Why is buying a new horse so difficult?

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BigHrider

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I am currently searching for a new youngster to start working with for when my veteran horse decides he has had enough.
I have been looking at 4 year olds, in the hope to start from scratch and to have the sense of achivement when it all goes well (fingers crossed).
I am looking for a horse with the potential to compete at advanced level dressage.
I have had two horses vetted and the both had leg issues.
Has anyone else had a tough time finding their horse?
 
Yep, it's hugely difficult when you are looking for a serious comp horse...unless you have mega mone.

I've been looking for a very long time for the same but primarily to event and have been unsuccessful...to the point where my enthusiasm is now fading away!
 
Or is it perhaps that people are just becoming too fussy, and vets too scared to pass anything.
There is an element of chance / risk in buying a horse. If you wont take the risk or chance you are unlikely to find anything!
 
We actually ended up buying the second horse we saw! But I insisted on seeing videos/loads of pictures and asked 85 million (well, almost!) questions before bothering to go and see, and we are only after something as a decent RC allrounder maybe intro/PN event. I did have the most comprehensive list of criteria (gelding, between 3 and 6, not grey, not too many white legs, ideally homebred, had to have been well handled etc) some of which might sound random but all relevant to us!! And only ended up with two to see, one that was DOUBLE the price of the other....he had been backed, and Roo hadn't, but apart from liking Roo more, I didn't think 6 months of work was worth paying double the price!

I think the higher the level you want, the harder they are to find. You probably already tried but maybe some of the big studs (like Catherston etc) might be worth a try? Or even contact some of the top dressage riders and see what they might have for sale? Good luck with your search!
 
Out of interest, where have you looked and what sort of budget do you have?

I can only have one horse at the moment so I am making the most of my older horse, but I will be looking for something similar over the next couple of years. I think there is quite a few horses that have been 'pushed' and 'over produced' to maximise their sale price at that age.

There is about half a dozen that I would enquire about in H&H each week (if I were looking) in the £5,000 to £12,000 bracket.

Where abouts are you based and how far are you able to travel to view horses?
 
Have always bought the first horse I have seen, which is why I do not go and see them unless they are good!

However have seen advertised several reasonably priced quality youngsters of late, most unbroken though and with eventing in mind so probably easier as youngsters to find!.

Keep looking the right horse will appear.

good luck
 
I looked at 36 when I was looking for a 14HH - 15HH 2 that could jump 3ft and wasn't lame - I didn't think I was asking for much but the amount of people that lied. I also had 3 failed vettings and one I got home that wind sucked along with others that went lame before the vetting etc. !

Keep looking though, the one I found was well worth it!!!
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Although I'm going to have to horse hunt again at the end of the year and not exactly looking forward to it.
 
I have a friend over here (Belgium) who has been looking for something similar, although is also looking at backed 3yo's, and she has been up to Holland several times but she says everything she's seen so far dishes or has some other issue. Have you considered going to the Brightwells auction?
 
I'm looking for similar - though not necessarily broken - anywhere between 2 and 6yo - not prepared to travel for hours and everything I like is in either Devon, Scotland, Sussex or Wales - I'm in S Lincs
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Haven't even got as far as vetting one yet
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