what do you think to this lad?

legyield

legyield

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As some of you may know i'm on a horse hunt at the moment. I'm preferably after a bit of a project, 15.2hh+

I went to see a gelding today having seen him advertised in the paper and fell in love with him! He's 16.3hh, touching 17hh, grey 14yo thoroughbred. He used to race but has been used mainly for hunting in the past. He'd not been rode since before xmas when i got on him today and he was quite fresh to begin with but settled in after a while. Owner is asking £1250, comes with a v. nice stubbon saddle and well made bridle, one rug and few bits and bobs. Owner will also deliver him for free.

He looks quite poor at the moment. He's fairly ribby and has a bit of rainscald on his back but has an absolutely fantastic temperament and a cracking jump, Think he'd be really nice with some work. I am a bit concerned over his weight though.. could someone tell me what's going on with the part i have circled?
The owner ideally wants me to let him know by tomorrow morning as he has another potential buyer (she rung him while i was at the viewing today).

Anyway -- pictures:

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Please excuse my very poor position and me hauling on his mouth -- it was an unexpected leap and not how i normally jump!

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Poor chap needs some TLC! He's poor as a crow - butall-over - I woudn't be particularly worried about the bit circled. There's a suspicion of a jumper's bump - possibly old strain.

If it's a decent Stubben, that's worth £350 at least, so it's not a bad price - although you'd probably get a much younger TB straight outof racing for a third of that. But if he's sensible and you're happy on him, that's worth a lot.

I WOULD get him vetted - although he's a cheap horse to buy, he'll cost as much as a dearer one if there's a problem - and racing followed by hunting means a fair chance of wear and tear at least.
 
Inexperienced eye here... BUT... if my memory serves me correct the lines on his sides might indicate that he has a wind (not the bottom type!) problem? In other words he's been worked hard when not fit enough. Did his breathing sound okay?

I would be getting at the very least a basic vetting done. he looks nice and seems a nice temperament, but if it is his breathing then you might have problems in the future with his health.
I actually like him alot, and though he needs weight on him and some TLC I think he'd look nice come the spring.
 
This is just judging from my own ex racer but the bit you have circled just looks like poor condition. I agree with Janet George about the 'jumper's bump' - my ex race horse has exactly the same thing, an old injury/strain since he was a hurdler so you can often have recurring back issues. Once you get to know the horse you can often work through the problem without having to get the chiropracter out but initially we had to have 2 sessions because his back was totally out of alignment which is why he wasn't moving straight (and still sometimes doesn't!) He looks lovley though, with a bit of care I am sure he will be great.
 
This is what my ex racer still looked like 2/3 months after I had him so I dont think you should worry about his weight to much:

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You can also see the jumper's bump/how croup high he is. Not sure whether this was before/after chiro.

Anyway, hope that helps. Hope I didn't hijack your post just wanted to show you!
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He has no muscle at all and will need quite a bit of slow, patient, fittening work - if you are happy to do that I am sure he will turn into a stunning horse. The only thing to think about is that his temperament might change drastically when he is fit, but I suppose any horse purchase is a risk so if you like him go for it.
 
Well I'm a sucker for these types so anything I say...take no notice
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He does look a sweet heart.
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On a serious note:-

Judgeing from the grazing in the back ground...or lack off, he's probably and hopefully just underweight.

Agree, have a vetting, doesnt matter how cheap a horse is they all cost the same to keep and same to repair!

Can you not bob a depsit on him and ask if you can get him vetted, even if its just a quick basic vetting, to secure him before they sell him?

He looks poppet, I hope you end up buying him and all turns out well.
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I agree have at least a stage 2 vetting. I had a 2 tb's who all looked a bit like that over winter, they were a swine to keep weight on no matter what you chucked at them, even in summer they were ribby. But he has a nice face agreed he might get a bit flightly after a good feed but then have had racers who were so docile you could stick your 5 year old on them .
 
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The owner ideally wants me to let him know by tomorrow morning as he has another potential buyer (she rung him while i was at the viewing today).

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Haha...this is a trick of the trade! Most likely a set up phone call to make you rush into buying him. It could of course have been genuine but I highly doubt it.

He's not really my cup of tea, too big and gangly for me, but I do think with a lot of TLC he will look much better.
I would probably get him vetted though. Also, as somebody else said, he could be a completely different horse temperament wise when he's fit. Did they say why he hadn't done anything since Xmas? And why if he hasn't been ridden in over 2 months is he freshly fully clipped?! Probably just to make him look better I know but it's something I would be asking!

I think the price is reasonable but not particularly cheap considering his age and condition. Overall, Im a bit sceptical, sorry! But ultimately, it's your decision.
 
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The owner ideally wants me to let him know by tomorrow morning as he has another potential buyer (she rung him while i was at the viewing today).

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Haha...this is a trick of the trade! Most likely a set up phone call to make you rush into buying him. It could of course have been genuine but I highly doubt it.

He's not really my cup of tea, too big and gangly for me, but I do think with a lot of TLC he will look much better.
I would probably get him vetted though. Also, as somebody else said, he could be a completely different horse temperament wise when he's fit. Did they say why he hadn't done anything since Xmas? And why if he hasn't been ridden in over 2 months is he freshly fully clipped?! Probably just to make him look better I know but it's something I would be asking!

I think the price is reasonable but not particularly cheap considering his age and condition. Overall, Im a bit sceptical, sorry! But ultimately, it's your decision.


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The man he's with now hasn't had him very long, since a couple of weeks before xmas. He was bought after his horse had to be put down out hunting. The man sent him off to a woman to be brought on/hunted and sold. She hunted him a couple of times before xmas but then her circumstances changed so she sent him back and he's not been ridden since as his owner has a new horse now.
 
Defo agree with the phone call thing!
But the one thing I would say (from past experience) once you get him back into work being a TB and an ex racer he could be a completely different horse. And once youve fed him up too, I did this with an ex racer looked very poor, hadnt been in work etc and was a complete loony bin once fed up and fit so Id be very careful if I were you.
 
Where in N Yorks?

There's Simon Stirk in Ripon and also Minster vets at York. they are both specialist equine vets but if you mean higher up north than that I don't know! Lol

The horse itself just looks in poor condition. How come you are looking at one that age though as a 'project'? You could pick up a much younger ex racer for less.
 
He looks appalling, I am sickened. Wouldnt be paying a penny for a horse in that condition.
Get its racing name , check its form, check it hasnt had any injuries, check out its story.
Think the whole thing sounds very dodgy, tread very carefully and if you have to pay £1400 for a horse that is a RSPCA case do get it vetted.
 
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The man he's with now hasn't had him very long, since a couple of weeks before xmas. He was bought after his horse had to be put down out hunting. The man sent him off to a woman to be brought on/hunted and sold. She hunted him a couple of times before xmas but then her circumstances changed so she sent him back and he's not been ridden since as his owner has a new horse now.

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Don't believe that for a minute......
 
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He looks appalling, I am sickened. Wouldnt be paying a penny for a horse in that condition.
Get its racing name , check its form, check it hasnt had any injuries, check out its story.
Think the whole thing sounds very dodgy, tread very carefully and if you have to pay £1400 for a horse that is a RSPCA case do get it vetted.

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sorry but i think thats a bit dramtic-he looks underconditioned but def not rspca case!
i think he will come nicely after feed and work- agree that he may become more lively after fittening work but then all horse buying is a gamble. price wise id say is ok with tack.
 
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The man he's with now hasn't had him very long, since a couple of weeks before xmas. He was bought after his horse had to be put down out hunting. The man sent him off to a woman to be brought on/hunted and sold. She hunted him a couple of times before xmas but then her circumstances changed so she sent him back and he's not been ridden since as his owner has a new horse now.

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Don't believe that for a minute......

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I agree, sounds like utter bunkum to me.
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I think you would be taking a BIG risk since I would take the seller's story with a pinch of salt.

Bless him, he does need some tlc. However, i don't think the price is outrageous since it is including tack..............and I certainly have a thing for skinny unloved tbs
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Although you may be better off getting something straight of the track if you are looking for a project.

I know what I would do since I'm a total mug and love a sob story but that's probably not what a sensible person would do!! Let us know what you decide!
 
To me he looks poor but looks like a nice type of horse. Has an instructor or someone similar seen him in the flesh? I do think that poor looking horses are sometimes kept that way as they are unmanageable when up to weight (although might not be the case) and I do know of some grade a showjumpers who are treated like that
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TBH though, if he someone more experienced has a look, and he passes a vetting it doesn't matter what he did in his past, or what kind of kn*bhead owns him now, horses can't control who buys them unfortunately. A nice horse is a nice horse, no matter where they're from imho.
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Well i phoned the owner up today and said that i wouldn't pay more than £800 for a horse in his condition. When i told him about my concerns, especially his back end, his owner laughed. He seemed more bothered about the tack that went with him tbh. He kept bringing up the other woman who was interested in him! Then he said he'd take £1000 for him with all tack but i only had an hour to decide so told him no in the end -- don't like being pressured into a sale. Am going to see another horse this afternoon.
 
TBH I think you have had a lucky escape. I think in view of his age and condition he could end up costing you a lot more and many insurance companies won't give full cover on a new policy on an "aged" horse.
Poor thing, I do feel sorry for him.
 
Can understand you feeling pressurised - You'd probably have got him for £900 if you just turned up with the cash.

Poor old boy, hope he finds a good home.
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^^^ Ditto to above
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Poor fella. No wonder OH keeps reminding me about £1k vet bill I need to pay off........otherwise god knows what I'd come home with.
 
And actually, that saddle doesn't fit him - so by the time you've flogged that - you'll be up another £250 - £300................
 
What a poor, poor horse. Definately need to have him vetted and with a careful feeding and fitness regime, his weight and top line will improve, his energy levels will certainly increase and he may even become a handful.
It is not uncommon for unscrupulous people to keep a horse's weight down just to keep them calm enough for people to try out, so that is also something you might want to consider. Don't believe what she tells you.
At his age, and in his condition he isn't the kind of horse that will have people queing up for him, so I doubt there is as much of a rush to make a decision as the seller wants you to believe.
 
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