Viewing/Purchasing 'from the field'

FieldOrnaments

FieldOrnaments

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Hello, I am - rather excitingly - hopefully viewing a mare as a potential happy hacker for myself, having recently got back into gentle riding after some years off, due to a combination of my wonderful appaloosa being sadly beset with health problems and eventually retired.

I haven't viewed anything in about 8 years and feel a bit out of touch.
I already know, from a combination of the advert and conversations with the owner: sex, age, breeding, height; reason for sale; vices on the ground/ridden; how the horse is currently kept; that she will stable or live out (but prefers out,); how she is to travel, load, shoe, groom; that she turns out with both mares and geldings; and that she's had one foal, without complications.

On viewing, I want to see her walk and trot, lead and catch her myself, pick up all hooves, feel her back, check her teeth and eyes, ask about veterinary history in more depth, and generally look her over and get a feel for her 'as a person' (if that makes sense), as I'm just looking for a pet/'happy hacker', so feeling that the animal is a good fit is important to me.
Is there anything else I should do or ask?
 
I admit to being ultra cautious but i wouldn't buy a horse for hacking that I couldn't hack out when viewing.

I mostly hack, it's what I love doing most of all so it's really important that I know its safe to hack.

For that reason I wouldn't be buying from the field unless I knew the horse and owner very well.
 
The most important thing is to make it quite clear that you want the horse fully vetted by a vet prior to purchase.
Also ensure that the horse is 100% bomproof/spookproof/laid back in all situations and that it will happily go out by itself.
Always take someone else with you who when viewing to witnesses what has been said.
(I always ask to see the horse ridden by itself on a busy road).
Good luck.
 
A happy hacker type, especially for 'gentle riding', I'd except to be the type that you can saddle up and do a short ride on without a problem, despite the animal not having been ridden for however long. I'd want to see owner get on, even if bareback, unless there's a very good reason as to why that can't happen.

See her lunged (how's her canter?), see her tacked up (how does she react to it - is she girthy, or does she act like she's never seen a saddle before), take her on a walk in hand away from the yard so you can gauge what she's like with traffic/anything spooky/away from her fieldmates etc (if she's got issues when she's at home and has a human to follow, they'll be 3x as bad when you try hack her out, if you buy her).

Finally, I can't tell how experienced you are from your post, but do keep in mind that buying a horse from a field is a much bigger gamble than buying a horse in work. Plus, what will you do if you buy her and discover there's a medical reason that she's not being ridden?
 
I bought my old cob when he was out of work. He was finishing box rest and was on restricted turnout. He was supposed to be a nice ride, so I asked to see someone mount, then I got on and rode, at walk, on an area of field.

I would not have bought just from the field. If they are supposed to be quiet, they should be OK to get on and walk.
 
FieldOrnaments said:
They just said sold from the field - I was going to ask why when viewing.
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That usually means it’s been out of work for some time. It wouldn’t necessarily mean it couldn’t be ridden or led up a road if that’s what you want it for, just that it’s unfit and possibly a bit keen or nappy. If I wanted a hack, I’d want to know it was good in traffic and would be fine if ridden once a week or even once a month.
 
Our hunters usually have the summer off and aren't ridden from end of March to (sometimes) August. I could pull any of them in from the field at any point in that break, jump on them and go for a hack with no preparation.
If i was looking for a quiet hack, I would expect to be able to get on (or see someone else ride) I'd be suspicious otherwise
 
I've had several from the field but they have all been cheap or free, mainly a mixture of broken minds and broken bodies. It's a huge gamble so i would not want to do it if looking for your one and only horse, you don't know what you're going to end up with. you made the right call, to cancel OP.
 
Pinkvboots said:
Sold from field can mean various things but often it's because they have tried riding it and it was a nutter.
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And also that they may be sound enough to pass a vetting from the field, but cannot cope with extended periods of work. I have one who I retired at 8 who would probably fall into that category, hence why he stays at home under my watchful eye, and isn't loaned out as a companion.
 
Id definitely like to see it being tacked up? And as you say walking and trotting, any health issues? Have a good press around the withers , back pelvis and sacroiliac area.
I cant say anything about buying from the field, i bought a mare and rode her 3 times before I bought her and she came to me an absolute cowbag! She ended up going back! And I bought an ottb unseen from a very reputable person.. but then I like a challenge ?
 
southerncomfort said:
Possibly why she was put in foal.
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I bought a mare from the field she had 2 foals and was previously jumped BSJA we wanted to breed from her but it just never happened, so I thought I would give riding her a go luckily she was a good girl really hot to ride but safe.

She did go lame and I struggled to keep her sound vet thinks her injury was old and the work had aggravated it and I ended up retiring her at 14.

So buying from a field is probably not something I would do again ?
 
nikicb said:
And also that they may be sound enough to pass a vetting from the field, but cannot cope with extended periods of work. I have one who I retired at 8 who would probably fall into that category, hence why he stays at home under my watchful eye, and isn't loaned out as a companion.
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Sorry I tried to tag you in my reply my experience is just that really.
 
As others I'd risk it with a very cautious viewing if it was to be a project and the price was sufficiently low. But for a sturdy all-rounder hacking type I wouldn't personally risk it without at least seeing the owner sitting on it.
 
I know someone who had absolute nightmare with one bought from the field couldn't do a thing with him on the ground let alone ride him they had him pts in the end, they did some vet investigations but even vets struggled to carry those out and I think he had multiple issues I think he had been neglected previously and was mentally screwed up.
 
ponynutz said:
As others I'd risk it with a very cautious viewing if it was to be a project and the price was sufficiently low. But for a sturdy all-rounder hacking type I wouldn't personally risk it without at least seeing the owner sitting on it.
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The horse was mid/high 3 figures because of the windsucking would have been intended for walk/trot hacking, not a 'sturdy allrounder'....
 
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