Where did you get your youngsters.....

[Slightlyconfused]

And how much did they cost if you don't mind me asking.

Have a few things running round my brain, lost my second horse in two weeks last Thursday, both to lami. The first we sort of knew it could be coming but the second was my first horse, 23 who I have had for 14 years. I'm am beyond devastated and just numb still but I know I will get another for my other mare to share her feild with, I want a riding one this time as I know I have my brothers but I still don't know what he will do from one minute to the next. My Brian is playing with the idea of a 2/3 year old to play with then back when needed. Only I don't want a welsh or a bay as it's two close to my girl. Though I want no bigger than 15:3 and yo be able to where her 6ft rugs as I don't want the. Just sat there but can't sell them.


So any ideas, just musing at them mo, the right one will come whe we are ready but need to get these answered.

 

[3Beasties]

I can't help regarding where to get a youngster from or for how much but I just wanted to say how sorry I am about the loss of your two horses A couple of years ago my friend also lost two within two weeks, both very suddenly (not to lami) and it was such a shock for all of us. She bought another within a week but I think she would agree when I say that it was too soon (although it has all turned out OK now).

Give yourself time to grieve and don't rush into buying something else. Emotions will still be extremely high and sometimes that can cloud judgement when it comes to buying. Good luck with what ever you decide to do xxx

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I can't help regarding where to get a youngster from or for how much but I just wanted to say how sorry I am about the loss of your two horses A couple of years ago my friend also lost two within two weeks, both very suddenly (not to lami) and it was such a shock for all of us. She bought another within a week but I think she would agree when I say that it was too soon (although it has all turned out OK now).

Give yourself time to grieve and don't rush into buying something else. Emotions will still be extremely high and sometimes that can cloud judgement when it comes to buying. Good luck with what ever you decide to do xxx

Thank you, I've made up my mind not to go looking, looking until at least July. My other mare needs time to find her hooves as her best friend is no longer there, she got to say goodbye, a good sniff and lick of her body, so that has helped her a lot and my gelding is now moved to the stable next to her so she isn't coming in to an empty one.
I am proud of her though as while I had my friends oldie with her grazing for two days I put her out on her own back in her paddock this morning and she had a horse over the fence but she didn't stress or call like she would have done.

I need to get used to the fact that 14 years, half my life, is not there any more.
The thing I'm finding hard is the fact I don't regret the choice to PTS, she is one that doesn't do box rest, will colic and stress so it would be selfish to do it to her. It's just the fact she is no longer there that's the hard part and will take a while to figure out, come to terms with.

My brain just has all these thing going round it and I feel like if I don't get at least a few answers then it's going to explode :/

 

[PorkChop]

So sorry about your horses x

I've always bred my own, but if I was looking for a two year old I would go to a stud that had a stallion I liked the look of and make enquiries.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I bought two of my horses from the Studs that bred them and the third came from a private breeder with only one breeding mare.

I would suggest that when you are ready, contact Studs that breed the sort of youngster that you are after. Also get the word out to your horsey contacts that you are looking, as I found the private breeder by word of mouth (I wasn't officially looking though! ).

 

[windand rain]

I buy mine very much younger as weanlings but if I wanted a youngster I would go to a reputable stud and see what they had to offer or if they had any idea of progeny that may be for sale. 2 year olds tend to be the cheapest age to buy at as those wanting a young rider look at three and over and those wanting to show want weanlings so they have three years in hand in youngstock classes

 

[littleshetland]

I've had sport horses all my life - mostly warmbloods - and was lucky enough 12 years ago to come across my horse of a lifetime. To me he was perfect (Oldenburg), and he was a perfect companion to my big KWPN (he too was perfect.. to me anyway). I had them for 10 years and 16 years of absolute bliss. I lost them both to arthritis/old age. I waited for a good year before even thinking of replacing one or either of them, and was lucky enough to keep riding as time passed. Anyway, time passed and I honestly couldn't see how I was going to find another horse that would fill the gap that my 2 boys left, so I decided to go and get something that I'd never had before, something completely different - trundled off to Holland and got a Friesian (my trainer and hardcore warmblood enthusiast nearly fainted...). I'd never even sat on one before I went and tried out the youngster.
Yes, massively different from my usual type, but gosh, he's lovely!. He was only 3 when I got him, but it looks like he might be shaping up to be another 'horse of a lifetime'. How lucky am I !!!
You never know what's around the corner, and where your instinct might lead you .

 

[noodle_]

I bought my friesian warmblood x cob from the breeder direct

she will stand around 15hh when fully grow [shes rising 4 = late foal...]

Depends what you want? I wanted a coloured, mare young as possible... so went to the breeder - if you want a specific line - go see a breeder

if you have a limited budget - use the power of google to find, located and put in an offer

 

[Spring Feather]

Condolences to you; been a bit of a rough time for you lately.

If I were you, my advice would also be the same as that of those above; if you want a decent youngster with a good start in life then go direct to a reputable breeder. There are too many numpties around (not saying all of these people are but a fair proportion do seem to be) who buy a weanling, can't handle it, inadvertently turn it into a brat, it get sold on to one or two more numpty owners and voila! you have a total eejit on your hands. Bypass these people and youngsters would be my advice.

 

[Sparkles]

Direct from breeder. If i wanted one again i would no qualms asked be prepared to purchase between £2-3k for something similar.

 

[littleshetland]

Yes - I forgot to mention in my earlier post - I bought the Friesian from a very reputable breeder/producer. My main criteria was that he'd been well handled and started. I think going this route, I probably paid a little more for him but worth very extra penny.

 

[windand rain]

Condolences to you; been a bit of a rough time for you lately.

If I were you, my advice would also be the same as that of those above; if you want a decent youngster with a good start in life then go direct to a reputable breeder. There are too many numpties around (not saying all of these people are but a fair proportion do seem to be) who buy a weanling, can't handle it, inadvertently turn it into a brat, it get sold on to one or two more numpty owners and voila! you have a total eejit on your hands. Bypass these people and youngsters would be my advice.

This is precisely why I buy weanlings don't like the way the majority of horses are reared and in most cases weanlings are pretty much underdone rather than over done from a good stud

 

[ladyt25]

I bought mine after browsing the usual websites. Unless you want somethig very specific breed-wise I think this is as good a start as any.

I wanted a 2-4 year old unbacked as couldn't afford a 'ready made' one as it were as had just been left some money after a relative passed away. The idea was I bought a youngster so that my other horse (whom I have had since he was 4) could be retired off slowly.

I also ideally wanted a dun (like my existing horse) or an interesting coloured. Well, all the duns I saw were far too expensive and, after seeing his ad at one point then seeing it again a couple of months later (it must have been fate ) I ended up with a 15 mth old chestnut and white who stood at 15hh.

Unfortunately, our backing didn't go quite according to plan and, although it started well we had a few hiccups (saddle/back issues) which has meant he essentially will be re-started this year now just turned 5. I know I have a nice horse in there and he has certainly matured this year quite a lot. He's bigger than I was ideally wanting at just 16.2hh now but I am hoping to be able to look back on the errors as a distant memory eventually.

However, I too lost my pony of 20 years just over a week ago so know how that feels - they live a big hole when they've been around so long! We have lost 2 horses within the last year so are down to 3 and have far too much land/grass for them. Therefore, we have started to look for maybe a mini with the intention of bringing it on for my sister's now 7 mth old daughtre to eventually ride. We have looked and found some potentials via rescue websites so I was thinking it may be worth a look for you?

Having looked on the RSPCA, Bluecross, WHW and others' sites there are a fair few nice looking youngsters just looking for a good home. May be worth havig a look down this route? We previously had a Bluecross horse who was with us for 14 years (he passed away aged 36) and, although you never technically own them, it's as good as! I was actually shocked that the adoption/rehoming fee seems to be very low (less than a dog from a rescue) which I guess is an indication of just how overflowing these charities are!

 

[LadyRascasse]

Sorry for your loss My horse came back off loan lame and looks to stay that way for a long time if he ever comes sound. So I decided to get a project that if I needed to I could sell on. I trawled adverts looking for the right horse but nothing grabbed me, went to see a few and nothing was right. So I put a wanted advert on a few groups on facebook was inundated with replys but one horse really stuck out to me. Took the 2 hour drive to go and see him and he was absolutely perfect. Welsh D X TB 3yr old. Total bargain under £500, breeder just wanted a good home for him and plans to sell him have already gone out the window and he isn't home yet! Buyers market if you are prepared to wait for the right one. I honestly didn't expect to find a horse as nice as him for the money.

 

[Kokopelli]

Sorry about your loss

Breeder is your best bet, don't be tempted by a home bred unless they're with someone knowledgeable.

If you're feeling brave the sales are a good place to get a youngster. A few studs bring horses to them. It's where my boy came from although he was a major little so and so, definitely not an easy one

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

I bought one from a dealer (David Stephens in Cornwall, yes I know...) a young weakling, frightened and feral, traced the breeder, Penpont ponies also in Cornwall and have kept in touch. Tinner is rising five now and perfect for me... We've had a lovely hack through the woods this morning. The other was a swap for our home bred filly, Leo is a mix of Hannoverian, Knabstrupper and ISH, just three years old and will be lightly backed this summer. I like them both very much although Leo will almost certainly be sold on.

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

First off *big hugs* to you. It is devastating. I lost Seren almost 3 years ago very suddenly and knew I wanted another horse. I wanted another traditional mare without a doubt, I was actually after a piebald and began looking about a week later if I recall. I hated not having a horse, 2011 had been an awful year for me, then losing seren made it hell, I got Nell 3 months later.

I saw an ad for another traditional mare online and contacted them asking if they had anything else for sale other than the mare advertised, and they did. I went to view Nell and although I was not immediately taken, when I think back I think she had chosen me. She stood at the front of all the other horses, older, bigger mares i might add and wanted me to see her I think, the other mare they had was not at all what I was after.

I was unsure so arranged a second viewing, this time they brought her in off the field and I liked her willing nature above all, that is what made me take a punt on her, as she was not quite what I was after, not piebald, massive blaze! hehe. i took out a loan and purchased her the next week, she was £1000, way more than I had originally set out to pay but well I have no regrets at all now.

We did have a very rocky start and I almost sold her, I was emotional still, she was bolshy and nervous and younger than sold to me! But here we are almost 2.5 years later and she is perfect for me, a super solo happy hacker. Good luck with your search.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm sorry, you've had a rubbish time recently.

You know when the time is right to buy another, I've left it for years and bought within a few weeks of pts the previous horse. I do think that when you already own others it's a bit different.

The then 3 yr old Appaloosa was bought from the stud and the then 2 yr old cob came from the person who had bought her from the breeder and then had a change of circumstances and had to sell.
The cob is one of the easiest horses to do that we've ever had, because she had been well taught before we got her and the Appy, although a lovely personality, less so, at least in part, because the breeder had done very little with her prior to backing.
They were both advertised on the internet, I think cob was on Preloved (but not cheap) and Appy on Horsemart.

I know that there are various contributory factors, I've lost a pony to laminitis after she got hold of a neighbour's sheep feed and a show-bred Shire to Cushings related laminitis, but before you buy another, I hope you don't mind if I suggest that you look very carefully at your grazing/management, so that you minimise the risk of laminitis as far as humanly possible.

 

[kassieg]

i found lucy on free ads!

I was looking for an unbroken 3 or 4 year old to back bring on & sell in a year or so

She was a 2 year old but something about her caught my eye & made me ring up. went to see her & really liked her she was a homebred that had been turned out with the lady's heard as Lucy's breeder got taken in in (he was an older guy) & couldn't look after her, broke his heart as her mother was his horse of a lifetime so lucy was pretty special to him. He had spoiled her a little!
She had lovely movement, decent confo & was such a nice mare & so beautiful
I told the lady I'd think about it then as soon as I got home rang her & said I wanted her!
think she is turned out ok for the 900 i spent on her !

 

[Slightlyconfused]

I know that there are various contributory factors, I've lost a pony to laminitis after she got hold of a neighbour's sheep feed and a show-bred Shire to Cushings related laminitis, but before you buy another, I hope you don't mind if I suggest that you look very carefully at your grazing/management, so that you minimise the risk of laminitis as far as humanly possible.

Thank you.

The big boy we lost was 16:3, seriously fat when we got him and his brother last May and had lost at least 80kilos when he came down with it last sept, he was worked six days a week for at least an hour. My vet was shocked that he came down with it as he was going so well, but he came to be (at eight) board line cushings. Trying to get a big horse like him back from lami was always going to be a struggle but the horse was happy with box rest so we tried, in the mead I think even though we had got him lean the weight of his own bone structure as he was a tank is what sent him over.

My old girl was diagnosed with cushings last year, only mild but I still didn't put her on the tablets as she was retired anyway, well was lunged a few times a week, I knew that no matter what she would not do box rest so I just managed her with my other on a small paddock and soaked hay, I couldn't limit her grazing as she is prone to colic when stressed of doesn't have enough food going through. Her weight was fine, could feel and see ribs when moved, nice shoulder shape and no crest and for a welsh x that was something I was pleased with.
I manage all of mine as lami risk anyway, it's better for them and us but sometimes it just comes out of the blue and nothing you could do or did would have stopped it.


I'm not really bothered on breed, only no welsh, no bay. Has to be a mare and would like to make 15:3 maximin.
Thank toy for all your replys. Lots to think about and look at.

 

[NZJenny]

Hugs.

I bred two of mine and bought two from the studs. Go visiting! Look at lots. You will know when you find the right one.

 

[MileAMinute]

Mine came from Beeston market with his mum at 2 weeks old. I think the pair cost his old owner £200.