Searching for a horse for my son - advice appreciated

bnagrrl

There's not much I can say that hasn't been pointed out several times already on this thread but putting an inexperienced child on a green horse is a recipe for disaster.

I feel sorry for your son because your seeming eagerness to match him with something regardless of either party's inexperience could end up, at best, knocking his confidence badly or at worst a serious injury.

convert

bnagrrl wrote: »

I feel sorry for your son because your seeming eagerness to match him with something regardless of either party's inexperience could end up, at best, knocking his confidence badly or at worst a serious injury.

There's no need for judgemental comments like that. You should just give advice without introducing personal comments.

There's not much I can say that hasn't been pointed out several times already on this thread but putting an inexperienced child on a green horse is a recipe for disaster.

With regards to the above: while I would normally agree with the above statement, it may be of interest to some that I share my own experience. I was 8, with 5 years' riding experience when I got an unbroken 3 year old pony. He was a tough pony who was often very difficult to ride, and yes, I got lots of falls off him during the breaking process. However, it never put me off riding, taught me loads, and since then I've never had one 'made' pony/horse. It really depends on the child and your situation. I was lucky that my parents were experienced and could instruct/help me throughout the breaking and bringing-on process.

Ave Sodalis

convert wrote: »

With regards to the above: while I would normally agree with the above statement, it may be of interest to some that I share my own experience. I was 8, with 5 years' riding experience when I got an unbroken 3 year old pony. He was a tough pony who was often very difficult to ride, and yes, I got lots of falls off him during the breaking process. However, it never put me off riding, taught me loads, and since then I've never had one 'made' pony/horse. It really depends on the child and your situation. I was lucky that my parents were experienced and could instruct/help me throughout the breaking and bringing-on process.

I think the fact that you had home help is a big difference to point out. Your parents knew you and knew about ponies. If something was going wrong, they'd spot it and be there to help. The OP says himself that he knows very little so unless he forks out money for lessons with someone experienced every day, I can't see it working out as well. Coming from a horsey family, you would always have been a bit more sensitive around horses than someone who hasn't. At least, until they learn.
Again, we don't know the OPs son but going by the information given, in my own opinion, I think your experience and the OPs are perhaps too different. By all means, as a second or third pony, something more challenging would be okay but for a kid with no experience except for lessons in a riding school and no help outside of these hours, I really feel a breaker/schooler is over facing the child.

lyoness

sup_dude wrote: »

I think the fact that you had home help is a big difference to point out. Your parents knew you and knew about ponies. If something was going wrong, they'd spot it and be there to help. The OP says himself that he knows very little so unless he forks out money for lessons with someone experienced every day, I can't see it working out as well. Coming from a horsey family, you would always have been a bit more sensitive around horses than someone who hasn't. At least, until they learn.
Again, we don't know the OPs son but going by the information given, in my own opinion, I think your experience and the OPs are perhaps too different. By all means, as a second or third pony, something more challenging would be okay but for a kid with no experience except for lessons in a riding school and no help outside of these hours, I really feel a breaker/schooler is over facing the child.

Completely agree

convert

Maybe I should be a less diplomatic and polite in my posts. While I was trying to give another viewpoint to the debate/thread, I thought the following would have covered everything:

It really depends on the child and your situation. I was lucky that my parents were experienced and could instruct/help me throughout the breaking and bringing-on process.

... Obviously not :rolleyes:

That said, as a user (no mod hat on, here), I think people are being exceptionally harsh on the OP. They are trying to get a pony for their son, but perhaps, owing to a lack of experience, they are struggling with the process, hence the fact that most users here have recommended that the OP find someone upon whom they can rely, and who knows their son's ability, to assist them in the process, whether it be buying, leasing or sharing a suitable horse/pony for their son's ability and their situation. We don't know their exact situation, hence all we can do is advise. If the OP doesn't take it, then it's not for us to criticise or judge.

Ave Sodalis

convert wrote: »

Maybe I should be a less diplomatic and polite in my posts. While I was trying to give another viewpoint to the debate/thread, I thought the following would have covered everything:



... Obviously not :rolleyes:

That said, as a user (no mod hat on, here), I think people are being exceptionally harsh on the OP. They are trying to get a pony for their son, but perhaps, owing to a lack of experience, they are struggling with the process, hence the fact that most users here have recommended that the OP find someone upon whom they can rely, and who knows their son's ability, to assist them in the process, whether it be buying, leasing or sharing a suitable horse/pony for their son's ability and their situation. We don't know their exact situation, hence all we can do is advise. If the OP doesn't take it, then it's not for us to criticise or judge.

I wasn't taking away anything from your post at all, it was a good view point and I agree. I just felt that that part needed to be emphasised.

bnagrrl

convert wrote: »

There's no need for judgemental comments like that. You should just give advice without introducing personal comments.

Apologies, didn't intend it to sound judgmental.

2012paddy2012

Am in a similar situation this is 6 and will be broken , the child has to show. Riding ability a few times first / then on the broken horse/ at that point I will be taking horse to equestrian centre where qualified person will continue on and put the horse through the mill , if all goes well we will start slowly and surely with the kiddie / still looking for an older horse - in the meantime if a suitable older horse comes along we will take that / there is a view from some here that I am thoughtless and purposely putting my son in danger which couldn't be further from the truth/ delighted to read your experience thks

Paddy

2012paddy2012

sup_dude wrote: »

I think the fact that you had home help is a big difference to point out. Your parents knew you and knew about ponies. If something was going wrong, they'd spot it and be there to help. The OP says himself that he knows very little so unless he forks out money for lessons with someone experienced every day, I can't see it working out as well. Coming from a horsey family, you would always have been a bit more sensitive around horses than someone who hasn't. At least, until they learn.
Again, we don't know the OPs son but going by the information given, in my own opinion, I think your experience and the OPs are perhaps too different. By all means, as a second or third pony, something more challenging would be okay but for a kid with no experience except for lessons in a riding school and no help outside of these hours, I really feel a breaker/schooler is over facing the child.

His mother had a pony for years when a teenager/ not completely inexperienced but agree with your valid points

2012paddy2012

lyoness wrote: »

Completely agree

Me too

2012paddy2012

convert wrote: »

Maybe I should be a less diplomatic and polite in my posts. While I was trying to give another viewpoint to the debate/thread, I thought the following would have covered everything:



... Obviously not :rolleyes:

That said, as a user (no mod hat on, here), I think people are being exceptionally harsh on the OP. They are trying to get a pony for their son, but perhaps, owing to a lack of experience, they are struggling with the process, hence the fact that most users here have recommended that the OP find someone upon whom they can rely, and who knows their son's ability, to assist them in the process, whether it be buying, leasing or sharing a suitable horse/pony for their son's ability and their situation. We don't know their exact situation, hence all we can do is advise. If the OP doesn't take it, then it's not for us to criticise or judge.

Fantastic! Correct and right / best post award to you

Rips

OP the horse buying market is in your favour at the moment, a little bit of hard work finding the right pony and you will be flying. It will be a far more costly road, to go about 'making a pony' suit.

I keep my horses with a father who is not himself experienced with horses, but his daughters, 10 and 12 can ride.

At this stage he has 5 ponies, having bought one, and then another, and another, because none of them are suitable, or will ever be suitable child's ponies.

He had two of them professionally broken. One of them by chance was of a suitable temperament, and with a lot of work it might have been suitable, but it later died, and unfortunately, it died from an entirely preventable occurrence, due to the owners lack of knowledge.

I have taken the second of the two broken ponies as a companion for my own, and I can tell by what I have done with the pony so far, that it has been well handled and well broken ... but unfortunately, due to the owners lack of knowledge, it is as good as wild again. I can also tell you, that no matter how well that pony is ridden, it will never be suitable for his kids, its got a lot of blood in it, and its extremely sensitive to the point of being volatile. Its actually a lovely pony, if it were big enough I would like it for myself, but its not suitable for a child rider.

You are putting a lot of trust in the people who have offered you ponies thus far. You really need to take every single piece of information with a pinch of salt, and only go by what you can see to be proven to be true.

Nothing you have posted so far is suitable in my opinion. You know what though, this in itself, is a learning curve.

The first horse I purchased, came down with an illness before the full amount was handed over, and I managed to get my deposit back after the vet spoke to the owner (as I had it vetted clean :rolleyes:)

In hindsight, I am so so glad, I didn't actually get to go through with that purchase, as it took another 8 months to find another, completely different, yet suitable horse, and that horse has been with me for the last decade.

2012paddy2012

Rips wrote: »

OP the horse buying market is in your favour at the moment, a little bit of hard work finding the right pony and you will be flying. It will be a far more costly road, to go about 'making a pony' suit.

I keep my horses with a father who is not himself experienced with horses, but his daughters, 10 and 12 can ride.

At this stage he has 5 ponies, having bought one, and then another, and another, because none of them are suitable, or will ever be suitable child's ponies.

He had two of them professionally broken. One of them by chance was of a suitable temperament, and with a lot of work it might have been suitable, but it later died, and unfortunately, it died from an entirely preventable occurrence, due to the owners lack of knowledge.

I have taken the second of the two broken ponies as a companion for my own, and I can tell by what I have done with the pony so far, that it has been well handled and well broken ... but unfortunately, due to the owners lack of knowledge, it is as good as wild again. I can also tell you, that no matter how well that pony is ridden, it will never be suitable for his kids, its got a lot of blood in it, and its extremely sensitive to the point of being volatile. Its actually a lovely pony, if it were big enough I would like it for myself, but its not suitable for a child rider.

You are putting a lot of trust in the people who have offered you ponies thus far. You really need to take every single piece of information with a pinch of salt, and only go by what you can see to be proven to be true.

Nothing you have posted so far is suitable in my opinion. You know what though, this in itself, is a learning curve.

The first horse I purchased, came down with an illness before the full amount was handed over, and I managed to get my deposit back after the vet spoke to the owner (as I had it vetted clean :rolleyes:)

In hindsight, I am so so glad, I didn't actually get to go through with that purchase, as it took another 8 months to find another, completely different, yet suitable horse, and that horse has been with me for the last decade.

Thks I am looking for a suitable broken quiet worked pony everywhere I can. I only go with recommended people , word of mouth , I have this particular horse in mind as , I agree with you , people will say anything , the person who feels it may suit my son , subject to a lot of things falling in to place , is hugely committed to saving equines , and the last thing she wants is someone to take a horse - and end up returning it in a couple of months ... Hence the efforts she goes through is to try avoid this scenario , by trying to suit certain horses to suitable riders - I wouldn't dream of taking this horse unless it was fully broken , and I see it being ridden saddles etc etc and only after seeing how my son feels on it and after , that , being put through the rigours by an expert , and then with this expert and my son working together for a few weeks , it's at this point a decision will be made as to whether it's suitable or not. May Not arise if something comes up suitable in the meantime - indeed if you hear of something 14/2 or higher quiet and used to equestrian set up , pls pm !
Thks

Puzzle35

Hi paddy,

Would you consider leasing / sharing a pony to start off with. Having been in your situation and having got an excellent pony due much more to luck than design it is still a huge time and financial commitment. Compared to having a couple of lessons a week you can look forward to pretty much all your evenings and weekends being dedicated to the pony. Even on full livery which will cost circa €90 per week, in leinster anyway,the pony will still have to be exercised most days. Never again will you have to wonder how to spend an afternoon or evening, the pony will take care of that. Ditto any spare cash you might have:-). We are now at the stage where a jeep and horse box are required as we are currently dependant on others for lifts to shows. I occasionally am hearing the dreaded words ". I don't feel like riding today will you exercise the pony for me". Proceed with caution unless your son is at least able to catch and tack up the pony himself, hindsight is indeed a wonderful thing. Pm me if you would like to consider leasing/sharing as I might be able to help you out depending on where you are based. The best of luck either way.... Oh and the advice on not buying a green pony is the best advice you will ever get, please take it on board. Puz.

Puzzle35

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

5foot in height -Son/slight build/he walks canter trots gallops/jumps /hacks/hunter trials jumping competitions:
jumps about 90 cm ..ish .. he wants to do a bit of jumping/trials/local competitions/-general riding.

He is confident , but cautious. careful and responsible ..

he just loves horses.

Sorry, didnt see this post. Does sound like he is ready for a pony particularly as you mention elsewhere that money is not an issue. You've got sonme excellent advice here, looking forward to hearing what you get!

2012paddy2012

I am in Meath/ thks. Yeah livery is around 65. All includes food exercise lesson or horse behaviour lesson. Great facility. Agree re green horse/ luckily owner lives on site so Horse will be put in walker daily etc. am aware of expense. Funny how things turn out ... Young lad has a perfect horse leased at mo. Loves it , safe used to school set up , healthy right size etc.... Imagine my surprise today to discover the owner is delighted that my guy is mad about the horse , it transpires she wants to sell it and to him if he wants it as she sees how he looks after it so carefully and loves it .... Quite affordable ... After all it may work out ok.
I know I will be blasted for this!!!! I will buy that horse if the other doesn't work out... The girl who is breaking the other horse is delighted with the progress and the horses temperament etc , I am going to see how that goes over next few weeks , and after the couple weeks trial we will decide what to do...now having said that in the meantime I have to talk to the owner of the leased horse myself yet , so if all seems to be perfect there and I get the ok from vet , I may well go ahead and buy as it makes sense.....

lyoness

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

I am in Meath/ thks. Yeah livery is around 65. All includes food exercise lesson or horse behaviour lesson. Great facility. Agree re green horse/ luckily owner lives on site so Horse will be put in walker daily etc. am aware of expense. Funny how things turn out ... Young lad has a perfect horse leased at mo. Loves it , safe used to school set up , healthy right size etc.... Imagine my surprise today to discover the owner is delighted that my guy is mad about the horse , it transpires she wants to sell it and to him if he wants it as she sees how he looks after it so carefully and loves it .... Quite affordable ... After all it may work out ok.
I know I will be blasted for this!!!! I will buy that horse if the other doesn't work out... The girl who is breaking the other horse is delighted with the progress and the horses temperament etc , I am going to see how that goes over next few weeks , and after the couple weeks trial we will decide what to do...now having said that in the meantime I have to talk to the owner of the leased horse myself yet , so if all seems to be perfect there and I get the ok from vet , I may well go ahead and buy as it makes sense.....

I would go for the leased horse 100%. You know what you are getting. A newly broken pony is an unknown quantity. Anyway horses/ponies if they are to be started correctly should be turned away for at least a couple of months so it would not be correct to start riding a newly broken pony. Would you have grass livery available to do this and would your son be happy with a field ornament for the summer?
It's funny how things work out I think this leased horse is great news

2012paddy2012

Just update: have two horses now , for sale , both used to livery ,jumping hacking etc so safe as it can be , will be buying one , in next few weeks....
Is there anywhere that you can buy good quality saddles , ideally , where someone could measure horse/rider so correct saddle for both , could be bought.

I know you can buy brand new 600/700 euro where they will call out and measure etc , I have a lot of bills at start of this endeavour eg , vetting , purchase , livery , horse insurance , I was hoping to pick up a suitable saddle 300/400 e and after a while can , pick up a new one , when young lad is in his stride ....any advice appreciated ..thanks
Paddy

Rips

There is no quick fix when it comes to saddles, so you are looking at an outlay of 300-400 euro.

You can buy good quality cheaper synthetic saddles with an adjustable tree, but I wouldn't advise you personally to do that as you wouldn't have the eye to adjust it. (They are still 300+ new, but 200 ish second hand)
You could get one from a saddler though and have it re-adjusted professionally.


There are also plenty of horrid cheap leather and synthetic nasty things. Avoid.

Saoirse Saddlery in Ballinasloe, you can take the horse there to be fitted and they have secondhand in stock. I was there last week and bought a new saddle, no charge for the fitting and I get a free reflock and adjust in 6 weeks. They also took a trade in.

Berney's in Kilcullen will fit onsite, great saddles, great saddlers and I have two of them, but they are limited to sizing by certain styles. They don't carry secondhand or other brands that I'm aware (ring and ask)

Goodwins, near Dublin. Great saddlers, great fitters and will carry some secondhand stock. Good with normal leather and also synthetic adjustable trees. No facility to fit on site, but the saddler does callouts, and they are not expensive. If you could guarantee purchase, they might write off the cost of a callout, ring and see.

Rips

And well done for doing your research, your post asked all the right questions!

2012paddy2012

Rips wrote: »

There is no quick fix when it comes to saddles, so you are looking at an outlay of 300-400 euro.

You can buy good quality cheaper synthetic saddles with an adjustable tree, but I wouldn't advise you personally to do that as you wouldn't have the eye to adjust it. (They are still 300+ new, but 200 ish second hand)
You could get one from a saddler though and have it re-adjusted professionally.


There are also plenty of horrid cheap leather and synthetic nasty things. Avoid.

Saoirse Saddlery in Ballinasloe, you can take the horse there to be fitted and they have secondhand in stock. I was there last week and bought a new saddle, no charge for the fitting and I get a free reflock and adjust in 6 weeks. They also took a trade in.

Berney's in Kilcullen will fit onsite, great saddles, great saddlers and I have two of them, but they are limited to sizing by certain styles. They don't carry secondhand or other brands that I'm aware (ring and ask)

Goodwins, near Dublin. Great saddlers, great fitters and will carry some secondhand stock. Good with normal leather and also synthetic adjustable trees. No facility to fit on site, but the saddler does callouts, and they are not expensive. If you could guarantee purchase, they might write off the cost of a callout, ring and see.

Ah your very good to go to all that detail- thank you. Am in meath - near maynooth so goodwins sounds ideal- will call there

2012paddy2012

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

Ah your very good to go to all that detail- thank you. Am in meath - near maynooth so goodwins sounds ideal- will call there

This is the horse that seems to fit the bill-
10 day trial at mo- trying to upload videos here but cant - if any of you guys could look at video of horse jumping I would love your views -(pm your email) horse has yet to be vetted - after trial- someone has mentioned to me this yard was closed down for " sickles" a long time back - I don't know what this means and whether it has any bearing on my prospective purchase- not overly bothered as im sure vet will exclude it or not!

ilovemarmite

Goodwins are brilliant, delighted you are going with them.

My horse was so so awkward to fit for a saddle, tried loads and nothing right, was so frustrating.

Got in contact with Goodwins, had chat on phone to George, first saddle tried on my chap was a near perfect fit, just needed a little adjusting.

Mine was new and custom fit, but my chap does like to be awkward lol!!

Can't overemphasise importance of properly fitting saddle, worth paying bit more for right fitting one. Goodwins will take care of you, I know several others who use them and have been very happy with them.

2012paddy2012

Thank you

Rips

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

Someone has mentioned to me this yard was closed down for " sickles" a long time back - I don't know what this means and whether it has any bearing on my prospective purchase- not overly bothered as im sure vet will exclude it or not!

Strangles?

Its a highly contagious disease, the horse initially gets flu-like symptoms, snotty nose and very lethargic, the infection usually bursts out as an abscess under the chin. Its quite horrible, but its not serious, unless you have youngstock, or old horses, in which cases it can kill. For that reason, its a concern for livery yards. In the UK it would be fairly common for yards to request a clear test before taking a new horse in. I've never heard of that here, but if you had a concern, its not expensive to test for. They put a swab up the nose, costs about €30. If the yard was closed down for a period then that was quite responsible of them.

Some horses can be carriers after infection though.

I mentioned earlier that the first horse I purchased came down with an illness before I could pay for it? That's what it was. The seller knew, or at least knew the yard had an outbreak because the horse was isolated from the yard.

I'd ridden the horse for a week and had it vetted clean, and the next day when I went to collect it, the abscess had burst out under its jaw. His face looked totally different :rolleyes:
Vet's don't take temperatures at vettings generally, and having not seen the horse before, he wasn't to know that its head was swelled up twice the usual size. A snotty nose by itself is nothing too sinister.

It was exceptionally quiet when I rode it, probably because it was only a shadow of itself. Had it been well, it may have been a different horse altogether.

Not to mention, that I was collecting it, to take it to a yard where the owner had foals who would have been at serious risk.

lyoness

2012paddy2012 wrote: »

This is the horse that seems to fit the bill-
10 day trial at mo- trying to upload videos here but cant - if any of you guys could look at video of horse jumping I would love your views -(pm your email) horse has yet to be vetted - after trial- someone has mentioned to me this yard was closed down for " sickles" a long time back - I don't know what this means and whether it has any bearing on my prospective purchase- not overly bothered as im sure vet will exclude it or not!

Just make sure you get a 5 stage vetting and not a 2 stage and you should be ok.
Pony looks good, hard to tell from that angle.
It may be just the photo, but is the pony shod? If not is there a reason he is not shod (ie may not be good with the farrier) - just something to consider.

Regarding the saddle, if you are going with Goodwins, they do the thorowgood saddles which might be ideal for your son - i.e. they are not leather so therefore easier to keep - a quick wipe and they are good as new. So will be a good bit cheaper than leather and also you won't have to worry about tack cleaning or getting it wet (leather can be time consuming to keep and needs a lot of care and can get scratched!). Also no worries about going to beach and getting into the sea in one of these
I'm thinking a 12 year old boy wants to spend time with the pony and not cleaning tack.
These saddles are adjustable as well.
When son is older you can splash out on a leather one.

Good luck.

2012paddy2012

lyoness wrote: »

Just make sure you get a 5 stage vetting and not a 2 stage and you should be ok.
Pony looks good, hard to tell from that angle.
It may be just the photo, but is the pony shod? If not is there a reason he is not shod (ie may not be good with the farrier) - just something to consider.

Regarding the saddle, if you are going with Goodwins, they do the thorowgood saddles which might be ideal for your son - i.e. they are not leather so therefore easier to keep - a quick wipe and they are good as new. So will be a good bit cheaper than leather and also you won't have to worry about tack cleaning or getting it wet (leather can be time consuming to keep and needs a lot of care and can get scratched!). Also no worries about going to beach and getting into the sea in one of these
I'm thinking a 12 year old boy wants to spend time with the pony and not cleaning tack.
These saddles are adjustable as well.
When son is older you can splash out on a leather one.

Good luck.

Pony feet didn't look great but farrier was around when I was there earlier he looked at feet said will be grand with new shoes / would you be able to give me yr view if I emailed you pics videos? If so thks pm email

Rips

It looks like a nice pony, two main things to get the vet to look at, the scar/patch on his face, and his hooves.

If he needs shoes, I'd nearly pay to have a front set put on before purchase, to make sure he is good to shoe. Angle is hard to tell, but his front hooves are running a bit flat.

He looks quite sensible in the videos though.

He's a good size for your son as well.

2012paddy2012

Thks a mill. As I say the farrier was passing by and he is happy that their will be no bother re shoeing , I definitely will have it on the list for vet as well as the scar on his face...many thks for all your advice

2012paddy2012

Thanks to all for advice and guidance ... Horse passed 5 stage vetting with flying couloirs , delighted with horse and price lol /was never looking for a free or cheap horse only hoped to give a horse a good home that had a bad start ...as it turns out all well , healthy quiet horse used to kids livery and all...
Thks again

Paddy

Search over at long last !!!!!!!