Where to look to find a nice youngish eventer?

Have opened it up to Gloucestershire etc to :)


kirstyhen said:
I am 6ft and i wouldn't event an 18.2 out of choice! 17.3hh is plenty big enough for me and my own horse is 16.2hh.
Big horses don't last, their joints wear out quickly and you'll be exhausted holding one together after dressage and show jumping.
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ThAnk you for your advice :) I appreciate it, theres no point in us buying a horse that wint last!
 
TarrSteps said:
My comment had nothing to do with the rider, just the size of the horse. Big horses are a diminishing return as far as soundness, especially for eventing. To some extent it's just physics - the surface area of things like feet increase by a factor of 2 (squared), the mass of the horse increases by 3 (cubed) so, as horses get bigger, there is greater pounds per square inch on load bearing than smaller horses. A big horse that's heavy enough is too heavy to do the job. They have to be strong to carry themselves, but are often less able to stand up to the work that's required to get this done.

Plus much bigger horses are harder on themselves and struggle more with things like distances, dressage, especially in a short arena etc. They are also more expensive to buy for, generally speaking, and need larger transport (or travel less well in normal sized lorries and trailers). Not to mention that they can be harder to ride as have fewer adjustability options open to them.

There are VERY good reasons you don't see too many really big horses eventing, even under extremely tall male riders.

Which is not to say this isn't the perfect horse for you and what you want, it's just to the general comments people have made that there are "optimums" for event horses, even at the lower levels. Deviation from this tends to make horses less expensive (although that's not always true for larger horses because, aside from people who genuinely need them, many people like the cachet of having a huge horse) which is why so many junior riders and smaller adults on a budget go for smaller than average horses, many of which are as good or better at their jobs than larger ones. (There are a couple of truly impressive horses in the "HHO family" which are pony crosses!)

As everyone has said, if you need to find a bargain you will have to weight WHY it's a bargain and if it's because there is a problem, or it's green, or it needs something special you have the wherewithal, time and money to take on such a horse.

There are bargains to be had, especially now, but lots of people really do know what they're doing and usually if something sounds too good to be true . . .
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Thank you :) I defiantly want something over 16hh though, and I see what you mean about distances etc. :)
 
Just to add, when I was looking for my horse, I was adamant it had to be a 17hh gelding, I bought a 16hh mare (obviously she has grown since then!) but I wouldn't swap her for the world. So don't discount something for I ring too small. Like I said, I am 6ft and have been since I was your age, so I doubt you'll grown much more. I ride 15.2hhs quite comfortably and would event the right horse at that height without any worry.
I know at 13 having a 'big' horse is a bit of a novelty, but little horses are brilliant, especially eventing as they usually have that bit of pony clever-ness in them.
My horse was bang on your budget, but for a reason (although not an issue) and travelled a fair whack to see her.
It was pure luck I found her as quickly as I did, to find a bargain you need to be very patient.

Good luck with your search, but make sure you find the right horse, you have them for a long time and the wrong horse can very quickly screw up your confidence. Plus if it's very wrong, you could wind up stuck with it! A nice but average horse is much easier to sell than a 'quirky' talented horse, and more fun before you sell it.
 
kirstyhen said:
Just to add, when I was looking for my horse, I was adamant it had to be a 17hh gelding, I bought a 16hh mare (obviously she has grown since then!) but I wouldn't swap her for the world. So don't discount something for I ring too small. Like I said, I am 6ft and have been since I was your age, so I doubt you'll grown much more. I ride 15.2hhs quite comfortably and would event the right horse at that height without any worry.
I know at 13 having a 'big' horse is a bit of a novelty, but little horses are brilliant, especially eventing as they usually have that bit of pony clever-ness in them.
My horse was bang on your budget, but for a reason (although not an issue) and travelled a fair whack to see her.
It was pure luck I found her as quickly as I did, to find a bargain you need to be very patient.

Good luck with your search, but make sure you find the right horse, you have them for a long time and the wrong horse can very quickly screw up your confidence. Plus if it's very wrong, you could wind up stuck with it! A nice but average horse is much easier to sell than a 'quirky' talented horse, and more fun before you sell it.
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Thank you!
I would go for a 15.2hh but my mum needs to be able to ride it, that's the thing :/
 
Even then, the right horse on the shorter (not necessarily lighter) side will do you right. I'm tall (and a proper grown up, not like kh ;) ) and routinely ride horses under 16hh. i think what people are saying is when you're looking at ads etc, you might have to be a bit "creative" and not just go to see horses that fit your expectations. :)
 
I again wouldn't have something that big!

We would have to sell our trailer :eek:

I'm 5ft 11 with very long legs and 8stone and I have now outgrown my 15.2hh and I'm looking for a new horse (although that is not the reason I'm looking for a new one) personally I would love to be able to fit on a horse that size!
When he isn't being quirky and stupid he can be great fun to ride and great in jump offs! Although not the quickest he can turn well :)
My mum rides him too and she is 5ft 9/10 and is ok on him it really depends what your mum wants to do with the new horse.
Personally I would go for 15.3hh-16.1hh especially if first horse off ponies
Java was my first horse after ponies and due to my height had been looking at much bigger but felt much more confident and happy on him at the time and he has given me that 'inbetween' where I now can move onto something bigger :)
 
Just to clear this up, I'm already on a 15.2hh, (who I apparently make look like a 14hander xD) and have jumped 16.3hhs. (When I was younger I rode my mums 17.2hh heavy weight sport horse...but that was when I was younger xD)
We are thinking about the 18.2hh, pros and cons of the height etc.
We have enquired about a 16.2hh, aswell.
Reason we want something around 16.2hh -
They will never be sold. We just get to attached...I want something that will last me forever. (To an extent)
Mum rides frosty, but she feels uncomfortable on him. Yeah, she rides 14hh cobs, but they are cobs. We don't want something much heavier than frosty.
There's more but I have to go and give a lesson :P
 
Seriously, there are no pros to a 18.2 hh horse! ;

) I know big, tall men who hunt horses under 17hh.

Anyway, you're gonna buy what you're gonna buy. :) I think people are harping on it not just for you but for anyone else thinking of buying a horse to go on with in eventing. It's sometimes hard to tell until you're quite experienced which parts of 'standard' size, type, even soundness etc are really just fashion and popularity, and which have come about because many people have tried and failed before.

I can say my one piece of advice, especially if you're on a budget, is learn from other people's mistakes - it is MUCH cheaper. :)
 
TarrSteps said:
Seriously, there are no pros to a 18.2 hh horse! ;

) I know big, tall men who hunt horses under 17hh.

Anyway, you're gonna buy what you're gonna buy. :) I think people are harping on it not just for you but for anyone else thinking of buying a horse to go on with in eventing. It's sometimes hard to tell until you're quite experienced which parts of 'standard' size, type, even soundness etc are really just fashion and popularity, and which have come about because many people have tried and failed before.

I can say my one piece of advice, especially if you're on a budget, is learn from other people's mistakes - it is MUCH cheaper. :)
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Tbh, if I could still be bombing around on my 11.2hh, or eventing a 14.2hh, I would xD I wouldn't buy an 18.2hh just for 'fashion' :)

One Pro - Makes jump look smaller ;)

Anyway, something around 16.2hh is idea :)
 
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