When did you know you were ready for a young horse?

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indiat

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All those of you who have bought five year olds - how did you know you were ready for them? What stage in your riding did you get to before you felt able to say, "I can bring a horse on"? And what were your experiences?
 
I don't think thats a question anyone else can answer other than yourself. If you are thinking of getting a young horse to bring on then you should ask yourself do you think you have the patience and time and experience to do so yourself. I wouldnt class myself as a brilliant rider! But i have had my boy since he was 5 months old ( he is 4 now ) and I broke him in :) Well worth it! If your thinking of doing then go for it! I had people telling me i wouldnt be able to do it, that just made me want to do it more and prove them all wrong, and we did :) good luck! x
 
Well the short answer is I didn’t (and I bought a unbacked, pretty wild 3 year old), even my instructor at the time thought I was bonkers. But I had it in my head that I wanted to make my own horse, rather then un-doing another persons mistakes.
It was a steep learning curve, I took it slow, and had lots and lots of lessons. But I wouldn’t have changed it for the world, and I now have my horse of a lifetime (the coloured in my sig). :D
 
I knew I wanted to start a youngster after buying a 7yo who'd done nothing but hack down country lanes on the buckle since he'd been backed. I thoroughly enjoyed taking the baby steps through his development and was so proud of how well rounded he became :)

I bought Bentley as 3.5yo in September 2008 and have been riding him for a couple of months now. He is genuinely gorgeous and I am chuffed to bits with his progress so far :)

Bentley has been wonderfully straightforward (not sharp etc) so I've just required oodles of patience, plenty of confidence (he draws on me for courage a lot!) and to be able to ride- and *touch wood* so far things are going well for us :)
 
JoBo, I am a huge fan of Badger!

The reason why I ask is that I really, really want a highland pony. There are a couple at my yard that are used for RDA and I have been very impressed by them. I want something between 14 and 14.2 that my daughter will be able to ride in a couple of years. My instructor classes me as experienced rider but I am very self critical and my nerves hold me back. I am fine with an animal I know and feel comfortable with and have no problems handling from the ground. I'm at a yard where I would get a lot of help (three riding instructors, one of whom is a Highland nut, and the YO's daughter trains horses to bring on). I am seriously thinking of getting sport therapy as well for my nerves as it makes me so frustrated. I am almost confident as long as the animal is laid back, I will do a good job with all the help around me. I would of course, pay for professional backing but I was thinking of going fo something that had already started basics like long reining. Our hearts are set on a highland but I really cannot afford the 4500 price tag they seem to go for around here. I have the patience, I have the time and lots of other people around me for experience. I was thinking of going to a couple of studs and talking it through with them.
 
indiat said:
JoBo, I am a huge fan of Badger!

The reason why I ask is that I really, really want a highland pony. There are a couple at my yard that are used for RDA and I have been very impressed by them. I want something between 14 and 14.2 that my daughter will be able to ride in a couple of years. My instructor classes me as experienced rider but I am very self critical and my nerves hold me back. I am fine with an animal I know and feel comfortable with and have no problems handling from the ground. I'm at a yard where I would get a lot of help (three riding instructors, one of whom is a Highland nut, and the YO's daughter trains horses to bring on). I am seriously thinking of getting sport therapy as well for my nerves as it makes me so frustrated. I am almost confident as long as the animal is laid back, I will do a good job with all the help around me. I would of course, pay for professional backing but I was thinking of going fo something that had already started basics like long reining. Our hearts are set on a highland but I really cannot afford the 4500 price tag they seem to go for around here. I have the patience, I have the time and lots of other people around me for experience. I was thinking of going to a couple of studs and talking it through with them.
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Personally I would say go for it. It sounds like you have a lot of knowledgeable people around you, and if you really get to know the horse on the ground before it’s backed, I bet you will find you are more confident with it (well I was). I think a lot of it is just common sense, and talking things one step at a time. I also think that if I can do it, anyone can!
 
I bought my boy as a five year old, everyone said i was crazy but i had it in my head that i wanted to bring on a youngster and have it forever so i bought him just backed and have done everything else from there all on my won , havnt had one lesson since i bought him as i couldnt afford it , id rather do everything at a slower pace than him have less hay/feed/rugs ect. Its so worth it , he is now 7 and not as far along as id like but we have had a few set backs, hoping this year will the best yet.

I agree with JoBo, go for it, it sounds as if you have a lot of people to help you and you are thinking very clearly about it. Good luck in your search for the one!
 
We've dithered about so much but the truth is that our budget (currently 1,500 to 2000) doesn't get us much and it certainly will not get us an experienced Highland. I do really like the breed (although I wouldn't say no to a Fjord!) and while I started our search being open minded to a veteran of any breed, I am worried I will get my heart broken in a couple of years. Our lovely Irish mare was put to sleep last November over arthritis and I couldn't go through all that again too soon. I want some thing steady, trustworthy and sensible - I have to put my children on it as well, altough not for a couple of years yet. They still have a bit of leg room on their Dartmoor! I hate horse shopping, its the biggest pain. But even when I get tempted to look at other animals none of them feel as right as Fred on our yard. He's comfortable, chilled out and only goes as fast as I want. But he'll never be for sale - he's an RDA horse. Everyother animal we have looked at has had a problem. Safe, sensible family horses have big price tags.
 
You do have a problem when the type you want is also what everyone else is wanting so they end up expensive. I think your best bet is to get a youngster , you can then make it into whatever you want it to be.(main reason i wanted a young horse,, not having to live with other peoples mistakes)
 
Just wanted to say we also have Fjord who came from the same place as Badger after JoBo kindly passed on the details. He has been an absolute pleasure, even though we bought him as a recently backed 4 year old. He is like a giant dog, and is absolutely fantastic with my mum who we bought him for. She is very lacking in confidence after being diagnosed with MS and he has been superb for her...everything you've said you're looking for. He will also happily razz it up a bit when I jump on him and loves to have a good old blast and jump without being silly!

We only paid 2.5k for him, so not too far out of your budget if you were thinking of a Fjord :D
 
Bri said:
Just wanted to say we also have Fjord who came from the same place as Badger after JoBo kindly passed on the details. He has been an absolute pleasure, even though we bought him as a recently backed 4 year old. He is like a giant dog, and is absolutely fantastic with my mum who we bought him for. She is very lacking in confidence after being diagnosed with MS and he has been superb for her...everything you've said you're looking for. He will also happily razz it up a bit when I jump on him and loves to have a good old blast and jump without being silly!

We only paid 2.5k for him, so not too far out of your budget if you were thinking of a Fjord :D
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That’s what we paid for Badger too, and you know what a darling he is. :D
 
Bri - where did you get your Fjord from?

Ginger nut - tell me about it! I'm lucky if I even get to VIEW they go so fast at that price range. We have tried a couple but one may have been abused (his owner rescued him) and he got very stressy with new rider, jogging all the time. One was just simply far to forward going. Both were very sweet and would have made a lovely ride for some one with the time and patience to school them but my daughter will be 10/11 when she is moving up and I want a gentle nanny for her.
 
My first pony was 4 when I bought him, and had only been broken for a month. I was 11. I just sold him (he went yesterday, in fact) as a showjumper and Pony Club pony for, rather a lot of money :p so I must have done something right? My new horse is also 4, a 15.3hh ISH :D
 
I don't think you will get a backed 5 year old highland for your budget - if you are lucky you might be able to get an unbacked one - however if you have never had a youngster before I would not go straight on to trying to back one yourself it would be a too steep learning curve.

Unless you are going to do the backing yourself or have a friend do it for free then I don't think you will save a great deal of money as you will need to pay someone to help you back the pony and then need lessons to help bring it on properly. Even a quiet pony deserves to be backed properly and given the best start in life.

I could not afford a made pony and I bought a backed and ridden away NF three years ago he was just turned 5 and he was just over £3000. He was very quiet and getting him to canter in school was difficult to start off with.

However as he has got older and more confident he has changed - this is something that can happen with youngsters they can go through testing phases! My pony is now rising 8 and is fit and quite fiesty at times sometimes I have problems stopping him in canter - completely different from when I first got him and he was slow and steady.

Would I get a youngster again well I am not sure I would. Whilst is lovely to have the bond of having him from a young age and I adore him and would never sell him it is really hard work and frustrating at times and I don't think it has been so good for my confidence but then in 10 years time when he is 18 I may look back on it differently!

I can't afford to have masses of lessons but do have good instructor and take him to RC and we are slowly progressing although he does not like being schooled which does not help though he has stopped charging over to the gate!
 
I forgot to say I was looking for a 7-10 year old not a youngster but could not find one in my budget and it was friends on the yard I was on at the time that suggested I consider a 4 or 5 year old - I never thought I would have the ability to take on a youngster myself so I had not considered it!
 
I got a 4 year olf ex-racehorse when I was 15, a bit mad to say the least! However, we'd seen lots of different types of horses, some that were said to be schoolmasters but complete nutters or completely different to the advert. He was the sanest, most kind horse we saw so we got him :) He was just under 3k
Most people thought we were mad though never said it too us but we had alot help from instructors etc as it was hard and frustrating at times but totally worth it in the end! I think you have to be patient and not expect everything to go the way you want straight away. It was alot more fulfilling having him from an early age :)

If you have help and know what to expect, then go for it :)
 
indiat - we bought Teddy from a place in Kent.

http://danishhorses.com/contact.htm

That's his website, although he doesn't have any of the Fjords on there. We bought Teds 2 years ago so I'm not sure if he still sells them, but definitely worth giving him a call to find out. When we went he had a whole herd of them all for the same price. My mum literally picked the first one that walked up to her! :p
 
i have just brought a highland youngster who has just turned 2 and that still cost me £3,500 for a pure breed good highland ok so she is a county level pony but be prepared to have to pay near that amount if you dont want to travel my girl is from somerset but the others that i looked at were miles away and not as nice!
 
abigail621 said:
i have just brought a highland youngster who has just turned 2 and that still cost me £3,500 for a pure breed good highland ok so she is a county level pony but be prepared to have to pay near that amount if you dont want to travel my girl is from somerset but the others that i looked at were miles away and not as nice!
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This is what I'm worried about - perhaps a highland is dreaming on my part. I don't want county level, just something safe. Our RDA instructor managed to get Fred for just 2,500.

SO1 - I know we will have to up the budget anyway for an unbacked youngster but some of the prices around here are jaw dropping for an animal with ridden experience. I am happy to pay for professional backing.
 
Bri said:
indiat - we bought Teddy from a place in Kent.

http://danishhorses.com/contact.htm

That's his website, although he doesn't have any of the Fjords on there. We bought Teds 2 years ago so I'm not sure if he still sells them, but definitely worth giving him a call to find out. When we went he had a whole herd of them all for the same price. My mum literally picked the first one that walked up to her! :p
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Thanks Bri!
 
indiat said:
This is what I'm worried about - perhaps a highland is dreaming on my part. I don't want county level, just something safe. Our RDA instructor managed to get Fred for just 2,500.

SO1 - I know we will have to up the budget anyway for an unbacked youngster but some of the prices around here are jaw dropping for an animal with ridden experience. I am happy to pay for professional backing.
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Maybe look for a part bred highland if you really want one, cheapest one i looked at was just over 2k but not what i was looking for as i want to do county level already have one hacking / dressage highland. Im sending my 2 year old to professional yard to be backed and thats around £150 a week as well to add onto it. Not sure which RDA group your in i know the women from Wellow near Bath is very much into highlands. If you can find right connections you can get a good highland as many are not well adverticed more through word of mouth. I only have my yongster as the women used to own my other highland so she knew pony would have fun life with me going out and doing loads of different things.
 
abigail621 said:
Maybe look for a part bred highland if you really want one, cheapest one i looked at was just over 2k but not what i was looking for as i want to do county level already have one hacking / dressage highland. Im sending my 2 year old to professional yard to be backed and thats around £150 a week as well to add onto it. Not sure which RDA group your in i know the women from Wellow near Bath is very much into highlands. If you can find right connections you can get a good highland as many are not well adverticed more through word of mouth. I only have my yongster as the women used to own my other highland so she knew pony would have fun life with me going out and doing loads of different things.
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That's Anne! She loves her Highlands and Moto is a beautiful boy. I volunteer with the RDA in Wellow and that's where my daughter keeps her pony.
 
Thought so i used to volunteer down there a few years ago keep meaning to ring up Anna and see if they need any help and to show off my new highland filly as well remember when i got my first one showed anna the passport and she said it had good breeding. Lol you must be near me i keep my highlands near Radstock. Moto is lovely but if you do get a highland try not to get a grey one as some love the mud way too much. Think Anna used to show not sure if she still does she may know of some youngsters around who are lower level so less money? Im breeding from my girls in future but as they are last of bloodlines gonna be out of your price range and think i may end up keeping them if they are fillies.
 
I should probably add that my NF is a county level pony too and even with my lack of experience managed to pick up a 3rd at herts county in hand.

You may well be able to get cheaper ponies who are not so competitive but still very nice. Maybe put a wanted ad on the highland pony society website there may be someone with a pony available that might be suitable but not advertised yet.
 
I got a just broken 4 year old as my first horse, after a 12.2hh pony, at age 13. I'm not sure it was a conscious decision! 12 years later and I couldn't be more proud of her (and my teenage self) as she's the most sensible horse I know. I can't imagine buying an older horse now - bringing one on is the most rewarding and challenging and fun thing ever. I definitely want to break my next one myself.
 
abigail621 said:
Thought so i used to volunteer down there a few years ago keep meaning to ring up Anna and see if they need any help and to show off my new highland filly as well remember when i got my first one showed anna the passport and she said it had good breeding. Lol you must be near me i keep my highlands near Radstock. Moto is lovely but if you do get a highland try not to get a grey one as some love the mud way too much. Think Anna used to show not sure if she still does she may know of some youngsters around who are lower level so less money? Im breeding from my girls in future but as they are last of bloodlines gonna be out of your price range and think i may end up keeping them if they are fillies.
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I'm not sure if Anne shows anymore. She's given me some great advice and keeps telling me I will get something if I up my budget. Maybe I shouldn't worry so much, keep saving and see what fate brings my way? I do worry about taking on something very young even though I have a lot of back up - it certainly wouldn't be my first choice, if I'm honest.
 
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