when trying horses do you know when its the one

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swampdonkey

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I have been looking for a new horse, and have tried quite a few, 1 fits the bill does everything I want and looks the part but I'm still umming and arhing, Do you know as soon as you ride that its the 1. I have only been riding my own horse for the last 3 years so not sure if its just unfamiliar or if its just not the right horse. Was hoping to get on something and feel that Hooray I've found it feeling. Sorry if I'm waffling I know what I mean.
 
I think you can get the horray i've found it feeling sometimes (it's probably a bit like choosing a prtner, some of them grow on you)! I compromised with my mare as I was fed up with looking and being lied to, had her 6/7 years and still ooming and aahring (she has good and bad days). Why don't you see if you could have it on trial?
 
For me, the first thing is that I have to really like the look of them. I find it hard to fall in love with something I deem unattractive. I am horse shopping after losing my mare last month. I have not ridden anything other than her, for 9 years ! that is quite scary.
 
I agree its scary. It is a lot of money and a living thing, not like a new car if you don't like it you can sell it on, although I know you can but its not without some effect on poor horse. I may be over thinking if thats possible, I just want to get it right. I spend about 3 hours a day of average with my horse and want it to be enjoyable. Arrrgh, it' so hard.
 
The chestnut in my sig I knew as soon as I saw his head over the door. He was the prettiest most affectionate horse I've ever seen. He just has one of those dispostions that can melt hearts. To ride he felt nice but not amazing and he was naughty when I tried him out. I'd already made the decision I wanted him though. It was the right decision, he has been nothing but a dream since day 1 and he has never been as naughty as when I tried him either!

When I first saw my late grey (in sig) I hated her! She looked really sulky and vacant. When I first got on her I thought lord No! She was chucking her head around like a loon. Changed my mind by the end of the ride though! Within an hr I realised how genuine she was and we clicked. She was a tough tough horse, it took me ages to bond with her once I had brought her home. She was quirky and tricky. I never fell off her though, she always looked after me and I'm still heartbroken she is not here. She taught me tons and was one in a million.

I generally choose horses that I can get a tune out of. I had a better first instinct with the chestnut though and he is definitly the easier out of the two!
 
I knew as soon as i saw my boy in the field that i liked him he was just so cute. Then we got him in and he was just so cheeky and full of character, i tried him and i could feel the potentional. Then i went on holiday for a week and i told myself if he hadnt sold by the time i got back and he was still good to ride then i would buy him. =)
 
i knew as soon as i saw her that she was the exact stamp i wanted.... then i rode her for 5mins - she spent most of that time bucking - and i fell for her :o
 
The first few horses a tried after retiring my ex racehorse were STUNNING! However - they ditched me, i just couldnt handle them, owners said novice ride and they werent! My confidence was at rock bottom and i didnt actually want a new horse, i just wanted my old horse to ride.

Then i went to a dealers yard, he brought out a mahoosive friesian X cob - it was actually scary it was so big! Then when i said i didnt have much confidence he went and pulled a 16hh pielbald HW cob out of the field - EXACTLY what i didnt want - a piebald cob!!! I rode him, burst out crying as i had tried a horse and fell off the day before. He was lovely and said to come back the next weekend for a lesson, and from there i was hooked, even though i thought he was as ugly as sin! He was vetted and only rising 5 (thought he was 6)- but i took the plunge anyway.

We have had a rocky time, but 2 years on, and i wouldnt change him for the world. Often im hacking out and people will stop & say how stunning he is!
 
I wanted a 15.1 (max), chestnut, Arab, mare - so when I went to a muddy unstabled, 16h, bay, TB gelding - I didn't want to like him - he bucked as soon as I sat on him and his owner was on crutches. But by the time I got off him there was no way I would have had anything else - I believe you just know.
 
I haven't had my boy long but I knew as soon as I looked over the stable door he was the one..he was laid down looking all sleepy. The yard owner had to go in and rock him up.
He was a little younger than I wanted but when I rode him I had a huge grin on my face :D
Six weeks later he is still perfect *touches wood*
 
When I first saw my boy I went to see him at a competition. At first sight I thought that his head was very nice to look at but I wasnt that stuck on him as he wasnt as big as I originally wanted and he didnt have that "prescence" I was originally looking for. Anywho... stayed around to watch him in the sj and xc phase and thought WOW!! So brave and tidy (I need a brave horse xc)
So off I toddled to try him out, he was a total grump to tack up but I dont mind that, then I got on him and he went beautifully for me, he jumped great too and that was it, I was totally in love and knew I had to have him, so got him vetted 2 days later and brought him home the same day :D (Im sooo impatient lol)
And the rest is history, we are perfect together, we trust each other completely and have a really strong bond and I wouldnt change him for the world! :)

Sometimes you dont always click at first as some horses are more reserved (for want of a better word) with new people, but if this horse ticks all the boxes maybe give him a chance? You will find when you get him home and you get to know each other you will form the perfect partnership im sure! Good luck.
 
It is sooo difficult. I'm looking at the moment, I think you do get a feeling.

We looked at a coloured mare who we loved in the stable, she was the right stamp, and had a lovely intelligent but gentle character but she wasn't what we wanted when we rode her and she also brushed really badly so after a lot of ummmming and ahhhhhhing we decided against.

More recently we looked at a bay mare and really fell in love, she looked lovely, was the right stamp, had a nice personality and was lovely to ride. Hubby is more "sensitive" about this sort of thing than I am and even though he didn't ride her much he was convinced that she was the right horse for us. Sadly she failed the vet, and I have a feeling it is going to take us a while to find anything we like as much.

I look at the adverts and so many just don't inspire me to go and see the horse.
 
i have bought quite a few horses and only had 1 i fell for immediately.

the rest have grown on me over time and some have turned out to be fantastic horses- far better than the one i fell for!

i think it is like finding an OH- you need to be attracted to them and like them on first meeting but it would be very odd to only go on dates with people you are totally besotted with.

i think a lot of the time people struggle to find/chose a horse as they expect far too much from the first viewing.
 
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