Would you consider buying this horse?

[Ellietotz]

I think from your latest post listing your doubts he might not be quite so perfect for you as I previously thought.

The only thing I will say, I am only 5'4" and my horse (admittedly haven't ridden since accident and wont again until hips replaced) is 17.3 and built like a tank. After initially feeling like he was far too wide for me and struggling with his action, after a few rides I settled into it and with a change of saddle I found him so comfortable and seemed to be able to sit much deeper in the saddle, when my saddler had sorted us out.

The right saddle can make so much difference to how you can actually ride a broader a horse I think, especially the big ones. Are you happy with the saddle you were riding in?

As for space for an extra one, I have a good few acres but in the summer both my horses and my two donkeys are only on 3.5 acres of it which I rotate into 3 paddocks - he is a big eater but also a very good doer, so the limited grazing suits him and the others. I do occasionally chuck a bit of hay in with them if we have had very little growth due to drought (not often here in Ireland !)

My other concern is that you would not be keeping him that far away from the horse he does not want to be separated from, that cause big issues if they start shouting out to each other.

Perhaps time to really think how much you would feel cheated if you saw a new owner riding him out and about when he could have been yours?

Just edited to say I was considering getting a smaller slimmer horse next spring when I hope to be riding again, then it dawned on me I can trust my big chap 100 per cent on the narrow lanes with big farm machinery and he is a very safe but forward going hack. Feeling safe is a huge thing for me.

His current saddle is extremely comfortable, he feels like an arm chair to ride though either he is quite uphill or the saddle is slightly too narrow as I do have to rise up and forward in trot if that makes sense! In canter, sitting to it is lovely. I just can't seem to get away from it enough if I'm cantering out of the seat.

Space-wise, my mare isn't a particularly good doer so whilst the lack of grass might work for him, it probably wouldn't work for her. I like to be able to rest a paddock as well to prepare for winter.

Yes, I think I would feel sad seeing someone else on him and missing that opportunity. Feeling safe is also the biggest thing for me too and it did pretty much overall my criteria at the time but part of me thinks I could find something else safe that is smaller as the field space and other doubts might be a bit of a risk.

 

[Spirit2021]

Without sounding negative the horse market is crazy at the moment so you looking at horse costing you 8 thousand and up if you’re looking for a new one . I wouldn’t consider a horse that is 13 old. Do you feed hay / haylage because it sounds like you only relie on grass .

 

[Ellietotz]

Without sounding negative the horse market is crazy at the moment so you looking at horse costing you 8 thousand and up if you’re looking for a new one . I wouldn’t consider a horse that is 13 old. Do you feed hay / haylage because it sounds like you only relie on grass .

No, I mentioned that I would worry about not having enough storage for hay for them both. I have enough for her and a second of similar size but with him as well, I'd need a lot more than originally planned for.
I rent my fields too so I can't have them seriously overgrazed.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The other thing to consider is your budget. He sounds like a bargain in the current market.

 

[Flame_]

There are loads of safe, genuine 14.2s that haven't got it in them to do things that scare or hurt you. If he's not your type, he's not your type. He'll be a good buy for somebody.

Some people are happy with a horse that is willing and able to do the job they want them for, others are more particular. I think you need to keep looking.

 

[southerncomfort]

If he's a cob you might find you don't actually have to feed as much as you think.

He sounds like a good horse at a good price that you enjoy riding.

If his management is all that's holding you back and the owner is dithering about selling, would she let you take him on LWVTB?

 

[SO1]

Depends on what your budget is 3.5k with tack and rugs is a very good price for a safe hack with the potential to do some low level RC. Having said that he does sounds like he might be prone to separation anxiety and has he ever been turned out with mares before because it sounds like you will be turning him with your mare.

Height wise I am 5.2ft and my new forest is 14h. 15.3 would be way too big for me for general handing, tacking up, rugging, putting bridle on so much easier with a smaller pony for me than a big horse. I want to be able to easily get on and off from the ground if out hacking etc.

14.2 is a very sought after height and you are then competing with the pony club mums who are looking for safe ponies for kids as well as the small adult market. Looking at happy hackers on horse quest a 14.2 standard coloured cob is around 5k a new forest type would be significantly more an actual NF would be around £6,000 or more at current prices. If you have decent budget then maybe hang out for what you actually want if you have limited funds then maybe you might want to take a chance on this cob even if not exactly you were after.

There are loads of safe, genuine 14.2s that haven't got it in them to do things that scare or hurt you. If he's not your type, he's not your type. He'll be a good buy for somebody.

Some people are happy with a horse that is willing and able to do the job they want them for, others are more particular. I think you need to keep looking.

 

[Winters100]

No, I mentioned that I would worry about not having enough storage for hay for them both. I have enough for her and a second of similar size but with him as well, I'd need a lot more than originally planned for.
I rent my fields too so I can't have them seriously overgrazed.

I am not really sure that a 15.3 eats a lot more than a 14.2, especially if it is a cob. I have never owned one, but from what I understand from cob-owning friends they basically get fat as soon as they see grass. Speaking personally my poor doer mare eats much less than my good doer gelding, even though he is much bigger.

I think the more important point is that, having had time to think about it, and another ride, you seem not convinced about this horse and not to enjoy him as you did on the previous try. You also seem not convinced about a second horse in general.

In my opinion you need to have a hard think about whether you want a second one at all. My experience is the added work of additional horses is mainly in the riding and training, but then I am at a yard where I don't do my own boxes. With additional horses it is easy to manage as long as they are all easy to handle, for example I can bring my 3 in from the paddock together, and if I am pushed for time I can ride 1 and lead 2 to exercise.

Your latest posts throw a different light on this for me. If a subsequent ride has shown a different side to the horse there is no shame in saying that he is not for you. At that price the seller will have no problems, so I think best would be to be straightforward and inform him/her asap if you don't want him.

Have a good think and make sure that whatever decision you make it is one that you are happy with. Good luck!

 

[Winters100]

Speaking personally my poor doer mare eats much less than my good doer gelding, even though he is much bigger.

Spot the obvious error! Clearly I meant to write much more!!

 

[Tiddlypom]

If he doesn't float your boat, then that's fair enough. There won't be many more safe and sound horses around at that price, though, even 13 yo ones.

I expect that the OP's inbox is now getting bombarded with PMs asking for the owner's contact details - he sounds just like what many people are looking for .

 

[Red-1]

I expect that the OP's inbox is now getting bombarded with PMs asking for the owner's contact details - he sounds just like what many people are looking for .

 

[Ceriann]

If he doesn't float your boat, then that's fair enough. There won't be many more safe and sound horses around at that price, though, even 13 yo ones.

I expect that the OP's inbox is now getting bombarded with PMs asking for the owner's contact details - he sounds just like what many people are looking for .

I’ve been sat on my hands - he could be perfect for my hubby as a happy hacker!

 

[Ellietotz]

If he's a cob you might find you don't actually have to feed as much as you think.

He sounds like a good horse at a good price that you enjoy riding.

If his management is all that's holding you back and the owner is dithering about selling, would she let you take him on LWVTB?

I've asked about loan but she said she'd rather sell unfortunately. If I could have him on loan, I probably wouldn't hesitate. The buying just worries me in case it doesn't work or she changes her mind last minute after I've paid for vetting!

 

[Ellietotz]

I am not really sure that a 15.3 eats a lot more than a 14.2, especially if it is a cob. I have never owned one, but from what I understand from cob-owning friends they basically get fat as soon as they see grass. Speaking personally my poor doer mare eats much less than my good doer gelding, even though he is much bigger.

I think the more important point is that, having had time to think about it, and another ride, you seem not convinced about this horse and not to enjoy him as you did on the previous try. You also seem not convinced about a second horse in general.

In my opinion you need to have a hard think about whether you want a second one at all. My experience is the added work of additional horses is mainly in the riding and training, but then I am at a yard where I don't do my own boxes. With additional horses it is easy to manage as long as they are all easy to handle, for example I can bring my 3 in from the paddock together, and if I am pushed for time I can ride 1 and lead 2 to exercise.

Your latest posts throw a different light on this for me. If a subsequent ride has shown a different side to the horse there is no shame in saying that he is not for you. At that price the seller will have no problems, so I think best would be to be straightforward and inform him/her asap if you don't want him.

Have a good think and make sure that whatever decision you make it is one that you are happy with. Good luck!

The current owner has several large paddocks that she rents for just the two of them that they are rotated around constantly and they eat it to the ground within a matter of hours so I'd worry that my mare would end up needing hay feeding as she wouldn't have enough, even though he could manage with as little as possible.

It's hard because I do really like him! I do think he may have been tired yesterday, he is quite unfit and he had done an hour and a half hack the day before and yesterday was the 4th day in a row that he had gone out. Straight after galloping around like a loon waiting for his friend to come back too and it was a hot day so there are those factors that may have played a part as well. I still enjoyed his company out riding despite him missing his friend the whole time. Perhaps he wasn't over the fact his friend had gone for an hour, just come back and he had to leave him behind straight away!

I tried getting him out while his friend was out too and he was just a sod. Apparently they aren't used to being tied up... he was very agitated which I do understand as he is clearly very attached. I don't know how he will cope being apart from him, especially being out of sight but close enough to hear each other.

I know that I'm not going to know if the space I have works until I actually do it but it is just a worry.

Then I also wonder if once he is fitter and going out more regularly, he would be more forward like he was on Friday...

I don't think I want him to go anywhere either! I hate my brain!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Another thing to think of is his size on your grazing and the damage his feet will do. My mare is only 15.1 and reasonably lightweight but the damage she does is way more than my sister's two ponies combined.

 

[Ellietotz]

Another thing to think of is his size on your grazing and the damage his feet will do. My mare is only 15.1 and reasonably lightweight but the damage she does is way more than my sister's two ponies combined.

Yes that was another concern too. I hate my fields getting churned up!

 

[Casey76]

OP, what ever you do, don’t feel pressured one way or another by HHO . Do what you feel is best.

 

[Ellietotz]

OP, what ever you do, don’t feel pressured one way or another by HHO . Do what you feel is best.

I honestly wish I could show pictures of him, aside from his description, you'd all think I was even more mad if I let him go lol! He has such a sweet face!

 

[sunleychops]

The fact he is nothing like what you were looking for and are considering him tells you everything. He's clearly the one.

 

[Odyssey]

Really not wishing to put a downer on it, but I'm just wondering if you have quite enough space for another horse/pony. 2 1/2 acres isn't a lot for 2 horses and 2 donkeys, as you don't have much space to store hay. I don't imagine that a 14.2 would eat vastly less than a 15.3, but I could be completely wrong.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

My list for the type I was looking for was:

- 14.2hh max, nothing chunkier than a welsh D, new forest type with little feather.
- No older than 10
- Hacks alone and in company
- No sharp spooking, bucking, bolting, rearing. Napping is okay providing it isn't dangerous.
- Non dominant gelding ideally or mare if right.
- Has the capacity to jump a little bit like logs out hacking really.
- Not a kick along, has to be willing to go forwards.

Ideal thing would be a lovely bay new forest type with a white stripe. Piebald is probably my least favourite!

There is a five year old 13.2hh bay New Forest mare advertised on Horsequest UK at the moment, and a number of other New Forest ponies too, for that matter.

I wouldn't rush into deciding.

 

[Ellietotz]

Really not wishing to put a downer on it, but I'm just wondering if you have quite enough space for another horse/pony. 2 1/2 acres isn't a lot for 2 horses and 2 donkeys, as you don't have much space to store hay. I don't imagine that a 14.2 would eat vastly less than a 15.3, but I could be completely wrong.

The donkeys would go back to YO as they are only there to be a companion for my mare and wouldn't be required if I had him.

I usually get those massive square hay bales, are they maybe 12ft? My mare gets through 1 slice a day during winter with access to both fields. So one of those bales lasts me a month, there is around 30 slices per bale. Where that is stored at the moment sharing with the YO, I have space just for the one bale.

I have a single shelter in the middle of my closest field that I would shut off and use for hay storage instead, though this does mean having hay dropped by the gate and transported several slices at a time by wheelbarrow to get it in there as the gate isn't tractor sized but now thinking about it, he would probably need a slice and a half over winter so I'd actually have space for quite a few bales. I was planning on putting a hay box on the hard standing in front of the shelter so I can literally just chuck hay straight into that. I will just have to get over not being able to feed them their hay in their shelter but they will have access to the big double shelter too. I can always tie a small hay net up each in there if it's raining and I feel guilty! Reasoning for this is after a certain point in winter, it will be hard to get a wheelbarrow with hay in to the big shelter as that field is downhill and can get quite wet.

So that leaves me with the field likely getting trashed with his big cloppers as I like to have a bit of grass growth coming up to winter to prevent there being so much mud. I am religiously squashing down divets as it is lol. Although, it is salvageable with harrowing which I can do myself but then there is also the risk that it gets so ruined that grass doesn't grow back without reseeding or it gets turned to dust in summer.

I wish I could turn my worry off and just buy the damn horse lol!

 

[ycbm]

I've asked about loan but she said she'd rather sell unfortunately. If I could have him on loan, I probably wouldn't hesitate. The buying just worries me in case it doesn't work or she changes her mind last minute after I've paid for vetting!

I think I would try and get a text record of her agreeing to pay for the vetting if she pulls out of the sale. Failing that I might ask her to sign a one clause contract saying the same. If she won't sign, you have your answer.
.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

The donkeys would go back to YO as they are only there to be a companion for my mare and wouldn't be required if I had him.

I usually get those massive square hay bales, are they maybe 12ft? My mare gets through 1 slice a day during winter with access to both fields. So one of those bales lasts me a month, there is around 30 slices per bale. Where that is stored at the moment sharing with the YO, I have space just for the one bale.

I have a single shelter in the middle of my closest field that I would shut off and use for hay storage instead, though this does mean having hay dropped by the gate and transported several slices at a time by wheelbarrow to get it in there as the gate isn't tractor sized so now thinking about it, he would probably need a slice and a half over winter so I'd actually have space for quite a few bales. I was planning on putting a hay box on the hard standing in front of the shelter so I can literally just chuck hay straight into that. I will just have to get over not being able to feed them their hay in their shelter but they will have access to the big double shelter too. I can always tie a small hay net up each in there if it's raining and I feel guilty! Reasoning for this is after a certain point in winter, it will be hard to get a wheelbarrow with hay in to the big shelter as that field is downhill and can get quite wet.

So that leaves me with the field likely getting trashed with his big cloppers as I like to have a bit of grass growth coming up to winter to prevent there being so much mud. I am religiously squashing down divets as it is lol. Though, it is salvageable with harrowing which I can do myself but then there is also the risk that it gets so ruined that grass doesn't grow back without reseeding or it gets turned to dust in summer.

I wish I could turn my worry off and just buy the damn horse lol!

Grass will come back almost anywhere

 

[Onlywayisup]

l don't think you are really interested, your making so many excuses not to buy. Let the lovely cob find someone who will appreciate him, thirteen is no age.

 

[FireCracker238]

This probably sounds silly but if the current owner rents the paddocks she keeps her two boys in and one is rehomed and one comes to you is there no way you could take over the rental on "her" paddocks if you could afford it, then you could rotate more often and possibly get away with not needing to store more hay bales

 

[Snow Falcon]

After reading your updated posts it seems you are not so sure about him. Perhaps he is not quite the horse/pony you are looking for.

 

[Ellietotz]

This probably sounds silly but if the current owner rents the paddocks she keeps her two boys in and one is rehomed and one comes to you is there no way you could take over the rental on "her" paddocks if you could afford it, then you could rotate more often and possibly get away with not needing to store more hay bales

Unfortunately, it would be an extra £200 a month roughly I think for him and my mare or £100 for just the one I think if he would stay on his own which would be okay but the paddocks she rents have no shelter or natural shelter (other than what you have to put in yourself so the current shelter would go, I don't have 4k to buy it from her!), no storage or hard standing and nowhere to tie up so I'm quite lucky with what I have and I only pay £100pcm! I think I would have enough space with my current fields, I just might have to feed hay most the year and I'd need to make sure the fields don't get stupidly overgrazed so I don't upset the field owner!

 

[Lamehorses]

Your more recent post about him being a bit rude could be a game changer - 13 is quite old to be changing ingrained habits.
As far as the being too wide - is he very fat, that could change, sounds like he could be eating too much.
Not being able to get out of the saddle could be the saddle is too big for you - my horse came with a 17.5 saddle & changing to a 16.5 to fit my arse helped enormously with my riding

 

[Ellietotz]

Your more recent post about him being a bit rude could be a game changer - 13 is quite old to be changing ingrained habits.
As far as the being too wide - is he very fat, that could change, sounds like he could be eating too much.
Not being able to get out of the saddle could be the saddle is too big for you - my horse came with a 17.5 saddle & changing to a 16.5 to fit my arse helped enormously with my riding

He is rather round yes and the saddle is slightly too narrow I think as it is a fair bit higher at the front. It isn't level to his back so it could do with widening or him losing weight!

He was rude as he was agitated with his friend being out but it was nothing that I'm not used to. I'd have been better to have just left him in the field until he got back really but I wanted to see what he was like. It wasn't unmanageable and is a pleasure to handle when his friend is home!