Where do i start - horse shopping after my horse of a lifetime

abbijay

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Last year I had to retire my first horse and horse of a lifetime.
He took me from being a self confessed riding school numpty of 20 years to the beginnings of a horsewoman.
He came on loan as a happy hacker but I ended up buying him and he turned into a successful County Show horse, willingly let me bumble round one day events before we turned our hands to dressage and he took me to working Medium. Add on to this he was a real eye catcher so people recognised him everywhere we went, he was easy to handle (apart from being a shit to load) and was quiet enough that my beginner husband could jump on and gallop him across the field or my kids could do lead rein on him. Picture just because I can't not show you how much I love him! IMG_4448.jpeg

For the "winter" i have had a shire horse on loan but he needs to go back to his owners imminently. He has been wonderful and given me a great opportunity to assess what I want from a horse. He was little more than backed and ridden away when he arrived with me so I'm not against something green but he is SHARP. He can be tricky to hack alone, he's greatly improved and I'm more than confident to sit on him when he's pratting about but there is no way the kids or the hubby could ride him. With lockdown and the kids riding school being shut it has made me realise that I'm selfish to have a horse that can't also be part of the family. He's been tons of fun and will make a cracking dressage horse but he will never be our pet and I can't see him ever turning into a truly easy ride.
But I have never even thought about horse shopping before so I don't know where to start. I would love to find Alfie mark 2 - a clydesdale we can all love - but I also know he was one of a kind. All I really want is a horse that can hack out alone or in company without thinking about it but is also quiet enough to go on the lead rein in the arena with the kids that is in good health - it gets bonus points if it is already w,t,c in an arena and pops a cross pole without losing its mind. Anything else I want to do a horse that willingly hacks will be able to learn. I'm 5'6" and 9-9 1/2 stone so don't need a big horse but I do like big horses. Really it is temperament and attitude over everything else but lots of ads just talk about size, age, abilities and they're just not my priorities but i can't narrow the search engines down in that way! I also don't have an infinite budget - I don't wish to spend more than £4-5k but for a straightforward hacking horse surely this isn't an unreasonable budget?!

Suggestions welcome!
 

Polos Mum

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Sorry for you having to retire yours, he's a stunner. The hardest thing to do will be not to compare Mr Perfect with everything else you try and also to remember it probably took months if not years for Mr Perfect to become that way - the first 5 times your rode him were not the same as the last five (I'm guessing).

Try different types, sizes and if you can don't be too particular about shapes / looks given you're after temperament more than anything else.

Horse hunting is horrible, full of disappointment and bad luck mixed in with a good number of irrational lies (sadly)- replacing the irreplaceable makes it doubly hard.

If you can find a good reputable local dealer that might be a good way to go for something pretty green - if you're happy to work towards your goal. I would ask your farrier, instructor, local yard owners as IMHO the genuinely nice good horses rarely even make it to an advert, they are sold to someone who knows someone long before an advert is written.

I think you're looking for what many many people are looking for so they command a very heavy price. With you're budget I'd have a think about what you might be prepared to compromise on. You have three options, Broke, Sound, Cheap - you can have two of the three but never all three.

Market is mad at the moment so it maybe you don't find much in budget before autumn / post furlough redundancies start to bite.
 

jnb

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I lost my horse of a lifetime in a very slow and horrible way & knew I wasn't ready/fit/able to buy another ridden horse straight away.
I knew exactly what I wanted to do but mentally wasn't in a place to go out and spend every penny I had on a top show cob to ride straight away - what happened to my cob had given me the excuse to balloon in weight and I hadn't ridden for 4 months when I finally lost him.
I bought a 3yo (2, probably but that's another story) unbroken cob from Ireland, I'll be honest I knew if I didn't buy another fairly soon I'd just give up. He gave me a reason to get out of bed, tbh I was broken after losing Becks my old cob.
Anyway....there have been a LOT of kinks along the way (none to speak of with him, mostly with my health!) but, my baby Cob Ruari is now becoming something of a reflection of my old boy in many ways.....we've had to trust each other and tbh he hacks alone and always has done, ,y old boy took 10 years to go out alone!
So what I'm saying in a very roundabout way is, consider an unspoilt youngster
 

Jellymoon

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I think you should be able to find something in your budget if you just want to hack, but it is a bit mad out there at the moment. RightHorseRightHome is a good place to look - you can put up a free Wanted Ad and then you can apply to any which match your criteria.
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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So sorry you are in this position, it is truly horrible when you've had a horse-in-million because you can't help comparing everything you see with the perfection of what you've had.

My farrier gave me the best piece of advice ever at the time I lost my old lad; and it was "don't look for something similar to what you lost, go for something completely different". That was the best piece of advice I've ever been given.

Personally, if looking to buy, I'd wait till the Autumn. It is totally crazy out there at the moment, but come the Autumn I suspect things will be somewhat different.

Good luck!
 

OrangeAndLemon

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You've ridden mine and you'd be very welcome to share him while you're in between and it could give you more time to search. If not a share, then you're always welcome to pop over and visit.

(We moved yards since you visited so we may be a bit more of a journey)
 

Christmascinnamoncookie

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Your Clydie is frankly stunning looking! If you want us to do a few searches, give us some ideas. Do you mind mare or gelding? Minimum height? Is colour a factor?
 

C1airey

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Placing a wanted ad with the breed society led to me recently finding the most perfectly perfect pony I could ever have hoped for. I was looking at Dales Ponies, but I assume the Clydie breed soc will do the same if you’re looking for the same again?
 

Pearlsacarolsinger

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Last year I had to retire my first horse and horse of a lifetime.
He took me from being a self confessed riding school numpty of 20 years to the beginnings of a horsewoman.
He came on loan as a happy hacker but I ended up buying him and he turned into a successful County Show horse, willingly let me bumble round one day events before we turned our hands to dressage and he took me to working Medium. Add on to this he was a real eye catcher so people recognised him everywhere we went, he was easy to handle (apart from being a shit to load) and was quiet enough that my beginner husband could jump on and gallop him across the field or my kids could do lead rein on him. Picture just because I can't not show you how much I love him! View attachment 50967

For the "winter" i have had a shire horse on loan but he needs to go back to his owners imminently. He has been wonderful and given me a great opportunity to assess what I want from a horse. He was little more than backed and ridden away when he arrived with me so I'm not against something green but he is SHARP. He can be tricky to hack alone, he's greatly improved and I'm more than confident to sit on him when he's pratting about but there is no way the kids or the hubby could ride him. With lockdown and the kids riding school being shut it has made me realise that I'm selfish to have a horse that can't also be part of the family. He's been tons of fun and will make a cracking dressage horse but he will never be our pet and I can't see him ever turning into a truly easy ride.
But I have never even thought about horse shopping before so I don't know where to start. I would love to find Alfie mark 2 - a clydesdale we can all love - but I also know he was one of a kind. All I really want is a horse that can hack out alone or in company without thinking about it but is also quiet enough to go on the lead rein in the arena with the kids that is in good health - it gets bonus points if it is already w,t,c in an arena and pops a cross pole without losing its mind. Anything else I want to do a horse that willingly hacks will be able to learn. I'm 5'6" and 9-9 1/2 stone so don't need a big horse but I do like big horses. Really it is temperament and attitude over everything else but lots of ads just talk about size, age, abilities and they're just not my priorities but i can't narrow the search engines down in that way! I also don't have an infinite budget - I don't wish to spend more than £4-5k but for a straightforward hacking horse surely this isn't an unreasonable budget?!

Suggestions welcome!





IME Clydesdales do have similar temperaments. My 2nd one just slotted into the hole left by the 1st one, although there had been a Shire in-between, who was totally different, much sharper. Both Clydies were absolutely fabulous horses, unfortunately the 2nd one had to be pts aged 11. They would both have done the job you want your next one to do.
 
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Squeak

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I'm not sure if there's an abundance of wanted ads up at the moment with how busy the market is but I put up a wanted Ad on horsequest when I was in the same situation and looking for something fairly similar and had some really good responses including the one I bought.
 

doodle

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After I lost Minto and Soli in quick succession I didn’t think I would ever get the bond I had with Minto again. Realistically I rushed into buying again and bought the wrong horse. I thought I was looking for a bond I would never get again and so went for the horse “on paper” that would do the job. I was bored of going and viewing a perfectly nice horse and thinking “meh it’s ok”. New horse and I were both miserable. 6 months later I sold him. I didn’t feel bad. Then started on the hunt again. Saw one and again “meh it’s ok” THEN went to see Robin. Immediately I set eyes on him I knew he was for me. Saw him ridden and thought yep, I rode him and after 5 mins knew he was coming home with me. 4 1/2 years later he isn’t Minto but he is very very special. There is a lot of Minto in Robins attitude but he is actually very different which is good. So have a rough idea of what you are looking for and when you find it you will know.
 

abbijay

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Thanks everyone who has replied, some useful things to weigh out.
You've ridden mine and you'd be very welcome to share him while you're in between and it could give you more time to search. If not a share, then you're always welcome to pop over and visit.

(We moved yards since you visited so we may be a bit more of a journey)
Thanks! I know where you are! I might fb message you when he’s gone back.
Your Clydie is frankly stunning looking! If you want us to do a few searches, give us some ideas. Do you mind mare or gelding? Minimum height? Is colour a factor?
I would prefer a gelding over 15.2 that isn’t grey but actually a solid 13.2 grey mare that has the right temperament would be considered. Nothing over 13 ideally. I’m happy with sensible youngsters oh and I’m cheshire located, so would rather not have to travel to Kent/Devon/Gateshead.
Have a word with " Cumbrian heavy horses" www.cumbrianheavyhorses.com they may know of one for sale.
Oh the irony!! ALfie (clydie) initially came to me from CHH and my shire Asterix is theirs too. Annie’s horses are always for sale at a price but potentially over my budget to match my specifications.
 

Christmascinnamoncookie

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Thanks everyone who has replied, some useful things to weigh out.

Thanks! I know where you are! I might fb message you when he’s gone back.

I would prefer a gelding over 15.2 that isn’t grey but actually a solid 13.2 grey mare that has the right temperament would be considered. Nothing over 13 ideally. I’m happy with sensible youngsters oh and I’m cheshire located, so would rather not have to travel to Kent/Devon/Gateshead.

Oh the irony!! ALfie (clydie) initially came to me from CHH and my shire Asterix is theirs too. Annie’s horses are always for sale at a price but potentially over my budget to match my specifications.

Gateshead?! Oddly specific! I’ll have a look later, I actually have to go into work today! ? Dunno how I’m gonna cope!
 

Meowy Catkin

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A 3yo, Comtois gelding to make 16hh is on preloved. Lincolnshire though.

https://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/...arch?sectionId=3365&orderBy=mostRecent&page=4

42004426-638-640x960.jpg
 

buddylove

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What about a Highland, my new youngster is around 14.2, will probably go over height slightly, and is built like a brick outhouse so you get the feel of a big horse whilst still being able to reach the child on its back in an emergency.
Mine is 3, pretty much unhandled but is coming round nicely, and was well within your budget.
 

sky1000

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Re the Highland suggestion the Morrich Highland Pony stud is selling up and the youngsters look to have lovely temperaments. I think the owner used to post on here as Dry Rot.
 

abbijay

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Thanks for the suggestions all!
I definitely want to be able to sit on something before I buy it so unbacked/sold from the field would not be my preference.
I have started to put word around some of my trusted horsey network in case anything comes up, there is possibly a 4 year old that has been suggested to me as it is proving incredibly sweet. I'm in no hurry and recognise I might have to kiss a few frogs to find the next prince (or princess)!
 
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