I'm after a horse..

[charzar-g]

Hey horsie and fishy people...
This thread is mostly for UK based users, but anyone can help if they can!

<b>The Back Story</b>
I used to ride a few years back, and I did one test (BHA or something.. I've forgotten)
Eventually, I got a little bored with riding, as I seemed to just be walking around in a circle following another horses behind, and the horse pretty much did everything, as it did it every day. I was also mildly bullied about it, being a guy, and because I was young, I stopped, also my parents were saying it was too expensive (£25 an hour)

So a few years after, I went back to riding, but quickly became bored, as it was as if i'd never left.. I wasn't being pushed, and starting secondary school, the bullying started mildly again, but it didn't bother me.

Now that i've just finished secondary school, I want to get back into riding, but this time I want to loan or own a horse, so I can do my own thing, and have a really special bond with a horse...

<b>back to the point</b>
I've been looking on horsemart for a fair while, and my fave breed/colour is the APPALOOSA, they're just so incredibly incredible!
That's when I came across THIS add:

https://www.horsemart.co.uk/

Now, as people know, keeping a horse isn't cheap, but this horse seems to be pretty cheap. Infact, I found it so cheap that it seemed fishy, not to mention that the person putting up the advert can hardly spell, and has next to no information on the horse, but he just seems the perfect horse (going by looks here) to what I wanted.

Now, he could just be cheap because he's not broken into work or anything, so I'd like to know what other people think?
Also, I'd be breaking him into work myself, and I have no experience in this, but I would just take it slow and steady, and learn everything possible before hand (much like with fish) but also learning on the job too.

Another factor would be that I wouldn't be keeping the horse at my own house, as we don't have land, but a friend of mine owns a private livery with stables for 42 horses,and I would keep him here... it's only about 5 minutes away in the car, and 10 walking, so I would access him easily each day.

Can someone help me..
What do you think of this advert?? does it seem fishy to you??
Do you think it's wise for me to go and buy a horse that hasn't even been broken into? (Money is the main factor here, not time)

I don't have my own job yet, still being only 16, but I am going to get one shortly (I hope) which will help start saving, but I also get money from my parents each month into a bank, and they said that would THINK about covering some of the costs, if I bought the horse, tack and housed it each month..
What do you guys think?

 

[charzar-g]

I forgot to add that the horse would most probably be gelded, how much and where do I go for that?? would it be at a vet or a.. gelder..ist..?

The horse is 2 hours away from me, and I don't have a trailer aswell, but they said they can deliver it, or should I go and collect it, renting a vechicle?

 

[allibobs]

I'm guessing after a quick nosey at the advert the "cheapness" of price is because the horse is young not broken or gelded. The price could also reflect the horses temperament, the horse could be flighty and need lots of work on that.

My parent's had a riding school when I grew up and we used to breed horses and break them for people, my dad just had a very calming way on horses and lots of people would bring my dad horses to work with. In fact my dad had the last horse and cart milk round in the county we live in!

To break a horse is a lot of hard work but at the same time very rewarding, but can also be costly and time consuming, the hours I spent as a kid lay over the back of a horse getting it used to someone being their whilst my dad walked it around lol.

Have you though about horse sharing with someone? This way you get to do your own thing but with half the costs plus this way the horse gets all the exercise care it needs with not so much out lay for yourself. Try asking at the private horse livery stables if anyone knows of someone who wants a horse share. Or ask at the horse livery if there is any work you can do, this way it gets you some money plus gets you known to people there?

I will go have another look at the advert now

please please if you consider buying any horse get the horse vet checked, worth the vets fee to spot any potential future problems plus lots of insurance company's will vet check it them selves and you could end up with an uninsurable horse on your hands.

 

[allibobs]

Just noticed the person who has the horse advertised has no info on them selves and has only recently joined, may have just joined to advertise this though.

 

[gremlin]

I don't know all that much about horses, but that seller has four other horses listed. Scroll down on the ad and it shows the other four. A couple of the ads say the horses are being sold due to circumstances. It is possible that the owner has to sell some of their horses and is more concerned with finding them good homes rather than making money on the sale. One of the other horses they are selling is an appaloosa mare.

 

[charzar-g]

Hey, thanks for commenting back guys,
about sharing a horse, a friend and I were very interested at doing that, because she loaned a horse before and it moved away, and she was looking for another one, however we ourselves are going separate ways at the end of this summer, and I don't know how acheivable that is, all my other 'horsey' friends have their own horses and are rather snooty
The other friend who owns the stables, I have asked her plenty of times, and she always says she'll ask around and get her mum too, but I don't know if she does.. But it's an idea I will keep pestering her about.

And about the advert, Gremlin I hope you are right, And also, of course I would get it vet checked, etc..


I can understand why a horse would cost time to break, but why does it cost money??

allibobs - was your dad the horse whisperer by any chance??

 

[Tiffany H.]

I have been training horses for nearly 15 years and I definitely WOULD NOT recommend a stallion for a first-time horse owner. Many (not all) are very unpredictable and you would probably end up getting hurt trying to train him unless you have an experienced trainer helping you. Also, don't buy a horse just for the color. Make sure its not lame, or has any other hidden problems, and will be able to do whatever discipline you want it to do. If you really want an Appy, please, please look at many different horses and then make your decision. Dont buy it just because "its pretty".

 

[charzar-g]

Tiffany! Yes! I totally undestand what you're saying! Please don't think I was just thinking 'OOO PRETTY!' and wanted it, I am not that sort of person, I was thinking about it long and hard.. I would have had it gelded, not kept as a stallion, but as for now - i'm keeping my eyes out of the horsey world, as I was not really thinking realisically.. I need to save money for university and things now. Maybe in the future some time

 

[Tiffany H.]

Tiffany! Yes! I totally undestand what you're saying! Please don't think I was just thinking 'OOO PRETTY!' and wanted it, I am not that sort of person, I was thinking about it long and hard.. I would have had it gelded, not kept as a stallion, but as for now - i'm keeping my eyes out of the horsey world, as I was not really thinking realisically.. I need to save money for university and things now. Maybe in the future some time

That's good. You would not believe how many people out there buy horses just because it looks good then gets it home only to find out that it has foundered and is partially lame. I'm glad you're not one of those people. I actually have a 4 year old buckskin Paint/Appaloosa stallion who is a total exception to "the stud rule". I got him at 16 mos old and started training him myself (he had no prior training or work) and now all 5 of my kids ride him (the youngest is 22 months old, the oldest is 8). He has never offered to buck or rear, and he is all around a really good horse!

 

[Tigerfishy]

Glad you made the right decision for now (I know this thread is older, but seems relevant just now!).

I have 3 just now, 3 lovely skewbald geldings that are ride and drive (one I'm breaking just now). But as someone a little older than you (well, 24...), concentrate on your uni, I went through unI too, it's a lot of hard work, but once you're through, you have so much more time to devote to fish/horses (and in my case, my bed for a well earned rest!). Plus having a degree is a great starting point (especially when there are no jobs around.)

I've been trying to change my job for months no and nothing so far... I don't mean to harp on, but seriously, real life is difficult, wish I could rewind another 10 years and go back to school!! OK, wishful thinking over!!

 

[Betta/Horse lover]

Glad you got the right one!Tigerfishy you should really make a thread about your horses.

 

[charzar-g]

Good for you! Maybe I will have horses one day aswell! For 24 and having 3 horses is pretty good though

 

[LyndaB]

What an interesting site! Although, I couldn't see the exact ad you were looking at. The link just brought me to the basic website. But I enjoyed poking around in there. In my dreams, I've just bought an entire barn full.

 

[bassbonediva]

That's good. You would not believe how many people out there buy horses just because it looks good then gets it home only to find out that it has foundered and is partially lame.

To add to that...or they buy it for the color/looks and then realize that they absolutely can't handle the horse. I know a lady that did that. Bought a 6-year-old appaloosa gelding who had only ever been used for ranch work because he was "chestnut, tall and young," which apparently were her three requirements for a horse (even though she's REALLY short!). She wanted a trail horse and has MUCH less riding experience than I do (which is saying a lot...or it was at that point). Yeah, she ended up pretty much ruining the horse because she was afraid to go near him and he totally picked up on that and so became harder to handle. Even my boss, who has been around horses her whole life, was afraid to go in the stall with this horse. I'm lucky that I got the color I love in a horse I adore.

 

[LyndaB]

Ack! I can't stop looking at all the horses on that site..... you've created a monster!

 

[charzar-g]

Haha, Sorry about that - that site is rather addicting isn't it??
I am on there at least once a day, just browsing!!
And I believe you cannot see the original ad. because it has expired and been expired for a while, they eventually just get deleted. Was a really pretty horse IMO, I wonder where/what happened to him?

 

[Shine]

I know you already made the decision not to get this horse right now, but...

I have seen so many people buy horses that are untrained or half-trained when they don't have much experience with horses. And it doesn't work out well. Lots of people think they can get a young horse for their kid who's barely ridden so the horse and child can 'grow up and learn together'. Trust me: this does not work. I basically did this as a kid, and the pony ended up unmanagable and I was scared of her and wouldn't ride her. Fortunately my parents bought me a older mare before I gave up, and riding her gave me my confidence back, not to mention the joy of being around horses, that I so easily could have lost. For comparison the first pony was 4yrs old. The mare they got me after that was 12yrs old, and had been a schooling horse for years, she was just what I needed and what I should have got in the first place.

Years later I was confident enough, and knowledgable enough, to train my own horses... but for a first horse, I would never recommend a young, untrained (or even partially trained) horse.

Done rant ... yeah I love those sites. Constantly tempts me to add to my little herd (I have 2 right now, and would love more) ;D

 

[torrent]

Have you considered leasing a horse or maybe finding someone who has a horse but not the time to ride and care for it? You could put up an advert for your local area.

Horses are so expensive to keep especially if you do not have your own land and have to agist elsewhere.

I am very lucky as we have 20 acres and I have 6 horses. Even though they have plenty of grass and hay that we source off our property it doesn't take into account the costs of hoof care, dentist, worming, medical care and of course the gear to ride and look after your horse.

The last few years because I have had young children I have hardly had any time to ride and so spend most of my time maintaining and caring for them. People just don't realise how much is involved in the day to day care of a horse. And mine are all mostly paddocked 24/7. Yet I still have to pick up horse poo and make sure everyone is healthy daily. It does take some time out of your day.