Would you buy a yearling unseen?

[Acobandawelsh]

Would you buy a yearling unseen?
I was going tonstart looking in spring for another welsh D yearling.
One has popped up and he looks absolutely perfect and the right money, Low 4 figures so not a massive amount by any stretch.
He's 5 hours away. The seller has sent me videos and lots of pics and i have had a good look through their page.
He is available to reserve.
I cant get to see him though til after xmas and i dont want to miss out!
Am i being too keen though - should i take a chance and put down a reserve then go see him
Or hope hes still available when i can get to see him?
Has anyone bought a yearling unseen?
If this was an older horse obvs i wouldn't be buying blind as would want to try etc

 

[Abacus]

I have done so, for a much less reasonable explanation (she was a pretty dun). She was fab. Sadly didn’t make the height but we backed and sold her, and she’s in a great home. At the moment though I think prices might drop over winter, Feb may be a better time to buy, but that’s speculative. Sounds like this one is cheap anyway.

 

[Gloi]

I have done but from a breeder whose stock I knew I liked.
If you give a definite notice of interest and arrange to go after Xmas I think the market has calmed down enough that you are unlikely to miss out.
Will you be making the journey with your trailer/box?

 

[Palindrome]

Yes, but she was in another country. 5 hours away I would go to view before buying, you can't go at the week end?

ETA: I would consider it if buying from a breeder I already know as I would trust them to tell me about the temperament. The one I bought abroad I already knew she was tricky from her video (and I knew the seller). I had the filly vetted and also chatted with the vet on the phone about her temperament.

 

[ycbm]

I haven't bought that young but I've often bought unseen up to that kind of money and I've never regretted it. But i wouldn't spend more than I could afford to lose.
.

 

[Hormonal Filly]

I haven’t bought a yearling but a 3yo from Ireland unseen.

I’d go for it.. get a 2* thought to check heart, eyes etc.

 

[Cortez]

Yes, I’ve frequently bought horses and young stock unseen, but I’m not buying “forever” horses and can afford to take a chance. I’m also ridiculously old and experienced with this sort of thing. Never bought a bad one ‘tho!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I did this year. Spent time researching bloodlines, watched videos, studied pictures and spoke to his owner for hours. He's got a fab temperament and very pleased with my "risky" auction purchase. I set myself a limit price and stuck to it as also factored in transport costs. I'm not really a risk taker but also took a pony on loan for my son having not seen that either. We bought her and she stayed here 5 years.

Is the one you're interested in gelded? That's where I maybe cautious if not.

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

Well for truely " unseen " I bought a filly while she was still in the womb !
I really liked the dam and was told this would be her last foal , she was an elderly mare and the pregnancy was unexpected . I knew the breeding so I knew what I hoped she'd look like ! Doesn't always work that way though , but I reckon as long as it's got 4 legs I can find a job for it ! Mum died when the foal was 12 weeks old so she had a hard start . Not the prettiest foal and , to be honest , if I'd seen her as a yearling I probably would've turned her down , mostly because she was so small and spindly , but she blossomed and she 's turned out to be the most successful pony I've ever owned and an absolute sweetie with a lovely character . I've still got her 20 years later !

As a yearling



As a 2 year old ( Reserve Champion ! )

 

[BBP]

I bought one unseen from Ireland a year ago. It was a huge gamble as I do buy forever horses and I definitely can’t financially afford it ? but I did buy with a realistic view that knowing horses I may never get to ride him, so when he ruptured a tendon after just 3 months with me I was able to mentally deal with it. I just had ‘the feeling’ when I saw his photos. He’s a total gem, calm, confident, independent, just a really nice guy. I don’t regret it at all. Maybe I just got really lucky. That said, you don’t quite know what you will end up with. He is waaayyy chunkier than I had realised, and I had never really wanted a chunky Connemara, so it’s a deviation from my usual type of Arabs, TBs, PREs and Welsh Bs. But he moves beautifully in trot and canter (the walk is a bit ??) and has a natural aptitude and enthusiasm for jumping, he leaps on and off our bank, up and down the steps, over his water trough and bushes in the field, and has jumped two 1.20m fences/gates. On the few walks out we have done he has led the whole way without any hesitation.

 

[sunnyone]

Yes I'd take the risk, buying any young animal is a gamble, so much can happen over the next 2 years. At least this way it's not going through an auction yard,. Put a holding deposit down that you can afford to lose if need be. Go and see it asap, pay and then get a pro to transport it so as you don't have a 10 hour + driving day.

 

[millitiger]

I would buy unseen IF you are going to have a vetting.
Otherwise, no.

I bought a yearling this year, he was over 4 hours away, and I felt a little silly spending the day driving to see him BUT I couldn't commit without setting eyes on him and getting a better feel for the breeder in person.
I did get him transported to me, so only did the trip once!

 

[Jenko109]

Yes, a forest pony. I would take a punt on buying native young stock unseen again.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

Yup. If its a specific breed and blood lines you want then you know what you are looking at. Pics and vids would be enough for me to say yes or no and sending a transporter in to pick up when ready.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Yes, a forest pony. I would take a punt on buying native young stock unseen again.

Being nosey. What did you buy?

 

[ElvisandTilly]

Yes I bought a yearling this summer, unseen but by a stallion I had been looking at his youngstock direct from the breeder. He was much smaller than was told but he has more than caught up in the 6 months he’s been with me. He was half the price of what the breeder was selling them for as his current owners circumstances changed so needed to sell him. prices were crazy at the time so I put my deposit on as soon as!

 

[Jenko109]

Being nosey. What did you buy?

Was quite some time ago now. A colt by Dancing Gold. He was sold a couple of years back as I needed to downsize.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Nice. Sorry, I'm an anorack for the breed.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

I bought a 2 year old unseen last year, I saw 3 photos and had a chat with the seller who seemed lovely and genuine. I did have a small panic when I'd sent the money before the transporter went to collect him that a complete stranger now had the money and the pony and could just disappear. Luckily they were as honest as they seemed and the pony was exactly as described.

 

[maya2008]

I bought a 2yo unseen in Covid times…turned out to be pregnant ?. Best pony ever though, perfect first ridden from week one of backing - reliable, steady and has skyrocketed my daughter’s confidence.

Also picked up one unseen a couple of weeks ago. I had enquired about him before we bought our last one; decided no as he didn’t have a passport. He ended up in a home that couldn’t cope with what he was (feral as..) and they offered him to me. He’s exactly what both sellers said he would be, with the shortest back in history (only just takes a 14” saddle) but I think will jump the moon based on his movement. Sweet chap, my old Shetland is seriously in love with him!

Neither cost me much at all, so worth a punt.

 

[Ratface]

Years ago, I bought a 4yr old beautifully bred Egyptian Arabian gelding from an ad on Dragon Driving. Ghastly skeleton of a thing. He'd been in the first series of Game of Thrones, been roped over in a battle scene, lamed and was thrown away on the North Belfast Marshes. I got him 2 stage vetted and got him very cheaply.
A month later, he tottered down the ramp of a multi-loaded cattle wagon and collapsed into a very deep bedded stable in a small private yard.
He was very withdrawn, head shy and covered in cuts and scars. It took a year of careful, quiet handling, pottering round the local fields, woods and byways in hand and then very slowly re-backing. We went on to win Endurance rides, dressage classes, showjumping (he has the most amazing pop and spread) and generally had a good time. He was very "hot" and a complete spook-monster on the plainest of forage diets and 12 hours' turnout, so he went to live with a friend up-country. She adores him, has a great deal more experience with Egyptian Arabian horses than me, (I'm a Crabbet/Old English nerd) and they continue to have a lovely life together.

 

[silv]

A yearling probably, if I saw lots of photos, video etc.
on saying that I bought a project unseen but she was 12 hours away and has turned out fantastic and is no longer a project. However I do have a lot of experience and am confident in my decisions and judgement so am quite happy to do so.

 

[Blanche]

I would and have. You should only do it if you are prepared to lose the money. They can still go wrong if you see them and have them vetted.

 

[blitznbobs]

I would if it was a bit special and had good videos but it would also have to be a good price but i buy a lot of youngsters so would be happy to take the odd gamble

 

[Kaylum]

Get photos of inside the mouth. Check the jaw for undershot/overshot very important.

 

[southerncomfort]

I would if it were from a reputable breeder. I wouldn't if it were from a dealer or private seller.

 

[MissTyc]

I've bought yearlings unseen on a whim. I only do it if I can afford to lose the money. But it's good "fun" in many ways. I can't afford to buy fancy or adult horses, but I do have 40 acres to play with, so that influences how I acquire horses, or how they acquire me!

 

[Ali27]

I bought my 2 1/2 year old filly unseen in July. Although her breeder is a friend of a friend. I’m in Staffs and she was in Wales so I just got sent videos which I then sent to my instructor, physio and then a friend who is an equine vet. Friend then organised her friend to do vetting for me. I love my baby ginger pony loads although she had been living out in a herd so was pretty much unhandled. I would happily buy a youngster unseen ?

 

[Acobandawelsh]

Thank you everyone for sharing experiences
Put a small deposit down and seeing him in early jan. Thought if hes not right then its not masses of money!
pretty sure hes perfect though. We are making a few days of the journey anyway as its a lovely area to exxplore!

 

[Sanversera]

yes I have, bought 2 yearlingsunseen and would do so again.
TBH you take a chance on any horse. Go for it.