Would you take on this horse? (long)

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cloverleaf1985

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A friend of mine knows of a 15.2h 7yo grey tb mare that needs a new home. at present she is in foal to a connie which is due in may. she is nice to ride but apparantly is hard to handle on the ground. from what i have been told so far, she has no respect for personal space and if scared will run into a blind panic knocking you down if you are in the way. Horse has been handled and treated badly in the past and owners saw putting her in foal as a way to "sort her out". However she has a kind personality and friend thinks she just needs time and one on one handling. The handling won't be a problem for me as long as she is not actually dangerous. there is a possibility i may be given her for nothing if they can't sell her. Do i take the risk and have a potential nice horse with a free foal or do i avoid like the plague as she could be nasty? I am going to see her on sunday anyway and i generally get a feeling when i see them but i tend to let my heart run away with me and i need unbiased opinions!! Help!!
 
Well I think the only sensible thing to do would be to get to know her as much as possible before taking on any commitment, that way you can see for yourself the type of behaviour she displays.
 
I think you need to spend some time with her then walk away and have a long hard think about if you would want to take her on
 
There are always the Monty Roberts & Richard Maxwells of the world if she is a nice enough horse to have a go with
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pretty much what the others have said, spend some time with the mare and see how you get on, u never kno u and her might just click, and you could have a lovely wee foal as well!! give it a go!!
 
I agree with the above but I would be extermely wary of taking on a mare that acts as you say with what will be a foal at foot. It's almost like you are taking on 2 problem horses and not just one as, if the mare is not too easy to handle, the foal is likely to grow up the same way (I mean, if you are trying to handle her and she has a panic, then the foal will be learning that this is the way to act around people). I'm not sure if I'm being overly clear in what I mean so I hope you know what I'm getting at?! Sorry.

I think it is a big gamble that could turn out wonderfully, but could also go the other way. I think I would spend a lot of time with the mare now before the foal comes and have a really good think. I think I would be quite wary of this though.
 
Do you have the space, time and facilities? If so then personally I would, but then that is me. I have always had nice natured horses in the past with no hang-ups however I bought a lovely show jumper in Nov from a dealer, poor b*gger had been smacked across the head so many times, twitched by ear, you name it, it had been done, now he has a lovely nature but is petrified and he will run through you, rear up and spin around and generally cart off. It has taken a couple of months for him to trust me but the bonding is going well, I can almost do anything I want with him and he hasn't reared or mowed me over in ages - I tend to spend at least an hour if not more a day with him, in the field/school/stable, grooming talking and playing games with him and he's changed however Yard Manager is still pulled about but I think that is the way she behaves around him. Trust your instincts, just remember she may be funny around the old owners so perhaps see if you can spend some time with them out of the way so there is no pressure on her. Also if she is in foal she may be more possessive than usual or grumpy or uncomfortable. Plus also even if you tried with her, it might save her from the unknown especially as she is in foal and as they might give her away. Good luck I really hope it works out well for you both - just remember there are no nasty horses out there - we make them what they are x
 
I'd be less worried about a horse that is merely 'bargy' than one that bites or kicks or rears. Lack of respect for personal space is something that can be overcome with good handling/training (Maxwell or one of Kelly Marks's RAs might be a good idea). Doesn't sound as though this mare is actually bad-tempered or nasty - just scared and in need of handling/training.
 
Thanks guys that was my general feeling. said friend is a parelli level 2 and has an indoor and outdoor school. she has said i can go and spend time with her and she could stay there until foal is older so that we can both work on her, then when she is easier to handle i could move her to my livery yard. how much do u think they could realistically sell her for. friend says her conformation isnt great, slightly weak fetlocks, is underweight and in need of serious muscle building. just thinking incase i need to make an offer if i can't get her for free.
 
No but I would if it was ginger! If you like the type of horse it is, are prepared for a challenge and know of someone good to help you out when you need it, a horse with issues can be really rewarding in the long run. I'd also be well aware of the risk of a few months of frustration, disappointment and the odd hospital trip! It really depends on whether you enjoy working through horse problems or whether you'd prefer to stick to something more straightforward. Although as problems go this horse's sounds like a reasonably managable one with lots of potential for improvement. Well worth a look.
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