Young horse purchase - advice appreciated.

[Whatanejit]

This is

[BNaturally]

Get another Vet and ask him or her to evaluate this horse for purchase.
There are many horses druged and you can see the real horse until, some few days later.
*When drawing up the contract for purchase, ask the owners for a trial period for the first month, where you can get you money back,if any problems are found.
This way you may see something, health issues or any other problems.

Do you have more of a detail histroy on this young one?
It seen strange that, a green horse could be so bombproof to hacking, everything unless,its been more training done and he not a real greenie.
Take him on a trial bases and I wish you luck.
I hope this helps.

[KateWooten]

I wouldn't worry too much that he's been overtrained - those big draft-types tend to be laid back, and if he's been introduced right, and he's been ridden out a lot with other older horses it would make sense that he's learnt from them that cars are not for spooking at.

The ideal situation is for you to buy an older horse, and for a more experienced rider to buy the youngster. However, newer riders, with their minds and hearts in the right place, access to good training, and the will to learn, on a quiet younger horse.... it's not the worst case scenario by a long way It's not like he's an unbroken 3 yr old, which yuo do see novices buying and regretting.

I would say, and it wouldn't work for everyone, but if you have a good feel for this horse, then have him properly vetted - you can run blood tests on him if you feel he's been drugged - and find out how your riding instructors feel about him as a horse for you. Then, if you decide to go ahead, throw yourself into it with all your heart and don't look back. You will find a way to make it work. Use the thinking side of your brain to do all the rational checks... then go with your heart.

[Whatanejit]

Bnaturally,

[shirley]

Go for it. Why does your Riding Instructor have to school him for you, it seems as though you are capable enough to do this for yourself. Her aids although very good will never feel quite the same as yours, so get him used to yours all the time, from the start. Getting him balanced / more moves etc will be hard work, but fun, and learning together always helps produce that certain bond between rider and their horse.
Loads and loads of hacking with youngsters. Four to five hacks for every one schooling session has been quoted to me in the past.
Sounds as though the future years are to be filled with loads and loads of fun!!! Good luck with things

[Whatanejit]

Oh, you have given me a nice warm glow, Shirley!!!!!!!!!!!

Thx for that

[DavidH]

Have to agree with Shirley, far better to school him yourself under watchful eye of RI if necessary.
Irish horses generally do tend to be unfazed by life. The irish generally have a very different attitude to horses. They tend to pander to the horses wims less. If a horse doesn't like something their attitude is ' Tough, learn to to deal with it' . This is very noticable in my ISH (8 years in Ireland). Anything startles him you get a small quick step sideways then carry on as if nothing happened. Wouldn't dream of saying no and backing off if he is unsure of something.

[Whatanejit]

Thanks David.

[DavidH]

Originally Posted by Whatanejit

Thanks David.

Seeing RI today and will see if she will at least go to see him just to do an assessment for us to see if we really would be having a schooling issue on our hands.
Not sure if we will listen to her anyway if she says no

Erm, I would listen to her if she does say no
Always a good idea to get a second opinion for an experinced person. If she is prepared to do it, ask her to try and wind the horse up and see how he reacts (ie - ride it badly). She may not want to do this but it is something I do if looking for a horse for less experienced peeps. Gives you an idea of what could happen.

[Tots N Dots]

Originally Posted by KateWooten

The ideal situation is for you to buy an older horse, and for a more experienced rider to buy the youngster. However, newer riders, with their minds and hearts in the right place, access to good training, and the will to learn, on a quiet younger horse.... it's not the worst case scenario by a long way It's not like he's an unbroken 3 yr old, which yuo do see novices buying and regretting.

my parents did the "wrong" thing when I was about 14 (I had been riding since I was 7), I was quite immature and didn't know any better and my parents weren't to up on horses, they took me to see 3 horses in a paddock and said I could choose which one I had, 2 were broken and older and 1 was a unbroken 2 year old, I cant even remember what the 2 older ones were like, but the 2 yo chased my mum round the field as she had extra strong mints in her bag, (in a cheeky way not a bolshy way), and I fell in love! they caught him and stood him next to the stables, a piece of tarpaulin flew up in the wind and slapped him across the bum, he didn't bat an eye, we bought him, I had very little experience with youngsters but devoured every book I could lay my hands on, I spent hours with him, and did everything myself, we did send him away to be schooled but he just kept breaking out and trying to come the 4 miles home, I had to be fetched out of school as he would let anyone else catch him, (he never did this anywhere else and was always fine with other people!) so my parents deduced he wanted to be with me and brought him back again, we had our teething problems which to be honest were neither his fault or mine, I was lucky but it does agree with what KateWooton has said, I will also add that my current unbroken youngster who had seen no traffic when I got him, is amazing in traffic, I have to lead him the mile from our house to the field, which I do in a head collar with a pressure halter over the top just in case, he has done this trip about 3 times now, but I do wear a large yellow tabbard with "Baby horse please pass wide and slow" in huge letters on it, seems to help in most cases, you seem to have the best idea of learning more and getting help so I think you sound ideal,

[Whatanejit]

Not sure if we will listen to her anyway if she says no

Only joking

[fitz]

Originally Posted by Whatanejit

In Ireland horses are backed at 2yrs do a little schooling / lunging and then basically are used for hunting 2 or 3 times a week. Usually they are rented out.

How do you know that this is what is done... Maybe this is what is done with some horses, but its by no means the rule.

Originally Posted by Whatanejit

Or so the story goes - we have no other history than what is 'usually' done with the Irish horse.

You dont have a clue what is 'usually' done with the Irish horse, you just have some stupid stereotypes on which to go on. This attitude drives me ballistic.

Have yet to read the other threads, just had to respond to these prejudices

[Tharg]

I`d have to agree with fits there.

[Whatanejit]

I've

[toohorsemad]

Ok didn't read the whole thread but I think that the person who owned him last jsut probably used him for hack eg when out for a gallop now and again! I could be wrong but I know people who do it!

[Moomin]

He sounds lovely - go for it!

I as a novice/intermidiate bought a green Irish horse nearly 3 years ago and havent looked back - its been a journey and I'm so pleased I chose her (or rather she chose me!!)

I think the key - and you have more than satisfied this - is that you have the support and common sense to ask for help if you get a little lost along the way.

Good luck!

[fitz]

Originally Posted by Whatanejit

I've responded to your other rant Fits on a different thread.

It might have been nice if you were helpful instead of getting the wrong end of the stick.

I didnt get the wrong end of the stick, I responded to what you thought was the 'usual' training of an irish horse, which is incorrect in my experience.

[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Whatanejit

No prejudice, offence or anything else intended - reputations are reputations and engrained for decades - nothing to do with me.

Breath in the anger, and breath out some love.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday

I had a lovely day, thank you, I rode up a mountain near Glendalough and it was lovely.

Anyway, to be 'constructive' as you asked, it sounds like you found a nice horse, who has the irish draught temperament, which is just wonderful. Go for him, as it sounds like you have lots of back up. I would really like to get an Irish Draught soon as they are such wonderful calm athletic horses.

[toohorsemad]

No prejudice, offence or anything else intended - reputations are reputations and engrained for decades - nothing to do with me.

Ok that was not fair what you said Whatanejit! Maybe the reputations you got weren't 100% correct. Are you saying that all imported irish horses are dodgy? Becuase thats the way I picked it up! And I know amazing horse that were sold told to england and whos to say that english horses that we buy aren't just as bad! You can get dodgy horses anywhere! And I'm sure there is plenty of dodgy horses in england aswell! Don't be so quick to judge! PS out of interest have you ever been to Ireland? Have you ever had a gallop on an irish xc course on an irish draught? I have and there is nothing dodgy about it! All the breeds from Ireland are known to have a good temperment with a willing atitude!

[KateWooten]

... well, she didn't say anything about this horse being dodgy, Irish horses in general being dodgy, this particular horse having a dodgy past, Irish draught horses not being good at xc, or imported Irish horses being dodgy.

What she said was that she had very little information about this horse's past, and was admitting that she was having to surmise a 'most likely history' for him based on the information she had. And she even asked for clarification from anyone who was more informed than she, in that same post.

The history she 'made up' for this horse, I surmise, was based on having spoken to the people she's buying him from - the importers. She understood from them, that there is a particular market for young horses, started in Ireland, specifcally for export to England. She then stated that as far as she knew, horses started for this market were backed at 2, and spent a lot of time riding out with other horses, rather than schooling.

Now, you all jump on her, and ask if she's prejudiced and thinks all Irish horses are dodgy ? What did you see in her imagined history for this horse that was dodgy ? Do you think horses shouldn't be backed at 2 ? Do you think they shouldn't be ridden out with other horses ? Do you think they should spend more time in the school ? Clearly you think there is something 'dodgy' about how she described the horse's possible start in life. Please enlighten me.

In any case, your responses are highly emotional and you have obviously taken it as a personal slur - which is a pity. I think you are misunderstanding her. Clearly, she does not believe all, or even this particular Irish horse is dodgy - the affection she has for him shines through ! She simply stated her perceived history of him, as a likely explanation for why he would be slightly stiff and uncoordinated in a small school. She was saying 'he hasn't done much indoor schooling, he's just a baby started out in the beautiful rolling hills of Ireland, stretching his legs and galloping free and enjoying the good life over there. ..At least that's what I understood

[Whatanejit]

Thanks