winter I have had the most exhausting 6 months of my life.
For her benefit we have had to go right back to basics and give her a lot of time off! Which when you are watching your friends going off to competitions and doing jump clinics and you can't even canter yet, it is annoying.

However I love her dearly and she is still my horse for life and when we do achieve those little things like her managing an entire hack in front with out spinning and napping or bending round my leg correctly on a 20metre circle in walk I am stupidly proud of her and myself. I have spent a fortune on lessons and hours of ground work so I can give her the best start in life. The positive is that when she does finally reach 6 and beyond I will know this horse inside and out and we will be strong in our relationship.

However if I had known she was 3 before I bought her I wouldn't of even of gone to view her because I knew I had no experience of horses this age.

If you still want to go ahead I would be sure that you are surrounded by people with experience of babies (I am lucky my yard owner used to breed quality welshes and has given me endless advice over the past 6 months) Babies through something new at you everyday and you will need the support if you haven't done it before.

Also listen to the people on here there is a wealth of knowledge on this forum I have used the search on here to get advice for many of our problems this winter.
 
Sorry was in a boy of a cranky mood yesterday been working all weekend so abit tired now (got to get the overtime in whilst I can :) )

Well thanks for the replies and I went to view him today and he was lovely. Was halter broken tied up had feet picked out was groomed trotted up and down and then was let out into ménage to see what movement was like. Was very nice!

He's rising 2 but is NOT a colt as some of you keep putting :s he's a gelding, he's handled on a daily basis like he will be if I get him. On the yard where ill be taking him he will be with other youngsters and professional people. My friend couldn't make it so I took a video of him to show her and she likes the way he moves and will be coming with me again this week.

All good!
 
Ps he's not my first horse he would be the first horse that I have bought myself. Previous horse I had 2 years untill we had to put him down in December and now I have a Dutch warmblood on full loan at the moment. I know youngsters are allot different that older horses and i know that I won't be able to ride him for at least another year.
 
FulshawGirl said:
He's a gelding not a colt as I explained in my first post.

Well obviously a welsh d or a 2 year old is not for me by the sounds of it.

Never mind eh!
Click to expand...
They are all different! Not all welsh D youngsters are hard to handle :eek:
I bought my yearling unhandled welsh D colt, brought him home let him loose with my others in a 4 acre field. I never pushed him, spent a lot of time in the field, 3 weeks later he came to me, I groomed him all over, top to bottom, he was a bit nervy over his belly but nothing nasty. He's 3 now and gelded he has been a total joy, quiet as a lamb, not had one issue, he leads, ties up, has had a bath each spring, picks up his feet, had tack on. I've just started taking him on my hacking routes in hand, he's a dream pony, straight over the wooden bridges, nothing bothers him. He was my first youngster and I wouldn't have missed this whole experience for the world.
 
I hope you get back to see the horse with your friend. I would like to defend Welsh section ds I have two and they are spirited but not stubborn or bolshy. I have had my old mare from a foal, bringing on a youngster is exciting and you do develop an amazing bond with your horse I would love to do it again but I don't feel like I can commit the time. Good luck :)
 
you sound calm. sensible and willing to learn.... that is all you need when having a youngster...... buy him and he will be fab as he will take after you;) so if you are calm and gentle with him he will be the same to you. Good luck.
 
Yeah my friends coming with me , although she says 'I'm not really that keen on section d's' haha!!! Surprisingly as a lot if people says d's are bolshy he had inpecable manners. Also I asked why they were selling him and Its because they buy foals and yearlings from the sales and them let them grow up with other yearlings then sell them, they must have had about 10 other youngsters all with great manors.

Hopefully will have made the decision by tomorrow whether to buy or not to buy!
 
I'm pleased he was nice and hope it works out - though it might be cheaper in the long run to buy an older pony.

The first horse I owned was a youngster - newly backed 4 yr old. I did everything with him - PC, hunting, working pupil with an Olympic eventer. I had had him for 30 years, when he was PTS in his field.

I had ridden a lot before I got him and rode farmers' ponies which was a bit like loaning years ago. My mum's friends were quite disapproving and thought I should have got an older horse - and you know what they were quite right. I was always happy to ask for help, but really I was very lucky. He was a lovely natured horse and I adored him, but he never realised his potential because, looking back, I was inexperienced. I fell off a lot. He used to rear and buck; I learnt to stay on. He turned into a nice hunter - but I can't believe I just took him out as a 4 year old; no preparation, dangerous really.

Would I buy another young horse - never. My children get schoolmasters.
 
OP, what you have written since your first post gives the impression that you will be just fine. Personally, my comments came from that first post as it was all I had to go on at the time. As I said, I do know he is a gelding, if I have used the word colt, as I explained, that is just a term i use for all under 3yo. I either call them colts or fillies:)

I can't speak for other posters, but only for myself. We can only go on what we first read so I do hope you understand that if I came across as not believing you could cope, it was only because I only had that first post to go on at the time.

I will also add, Welsh D's are my favourite breed and there are exceptions, but I only say they can be tricky because after the amount I have worked with over the years, whilst not one was dangerous, the vast majority could try it on from time to time.

I hope that makes sense :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top