Where to look to find a nice youngish eventer?

Twiggy14

Twiggy14

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So due to some lucky circumstances, I'm looking for a horse to buy.
Preferably in Cornwall, though we will go to Devon/Somerset if there is a nice one!
16hh+
4-6yrs preferably, though up to 9 years is acceptable (has to have done stuff if older!)
Up to £3000.
I don't want a world beater, but something I can have fun on and event!
Baring in mind I've seen a lovely 9 year old in the paper for 2k, for down here this is ok?
So I've looked in the paper, on AdHorse, H&H, Horsemart, PC website, BE website (Found the perfect horse yesterday, then when I looked today he was sold :() and...I think that's it.
If you know of anything, please let me know, and if not, where to look? I am experienced so can handle challenging horses etc :)
Thanks!
Charlotte x
 
What level are you wanting to event at?

My initial reaction was that you may need to stretch your budget a bit! If you can prove me wrong and find me something around the 16.3hh mark though I would eat my hat!! :D
 
gunnergundog said:
What level are you wanting to event at?

My initial reaction was that you may need to stretch your budget a bit! If you can prove me wrong and find me something around the 16.3hh mark though I would eat my hat!! :D
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I want something to start me out, and we can progress together I guess. I'd like to do the BE100u18, and if we go higher, (which I'd like to do, but if I can't get a horse capable now, then I dont.) we do.
This 9yr old ive seen is 16.2hh, jumping 1m20 and £2000.
Im 13 but experienced and 5ft9, so I have plenty of time! :D
 
I'd be suspicious of that price TBH. Sounds far too cheap so would imagine there is either something physical or mental wrong with it.

I got mine as a 4yo 15.3hh with no eventing experience but basic schooling and some scope there. She had no breeding either. She was £3500. Think you're going to have to up your budget or be willing to take on something like an ex racehorse that needs complete reschooling.
 
teazle said:
I'd be suspicious of that price TBH. Sounds far too cheap so would imagine there is either something physical or mental wrong with it.

I got mine as a 4yo 15.3hh with no eventing experience but basic schooling and some scope there. She had no breeding either. She was £3500. Think you're going to have to up your budget or be willing to take on something like an ex racehorse that needs complete reschooling.
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I've been looking at Ex-racers, my friend got one from Ireland CHEAP who is now lovely!

I agree, seems fine but I'd get it vetted :D
 
I'd also recommend an ex racer but try and pick one up that hasn't done much racing and get it vetted :) I agree with teazle sounds too good too be true with the other horse!
 
Ooops it's up north! Sorry. It's gorgeous though. If anyone is looking for a performance horse 50015 on horsemart looks so nice!
 
measles said:
Be very careful with a horse described as above. As another poster said, there is a virtual certainty that there are issues.
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Yeah, we are talking about lorrys and dads like 'But it's ten grand cheaper than it should!' so mums like 'yeah but why? There's no such thing as a free lunch' so we'd deffo get them vetted.
(That's when I go 'Unless your on free school meals!') :D:D

I wish people would just be honest in adverts. No harm, is there!? Just wasting buyers and our own time!
 
Twiggy14 said:
Yeah, we are talking about lorrys and dads like 'But it's ten grand cheaper than it should!' so mums like 'yeah but why? There's no such thing as a free lunch' so we'd deffo get them vetted.
(That's when I go 'Unless your on free school meals!') :D:D

I wish people would just be honest in adverts. No harm, is there!? Just wasting buyers and our own time!
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It will probably pass the vet - its what it actually does that might be the worry.
 
BUYER BEWARE! As said, it may pass a vet, but you want to SEE it jump at a show (both indoor and outdoor!) at the level advertised before going any further. Even then, I would take someone VERY experienced with me to check that I wasn;t missing anything and I would definately take a blood sample at the vetting.

A TB that hasn't raced sounds a good option to me! :D

Good luck!
 
Also, get a print out of its BS record! What you're told and what is fact may be two very different things! Sorry to sound so cynical, but sadly, that is often the case and don't want you to get caught out.
 
Thanks :D

Oh, I don't know whether I made it clear but jumping 1m20 at home. Not sure about competing, would have to reread.
Thing is, we only have 10k to spend, and we want to buy a lorry around 5k, and pay off some bills aswell :/
 
Try www.sourceanexracehorse.co.uk

I look on there and lust after some of the horses, they are so smart! Al rides an ex-racer and he's turning into an eventer at a rather pleasing speed, all things considered, and he raced a lot so it's taken a while to break that mindset. But if you got one who raced once or twice before everyone went "Yeah, not happening!", you can get a very smart TB with scope and good breeding for really not a tremendous amount.
 
Lolo said:
Try www.sourceanexracehorse.co.uk

I look on there and lust after some of the horses, they are so smart! Al rides an ex-racer and he's turning into an eventer at a rather pleasing speed, all things considered, and he raced a lot so it's taken a while to break that mindset. But if you got one who raced once or twice before everyone went "Yeah, not happening!", you can get a very smart TB with scope and good breeding for really not a tremendous amount.
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Thank you, I'll have a look!!

We've enquired about an 18.2hh (believe it or not!) KWPN, but I want to keep my options open! :)
I've always wanted an ex racer :P
I was asked to school one last month...and few days after they rung me it dropped down dead though? :/
 
TarrSteps said:
I don't think you want an 18.2hh horse to event . . .
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Yeah- you're tiny skinny, make the most of it! If you look round, the best ones appear to be about 16hh-16.2hh, unless they're ridden by bigger people. If you can find a nice 15.2hh, I would go for that- the step up to riding horses is difficult. Al rode a 14.2hh pony who was a little horse, but still found stepping up to a 16.3hh really really challenging!
 
Lolo said:
Yeah- you're tiny skinny, make the most of it! If you look round, the best ones appear to be about 16hh-16.2hh, unless they're ridden by bigger people. If you can find a nice 15.2hh, I would go for that- the step up to riding horses is difficult. Al rode a 14.2hh pony who was a little horse, but still found stepping up to a 16.3hh really really challenging!
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As I said we have our reasons.
Our close friend is giving us 10k - it'd be great for her to have something to ride.
Im on a 15.2hh already, and growing out of him quickly! I've ridden 16.3hhs. We want something mum can ride to.

I'm looking at ex racers etc as well, we aren't defiantly getting him, we're just having a look :)
 
Lolo said:
Yeah- you're tiny skinny, make the most of it! If you look round, the best ones appear to be about 16hh-16.2hh, unless they're ridden by bigger people. If you can find a nice 15.2hh, I would go for that- the step up to riding horses is difficult. Al rode a 14.2hh pony who was a little horse, but still found stepping up to a 16.3hh really really challenging!
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Oh and thanks for calling me tiny skinny! :)
 
Ahh, I thought Frosty was 14.2hh, hence my "Mmm, big step up!" thing. 18.2hh is still enormous for most things though- he'll be bouncing the doubles!
 
Lolo said:
Ahh, I thought Frosty was 14.2hh, hence my "Mmm, big step up!" thing. 18.2hh is still enormous for most things though- he'll be bouncing the doubles!
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A lot of people say that! That's how tall I am :P
Dear of frosty.
I know, it is pretty massive o.o atleast 1m will seam like 80cm! ;)
 
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.
 
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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