What would YOU expect to get for £7500?

[SarahK]

My friend has just bought a new horse for £7500 and i really think she's made a big mistake and could have got so much more for her money.

What would you pay for the following:

Irish sport horse
9 years old
has been doing very little work lately as girl lost interest
no muscle whatsoever
bag of bones
very dehydrated and never had any hay in the stable despite only having 2 hours turnout per day
jumped BSJA quite successfully but not done so for at least a year
hacks nicely and appears to have a good temperament

Personally i wouldn't have touched it with a barge pole as it appears to have been starved and dehydrated. I certainly wouldn't pay £7500 for it would you?

I'm worried that as soon as the horse has put some weight on and is hydrated it will be a lunatic! They must have starved and dehydrated it for a reason...

Am i worrying about nothing?

 

[Skhosu]

regardless of your opinion it is bought now and her money, don't think it will do any good for you to express your doubts to her.

 

[chunkytfg]

sounds like our yard.

bought a schoolmaster for 10k ish supposedly a fantastic jumper but the 14yo it was bought for got on it and the first thing he did was reaslise she didnt know what he was doing and bucked her off!

since then he hasnt been ridden just turned out and left. he's rubbed all his main and tail off and looks a right state but they have put him up for sale using the same add as they bought him with wanting circa 7.5k. they'll be lucky to get 3 for him!!

 

[only_me]

you should support her, but yes, it does sound like a lot of money for not a lot of horse.

but having done nothing for a year wouldnt worry me - the ability must be there if horse has jumped bsja and maybe she can see something you cant?

 

[ladyt25]

Oh dear. It could turn out very nice but personally I would NEVER pay that for any horse to be honest! Mind you, I don't even have £1000 at my disposal so that's probably why.

Guess depends what your friend wants it for. If just for hacking theni think that's silly money to pay but, if it is proven at a particular level (and for me it'd have to be quite high at 9 yo) BSJA and that's what she wants to do aswell then could maybe justify it more. I would be suspicious of someone selleing a horse for that much though in a poor condition - I'd want to know why?

 

[SarahK]

I do support her, afterall the horse arrived yesterday and its too late now!

But i'm just worried about her and what the horse may turn in to once it starts to feel well in itself. My loan horse was kept light when we took him and he turned into a loon once he'd muscled up and got some grass inside him.

She wanted a horse to showjump a lttle bit but most importantly one with a good temperament. But i dont think you see a horses real temperment if its starved and dehydrated

Surely they wouldn't have kept it in such poor condition for no reason?

 

[arwenplusone]

was it private sale or from a dealers yard?

 

[SarahK]

It was a private sale. Thats why i was worried it was so thin and dehydrated, it had been with the same family for a few years i believe.

 

[AmyMay]

Vetted??

 

[SarahK]

Failed first vetting and passed second one as they used a different vet. also a little worrying i think.

 

[louisevictoria]

Was the horse vetted before she bought it ?? And what was the horses BSJA record like ??? If it has jumped quite successfully then it would still be on record.

 

[AmyMay]

[ QUOTE ]
Failed first vetting and passed second one as they used a different vet. also a little worrying i think.

[/ QUOTE ]
Not necessarily worrying - remember you are vetting on the day.

Well - the horse has passed the vet. Your friend obviously has money to burn, so she can ensure that the horse gets the best of everything from now on.

If it's dehydrated, what is she doing about it? Has a vet been to see it to confirm this is the case, or is this just what you think?

It may turn out to be an absolute sweatheart.....

 

[niagaraduval]

Bombproof Kind, willing allrounder. Some good bloodlines and a decent jump. Minimum schooling, quiet to hack out alone/ in company, doesn't kick or bite. Potential. Good looks.
LOL I don't want much in a horse

 

[only_me]

someone didnt read the OP

 

[Booboos]

I have to say that it sounds like an odd choice for someone who wants a reliable temperament first of all and is not that interested in the competition record. I think £7,500 is not unreasonable for something with the temperament of a saint, that will hack and teach her the basics of competing at low level, but I agree with you that if the horse is in a poor condition it is difficult to assess its temperament.

 

[ladyt25]

We took on a old TB who had been on loan to a couple of homes and he had been starved cos he was "too crazy" for the loanees in both places. He put on weight and condition and we hacked him and his "crazy" side was actually just he jogged a bit and basically liked to go. He is not strong (unless doing x-country) and is actually bombproof.

What some people's idea of "uncontrollable, crazy horse" may not actually be the case fro someone else who maybe has more experience or a different way of riding. I wouldn't therefore necessarily think the worse to start with. I would say for her to treat it and ride it as she means to go on, do not mollycoddle it or let it get away with anything it shouldn't. I still stick to my belief that MOST horses are not demons!

 

[brightmount]

On the plus side, it's 9 years old. I have 2 Irish sports horses. They mature nicely around 7 so I think it will have got past the bucking, rearing nutter stage, even with some good grub inside.

I wouldn't be tempted to overfeed. One of my horses was a bag of bones when we bought her, but naturally she is a good do-er. They both are, and have a tendency to get overweight. You could feed some oil, or Alfa-Oil, or Bailey Outshine. Other than that, a balancer like Top Spec, or when the weight returns, Baileys Lo-Cal Balancer. Ad Lib hay will be a good start.

I hope the horse soon looks and feels better and your friend gets lots of enjoyment out of him/her.

 

[catembi]

Maybe he'll turn out to be very laid back? Lots of ISHs are. Mine even at the age of 4 was very safe. He's now 6, fit and fed twice a day, & he's quiet enough for my novice husband to ride, but he still has the ability to be successful bsja.

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Wouldnt pay that for any horse sorry.

I could get two well bred welsh D babies to bring on for that.

Support her and get the horse back lookng like a hoprse should then take it from there. I can understand that your frustrated but your friend will be easier to approach about the whole subject if your supporting her through it.

Hopefully this will turn out ok for them both and she can have alot of fun with the horse.

Nikki xxxx