who has had a new horse that hasn't worked out ?

NeverSayNever

NeverSayNever

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just wondering... there must be lots of people,surely. But most threads I see relating to this involve lots of grumbling about not giving new horses a chance to settle, expecting a machine and not an animal etc.

so - setting aside those poor novices who dont have a clue; buy a horse; said horse arrives a little unsettled and plays up; said novice throws the toys out of the pram and gives up on said horse - what about those situations where an experienced rider gets their new horse home and thinks, oh sh**. Gives things a chance... but deep down they just know this isnt right for them , or the horse. Surely its better to admit this early on and move the horse onto someone who WILL be happy with it, instead of being pig headed and sticking with something that is making both of you unhappy and be potentially dangerous for both parties? To my mind, horses are far too an expensive bloomin hobby to keep up if the bad times are outweighing the good.....
 
Absolutely agree with you NSN. I have had 2 horses in the past which just weren't right for me - One I sold on after 6 months and the other I had for 3 years but after the first year got someone else to ride him for me and then sold him on. Both went to good homes & got on well with their new owners.

My next horse was my horse of a lifetime and stayed with me for 12 years before he was put down at the grand old age of 29. My current two I have had for 7 years & 5 years & I won't be getting rid of either of them. Both of them came to me by word of mouth & cost nothing! So the right horse can find you sometimes!

Life is far too short to be stuck with the wrong horse, in my opinion, & I wouldn't hesitate to do the same again if I found myself with one I couldn't get on with.
 
Yep - I made a mistake once. I bought a 14.2hh welsh x he was lovely when I went to try him - quite stubborn but he was used to some quite feeble kids so I didn't think he would be a problem. I took him out for 2 lovely rides on my own and he was great on the roads.

Had problems almost straight away - he was very resentful of being asked to do anything and things started to piece together - this was the reason he had been left in the field doing nothing not because the kids had lost interest.

I didn't take him out in company and thought that as he was so good alone he would be fine - normally they are a problem out solo - the first time I took him out with friends he bronced until he actually cracked my collarbone.

He got worse and worse to handle until I was terrified (I am an experienced owner) he actually cornered me in the barn and was going front and back for me - my friend had to get him away from me with a broom when he ran past her he double barrelled her sending her sprawling and she was 7 months pregnant.

YO went beserk bless him when I admitted what he had been doing and arranged a swap with a dealer friend. I told the dealer all about him - there was no way I could have sold him to a child. I had my lovely mare Nell who I lost last year in exchange.

I know there were probably reasons why this pony was like this but tbh I wasn't prepared to sort out this mess. Horses are expensive and are meant to be enjoyed. I only had him a few months but he knocked my confidence so badly I am still affected.

Never heard from his old owners even though there were all the tears and promises to call when I picked him up. Surprise surprise. I should have realised when they were saying things like 'needs someone experienced'.
 
Just about to put mine up for sale. I bought her as an unbroken project and then a month later I had to have my old boy PTS. It was great having her as it got me through a rough time. It's been nearly a year now and I've figured that she's just not the one for me. I'm sad about it, but know it's the right thing to do.
 
Yep, and not ashamed to admit it.

Some horses and I just don't gel once we get down to the nitty gritty of daily life, fact of life, sometimes they don't like me any more than I like them, so we part company - amicably. Problem solved.

I did buy one mare that I loved to pieces, cracking horse, just too much horse for me, in that she was bigger all over than I was used to, and out hunting, which is why I bought her, way too strong, so in that way she didn't work out. She was loaned to the FM for a season and then sold onto another hunting home where apparently she did rather well. The Ledbury I think, she was in a book.
 
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I have. Admittedly I still have him 18 months on but this is due to the fact that he was injured for the majority of last yr and so I couldn't sell him otherwise I would have thrown in the towel a lot sooner. However, he is now fit and ready to go so will be advertising him any day. Really lovely horse, absolute sweetheart really but just too big for me and I don't think I could ever really ride him effectively hence wanting to downsize to a much smaller model! It's been extremely stressful at times and I have changed my mind about selling at least a dozen times! It's not an experience I ever want to repeat so going to make sure I get it right next time
 
Not all novices give up!
I bought a horse last year for my daughter and me to share - my daughter had all the lessons, i just wanted a few to hack out and i really enjoyed the grooming, looking after him
Said daughter got fed up / scared/ put off - he became bolshy, spooky, dangerous. - id fallen in totally love with him though and wanted to keep him.
Hes only 7 and has had at least 6 different homes - i do love him, know he loves me and knew i had to work at it
So i began lessons on him - hated them to begin with because he would jump and spook at everything - i was and am determined to keep him
Its now working out thanks to an excellent private instructor and my determination - now my daughter dare ride him again he has improved so much and he has a happy loving permanent home for life
 
I've had a horse that didn't work out and it seemed to make the most sense for all concerned to find him a new home. He didn't get along with the other two at all, he wasn't happy pastured alone and even when he was in a lot next to the others, there were problems. Admittedly, he wasn't the one causing them - the gelding I already had hated him and broke through the fence more than once in order to chase the poor thing.

It was just far too much of a headache and too bad because he was a nice horse. But I didn't have the facilities to set anything up that might have worked.

Like anything else, sometimes a particular horse doesn't fit with the situation.
 
I am just about to post asking for some legal advice on this subject! i am an experienced rider, had many quirky horses in my life 18 yrs experience and have just been had by a dealer. I had a lovely little dressage horse that suffered an irrepairable injury and approached a reputable dealer for a medium/adv medium dressage horse. I tried it 3 times, spent some time with it and it was nervous but otherwise didn't put a foot wrong.
Got it home and within 4 weeks it was less nervous as it had gentle, patient handling but became unrideable, its speciality was vertical rears and then bolting.
As an experienced rider, i know horses dont behave like that for nothing so employed a physio, saddle fitter, equine dental specialist, chiropractor, reiki massage and animal communication. all these took 4 months and i still hadn't sat on it and schooled it since the first week. After being given the all clear a got back on and it was the same story. Old owners confirmed this is his modus operandi and i approached the dealer for a refund. I am now going through the courts as he refused.
i know this will take ages but i know i cant work with that horse.
 
I have made 3 mistakes buying horses the worst and most expensive has been the last one.

The only reason the horse did not work out was because he was previously ridden by a largeish man and I am a very petite female, the horse cottoned on to this and just took the mic with me no matter what I did and I am not a novice it was just a bad partnership.

Needless to say we bought a much smaller horse suited to my size after this and so far he has worked out lovely.

There was nothing wrong with the horse or me bu together we just did not work out and I'm sure this must happen often, I was (at the time) lucky enough to loose £5000 on a horse that was not suited to me.
 
Omg me!!!

First time when I brought my grey in sig I got her home and thought ****! She was a psyco for the farrier, wouldn't load, kicked, reared when being led and she scared me sensless! I couldn't pass her on and she was actually 'okish' to ride so I kept her. I would of sold her but I was too scared she'd end up in a can!
Anyway we eventually bonded and she was really a very very good comp horse but she was never easy and always had a tendancy to be stressy. I had her for 4 years before she was pts with colic.

During that time I decided to buy another one, a nice easy one to run alongside. I spent 3.5k and brought an absolute dud. First night I got him home he started kicking the **** out of his box and weaving and I though 'oh ****' I knew he was wrong! He was, he was lame, napped, reared.. Awful. I sold him to a dealer for £600 8 weeks later. I didn't care, after all the heartache with my grey I couldn't go through it all again. I kept my grey, I loved her and we got along but this new horse. Nope he had to go before I got attached. I'm not a charity for duff horses and I'm not responsible for every horses fate, it's my life too :)

My current amazing horse I got after my grey died. I though 'oh ****' before I got him, what was I doing getting a 4yr old TB! However the moment he walked off the lorry at my yard I knew he was perfect. He is perfect, he's my dream and even when he's cheeky or unsettled iv never doubted it. I adore him.

I actually HATE buying new horses, it's such a lottery. I know pretty much after a week if I can handle a horse and if it isn't the right one I would pass it on, Im glad I kept my grey but she was always good to ride so it made up for her other crazy ways. However now I have *my* perfect horse Ive realised Lifes too short. I've also learnt that the perfect horse may also be exactly what you thought you didn't want!!
 
ok ill be shot down for this probably but i found the last post very upsetting - as in dogs, shouldnt a horse be for life?????
Cant you do things - send for training, rebacking, get an instructor in????????????
i really dont understand - sureley you must have some responsibility after buying the horse - i see so many people give up at the first hurdle - it really upsets me
 
narkymare said:
ok ill be shot down for this probably but i found the last post very upsetting - as in dogs, shouldnt a horse be for life?????
Cant you do things - send for training, rebacking, get an instructor in????????????
i really dont understand - sureley you must have some responsibility after buying the horse - i see so many people give up at the first hurdle - it really upsets me
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Not really when it is their fundamental temperament/character you just don't gel with.

My last boy I bought from a stud and was with him when he was PTS. But my current one just isn't right. IMO they're too expensive to "just be a pet". If they're not making you happy, best to find them a good home. I am an instructor, and it is what I would tell any of my clients. I have given my mare the best start possible and it is time to find her a home to take her to the next stage.
 
well Im glad to hear its not just me then....

Ive had horses on and off since the age of 12, Im now 33. Im not a novice owner - sold my last horse after 2 years as my dreams were bigger than his. I got to the stage after doing a lot of unaff things that I was wanting to move onto BE Intro but that would have been pushing him and at 15 I felt , unfair. So, it broke my heart as i couldnt afford 2 horses, but I took my time selling him and made sure he went to a great home. He is now a mother-daughter share and teaching his new family everything he taught me. He wasnt a totally straight forward ride either; he taught me to sit a serious spinning spook and a right dirty stop, lol.

So I wanted something to move on with, but that was genuine and uncomplicated as I have never been the bravest. My last horse was also only 14.3hh.

The new horse I ended up with was just under 16hh, and rising 5. He had done a lot in Ireland and when I tried him he was a saint! jumped what I asked him to, in a lovely steady rhythm, but was admittedly green in the school.

My mistake was not ensuring I had enough time to go back and try him several times - and sometimes, that just isnt possible. Who knows, he may still have been great in his own environment...

but the reality is that i got him home - fully aware he would need settling in time. fully aware there would be bound to be teething troubles- and the first time i sat on him, and i say SAT , asked nothing of him, just a wander round the paddock at walk. He refused to stand to be mounted (well no big deal i thought) but when i went to put my stirrups up a hole he panicked and went broncing sideways, ditching me:o I hit my head pretty hard and couldnt get up straight away. But even then , i was in denial that there was anything wrong. I figured it must be a freak occurrence, kidded myself he must have spooked at something, that it was my fault. So much so, i didnt admit to may people what had happened:o A few days later I was out hacking and he spooked and spun and had me almost off again. Now this didnt bother me too much as my last horse did this - but by this time i had doubts.

I had back and saddle checked - discovered saddle wasnt great so borrowed one that was. Also had teeth done. But everytime I got on, he was tense, his back was up, and I was tense. Instead of gelling... it was a downward spiral. I didnt trust him - he didnt trust me. Anytime I moved, even just to scratch my nose and move my hand off the rein he would shoot forward. I had to be very careful about patting him or moving my leg. A month passed, of me persevering and then he bronced with me after a pretty rubbish jump. The approach was ****, it was my fault. He jumped oddly and i landed with my leg back and again he panicked... bronced me off and I landed funny on my ankle. It wasnt broken, but the ligaments were torn and I ended up at hospital 3 times the following week. I was off work for 2 weeks on crutches. :(

I didnt want to give up on him - so arranged for my RI to have him on schooling livery while i was out of action. She found a very very tense wee horse. she had to do a lot of de-sensitising work with him, banging the stirrups, patting him etc.She said Id tried to do far too much with him too soon, and despite me having been able to jump him ok when I tried him - for whatever reason, she found a horse that was not balanced enough or straight enough to be jumping at all. He wasnt bad, he was just panicking and having not had a youngster before I hadnt realised, Id just tied to do the things with him I had done when I tried him out. :o I thought perhaps it was a settling in thing...

once my ankle was better i kept him on livery with RI and went down to ride him there and have some lessons.It was 'ok' thats all i can say.. i still had to be very careful. He didnt do anything wrong, but i was under direct supervision from my RI, and in a school (i only have a field to ride in). After a while I brought him home again. I honestly wasnt too worried. I had 'homework' to do from my RI, and no jumping ;) So i got on to ride for 20 mins a school area i had set up - and it was back to square 1, back was up. I was about give it up as a bad job that day when the broncing started again.This time we were walking back though an open field and he spooked at a bird then went sideways, humping his back. I did stay on, and when he was pulled up he reared:o:( I threw myself off at this point and led him back in. And that was the point at which i gave up. I feel as if i gave it as good a go as i was able and every instinct in me was screaming that to keep at this would result in a bigger accident for us both. The next day, he jumped over a 5bar gate onto the road and led me a merry dance trying to catch him.That night he went back to my RI's yard and i had to foot the bill to have her sell him on my behalf. I lost a lot of money. I dont believe he is bad, but i KNEW it wasnt going to work out. He turned out to be too sensitive for me, and too much horse, and too young and green tbh - despite me knowing i was buying a youngster, i really didnt think he was as green as that when i tried him.

He ended up going to a super home, but at a loss to me, and as a project. :rolleyes:

Now I have my new boy Charlie for a month. He is only just 7 but in that month i have done more with him than i dared dream. Yes, he spooks, yes he has had to settle in and tried it on in the usual ways. But ive never felt unsafe with him.... i tried him 3 times and had a lesson on him before i bought him. but even then i was aware he might not settle and the same might happen, so i was very anxious, however he is star and we just click:D

sorry for the essay,lol - bite of my chinese style pork ribs for those who got this far;) but having been through the stress of this, for anyone else in the same position, trust your gut instinct and ignore those who tell you you are giving up too easily, sometimes you just 'know':cool:
 
fair point - difference is i bonded with my boy straight away, knew he wasnt beign evil - just me and him needed some proffessional help - i suppose you can tell, if i thought he hated me i might have thought differently - i knew it wasnt hate - it was his inexperience and mine we needed to work on x
 
I've had one - I probably owned him for a year or so but to be honest I never really liked him. He wasn't a problem horse, he was a slightly arsey 5yo but nothing more - just simply couldn't gel with him and since I am a one horse owner, decided to get rid of him in favour of a horse I actually liked. Someone on here took exception to that and used it as a stick to bash me with periodically, but if a horse isn't right for whatever reason, why persist? Why carry on doggedly trying to make it work when there's no need, just because people think you should? My horse wasn't for me but he was probably somebody else's dream.
 
Mavis Cluttergusset said:
I've had one - I probably owned him for a year or so but to be honest I never really liked him. He wasn't a problem horse, he was a slightly arsey 5yo but nothing more - just simply couldn't gel with him and since I am a one horse owner, decided to get rid of him in favour of a horse I actually liked. Someone on here took exception to that and used it as a stick to bash me with periodically, but if a horse isn't right for whatever reason, why persist? Why carry on doggedly trying to make it work when there's no need, just because people think you should? My horse wasn't for me but he was probably somebody else's dream.
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couldnt agree more, there are always people who like to judge. i hope its worked out for you now.

its not like you are sending them off to slaughter... or dumping them at the door of some unscrupulous dealer; i made sure my horse went to a good home.
 
We sold our first horse when my sister went to university as he was too much for me to handle, he'd already wrecked my confidence and i'm sure if we'de kept him i'd have given up riding for good.

We went looking for a new one, aiming for a cobby sort that my mum could ride too, and made a novicey mistake of buying the first horse we tried as he seemed loverly. He arrived and we gave him a few days to settle in and then went to ride him and he wouldn't stand at our mountain block, so we took him down to the school and once again he wouldn't stand, so my YO came to help, eventually walked him in to the rail, and at this point he went up...i'm sorry to say we sent him back (he came from a dealer). It might seem harsh, but we'd just got rid of a problem horse, we didn't want another one.

We then got our Hercy (the next horse we tried - sensibly going back several times this time) and the rest is history :D
 
i agree, after a certain amount of time spending time together on a daily basis you just know if its not going to work. You get a gut feeling and things seem to become harder, more of a battle than a hobby. I agree that if a horse does not do the job it was bought for, it needs a new home as they are too expensive to keep as pets.
Luckily its only happened twice in 18yrs but i find myself 'switching off' from them and everything they do irritates me once i have made the decision that they aren't right for me.
 
narkymare said:
ok ill be shot down for this probably but i found the last post very upsetting - as in dogs, shouldnt a horse be for life?????
Cant you do things - send for training, rebacking, get an instructor in????????????
i really dont understand - sureley you must have some responsibility after buying the horse - i see so many people give up at the first hurdle - it really upsets me
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I think it's hard to make that statement unless you have never been in that situation. I did everything I could possible - he had his back checked, teeth, new saddle. He was a nasty pony. End of. I'm not saying that it was his fault - but I did a reasonable amount and decided I had done enough. It's very easy saying can't you send away. At £150 a week when I have had the horse a month? No chance. I work hard to enjoy my hobby.

Things go wrong with horses - I have lost two one of which I nursed through colic surgery and 5 months of aftercare and I have just had my youngster on box rest for 6 months with a fractured pedal bone - I think it's a bit unfair to suggest that I would simply give up on a horse. I had another horse that I sold - nothing wrong with him at all - I just didn't take to him. My youngster will never go anywhere because we have a bond and we get on very well together.

I applaud anyone who recognises that a horse is not right for them and finds it another home. Especially after seeing people overhorsed and miserable and doggedly trying to prove a point. And no, horses are not like dogs at all. They cost a hell of a lot more and are generally there for a purpose whether it be plodding around the block or competing at HOYS.
 
Im not judging its just i see so many people buy a horse and because he isnt push button perfect they get rid before tryng other options.
i just wonder where these poor horses end up
 
i think my main point is tht when you first saw and bought your horse, you liked something - you made teh dicision to take him on. so he moves ot new yard, new owner, new herd, new surroundings - doesnt settle in as quick as youd like so you sell
I just think some horses should be given more of a chance
 
narkymare said:
ok ill be shot down for this probably but i found the last post very upsetting - as in dogs, shouldnt a horse be for life?????
Cant you do things - send for training, rebacking, get an instructor in????????????
i really dont understand - sureley you must have some responsibility after buying the horse - i see so many people give up at the first hurdle - it really upsets me
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Horses have personalities just as we do. Some of them are stressy, some are laid back, some are cheeky, they all have their little quirks...

I don't get on with every human I know and don't really expect to. But when I don't, I don't force them to spend months in my company until we overcome our differences, I just recognise that some people just don't have personalities you can gel with. Why should it be any different with horses?

Or dogs for that matter.
 
narkymare said:
Im not judging its just i see so many people buy a horse and because he isnt push button perfect they get rid before tryng other options.
i just wonder where these poor horses end up
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it's just not as simple as that. Sometimes the horse is just NEVER going to do what you bought it for.

and what's to say put in a home where the horse is EXACTLY what the owner wants the horse isn't going to be far far happier? Just because someone doesn't want the horse, doesn't mean they're heartless and going to sell to any old person that may offer money.

My mare is on selling livery at the moment (due to a back problem of mine) and the woman selling her and I have discussed in length the sort of person we want to sell her too. I want a good home for her (she is a LOVELY horse, jusr not for me) and the lady has her reputation to consider.
 
Maybe I came across a bit harsh in my last message. I was prepared to keep my grey for life which I did. I will keep my current one for life and before my grey my family had 2 horses that we also kept for life untill they died at 26 and 23 years.

However I WONT keep one for life if it's not right. Sorry! And yes I can tell quite quickly. I'm very experienced and come from an experienced horsie family. I actually think it's a bad thing to keep a wrong horse. A lot of horses get ruined because they are in the wrong home and people are too stubborn to let them go.
 
narkymare said:
Im not judging its just i see so many people buy a horse and because he isnt push button perfect they get rid before tryng other options.
i just wonder where these poor horses end up
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With my old horse who I did not gel with we had loads of proffesional help. We sent him off for schooling had Kelly marks come and help us and we even tried to get him to a display with Monty Roberts but we couldn't get him on the trailer.

This horse frightened me so much I was to scared to get back on him even with proffesional help because we had so many problems together and even though I was petriffied of the horse and my confidence was knocked for months (I'm not normally a nervy rider) we had to sell him as there was no way I could cope. We sold him to a nice home I would never let a horse go to a bad home no matter how bad we got on and now that horse has just qualified for HOYs! He just has a bloke riding him now.

I think your judging people before you know their whole story.
 
narkymare said:
Im not judging its just i see so many people buy a horse and because he isnt push button perfect they get rid before tryng other options.
i just wonder where these poor horses end up
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I don't think it's a question of being 'push-button perfect' though - if you don't like a horse, where's the point in keeping it and being miserable with it? I like my horse; she is far from perfect - in fact some of the things she does make me want to kill her - but I tolerate them and work on improving them because I really like her and seem to have a good connection with her. If I didnt like her much for whatever reason, Id find her a nice home with somebody who did, I wouldnt just shove her into the next horse sale.

I think persevering with a horse you dont like or want can be more destructive than if you just admit to yourself you dont want it, cut your losses and find it a good home with someone who does.
 
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