**warning, whiney post** How can horse hunting be so hard?!?!

Bustalot

Bustalot

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** Apologises for this whiney post in advance **

Just need this rant... need to let it all out! lol.

Hate horse hunting, finding alot of what you are told on the phone / even when you arrive there is not always the case. I do not feel that i am being untruthful in my ability on the phone, I tell the seller what i want and they are all convinved that they have what I am looking for!

How hard is it to find a sensible youngster (appreciate a youngster is still a youngster!) between the ages of 4-6 with allround potential with the main aim of eventually doing eventing (low level affiliated). They seem to be like gold dust :( Whoever owns them seems to keep them, then if they do sell they are sold within days of their adverts going online, probably through word of mouth rather than someone found them through the advert. The only ones i can really find have all these wonderful breeding lines therefore whacking the price up. I am not to worried about breeding I am looking for tempermant as this will be 1st younger horse that i have owned (that i plan to keep!)

I have viewed quite a few. Some i have really liked but then found out they do not have as good temp. as first orginally thought. So therefore not ideal.

Been hunting for about 4 months now... When will it end!! I have even opened up to the idea of having a mare as only previously wanted a gelding to try and help with the search also widened my search area driving up to 3 hours each way. Its starting to cost me waaaayyyyy to much in petrol, and now my poor old car is feeling it and giving up on me. Mot at the end of the month with a buggered exhaust / no reversing light / window doesn't work / need new tyres and now the radio has given up on me!! Everything at the moment is pointing me away from spending my money on a new horsey.

Ok so rant over, just needed to let it all out. Breakfast time so only have Alpen cereal on offer if you made it through this far!

Not sure what i am expecting you all to say as no doubt you have all been through something similar and probably getting bored of the same old posts i keep making about my failed horse hunting :rolleyes:

Just posts of 'there,there, it will be alright' or 'keep your chin up, keep hunting' or ' the right one is out there'. I know all the answers but need to let my rant out !!!

Thanks for listening :o:(:o
 
Have you tried an established and well reputed dealer, maybe one that specialises in the sort of horse you are after? You could then view several horses at once which at would at least give your car a break!!!!

Good luck!
 
I got seriously peeved when looking too. I did however find my perfect horse. He wasn't advertised and it was through my vet that I found him.

My advice is to spread the word through friends, farriers and vets.

He's out there somewhere! Good luck
 
ask around at pony clubs, riding clubs etc

be sensible with what you expect as well, a youngster may not be used to being ridden by different people so give it a fair chance!

i spent 6 months looking for a first horse when my YO went to the dealers for hunters and brought back what was then a beautiful 4 yr old- shes turned out to be the best horse i could have got and will do anything for me. you will find the horse for you out there!

also have you considered the sales (the more reputable ones?) if you get a catalogue sometimes good horses end up in there by misfortune (when i went a man had died and his family put his string of beautiful hunters (about 6/7 horses) in the sales- some people had a good bargin that day!)
 
have you tried a "wanted" ad on HQ? I did this after going through a similar experience and was inundated with replies. It cut down on the mileage and I eventually found my horse only 20mins down the road and he hadn't even been advertised at that point.....good luck!
 
I sympathise.. I really need to start horse hunting so my boy can be wound down a bit to a quieter life but every time I look at ads, my heart sinks and I only manage a few minutes.

I refuse to pay 3.5K for an old nag that is described, at the age of 13, as having "eventing potential" or "works well on the flat".. if that's the case why don't they show a photo of it working on the bit instead of going like a giraffe?? I'm looking to spend about 5K but it's a lot of money to part with and there is so much rubbish out there!
 
I would recommend you sort your tyres out... One wet day and a bald Tyre could stop you owning horses all of your life.

A reverse bulb is literally 30p and windows not opening are not a failure (I think) and a leaking exhaust system will not help your car achieve very good mpg, again exhausts aren't overly expensive.

Not having a go, would just rather make you aware of the danger of bald tyres from experience.

As far as the youngster goes, fates a funny thing and the right one will come along when you least expect it :)
 
Have you considered a reschooled ex-racer from a rehoming center?

They can be sensible as they have been there and done that at the race track. Rehoming centres like the TRC are completely open about the horses past and it will generally have had a full work-up, teeth, back, shoeing, vets etc

You know what you are getting, no hidden agenda's because they want the partnership to work and dont want the horse returned!
 
Sidney - I have looked at dealers, but they all seem to be above my price range and to be honest struggled finding a reptuable one. Any recommendations? Have been to the majority in the South East corner :o

Tamski - Think the whole world knows i am looking for a horse, lol. I tell everyone i speak to , even if they are non-horsey. You never know who they know ;) :)

overtherainbow - I have thought about the sales but the idea does scare me a little. Any recommendations as to the better ones to go to?

almostthere - wanted Ad just placed - Thanks for the idea :)

chestnutcob - Yes, have seen a few horses and wondered why the price tag was so high!

mountainview22 - Thank you for the concern in regards to my car. The exhaust only went at the beginning of the week but my tyres do need replacing. My OH works for Ford and is taking it into work with him tomorrow to get it all cleaned up and fixed ready for its MOT next week. :cool: Just another stress I could do with out but OH to the rescue! :p

Dab - I have my name down on a waiting list with Moorcroft which i called about a month ago, she said there was a good few month waiting list. I tried to contact Darley but not have had any response.
 
Bustalot said:
Dab - I have my name down on a waiting list with Moorcroft which i called about a month ago, she said there was a good few month waiting list. I tried to contact Darley but not have had any response.
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Super stuff, but please have a look at the TRC they might be a bit far away for you but it could be worth checking out the website and speaking to the them. My boy came from them and he is a peach. They also have a great support network and you can speak to them if you have any problems.
I went up on a yard visit to check them and the horses out and it all started from there....

Also my advise would be to keep on at them...all of the centres...keep in touch, go up for a visit. Look at the types of horses they have in and what you think would suit you, and the type of retraining they do.

Good luck.
 
OP your initial post rang alarm bells a bit for me when you are worrying about temprement and sensibleness a lot...

My husband's 17h 4yr old was a pussy cat when we bought him, but turned into a proper teeneager from 5-7yrs, turning back into a pussycat again at 8 years! To me that is fairly normal and natural in a youngster... I've not met many over the years that haven't had teenage eras..
 
What a shame! Same thing happened to me and i was looking for the same kind of horse as you...i ended with an unbroken 3 year old and only came across him when i went to see a dealer who was showing me the opposite of what i wanted. anyway point of this post us keep at it! Your dream horse sill appear when you least expect it!!
 
Honey08 said:
OP your initial post rang alarm bells a bit for me when you are worrying about temprement and sensibleness a lot...

My husband's 17h 4yr old was a pussy cat when we bought him, but turned into a proper teeneager from 5-7yrs, turning back into a pussycat again at 8 years! To me that is fairly normal and natural in a youngster... I've not met many over the years that haven't had teenage eras..
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I understand youngsters are youngsters, as my inital post states. But as my 1st younger horse that i am dealing with would just rather have something that was a bit more sensible. I am by no means expecting a younger horse to be an easy route i understand what is involved and have plenty of help when needed and am fully prepared for the teenage years when most turn into horrors! :) Its ok i am not a novice numpty!! lol :D
 
Take a deep breath and relax. You intend to own this horse for many years, so it doesn't matter if it takes a while to find. I am not horse shopping at the moment, but anticipate spending up to six months or more when I do as the horse will have a forever home. (Already own two older horses who are silent testimony to this idea.)

Also, I live in Australia where if a horse is only two hours away, it's quite local. Have never understood the idea of not wanting to travel three hours to see a horse.
 
I have mare rising 6 coming up for sale in midlands in 2 Weeks. Currently near leeds. Pm if maybe interested. Could view either area.
 
Aaaargh, tell me about it.

Daughter and I tried 15 over a period of about 18 months. It took so long because we would often lose heart after another turned out to be not quite/not remotely as described and then we wouldn't look for a few weeks.

It's not what people put in the ad, it's what they don't put.

We bought the 16th one but I met a woman recently who bought the 50th horse she saw - she said the horse is perfect in every way, but not sure I could put that much effort in!

I also came to the conclusion that people don't sell good horses - why if you had a good one would you sell it?! But sometimes people do sell a good horse, and as you say you have to be first to phone and get there asap or it will be gone. We eventually had that luck, I was first to ring, got there a few days later and made an offer on the spot.

Have you tried the BE website for sale section?
 
clip clop traders. 100% recommend

I bought a VERY sensible 5 yr old who I will be affiliating BD this year. She is just fab in every way (and was described 100% accurately! Emma is a star!)
 
Commiserations, we are horse hunting and have looked at about 14 now, two merited 2nd viewings, 1 was a butt head at 2nd viewing, the other sold before we got there. We may possibly have a year loan of a youngster through another lovely HHO'er but we are begining to wonder if what we are looking for doesnt exist - we are after something similar to our lovely cob we lost in Nov.

If you are after something to event my next door neighbour but one has a nice 5yo TB mare, 15.3 from top eventing lines for sale, I think he was looking for around £2750, he has been using our new arena - as we dont have anything to ride on in it - was going very nicely on the flat, though freaked a bit at a pile of sand that has appeared outside! We are in Norfolk if you were intested. Any hoo, don't despair, your perfect steed is out there somewhere

Edited

Here is advert

http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/show/105318729/stunning-153hh-bay-mare-5yrs-old.html
 
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You have my complete and utter sympathy.I've been looking for a loan pony for my 6 year old for 7 months now.I have put adverts in feed merchants,tack stores,websites,the Pony Club-nothing.We've tried 3 that have bucked her off,1 that would hardly move at all,then bucked it's rider off.I'm beginning to lose all enthusiasm for pony hunting.

I wouldn't mind,but I don't care about age,sex,looks or pedigree,just want something safe to ride at home and Pony Club.
 
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