What do you think of this *bargain* horse?

I have a horse that I brought who was exactly the same about mounting, he was okay then an incident happened so when I brought him knowing this I ensured that I always had someone to hold him and now a couple of months on with a lot of time, effort and patience on a good day he will let me mount him on my own and I always give him a treat to reward him all it is is a confidence thing, once he learns to trust he will have more good days than bad, I learnt with my boy that if I let him watch me getting on one of my other horses he is soon learning that it is nothing to be afraid of. Praise works wonders with a nervous horse and it is only a baby.

I got my boy for a 1/3 of what he was really worth because of this issue. Don't let it put you off, if you go and try him good luck and don't worry about the mounting take a deep breath and just get on either by leg up or mounting block don't hesitate for even a moment as he will pick up on this.
 
If you're a confident rider go and try it, if there's something you don't like - walk away. If what they're saying is true then you could potentially have a very nice little horse for a bargain price. I always think you can't judge or tell anything from an advert.
 
I saw this ad a little while ago and thought if I were in the market i'd be interested to go and have a look at least. The horse looks really smart otherwise, and provided a vet OKs it physically,with time and patience i'm sure the horse would be fine to mount.

It depends if you feel confident enough to manage/work on it.
 
Id be sceptical of why it's suddenly become 'nervous' to mount? Id also like to know what it does. If it flips over backwards I would think twice about it, if it just tenses and fidgets about, it'd be worth a look even if it was just to sort out and sell on.
 
If that is the horses only issue then I'm sure someone will snap him up for that price but my concern would be that he does not look as though he belongs to somebody lacking in confidence/experience as stated in the ad - the person riding him looks competent and those pics were obviously taken in the summer so wasn't done for the ad. He has obviously been out BSJA and XC schooling so we are not talking complete novice. I imagine the problem may be quite bad for them to actually be suggesting that he needs 're-backing' and I would guess that he had been turned away since they gave up on him so he may not be easy to 'try'.
Even so - I would give £1500 for him!
 
Unless anyone knows better I *think* he's been sold to a friend of mine. I've not seen him in the flesh but that ad certainly matches what my friend bought three weeks or so ago.
 
Cos I noticed it a while ago....!!
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It does sound from the ad, like it's been ridden by someone else or sold by someone else. The adver is written in the third peson! Normally whn pople are writing advrts they write inthe first person!
 
Well, Antifaz is a bit 'particular' about how he's mounted. HATES mounting blocks, must not be held too firmly or he panics, is best on his own with both stirrups DOWN and I have to mount quietly... last time I got it wrong I ended up on the floor. Depends on what they mean by 'nervous to mount'.
 
I'd call up and get a really good history of when the problem started, how bad it is, whether he is in work currently, etc. If it all makes sense I'd go and have a look. I've had two horses with 'minor' mounting problems, one would not stand still and got used to standing with a bit of food, but the more you held him he worse he got, the other did not like mounting blocks but calmed down when I realised I should lead him to the mounting block from the right hand side, get him to stand, move to the left, get on the block and get on!
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Cos I noticed it a while ago....!!
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d'oh I see! I was looking at the ad thinking you'd spotted a date on it or something that I didn't see!
 
There is no way I would buy it without getting a physio out to check it's back first.
Provided they found nothing wrong it's cheap enough to take a gamble on, but remember horse with this type of problem retain it for ever with a nervous rider, so you would have to be careful who you sold it on to even if it stopped doing it with you.
If you go ahead there are lots of ways of dealing with this horse, the main one being getting his trust. The safest way after this is to add some acp, this will horrify some people but we have found it's far safer than attempting to get on without it. you use a reasonable recommended dose then gradually over a week eliminate it.
CCJ's horse has to be very carefully mounted, you never have a tight girth until at least half an hour after mounting, and you get on off a block to start with. If he feels iffy she gets someone to lead him the first few yards until his back drops.
This is a horse who was carefully started but from day one had issues over being mounted, so your bargain may be like him. Then again it may be in pain from a pressing nerve/old injury and leap so violently you may get hurt. If you aren't what most people would call a professional standard rider please don't buy him, for his sake as much as your own.
 
We had one that was impossible to mount when it came - we had to have someone at the front end to put his nose in a scoop of feed and cover his left eye and someone else to leg up the rider - he didn't like being held either. He got better and better and after about 8 months was fine with rider just clambering on.

If you've got the time, patience and help available and what they are saying is true (ie he is just nervous, not going over backwards or anything extreme) then I would think that the horse is a real bargain - he is nice looking.

Let us know what you decide!
 
my horse a couple of years ago became really bad to mount well you had to have 3 people hold her then she would bronk when you got on not sure what happened (well i have an idea but i wont say on here)

Well i sent her to http://www.australianstockhorses.co.uk/ Jason Webb (not far from where the horse is for sale) he was fantastic and now i have no problem with her at all but i do practise what he says every day i get on her !!

if you have some extra money i would send the horse to him for 2 weeks (or however long it will take)

I have since sent my 3yo there for backing and i cant fault this guy he is fantastic !!
 
don't think the mounting thisng would really bother me- i reckon its definitely worth a look if not already sold....at least you'd be aware that it was a problem...i've bought horses before that have had similar problems but i didn't know about them!! thats surely worse?!
 
I have a horse that is difficult to mount, and as a result I got him for about 1/2 the money he is worth... he is the softest gentlest horse ever and the only thing he does is moves when you try to get on, We did go through a phase of bronking as soon as I got on him but upon further investigation we found out his back was all out under the saddle, since they we get him checked out every 6 months.
His attitude and talent more then makes up for the sometimes tricky mount but I can find it disheartening when he can be so good for weeks and then seems to get all nervous again. If you have time and patience and are confident then I would go for it, unless as someone said he is a little more dangerous – like rearing up and going over then I really wouldn’t.. but that’s just me !!!!
 
My friend had something very similar to this...

You went to get on and he would just absolutely flip out and completely bronco, regardless of whether you'd made it on or not. She had every physical check done and had 2 different vets out to come and take a look and they all said no physical problem.

Her instructor tried with it for some time and it still went ballistic. At which point she had decided it had become too dangerous and had it PTS.
 
I would see him, talk to the previous owner/rider & find out the story then get a proper equine vet to do a vetting- having told them the history. Get a 5 stage vetting & be ready to pay for additional examinations/ investigations if recommended by vet.

Would be interested to know who the rider is- style could well be adding to the problem if back has been hurting. Was this the rider when the problems started or now?

We bought a pony a few years ago who had a reputation as a problem & required SERIOUS care mounting. Biggest problem appeared to be learned behaviour due to expecting pain from an awful saddle. Lots of care, new saddle & consistency meant we ended up with an amazing pony who exceeded all expectations.

Be careful, though! As others have said if it rears & flips over it's probably best left......Life is just to short. Still- if I was closer to Kent I might go for a look!!!
 
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