I was thinking of Zannah thread and it made me wonder How did everyone end up with the horses they got?
For me, I had had a pony on part loan from 16-20 but it was 5 years. Broke my heart having to give her up. However I knew her owner would never sell her and I was too long for her.
So we went on the hunt for a horse of my own. I DIDNT want a TB as a first horse.
We looked at loads through the internet. Saw a number a rode a handful.
I was looking for something 16hh+ from 8 upwards.
1st horse was royal who was 16.hh ISH appeared calm, could pop a fence or anything! Took him home for a two week trial. He was spot on, came to the vetting... was found he had a grade 4 heart problem. So through tears I watched him go on the lorry to be returned... knowing as a dealer if the heart condition was correct then it would only be going one way for him.
2nd horse was a flashy black mare called Zi. A tbx clydes who had been used as a trotter. she was advertised as 10, vetting confirmed more 12. Was completely bomb proof. Good to ride. But hated standing still, though nothing I couldn't work with. Her 'fault' was when she was turned out she would go full pelt galloping around the field! However failed the vetting, something with her eye and her right hind. Also they didn't have a passport which set some alarm bells off!!
After this me and a friend did some proper searching one afternoon. Scrolling through Horsemart. We came across as very striking Chestnut with four white socks and a white blaze. However I straight away saw he was a TB and was like ' But he's a tb!!' My friend was like ' It can be. Just has to be the right one' So we rang up very soon after and the owner was like ' I have litrally just put his advert up!' We made a day to see him. Going to North Yorkshire seeing 3 horses within the day. I had done a night shift the night before and then riding three random horses!! My day that day was;
10am 16.3hh Chestnut tb
12:00 15.2hh bay mare tbX
14:00 16.1hh grey ISH
10:00 I am there, near leeds trying out this Big chestnut tb. Socks. We put a small cross pole and at first he refused though we tried again and he did it. Praised him. Hacked him solo. He was spot on. He seemed a very honest big boy. I got off him and straight away I said to my friend J ' He is the one. Can we have him now!?' ( There was someone coming to view at 13:00) She was like lets try the other 2 beforehand.
12:00 New little mare. She had a good pop and didn't refuse any jumps, hacked down a road with the cars going 40mph. However at only 15.2hh and fine she was too small for me. Though a lovely mare.
We had a break and McDonalds was calling!!!
14:00 We were at a racing yard in North Yorkshire. Riding this lovely grey mare. Took my leg fine. Already worked in a outline, popped a jump no issues. However I went to untack her , on her right hand side . Was about to go under her neck when my friend suddenly stopped me ' Lauren stay there a minute!!' "What? Why?" "Just stay there!" …"Okay now come out!" My friend told me when we got in the car ' If you had gone when you wanted to. She would have had you!' Then it was the pros and cons... I wanted the chestnut my friend wanted the grey. The chestnut was younger, good at hacking and jumping. The grey, slightly older, good at hacking and jumping. The grey already works in a outline, the chestnut doesn't.The chestnut slightly cheaper then the grey.. Then it came to the deal breaker.. my friend stated ' The biggest thing that is against the grey is she is mareish and prob too much for a first horse..' Deal done!
Sleep deprived, heading home at 16:10. I rang the owner, Sarah, I still remember the words ' Hi sarah It lauren. Erm.. We have decided that we would like to buy Socks... We loved him!!'' Then it was rushing to get a vet to vet him. We saw him on the Friday, vetting was the next weds, 09:00. We set off with trailer in tow at 07:45 to get to Leeds. He actually passed the vetting! Eyes, teeth, heart all fine. Flexion tests done, sound... Passed! I hugged J, Sarah, even the vet!! We then spent 20 minutes slowly getting him to load, no pressure. Drove home no issues...
19/06/2013
I turned 21 11 days later.
My mum and dad had always said if I wanted a horse of my own I would have to buy one myself. So I saved up, worked hard. I ideally wanted one before my 21st. So the horse would be my 21st birthday present from Me to Me
My present came early, by 11 days
one of his advert photos
For me, I had had a pony on part loan from 16-20 but it was 5 years. Broke my heart having to give her up. However I knew her owner would never sell her and I was too long for her.
So we went on the hunt for a horse of my own. I DIDNT want a TB as a first horse.
We looked at loads through the internet. Saw a number a rode a handful.
I was looking for something 16hh+ from 8 upwards.
1st horse was royal who was 16.hh ISH appeared calm, could pop a fence or anything! Took him home for a two week trial. He was spot on, came to the vetting... was found he had a grade 4 heart problem. So through tears I watched him go on the lorry to be returned... knowing as a dealer if the heart condition was correct then it would only be going one way for him.
2nd horse was a flashy black mare called Zi. A tbx clydes who had been used as a trotter. she was advertised as 10, vetting confirmed more 12. Was completely bomb proof. Good to ride. But hated standing still, though nothing I couldn't work with. Her 'fault' was when she was turned out she would go full pelt galloping around the field! However failed the vetting, something with her eye and her right hind. Also they didn't have a passport which set some alarm bells off!!
After this me and a friend did some proper searching one afternoon. Scrolling through Horsemart. We came across as very striking Chestnut with four white socks and a white blaze. However I straight away saw he was a TB and was like ' But he's a tb!!' My friend was like ' It can be. Just has to be the right one' So we rang up very soon after and the owner was like ' I have litrally just put his advert up!' We made a day to see him. Going to North Yorkshire seeing 3 horses within the day. I had done a night shift the night before and then riding three random horses!! My day that day was;
10am 16.3hh Chestnut tb
12:00 15.2hh bay mare tbX
14:00 16.1hh grey ISH
10:00 I am there, near leeds trying out this Big chestnut tb. Socks. We put a small cross pole and at first he refused though we tried again and he did it. Praised him. Hacked him solo. He was spot on. He seemed a very honest big boy. I got off him and straight away I said to my friend J ' He is the one. Can we have him now!?' ( There was someone coming to view at 13:00) She was like lets try the other 2 beforehand.
12:00 New little mare. She had a good pop and didn't refuse any jumps, hacked down a road with the cars going 40mph. However at only 15.2hh and fine she was too small for me. Though a lovely mare.
We had a break and McDonalds was calling!!!
14:00 We were at a racing yard in North Yorkshire. Riding this lovely grey mare. Took my leg fine. Already worked in a outline, popped a jump no issues. However I went to untack her , on her right hand side . Was about to go under her neck when my friend suddenly stopped me ' Lauren stay there a minute!!' "What? Why?" "Just stay there!" …"Okay now come out!" My friend told me when we got in the car ' If you had gone when you wanted to. She would have had you!' Then it was the pros and cons... I wanted the chestnut my friend wanted the grey. The chestnut was younger, good at hacking and jumping. The grey, slightly older, good at hacking and jumping. The grey already works in a outline, the chestnut doesn't.The chestnut slightly cheaper then the grey.. Then it came to the deal breaker.. my friend stated ' The biggest thing that is against the grey is she is mareish and prob too much for a first horse..' Deal done!
Sleep deprived, heading home at 16:10. I rang the owner, Sarah, I still remember the words ' Hi sarah It lauren. Erm.. We have decided that we would like to buy Socks... We loved him!!'' Then it was rushing to get a vet to vet him. We saw him on the Friday, vetting was the next weds, 09:00. We set off with trailer in tow at 07:45 to get to Leeds. He actually passed the vetting! Eyes, teeth, heart all fine. Flexion tests done, sound... Passed! I hugged J, Sarah, even the vet!! We then spent 20 minutes slowly getting him to load, no pressure. Drove home no issues...
19/06/2013
I turned 21 11 days later.
My mum and dad had always said if I wanted a horse of my own I would have to buy one myself. So I saved up, worked hard. I ideally wanted one before my 21st. So the horse would be my 21st birthday present from Me to Me
My present came early, by 11 days
one of his advert photos