Would you get on a horse that hadn't been sat on in 1.5 years?

LauraElise

LauraElise

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Following on from my " Would you take on this horse" thread some people have suggested that you should be able to get straight on a horse that hasn't even been sat on for 1.5 years?

I know no one is suggesting a 30 minute schooling session but really, would it be ok to ask for walk and trot just to see if I like him? Obviously I would want owner to get on first!

Thank you for reading.
 
If it were my horse I wouldn't let it go without at least seeing how the prospective loaner ride! Could she not do a few lunging sessions in the week and a little sit on? At least enough just for you to get a feel in walk and trot of him?

Obviously if hes been out of work for that long his canter might be dodgy until he's fitter so I wouldn't expect to be cantering him. But surely it's not asking the owner much to lunge him a bit first? If she doesn't have time then maybe even let you do it...then you can see how the horse moves etc?
 
My OH did.
A woman had a 17.2 bavarian warmblood that hadnt been sat on for over 2 years; fab horse... but takes the p!ss
he bucked her off and she never got on again..

he lunged him for about 20 mins a couple days after he arrived.. then rode him and jumped him over more than 3ft.. as he had to decide whether he wanted to keep him.

however; the honeymoon period was soon over. he started to get really stupid... rearing and then bucking on landing.. doing all of this pratting about on the spot.. he reversed himself into a wall and as he bucked he caught the wall. OH did everything he could; only way to get him to stop was to hit him a bit... the next time he rode he did the same thing in the arena.. again a bit of a slap and he stopped

he has now got him in a double bridle; and seems to respect that more.. so now OH can concentrate on actually riding him and not just hanging on for dear life!!

he can jump over 4ft.. and does it well... got fab bloodlines; so OH is willing to struggle.. he knows its in there somewhere.

anyway... the only advice i can give is just be really really really careful if you do.. my OH is very experienced and is an amazing rider.
 
If I was loaning out or selling a horse that hadn't been worked for such a length of time and had found a suitable owner/suitable owner found me! then it would be no bother to get in a few lunge/longreining/ridden sessions in preparation for a viewing.
 
it would depend on the age of the horse.I would not expect a 6 yr old who had been turned away for a year and a half to cope with having a rider on just like that but on the other hand I have got on a horse who hadn't been ridden for 10 years.He was 19 years old and his owner who was an older lady didn't have the confidence to get on him herself. He was amazing and I just did a couple of circuits in a walk and trot on each rein to see how he coped.You would never have guess he hadn't done it for so long. I would certainly expect a horse who had been properly backed and ridden for some time to cope with having a rider on after 1.5 years though!
 
Bearing in mind the horse is 13 then it should be fairly established albeit unfit. If it has been in the field it will have walked about a bit so getting on and walking it for 10 minutes wont hurt IMO. So long as you dont do circles/hills or loads of trot work. Two of mione havent been ridden for about 10 years (They are bot in their 30s) and I know i could get on and they would be fine to ride in walk in a straight line. Not for long, about 10 minutes max, (and one might drop dead from shock of course!- He has a major heart murmur! LOL!)

I wouldnt lunge a horse that was unfit.
 
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*please note OH would not have done what he did if he had not had to decide whether he was keeping the horse, and wouldnt of jumped him etc if he didnt think he was able to

and his miss behaving is NOT caused by pain...
he is 10yrs old; and has done alot before the woman owned him and lost her confidence... he is well schooled and does know how to do what you ask him to; just is stubborn!!
 
Well I Bought My horse on the same day as viewing, she wasnt ridden or anything, the dealer literally showed her to me and said she hadnt been ridden in a year. the dealer didnt like her and said if she wasnt sold she was going to the slaughter house, so i bought her. my brother sat on her a few days after buying and she did a bucking bronco act :P she had been unridden for 2 years before i got on her :) she was fine i just walked round on lunge first then went off without a lead and now shes perfect :) if you really really like the horse and feel a connection when you meet then its up to you whether to take the risk or not :)
 
Have already replied to your other post but if the horse was properly backed and is as described it should be no problem getting on a horse that has not been ridden for 1.5 years.

Only thing I would say is that when I rode on my mare for the first few weeks after a 3 year break from being ridden when she had a couple of foals she was as good as gold. She reverted back to type - buzzy but safe - after a short while.
 
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