What horse did you set out to buy and what did you end up with?

[PapaverFollis]

My viewing for the Sec D has been cancelled as horse has sold. Think I will try and go back to by original brief now. I hate horse shopping

Oh that's so frustrating - we had this several times when horse hunting... part of the reason we did end up with the one we did - she was actually the first we got to view and I was trying to insist we viewed something else but just couldn't get a foot in anywhere and OH was so sure she was a good fit he eventually persuaded me that we didn't need to view any others.

Horse shopping is horrible and frustrating when it should be awesome and exciting. But you will find something - the right one will come along.

 

[TuscanBunnyGirl]

I wanted a youngster ready to bring on to do a bit of everything...came home with a pig of a 2yr old, his chestnut (not quite) yearling sister and a battered about arab x mare. And I love them all

 

[Unicorn]

Three times I've gone looking for a bay cob, 7-10 yrs old with no issues, just a nice easy happy hacker.

First time I came home with a just-gelded, just-backed Arab...but he was at least bay

Second time I came home with a grey Connie/Arab who had some fairly serious issues, but was a gem to hack. He turned out to be the most amazing friend I could ever have wished for, and 10 years with him wasn't anywhere near enough. I lost him to colic 18 months ago and I still miss him every day.

So I wasn't really looking for another, I wasn't sure I was ready...but if anyone had asked, I would have been looking for that bay cob. So why on earth have I got an ex-racehorse moving in next weekend?? (he's bay, so I've got one thing right!!)

 

[nikkimariet]

When I was out to buy Fig... I wanted a 4yo 16.2hh+ gelding bay/brown/black/chestnut. Ended up with a 7yo 15.2hh bay gelding. He's been the making of me though...

When I was out to buy Nova... I wanted a bay gelding with a nice brain and sound breeding to mature at 16hh. I've got a brown gelding with an amazing brain, amazing movement but he's 16.3hh at rising 4yo... Love him though. So much.

 

[Mrs B]

I guess I actually bought what I set out to buy. Something different.

I lost both my darling boys within 8 weeks in 2014.
One was a bay TB 8 year old, bought to take over (one day) from my grey IDxTB, aged 19. The TB I lost to colic, then my grey boy to peritonitis.

Heartbroken to the point of giving up, I knew I shouldn't try to replace either but I needed a horse in my life ... so I now have ... H.
15.1 red & white skewbald, probably part quarter horse. He's definitely a bit ... 'other' ... but with bags of talent and a 'can-do but only if you ...' attitude that I'm finally (!) tapping into.

Took a while but now love him to bits and wouldn't swap him for the world.

It has been an interesting journey which has challenged many of the lessons I thought I learned in the last 5 decades!

He always reminds me of the best thing I learned from an old rogue of a horse dealer in the 1970's:

"There's only one guarantee with 'osses. They'll mek you look daft".

 

[Talism4n]

I set out to buy a nice riding club allrounder, jumping and hacking being the most important. Straightforward and a confidence giver. Definitely a native.

I ended up with a traumatised Arab x TB with a tiny bit of Welsh thrown in, who could be relied upon only to panic, rear and run off, but at the viewing with another rider he cleared the arena fence beautifully as he disappeared into the distance. He taught me to ride him how he liked with a gentleness and intelligence that defined him until the very moment I lost him. I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

 

[Ahrena]

I wanted something who’s talent would be be greater than mine because I don’t do selling and I didn’t want to ‘outgrow’ them and no grey mares.

I bought a super scopes, lovey moving grey mare and I had a bad fall and now my confidence is ruined and probably won’t move on much beyond grassroots level now 😂😂

 

[scats]

Pretty much always got what I want, but I don’t set myself any major restrictions other than height and age. I was never a fan of coloured cobs and then I stumbled upon the Diva and would happily fill my yard with them now.
Last summer I wanted something 15-16hh, under 10, type/breed not an issue and I came home with a 7 year old, 15hh fine sports pony.
Looking again this year and I’ll keep my options open once again- will happily welcome another cob, but I do like mares so I’ll be more inclined towards them.

 

[Clannad48]

Definite want list that we were not going to budge from:

British bred maybe welsh or welsh/tb
at least 10 yr old
Gelding
Bay/Chestnut - absolutely not grey
No bigger that 15.3hh
Well schooled and with experience
Absolutely no going over budget and preferably with tack

Ended up with
KWPN Dutch Warmblood
6 years old
Mare
GREY (now white)
16.2hh - now 17.2hh
Green as grass - didn't know which leg went where in canter (we think she was already on the lorry to England when they were handing out brains )
Hugely over budget with not even a headcollar to her name

But would not change her for the world - she has a temperament to die for, self harms, keeps the vet in tropical holidays, does not have any idea how big she is, has no idea of personal space, eats her loaner out of house and home - need I go on.

 

[daffy44]

Love stories that ^^.If you'd have posted on here what will a £2k budget get me, you wouldn't have had any responses with your girls description.

Thank you Asha, your so right, the price I paid for that mare was cheap even for just the tack and no horse! Sometimes things just work out.

 

[timbobs]

I set out to sell my Horsebox and not get another after my last horse was PTS and ended up coming home with a £1 ex-racer off the track 😂 not quite the plan!

 

[Shantara]

I hadn't set out to buy anything when I got Ned, we formed a bond over time and then he was gifted to me.

However, with Serenity, I didn't have a plan. I kinda wanted another Standardbred, or maybe a cob of some sorts. Then someone suggested looking at ex racers and I'm so glad I did! She's a super star!

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I'd been looking for 18 months for something, without success.

"Shopping list" went something along the lines of "15hh cob, leg-at-each-corner type, ideally Welsh D, good in traffic, nice genuine sort for an older lady to have a pleasant ride on, mebbe a quiet days hunting/pleasure ride or two even a bit of RC perhaps", that sort of thing, but DEF NOT anything with hairy heels, or a coloured/heavy cob, and not a youngster.

Soooohhhh, guess what I got! LOL. A sweet little 13.2 4yo just walked up to me in the field and "chose" me, yes I know I'm daft in the head but can't help it . She's 4, when I bought her lasat summer was just backed and ridden on lightly ....... and a traditional (coloured!) coblet with LOTS of feather and a real hairy beastie!

She's a treasure, we're very well suited, and I think I can confidently predict that she'll be the sort of pony in another year or two which everyone wants and offer stupid prices for, simply because of her temperament. She's 4 going on 14, and I love her to bits! She deals with all sorts of traffic and incidents without panicking, including regularly riding her through a busy working quarry!

Wish I could figure how to put a photo on here.

 

[SpringArising]

Wish I could figure how to put a photo on here.

Upload to Imgur (you don't need an account), right click the image, Copy Image Address, then paste between

 

[henmother]

I set out to buy a safe horse . That was my number one priority. My friend , who was helping with the search would joke that I'd end up with a cow cob. That's what I ended up buying , a beautiful young piebald full of feather and with a sassy attitude . He is my life and although he has his moments , he looks after me and I look after him , that's the deal .

 

[Daniel_Jack]

I wasn’t intending to buy at all and had given up 2 years ago and was relatively content with a share horse but it’s not the same when you are used to having your own and I stumbled upon a lovely little cob.

She’s not my dream horse but she’s a good solid girl who is the right mix of steady with a bit of a challenge.

 

[LeannePip]

horse 1) wasn't really looking as the parents had said no horse. But in my head i wanted a 12yoish, colored gelding for PC/ RC stuff about 15.2/3. Ended up buying a bay yearling filly, welsh part bred who eventually matured at 16h! She was awesome and we eventually did all the activities i'd dreamed about.

horse 2) wanted something about 16.2/3, been there done it sort to teach me the ropes, pref gelding, age un important, probably Irish. Ended up with a 4yo, just backed, 15.1 bay mare - but she is Irish!

Whilst neither of them actually matched what I had intended on having, they both fulfilled the roles i had wanted for them and beyond. If i had searched for years, i'd never have found anything like my little bay mare, she is just amazing!

 

[Fools Motto]

Only got my mare of a lifetime, when the breeder offered her to me to break and bring on. I was hoping for a placid 15.2 tb x, but she was about 14.2, feisty little thing that knew what she liked and what she didn't!! I loved the fiesty, loved that mare, she took me to places I had only dreamed about. She thought she was 17hands, and I never argued with her over that!! She was mine for over 16 years, but I knew her all her life. I miss her more than words, 18 months since she left. My love for mares grew far more than ever from her. My mother bought her for me 2 years after I first got her, it was the best day.
18 months later, and I adore looking after all the 17 odd horses and ponies at work, (still have the soft spot for all our mares!) so have no need to own any of my own, and if I did want anything, I'd be mare shopping,

MY NEW GELDING, unseen but highly recommended to be my new best buddy, is arriving this Thursday for a few weeks trial. Sorting out stuff and his field tomorrow. Can't deny, I'm feeling a tad nervous!!

 

[tda]

When I was looking to get back into riding back in 1999 aged 24 I decided to look for the same as I'd had as a teenager, a dales or fell pony, looking for something 8yrs plus, sensible etc.
Bit short of cash, ended up with a 2 yr old dales type pony, who has been perfect for me in very way. Broke her to ride myself, dad broke her to drive himself. Still have her now ������

 

[pansymouse]

I was looking for a mature Section D x TB gelding about 15.3hh in a colour as close to mud as possible. I only strayed off spec in one regard - I got a mare. She is without doubt the best hose I've ever owned.