# I'm about to buy this horse - do i need paper work?



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

Hi guys and girls

This is my first time buying a horse and I am not sure what I need in terms of paper work or whether a witness should be there or anthing really - can you please give me some advice on what I should do please?

Here is some piccies of him his name is Ferzao aka Fergal he is an ex racehorse 11yo 16hh gelding he is so well mannered, lovely safe ride and so chilled I have had him on loan for a month and he is settled and really the best horse for me so I am 100 per cent sure about buying him - hope you like him








me on fergal - pullin a right face lol

and pics below are his old owner last year











He has been fired and has rainscald but he is looking in nice condition already and I need to work out a fitness plan for him as he hasn't been in work for ages, I have been doing walk and trot on the roads so far don't want to push him just yet hehe

Any advice is welcome please

Thanks Amber


----------



## Walder (15 June 2007)

welcome to you both - he is a real pretty boy! hope you have fun together x


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

thank you very much he is a sweet looking lad and such a lovely nature too 

so is it just the passport i need or anything else?


----------



## HBII (15 June 2007)

I trust you are going to have him vetted?
He should have a pasport already which I would have wanted to look over, which you should receive upon ownership.

Hb


----------



## horsegirl (15 June 2007)

passport, vaccination record  check both to ensure details are what they have told you and get a receipt for the sale detailing what they have sold him as and the price, date etc.

Can I ask what you are paying for him.


----------



## samp (15 June 2007)

I would suspect he has a wetherbys passport, also I would advice you have him vetted


----------



## spaniel (15 June 2007)

Im sure you will have loads of fun together.

As for paperwork....make sure that you get a written receipt for him when you hand over your money.  It should have his name, a description of the horse, your name and address and the vendors name and address on as well as the amount of money paid.  Get the vendor to sign it (in your presence) to say they have received the money.

Also you must get the horses passport, make sure the description and markings apply to the horse you are buying.  It should have details of his routine injections in so make sure they are up to date.  You will need this if you plan to travel him home (its a requirement now) so dont be fobbed off if the vendor says they are going to send it on to you or they cannot find it.  Although its not illegal to BUY a horse with no passport it IS illegal to sell one without (go figure that!).

Make sure you have insurance cover in place BEFORE you travel the horse home.  If the worst happened on the journey......it does happen.

Anyhow,  Im sure you will get loads of helpful advice here and we all like to know how people are getting on so keep posting!


----------



## foraday (15 June 2007)

http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/racing_horse_form.sd?horse_id=517142

He was a handy little racehorse on the track!  And he is 10 years old!

make sure you get the passport although weatherbys will be able to supply you with a duplicate


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

paying £800 including a wug rug, velour show rug, bridle, stirrups, numnah etc no saddle though

wasnt going to get him vetted no cos the woman is ina  hurry for cash and it is genuine reason and he is soo cheap

duno if i can get a vet at such short notice

how much is vettin normally?


the way i see it for how well behaved he is and he is such a star he is worth every penny and i have already haggled the price down 200 quid


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
http://www.racingpost.co.uk/horses/racing_horse_form.sd?horse_id=517142

He was a handy little racehorse on the track!  And he is 10 years old!

make sure you get the passport although weatherbys will be able to supply you with a duplicate 

[/ QUOTE ]


yeah he was a good horse in his day bless

will whethebys give me one?

ive only got his pet id thing one


----------



## horsegirl (15 June 2007)

A vet should be able to fit you in within a day or so.  Even that cheap I would get a vetting which should be I think between £100 &amp; £200 if I remember correctly.  It could save you a lot of future expense and heartbreak if there is something wrong with him.


----------



## seabiscuit (15 June 2007)

He's had two years of from racing there in the middle of his career-so he has prob  had leg trouble hence why he has had his legs fired.
It only takes a few days to arrange a vetting- just for peace of mind.
Dont forget that this is an exracehorse and they can have an absolute wealth of things wrong with them- racing is bloody tough on them physically-epescially when they race from 2 year olds- oh sorry I forget, they start training them at 17 months old 
	
	
		
		
	


	








 so it is a good idea to have a 5 stage vetting which is about £200 depending on where abouts you are.
Not to say there is anything wrong your boy but you dont want to end up with  £1000's of vets bills a few months down the line.


----------



## Daphnelia (15 June 2007)

He is stunning! I am very jealous. Having him vetted is a good idea, I hope you get on very well together. Keep us updated wont you

xx


----------



## samp (15 June 2007)

I would def go for a vetting, he may be cheap but you could end uo spending thousands if he has a condition you are not aware of


----------



## Gorgeous George (15 June 2007)

Get him vetted it's just not worth the risk, I had my boy done and it was £216 and that included bloods as well.

By the way Fergal looks lovely!


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

have you had him on loan at home or where he is now?  x


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

had him at home on loan and he is doing fine 
	
	
		
		
	


	





hmm will ask my vet if he can fit him in

isnt there any way of tracin the history for them?


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

That's good - was going to say that you should be aware that TB's can take alot of settling in - some are as good as gold!

What history do you want?  I thought that you had his race name etc?


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

yeah  I mean his history from the vets I was wandering if whetherbys can possibly tell me something about him?

apparently whetherbys took his passport off him so he wouldnt be raced again

i know he had time off with tendon trouble


----------



## PapaFrita (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
apparently whetherbys took his passport off him so he wouldnt be raced again


[/ QUOTE ]
I've never heard of them doing that. If you get your vet to draw his markings you can get another passport from Weatherbys. I've done this before and it cost around 70 pounds (so a bit expensive)
I don't think Weatherbys will be able to tell you about health/other issues.


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

There's a girl on my yard who's horse has tendon problems - you could be taking on a whole world of pain.

I don't want to be negative but definately get a vetting - you haven't owned him in the winter and he could have all sorts of trouble in the cold if he's got dodgy joints!

A vetting is good because they'll point out all the possible areas of weakness so that you're aware and can make an informed decision.

He may only cost £800 but he'll cost you a whole lot more if his tendon goes!


----------



## spaniel (15 June 2007)

He NEEDS to have a passport.  The owner should have one and it will have been issued by one of the PIO offices (if you look on the DEFRA website you should find a great long list of PIO's).  It doesnt need to be from Weatherbys.  You really do need a vetting and I would use the £200 you knocked off the price to pay for that.

TBH I have to say....no vetting no horse, and no passport no horse.

Hope all goes well for you both.


----------



## Tempi (15 June 2007)

you really really need to get the horse vetted before you buy it, prefereably a 5 stage vetting aswel especially as he is an ex racer who has obivously had leg problems in the past.  It is well worth the money in the long run, trust me.


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

Just read about the passport - be very very careful.

My boy was passportless - turned out he is blind in his right eye.  Even though it wouldn't have detailed that in his passport, with his race name I could have traced history and possibly found out about it prior to purchase.

x


----------



## pixie (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
apparently whetherbys took his passport off him so he wouldnt be raced again 

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, but that sounds like a load of bollocks to me.I'm pretty sure they can't take away the passport as it is a legal requirement for him to have it.  Makes it seem very suspicious.  Get him vetted.


----------



## ihatework (15 June 2007)

He really does look like a lovely horse but I have alarm bells going off.
Please listen to the experienced people on this forum who have seen it all before.
Firstly get him vetted. Be aware that he has had tendon trouble and as such you won't be able to get insurance cover on his tendons. It is quite possible that in the future you will end up with a lame horse and will either have to spend thousands in vets fees or the heartbreaking decision to put him to sleep. 
Also he must have a passport with him when he is sold, it is illegal for the owners to sell him without one and would just add to my already high doubts about him.
I do hope things go well for you whatever you decide.


----------



## diondelmonte (15 June 2007)

He looks lovely.

I have to echo the others here though - something doesn't quite sound right.

Get the 5 stage vetting done &amp; ask the vet to pay particular attention to his tendons as these will be excluded from any insurance policy you take out.

Weatherby's do not ask for passports back - they have no say over whether the horse races again anyway so that seems a bit odd to me.

Horses who have been fired can come back to be perfectly sound &amp; continue perfectly normal lives but it is a weakness that needs to be looked at


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

also depends what you want to do - if you want to jump etc then a horse with tendon injuries may not be the answer.

I know that you've got attached but honestly, you need to look at this in the cold light of day rather than get seen off and end up with a horse you can't ride.

x


----------



## wench (15 June 2007)

why not ring wetherbys with his racing name, and see what they have got to say....

a horse shouldnt have two passports, so it would appear this one has, his weatherbys one, lost or not, and the other one...


----------



## Maesfen (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
yeah  I mean his history from the vets I was wandering if whetherbys can possibly tell me something about him?

apparently whetherbys took his passport off him so he wouldnt be raced again

i know he had time off with tendon trouble 

[/ QUOTE ]


There is NO way that Weatherbys would take his passport off him; they might have 'franked' it with some mark or other but would not have taken it from him.  This sounds very fishy to me, I do urge you to get it checked out.  An ex racehorse should not have any other passport than his Weatherbys one  certainly not a 'pet' one, which will have his racing history in (only when and where he raced, not how he did)
When you have him vetted, get them to take blood, this can be tested so you know he's who they say he is and also whether he's been on any medication to mask anything.

He's lovely but do tread carefully even though he seems like a bargain.


----------



## zigzag (15 June 2007)

Weatherbys do not take passports of horses!! are you sure he is who they saying he is??  Why hasn't he been worked ? from the pics of the owner riding him, he is in a strong bridle


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

ive spoken to a vet and he says that its not worth it for 800 pounds just buy him and he will pop in when he can - this vet is very to the point if he thinks something he will say it he is everyones vet at the yard so im just going to buy him

how exciting!!!!!!


----------



## zigzag (15 June 2007)

What are you going to do if you end up with vet bills of £1000's you need a check on his eyes.heart, lungs etc


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
ive spoken to a vet and he says that its not worth it for 800 pounds just buy him and he will pop in when he can - this vet is very to the point if he thinks something he will say it he is everyones vet at the yard so im just going to buy him

how exciting!!!!!! 

[/ QUOTE ]

Is the vet going to pay your bills when he's goes lame, needs xrays etc.

I think you're making a big mistake.  I hate to see people go through what I did - it's heartbreaking but luckily my horse only turned out blind in one eye - he can still be ridden.....your situation could be a whole lot different. Sorry


----------



## wench (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
He really does look like a lovely horse but I have alarm bells going off.
Please listen to the experienced people on this forum who have seen it all before.
Firstly get him vetted. Be aware that he has had tendon trouble and as such you won't be able to get insurance cover on his tendons.  

[/ QUOTE ]

get him vetted pls! and try and get his proper passport from weatherbys. make sure you know he is the horse he is being sold as.


----------



## trundle (15 June 2007)

Amber, i don't mean to sound nasty, and i am not the world's biggest expert on horses, but when a vet says "vettings not worth it for an £800 horse", what he's actually saying is "If anything goes wrong with him, he's not worth fixing". 

Are you prepared to spend a lot of money on his legs if things should go wrong, or if the worst comes to the worst, will you have him PTS if you can't afford it? 

The stuff about Weatherby's taking his passport is not correct. They would never do this, as it is a legal requirement for a horse to have a passport. I think you are being taken for a ride somewhere along the line, but if you are happy to spend £800 with no further thought, the very best of luck to you !


----------



## trundle (15 June 2007)

I meant to add, are you over 18? If not, can you actually enter into a contract to buy this horse, doesn't it have to be your parents? 

I could be entirely wrong here though, hopefully someone with more knowledge can correct me.


----------



## zigzag (15 June 2007)

If you are desperate for a horse and want a TB why not think of going to Ascot/Doncaster sales, least you can have them vetted there


----------



## seabiscuit (15 June 2007)

Amber- 
I have had an exracehorse put down last year he was only 5 I did not have him vetted. So my own fault for buying the animal.
FOUR of my friends have had their ex racehorses put down who were also very young this is because of the damage done to them from racing.

All horses were PTS after thousands and thousands of pounds worth of investigations and treatments- a lot of vets now say that it is a very very lucky horse that comes out of racing without a problem I.E there are far and few between that show the physical effects of the damage done to them by the intense physical regime that they have to do from a young age. Unless they have been extremely well looked after.

The fact that this horse has not got his racing passport means that he was sufficiently damaged enough for his owners  wishing him to never to return to the racetrack again (which would be tempting with this horse as he obv showed a bit of talent on the track)

Also the fact that the owner wants the money of you so quickly means that he could already have a bit of a leg and knows that you are inexperienced enough not to notice this ( sorry to be so rude) and wants the money before the horse starts going lame. Or something like that. Either way she wants to get rid quick!!

Just get a vetting for peace of mind. Also you cant insure him without a vetting. You def need insurance with a tb there is always going to be one prob after the other! Get another reputable vet, not with your vet who 'advised' you not to get a vetting this morning. What madness.... 
	
	
		
		
	


	





He looks a lovely horse BTW


----------



## at work (15 June 2007)

A lot also depends on what the horse is to be used for in future. If you only want to use him for light hacking and you know he has been sound for the past month, with no problems, I don't see why you need him vetted.

You've been riding him yourself for a month, right? A vetting only says he is sound today and what potential problems the vet can spot. Even finding nothing wrong doesn't prove nothing will go wrong or give any guarantee at all for the future. 

You might pay for a vetting, be told he is fine for what you want to do and still have to fork out huge amounts in 6 months or a year when something goes wrong. Knowing he has been OK for a month is about as good as it gets in terms of predicting the future.

You like him, you know he has past problems and you need to go gently - I'd buy him so long as you are happy with that. 

Buying any horse, ever, is always a big risk.


----------



## sammys ma (15 June 2007)

I think that is a very unprofessional attitude for the vet to have....and a ridiculously flippant statement he made!

Maybe it is "only £800", but that can end up being thousands of pounds in vet fees if his  tendons end up knackered! 
there are very rarely "bargain" horses out there, particularly one's without passports!

I think it would be very foolish of you not to proceed and get a vetting, and get to the bottom of the pasport issue.

I'm sure the last thing you want would be people saying "told you so"

Let us know how things progress.


----------



## HBII (15 June 2007)

If you dont get that horse vetted then woe betide you. I dont mean to sound nasty but Ill bet my mortgage that horse will go lame not long after you buy it. It isnt like buying a car, you cant go back to the owners any vets bills will be yours to pick up. And they can cost thousands - a darn sight more than £800!

And all that carp about its passport - dont fall for it.

Save your money and buy something decent.

Hb


----------



## spaniel (15 June 2007)

Amber I dont want to sound harsh but either get another vet to vet this horse, actually SEE a passport for him....OR WALK AWAY.

You are asking for trouble the way you are going at the moment.  Im really sorry but if it was me in this situation I would run a mile.


----------



## vicijp (15 June 2007)

I used to ride that horse as a 2yo. He was an absolute machine, was left in the derby until a late stage.
Was always very fragile, broke down badly when he went jumping.


----------



## vicijp (15 June 2007)

Just re read the whole thread.
Cant really beleive where sucha  garnd old horse has ended up.
£800? Hed have been woth £800k when he was still in the derby.
Was a magnificent beast, looks a bit ropey now.


----------



## Bounty (15 June 2007)

It's sad what becomes of them. 
Hopefully if Amber decides to go ahead and buy him he'll end up with some TLC at last.


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
I used to ride that horse as a 2yo. He was an absolute machine, was left in the derby until a late stage.
Was always very fragile, broke down badly when he went jumping. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Vic - is it definately the same horse?  I'm guessing you would know!


----------



## Amymay (15 June 2007)

Do you know Amber - against everyone else's advice, I'm going to say buy him.  See if you can get him for less money - offer her £500.  

But if you genuinly think you can offer this lovely old fell a home for the rest of his life - and don't have massive expectations of competing every weekend I think you and he could do very well together.

My previous yard has three ex race horses - one of whom was very successful in his day.  He retired due to leg problems.  However, the girl that now has him just hacks around and does a little bit of this and that, and he's been fine.

I really do wish you the best of luck.  And don't forget to get his passport!


----------



## JAK (15 June 2007)

Is this the same AmyMay we all know &amp; love? You are going soft in your old age!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




If he was kind &amp; safe &amp; I didn't want to do anything too strenuous with him, I'd probably buy him too though! lol

I can't believe vicijp used to ride him though, it's a small world, isn't it? I doubt she'd have made a mistake either, as despite (or maybe because of! lol) her high nicotine &amp; caffeine intake, she usually has an excellent memory for such things!

Poor old guy, I feel kinda sorry for him now, knowing he used to really be a 'somebody'! It's kinda sad!


----------



## Amymay (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
Is this the same AmyMay we all know &amp; love? You are going soft in your old age!   

[/ QUOTE ] 
Crackers isn't it????


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

ok lets start again lol

I have a passport but not his racing papers lol - racing papers were taken away so he wouldnt race again - i know nothing about racing at all 

I want him for hacking and not competing so far he has been fine however I havent canetered, jumped or galloped him because i am doing road work to make his tendons hard and make him strong again and building him up because he has been turned away for 10 months because he did go lame but he was ex rayed and eqwest said that its because his feet are so near the ground he needs shoeing all the time he has soft flat feet but my farrier mac is sorting them out now so im bringing him back into work and he is already a star

I want him to love and care for and be my pet too as well as riding horse Im not interested in much else

He has a wonderful personality, he is well mannered and already follows me around without a lead rope, I feel safe on him, he has restored my confidence, I trust him and I have ridden him in woods, alone in company, in traffic, through water and he is amazing to box 

I really appreciate everyones opinions

and about the vet saying its not worth the vets fee's he is to the point and prob is what he meant

I have him insured against everything though top whack so if anything does go wrong my pet plan expensive all singing all dancing insurance should cover it

What do you all think?


----------



## piebaldsparkle (15 June 2007)

I think your going into it aware of potential problems, so good luck.  Sounds like the horse may have landed on his feet.


----------



## JAK (15 June 2007)

If you never want to do anything more with him than you  are doing now (&amp; I should add that having something only to love, cuddle &amp; go for reasonably gentle hacks on is not something to be sneered at!), you will probably be fine!
However, because of what he is, you would be better off having him vetted prior to purchase, just in case, as you may find you could have problems if you DO want to do anything more with him!

Also, I would definitely canter, gallop &amp; jump him before you do actually buy him, as apart from the soundness issue, you may well find he is quite a different horse when asked to do something more than a steady trot?
Look at the pics of him xc, he's in a (from memory, too lazy to go back &amp; look! lol) Dutch gag &amp; a kineton &amp; he's pulling like a bl**dy steam train!


----------



## Foxglove (15 June 2007)

I agree with AmyMay, and if you do not want to compete he will probably suit you.

I have the same vets and they have seen enough horses to be able to advise you, but do listen to them regarding his feet

I bought an ex polo pony for £900 never had him vetted (and he looked much ropier than your ex racer). If you feel it is worth taking a risk and you have insurance to cover any problems, go for it - once you have cleared up any passport confusion!


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

God, I don't want to say this and please don't think I'm being a killjoy, but you have to understand that as he gets fitter, he'll probably be alot more 'fun' to ride.  You may need to do a bit of schooling with him also so that he doesn't go into racehorse mode when you hit grass.

Ty was like a lost lamb when I got him, needed feeding up, fattening up etc - i couldn't believe that I'd brought a TB that behaved like a dog!

He turned into a monster over winter as he got fitter and settled in but luckily I have the support of a great lot of people who helped me through it.  I've had to go back to basics and reschool to instill some manners in him!

I think everyones rooting for you but no one wants you to make a costly mistake.

I'm rambling now so I'll shut up......

xx


----------



## vicijp (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]

I can't believe vicijp used to ride him though, it's a small world, isn't it? I doubt she'd have made a mistake either, as despite (or maybe because of! lol) her high nicotine &amp; caffeine intake, she usually has an excellent memory for such things!


[/ QUOTE ]
I put my good memory down to the Bacardi!
Yes, it definetly looks like him, has the same face. When I knew him he was more 'up and together', stronger neck etc - so he does look a bit different.
I was only 16 when I worked in that yard, and generally only the head lad and Mark Perrett(trainers oh/ex jockey/assistant trainer) used to ride him, but I used to warm him up for Sunday work when Mark was with owners. I felt so honoured and used to look forward to it all week - everyone was v. jealous!
He was always a total gentleman, even as a colt. 
He would have been sold out of racing before the passport jobby came about, so I bet the old trainer has it in a draw somewhere.
I could pm OP his number if she wants.


----------



## Jellicle (15 June 2007)

I think that trundle is absolutely right - the vet is saying he's not worth fixing if he goes lame, so bear that in mind. 

JAK is also right I think - if you have never cantered or galloped him you have no idea how strong he can be, and the photos and vicjp's description make him sound like he can be very strong indeed! In my experience they don't really get less strong as they get older, either. Absolutely your choice, but go in with your eyes open!


----------



## Bounty (15 June 2007)

Go on...take the risk!
If he is a lamb with you at the moment and you have a great relationship established then I don't think he'll turn into too much of a monster once he's fitter, especially as Vicijp says he always was a gent. 
If it's any consolation one of my mares (Tills) cost me less than £1000 and was a hatrack when we bought her *didn't have her vetted as we knew she wouldn't pass!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




* She turned into my horse of a lifetime, and stayed sound enough to play hard polocrosse for the next 5 years. As long as you are aware of his downfalls and treat him with consideration, you'll be fine. 
Best of luck with him, I hope you are both very happy together (though I think we all know that he won't believe his luck to have ended up with you!!!)


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
If he is a lamb with you at the moment and you have a great relationship established then I don't think he'll turn into too much of a monster once he's fitter, especially as Vicijp says he always was a gent. 

[/ QUOTE ]

Vicjp is a very experienced horsewoman though!

Most TB's are different once they're fit and why not?  They feel healthier etc. and want to flex their muscles a bit more....

I suppose it's all down to how he was broken/brought on as to whether he'll have manners on grass etc!

At the end of the day, Amber knows the horse better than anyone on here - I wish them both all the luck in the world! x


----------



## jumpthemoon (15 June 2007)

I think you should buy him 
	
	
		
		
	


	





He looks and sounds like a real sweetie and if he goes lame and can't be ridden I'll have him off you and he can keep my ex racer company!! 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 In all seriousness, you seem aware that there may be problems and as long as you take that on board and don't push him too hard you should get along ok. At least he will be looked after and cared for and if he is anything like my mare he will love the attention! 

Good luck to both of you and i hope it all works out for you


----------



## Imonone (15 June 2007)

Dear Amber

Good Luck with your new partner, I hope that you will have many happy years together and that he had found a place that will love and care for him until the end of his days.

It is rare to find someone that will let you take a horse away and try it for sometime, so test the water as much as you can before handing over your money. In my experience some of the cheapest horses can turn out to be the best and the most highest priced can turn into a nightmare.

Do some homework and contact the previous owners also, its lovely to hear the history and often this heds some light on why the horse reacts as he does.

Most horses are a gamble and as a previous poster said so much can go wrong after the event, a horse I had as a teenager was kicked in the field by a pony three days after arriving and fractured its stifle.

If you are sure about this horse and have considered as much advice as you can, go for it and much enjoyment to you in the future.


----------



## Bounty (15 June 2007)

QR as I can't get through to reply properly!
ParkRanger; From what I read Vicijp was a 16yo that was exercising him when he was a 2yo - he can't have been that much of a menace! Also, the pics of him with his previous owner make it look as though he was doing ok with another young girl who (not wanting to offend!) didn't look all too experienced either. 
Some TB's are mellow, you seem to want to brand them all as monsters because of your experiences with Ty.


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

aww thank you everyone!!

he has got a lovely home now

well i might give him a small canter but im worried i will bugger his tendons up? will it be okay in the school for like 5 strides though he has amazing brakes and easy to control 

thanks vic its nice to know he was an honour to ride he still is to me he is lovely

and for those who thought i was younger then 18 im 20 so dont worry im not some love struck mad teen and i have been looking for a horse for 3 months nearly! had 2 already on loan and sent them back again

i know he wouldnt pass a vetting but i think if i take it easy build him up and look after him he will last

he defo needs his neck and all his other muscles built again but after having so much time off........

i will take more photos of him too

he has a lovely face its almost dished its very sweet its defo the same horse and if i can get any more info on him then i would be very happy


----------



## vicijp (15 June 2007)

He was always quite strong, but nice - would take a grip but with his head in chest, nice mouth.
I do remember he tanked off in his first few races over hurdles.
You do need to remember I had been riding racehorses since I was 11, and was race riding at 16.
I would say he would be fine though, was always sensible.


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

oh and the bit he was in she said he doesnt need that he was just her new horse and she wanted to be safe in those pictures im riding him in snaffle now and may even change it to a straight bar he really is fine and easy to do


----------



## JAK (15 June 2007)

I hope he has a really happy life with you then, he deserves it! xx


----------



## Bounty (15 June 2007)

I wasn't suggesting that you were inexperienced at that age, but if he was a hell of a horse to control I don't think he'd have been going out with a slip of a girl on top!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




I also think that if you had thought that he was too much horse for Amber to handle then you'd have spoken up already wouldn't you?


----------



## Jellicle (15 June 2007)

fair enough - you should be complimented that you look young in the photo! I wouldn't have guessed 20!


----------



## vicijp (15 June 2007)

I dont think you can really make presumptions like that, I would hold horses that lads twice my age couldnt ride from the age of 14.
I do think he would be ok, he can be strong, but hes no nutcase.


----------



## Bounty (15 June 2007)

Wouldn't want to see your muscles then!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




Didn't mean to offend you at all.


----------



## vicijp (15 June 2007)

No offence taken, just wanted to note that you cant really take things as face value all of the time.


----------



## Bounty (15 June 2007)

I know, and I really shouldn't have done as I was similar to you (though never as gutsy I doubt!!). When I was 11 I'd always end up breaking and riding naughty ponies for people as I was wiry and really strong, yet lightweight, and it's still like that now


----------



## AmberHughes (15 June 2007)

indeed well i am happy to go fast but as long as its controllable

my first pony bolted all the time had no feeling in anything was a nutcase and wasnt safe
my second horse was a TB Gelding who bolted all the time at first but I taught him to enjoy a slower pase in life that was gypsy trail and he soon calmed down 
my third horse i went to see to get broke my ankle
i then had 4 years off
then recently had a arab who was a 25 year old nutcase and gave her back
then a warmblood 19 year old who was dangerous and reared up and landed on people so gave him back 

and now finally get fergall at last a complete gent lol


----------



## Parkranger (15 June 2007)

Amber I prob sound like an old stick in the mud, I just want you to realise that he will change a bit - all horses do when they're fit. That's not to say that hell be a nightmare and you sound as if you'll be ok with him,

Bounty, I don't think all tbs are monsters (shouldn't have used that phrase really) but I was someone coming back into riding who brought a tb- what an idiot! I strongly believe that the problems we had were solely down to me not having the experience of dealing with tbs. Were good now but its taken a long time!

I doubt I'd have anything but tbs now - when you get them right they're such an intelligent rewarding breed but I didn't know what I was getting myself into.

As for all the 'go for it' posts I agree that as long as amber goes it eyes open then shell be fine - I suppose I just don't want to see someone going through a bad time.

I also used to have nutty horses and ponies when I was younger - one 11 can be totally differnt to another - I was riding a 15.2 saddlebred who could be a nightmare but I loved it!  Now have a healthier sense of self preservation!


----------



## Blizzard (15 June 2007)

He really does sound lovely and if Vic can give him the thumbs up then I think you have a good horse there!

Like you say, you are wanting a friend and a pet, not a world beater, a happy hacker who will keep you safe, and he fits the bill!

I say go for it, canter him if you can beforehand, Im sure a few strides will do no damage.


----------



## brighteyes (15 June 2007)

I think his feet look fine - says she going off at a tangent.  You have had him on loan for a month and you love him.  You are not going to hammer him.  You are going to get all the appropriate passport stuff sorted and now, thanks to all the advice above, you should be aware of all the extra pitfalls.  If you are still happy -BUY HIM!  He looks a lovely chap, he seems to deserve a good home and as long as you are braced for possible problems (and we all have to be to some extent) then I think you will have made the right choice.  Do let us know!


----------



## mickey (15 June 2007)

Have read most of the above posts.
One query I had, Amber, is that you say that you have organised some very comprehensive insurance for him? I would have thought that the insurers would want a vetting done before they would be so inclusive of everything? Do you have any exclusions on your policy?

Personally I think it is great for you and great for the horse if your parternship is suited - Ie if you want to give him lots of TLC, enjoy riding at home, but have realistic expectations then that should be a lovely life for him. 

I do think if I were in your situation I would want a vetting done, so at least I knew roughly what I was taking on from a veterinary perspective. Bear in mind that even if you do have insurance they normally only insure a particular condition for 1 yr and then it will be down to you. My horse has a spavin, he had lots of investigations and treatment a few yrs ago but should it present problems in the future I will be the one having to pay. If you end up with lameness problems you can be up to £5K with treatment/investigations before you know it. Believe me.

I think buy the horse and enjoy it - As long as you have some idea (via a vetting) of what you are taking on. You have to be happy that you can cover all eventualties. Go in with your eyes open, not shut...........Good luck and I hope it all works out.


----------



## dieseldog (15 June 2007)

Just t put your mind at rest about the bit, she has him in a very badly fitted Myler Combination, and contary to popular belief they aren't strong bits.

If you are happy on him and you've got the insurance to cover him I would say go for it.


----------



## PeterNatt (15 June 2007)

Dear Amber,

I have owned horses for 35 years and although I just gently hack them I have always had a prospective horse vetted by the vets practive I have used for an equal number of years.

The reason being is that I then know exactly what problems the horse has and how to either live with the problem without aggrovating it or at least make me aware how much it may cost me in future veterinary care.  It laso means that my vet knows what he may come up against in future medical treatment of the horse.

In my experience insurance companies are normally happy to insure a horse however as soon as they have paid out for a particular medical condition they then promptly exclude it in from any future cover thus meaning one has to find the cash oneselves.

I have a friend who collects ex-racehorses and I do know that they can be very expensive to maintain because of previous injuries and the long term treatment of them.

You will become very fond of your horse but you do need to be aware what is wrong with him at this point in time so that you at least have some indication of the likely long term costs of his veterinary care.

I wish you good luck and every enjoyment of your new horse.


----------



## mickey (15 June 2007)

Totally agree with PeterNatt's sentiments. I would take this view myself when buying a horse....


----------



## Amymay (18 June 2007)

[ QUOTE ]
One query I had, Amber, is that you say that you have organised some very comprehensive insurance for him? I would have thought that the insurers would want a vetting done before they would be so inclusive of everything? Do you have any exclusions on your policy?  

[/ QUOTE ] 

I have just bought a new horse - paid less then £5k for him, so no need to produce a veterinary certificate.


----------

