viewing your first pony - is he just unfit?

[sarahs22]

hi, can anyone help? i am looking for my first horse and have found a welsh sec d 11yrs old that i like however when i viewed him he was already in the arena and with the owner riding him first on the flat only he was very sweaty round the girth and on his neck. i then rode him and he was very forward going (although i am only used to riding school ponies!). he responded well with no leg and had a very active walk. he felt a little off balance at one point. i asked about the sweating and they said he is just unfit as only gets ridden probably once a week. he didnt seem to be breathing too hard. does this sound likely? as im worried he is actually very lively and they had been working him beforei arrived!

 

[friskyfilly]

I would be worried about viewing a horse that just been worked when you arrived. Can you do another viewing and you ride him first? If they say no walk away

 

[be positive]

Exercising before you got there rings alarm bells, it is more than likely they were attempting to tire him out and get him quiet for you, if you are looking for a first pony look elsewhere there will be others you like that do not require too much work, you could find this pony is just too forward going.

 

[oldie48]

Yes, I'd worry too. I like to see a horse or pony caught from the field, groomed and tacked up before I see him ridden. I also like to see the horse trotted up and handled on the ground which I think is very important for a child or inexperienced owner. Then I get the owner to ride it and if I don't see anything I'm concerned about, I'll get on. Don't agree to buy until you are happy with all aspects of the pony's behaviour and don't be afraid to go back several times, if the owner is genuine they will want the pony to go to the right home. I'd NEVER get on a horse or pony without it being ridden first by the owner but I'd not buy a pony that had been worked before I got there.

I would be worried about viewing a horse that just been worked when you arrived. Can you do another viewing and you ride him first? If they say no walk away

 

[sarahs22]

hi thank you all. yes i was concerned. i have said i would return with a vet and i have been looking into articles about unfit horses and sweating! i have said i want to see him in the field and caught etc. i have seen he has been advertised since aug/sept! i really was keen but do have doubts!

 

[be positive]

If you are keen go back, without arranging for the vet, see him caught etc, ride him in the arena and out in a field or roads, make sure he is good to hack as you will probably find he may be more forward outside of the arena, the sweating if unfit and not clipped is less of a concern than his possible unsuitability due to being too lively. Many horses do stay on the market for a while, it has not been a great time to sell and anything that is not totally straightforward will take longer to find a home for.
If you then want to purchase make an offer subject to a satisfactory vetting, any concerns regarding his lack of fitness that may affect his health can be discussed with your vet so he can pay attention to that at the time.

 

[Tobiano]

Hm sounds more to me like they had been trying to get him more manageable by working him before you saw him. This has been known!! Agree that arrange to view him again and turn up half an hour early to see if they are doing it again. If so, walk away.

 

[starryeyed]

Could be completely innocent & that they were trying to warm him up for you to save time, however it would ring alarm bells with me too I'm afraid as I would have the same concerns as you, and assume they had been 'taking the edge off'! If you really do like him, I'd arrange to go back and ask to see him in the field etc, and to catch and handle him yourself, which is a perfectly normal and acceptable thing to do with a potential new horse. I'd also arrive earlier than agreed so that you can make sure he is in the field, rather than just being untacked and put out ready for your arrival. Agree with BP in regards to asking to take him outside of the arena for a short hack, some horses are completely different characters outside of a school and you need to be sure that you are comfortable on him if he does step it up a gear. x

 

[sarahs22]

thank you again. advice has been sooooo helpful. i have decided i will go back and do everythin as you have said and will arrive early! although i was early last time but did make the mistake of calling them to say! although he was very forward going and i feel sure that is what the situation is if he has good brakes(he does wear a triple ring snaffle) and is sensible could i work with this or is this being naive as a competent novice?! i didnt do an awful lot but was happy enough to canter on him which i would not have done if i didnt feel ok as i have tried a 6yr fell who is ridden in a halter and that was not good for me and i didnt want to do anymore than a small trot. just that he is the ideal height, breed, age that i had looked for but maybe not my family pony?! he is also fed chaff and another feed others use in the yard as well as hay at night and out to graze from early am to early afternoon so i was wondering if the feed is not needed and giving him extra energy? thanks

 

[FestiveFuzz]

I'd be very cautious for the same reasons others have said. Also you need to bear in mind that he may become even more lively once taken out of his current environment so be sure you're 100% confident that you can handle him if he steps it up a gear once you get him home.

 

[Boulty]

Personally this would ring alarm bells with me. If they are feeling the need to present you with a horse that has already had the edge taken off him then he is likely to be even more forward normally. For a first viewing I would expect the horse to be in his stable / tied up on yard and clean and presentable but I'd want to see him being tacked up. Ideally I do like to see someone else on the horse first before I climb on to check it's not a nutjob and to see the horse at their best (which I'm not really going to be able to get out of a strange horse). On a second viewing I'd expect to be able to bring the horse in from the field if practical (not always the case if yard is in a set routine and you're having to visit outside of daylight hours though), groom it, tack it up and get straight on.

 

[oldie48]

I like to take someone more knowledgeable with me before I make a final decision, someone who knows my riding ability and understands what I'm looking for. It really helps to have someone else's opinion, also have a checklist of everything you want to know about the pony, I've found it's often not what the owner tells you it's what they don't tell you that's really important. There are decent honest people out there who want their ponies to go to the right home but unfortunately you can't bank on it. Good luck!

 

[JKPequestrian]

As a general little tip my advice is to always ride the horse first when viewing. Then ask for it to be ridden by the seller, this gives you the chance to see the horse with somebody who should have a relationship with it.

If you purchase horse/pony it is you who in most cases will be getting on board first and its really quite surprising how different some animals can feel when you first get on.

But yes major alarm bells would be ringing for turning up to see an already tacked up and worked horse!

 

[WelshRuby]

There is also the question of the breed in this case. Welsh Cobs are definately NOT a novice persons horse. They have a mind of their own both on the ground and ridden. I honestly think you will find yourself in trouble OP. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear and wish you well in your search.

 

[Bertolie]

Sorry but I disagree that Welsh Cobs are definitely not a horse for a novice. It very much depends on the horse. I didn't start riding until I was 40+ and then only riding school horses or trekking horses. My first horse was a Welsh Cob and he has been the best first horse I could have wished for! Yes he can be strong willed and definitely has a mind of his own but I have owned him for nearly 7 years now and he has not put a hoof wrong. Judge the horse not the breed.

He also happens to be a very sweaty horse and will sweat at the least amount of work......maybe something else to consider.

 

[Vodkagirly]

(he does wear a triple ring snaffle)

Do you mean a gag bit? that would ring alarm bells for me regarding brakes.

 

[sarahs22]

Hi, thank you again for the advice. I have decided to be honest and have said to the owner that I am concerned about him being ridden first etc. they are happy for me to turn up unannounced etc and are happy for me to view him again and go through everything and have said that they were warming him up as he is unfit and that they didn't want to waste mine or there time if he wasn't suitable. what do you think? I think that they are being genuine and this has reassured me. although forward going he didn't seem naughty although obviously we didn't do that much.

 

[sarahs22]

I think its what they call the dutch gag bit? although my local saddler has said these are quite popular now as you can use it as a snaffle or on the different rings when competing etc

 

[alainax]

Can you take an experienced friend/instructor with you next time? It will help a lot

 

[gembear]

Welsh Cobs are definately NOT a novice persons horse. They have a mind of their own both on the ground and ridden. I honestly think you will find yourself in trouble OP. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear and wish you well in your search.

Sorry but I disagree that Welsh Cobs are definitely not a horse for a novice. It very much depends on the horse. I didn't start riding until I was 40+ and then only riding school horses or trekking horses. My first horse was a Welsh Cob and he has been the best first horse I could have wished for! Yes he can be strong willed and definitely has a mind of his own but I have owned him for nearly 7 years now and he has not put a hoof wrong. Judge the horse not the breed.

I agree!
I'm a novice and my first loan is a Welsh Cob. He is a fantastic horse, always looks after me even though he can be spooky. He can be strong, he can also be lazy but i love him.

Always makes me wonder why people give Welsh Cobs a bad name.

 

[oldie48]

Personally i've found forward going horses and ponies much more straightforward than those that are behind the leg but if you are used to riding RS types it does get some getting used to. laziness is just another evasion like spooking or napping and I've made the mistake in the past of buying a "lazy" horse because it's felt safe then when i've got my confidence on it and wanted more, it's started to show other evasions. Don't be put off by forwardness but do try it in as many situations as possible and get the advice of your instructor, if you have one.

Hi, thank you again for the advice. I have decided to be honest and have said to the owner that I am concerned about him being ridden first etc. they are happy for me to turn up unannounced etc and are happy for me to view him again and go through everything and have said that they were warming him up as he is unfit and that they didn't want to waste mine or there time if he wasn't suitable. what do you think? I think that they are being genuine and this has reassured me. although forward going he didn't seem naughty although obviously we didn't do that much.

 

[catroo]

Hi, thank you again for the advice. I have decided to be honest and have said to the owner that I am concerned about him being ridden first etc. they are happy for me to turn up unannounced etc and are happy for me to view him again and go through everything and have said that they were warming him up as he is unfit and that they didn't want to waste mine or there time if he wasn't suitable. what do you think? I think that they are being genuine and this has reassured me. although forward going he didn't seem naughty although obviously we didn't do that much.

Actually the sellers response makes me even more concerned - they know he's unfit and therefore warming him up would take the edge off him, it seems more like a deliberate act, especially as they knew you'd be there early.

If you do go back please take someone with lots of experience with you who can ask all the right questions on the spot.

 

[Honey08]

if you were worried about a horse being unfit before a viewing you wouldn't do extra work with it before the viewer came unless you had something to hide. You'd want to save the energy not tire it out.. The bit also suggests that it could get strong and feisty. Did you feel totally safe and in control at all times on this pony? Because I suspect it will get a lot sharper if you buy it.

Personally I would walk away, but at the very least take an experienced instructor with you, someone that knows your riding level if possible.