What to look for when buying a youngster?

[mudmonkey17]

As title really.

Have an 18yr old who has arthritis in various places, he is still in light to medium work and sound with no bute but know this wont last forever and will have to retire him. He has a home for life with me.

In the next year will be in the position to get another horse and am really interested in getting a youngster 1-3 year old to bring on along side older horse.

What things do you look for when buying a youngster as obviously cant see it under saddle etc. Would be looking at something such as welsh sec d, irish draft or native type as dont want anything over 16hh.

Thanks

 

[Jesstickle]

I like a nice, easy, laid back temperament. Not dead from the eyes down, just not a panicky quaking wreck. That, a pretty face and ok movement are all I look for. But I'm not that fussy really!

 

[Headpiece]

one that has a nice kind eye, and looks like he would be a pleasure to do, as you wont be doing much riding to start with, and also one that has a nice smooooooooooth trot!

 

[Holly Hocks]

I got my 2 1/2 year old about 6 weeks ago.....I couldnt' have asked for anything better. I took someone with me when I went to see her, but she didn't influence me either way. The seller let me groom her and do what I wanted with her. She had a fabulous temperament (that's the main selling point for me) but is also very bold - nothing fazes her. Just be aware that if you go and see something about 2 years old you will be looking at something which is probably at the worst stage of development you will see it at and you need to look at what it is going to become, not what it is at that stage. Mine currently has a head which is took big for her body and a body which is too long for her legs, but there's a lot of growing still to do and I can see that she is going to be lovely in a couple of years.

 

[Suziq77]

What do I look for? - when I see them trot I literally can't look anywhere else. That and a "something else" sort of feeling, you just know you want THAT one.

What should you look for if you want a nice horse to bring on and enjoy? What Jess said, nice temperament, nice look in their eye, preferably one that's been handled properly from the beginning - feet picked up, used to having a headcollar on, being led etc.

There's potentially a big difference between a "typical" welsh d, a native cross and an irish draught so it'd be no bad thing to have a good look around and talk to a few people who've done the same thing themselves and see what their experiences have been etc.

 

[christine48]

Good conformation and temperament, kind eye.

 

[horsesatemymoney]

I've done the same as you, my boy was 2 in May this year and I bought him in the Feb of the same year (so about 21 months? My Maths is poor!) I knew, as soon as I saw him, that I wanted him although he was also in with another lovely boy for sale. I liked his look, character and the fact that he was slightly timid, which I thought meant he would not be too bolshy! Nearly a year later, I could not have got a better baby, he is a pleasure in everyway, completely different lifestyle now and he has adapted well.

I would go with your 'gut' instinct and also something pliable, that has had a good start- I bought off a lovely private home, where I know he was well looked after, and they got him as a weanling. My boy goes through 'gangly' stages, obviously as a baby, and so is not always pleasing on the eye as he grows etc, but his temprement and character is one consistent feature, that I could identify the first time that I saw him.

Hope that helps and good luck with your search!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

* Good conformation and movement
* Nice temperament
* Do I like them?

I also like to meet the Dam and Sire (if possible) plus any siblings/half siblings.

 

[Elfen]

Temperament, temperament, temperament!

 

[becca1305]

Nice kind eye, temperament, decent straight movement. I just bought my first unbacked baby all but unhandled and was determined that temperament was one of the main things i wouldnt compromise on. So far it seems to have paid off and she is the sweetest horse with a lovely straightforward brain and accepting, trusting nature. As it happens shes also a lovely mover and well put together but for me temperament was hugely important to make bringing her up easier and a pleasure .

 

[Nari]

Temperament all the way, or failing that a personality that you instantly feel you can't live without. Obviously no major conformation faults, & if you look at IDs ask what height they're expected to make as quite a lot of them go well over 16hh!

I had both of my current lads from 2yos. The ID was the love at first sight buy & because I feel so strongly about him I've worked through things I never thought I could have because I couldn't face being without him. It hasn't been easy though. My other is a Welsh D, bought mainly for his excellent temperament. He's always been the easiest horse to do, he doesn't have a single if or but in him, yet still has enough personality not to be boring. He should be my dream horse, but in reality he holds second place to my chestnut nutter - for me heart wins over head.

The other thing you may want to consider is how well your new boy or girl will get on with your current lad.

 

[LeannePip]

agree with temperment!! - a nice laid back attitude, happy to be handled all over but agree with who ever said above that if your look at a 2 yo - you have to look past what they look like at present and think of what they could become - im yet to see a proportional 2yo! heres just an example VVVV

this is Pip in march 2010 rising 2yo when she first came home - complete ugly ducking!

and this is just over a year later when she was just about 3yo (june2011)- much more horse like and a vast improvement in my opinion! but then im biased

and just because i love her - december 2011 rising four

but yeah deffinatly temperment above anything - willingness - take it fir a walk if possible and see how willing it is to walk past small things like buckets, cars ect and that it doesn't compleetly throw a wobbly at a leaf on the floor! and if your interested in that sort of thing check it has a good natural movement

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

Given what horses are like for crocking themselves I would go for something that you could happily look after and cuddle up to for 30 years if they injured themselves and couldnt be ridden ie temperament and fun attitude and confirmation first.

Bear in mind that youngsters are often only at their prettiest at 3 weeks 3 months and 3 years old, in between come the fugly yearling and twosomes when they can look a bit odd so it can be hard to see what you will get.

I took one look at a 3yo GB Haflinger girl still with her Mum (who was like Ermyntrude the cow, just needed the twirly flower in her mouth) and knew she was coming home with me. She has been amazing. This is the second time I rode her.....)))

 

[EstherYoung]

Try and look at as many different examples of the breed/type you're interested in at the age of the one you've found, to try and get your eye in. You may have to look at the body parts in isolation - in general the angles won't change even if the horse is going through a mutant phase with some bodyparts bigger than others. With ours, the angle of the shoulder, the set of the neck and head, the angle of the hip, and the straightness of their legs hasn't changed at all as they have grown. Just be aware that a long legged youngster may look a tad more cow hocked than it will as an adult purely because its legs are too long for its body. Youngsters also go through bum high phases, so try and see some of the relatives to make an educated guess as to whether they will stick like that.

The biggie with me conformationally is legs and feet. I must have good feet, and I like the limbs to be set on as straight as possible. Generally you can make a pretty good assessment of the legs and feet as babies. I also like straight action where possible and I'm looking for a foot that lands evenly.

Judging temperament is difficult - if the horse hasn't had a lot of handling, he may appear more timid than he will be once he has his own person. But watch him loose - is he interested in his surroundings? Is he happy to leave the other horses to investigate things? How does he interact with the other horses? Do you like what you see?

Find out how well he has been looked after up to press - worms can be a real issue with youngsters which can leave them with issues long into their adult life so a breeder that is clued up about worming is a must. A youngster who has already had regular farrier visits and is good with its feet will also make life a lot easier for you. Your life will also be simpler if the breeder has already done some of the basic handling groundwork for you.

From a personal point of view the fact that both our youngsters had spent much of their lives living out was a selling point for me. I would be wary of something that had been intensively produced (our grey arab was intensively produced as a youngster and it did leave him with physical and psychological issues). So a breeder who strikes the right balance between letting them be ponies and teaching them that humans aren't going to kill them is a big plus.

Think about the life that you can give them too. I bought Wolf in a similar situation to you - H was getting older and I knew that at some point in the future I'd need another riding horse. However, if I had not have found the amazing place where Wolf is growing up in a stable herd of babyponies, I don't think I would have got a youngster - I'd have paid the extra money when the time came and bought a 4yo from a stud who keeps babies in the way I believe babies should be kept.

 

[welshied]

When i was looking for a welsh d yearling i chose mine as he had the most laid back temperament out of them all and a nice kind eye, he was also good to lead and had nice movement.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

A nice kind and willing nature, with a kind eye. I would like to see it's movement, handled fully and groomed to see how it responds to the basics.

Good luck in your search for a youngster

 

[Clodagh]

Temperament as the most beautiful horse in the world is useless if you can't do anything with it.
Then conformation.

My two year old looks like a half bred gnu at the moment but when you stand back you can still he he has great limbs, front end and bum. When I watch him move I can't wait to ride him so definately watch them trot and canter if possible.