# new owner, unbroken horse



## chell-jenson (24 August 2014)

Hi, new to all this, I have just got my first horse. The support that I had in place has now gone. I have been left with an unbroken, nappy 3 year old that I don't know how to teach. The previous owner will not have him back even though I have not paid for him as it's installments, she still has his passport so I can't sell him on. I would like to keep him as we have a bond. He's affectionate with me and listens. He doesn't even have the basics, he hates the head collar but will walk by my side using voice command. He hates restraints. I basically need to know where do I start, I am treating him as untouched baby and don't know what my first lessons with him should be. Can someone point me in the right direction. I'm determined to bring him on, we have a lovely respect for each other and I don't want to get rid of him. Thank you


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## alainax (24 August 2014)

I think you should focus on learning as much as you can about teaching a horse manners and ground work, until you have finished paying off the instalments. 

Then, when he is officially yours, and you have his passport - send him away to be professionally broken. 

When he comes back, have lessons once per week on him, extending to once per fortnight, then once per month until you are both established.


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## Burnttoast (24 August 2014)

I'm sure you know that this is far from an ideal situation. The only practical thing you can do is get new (and hopefully more reliable) support in place now, even if it means parting with quite a bit of cash. Try an Intelligent Horsemanship recommended associate (google it) - with luck there will be one in your area. Otherwise, get recommendations for a good, sympathetic instructor/trainer from people local to you - someone who will do groundwork with you both.


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## be positive (24 August 2014)

The first thing you need to sort out is getting his passport, the previous owner may be holding it until you have paid in full but it should be kept by you as the person responsible for the horse, I hope you have a contract in place that states how long you have to finish paying and become the legal owner.

He needs to learn to accept a headcollar, he does not hate it, just does not understand what is required, you would benefit from finding someone experienced with starting youngsters to guide you.
The first thing is to have the headcollar on, be led properly, tie up, have his feet picked out and be groomed all over, you need to stop thinking of him as hating things and as a baby, he is a young horse who has limited experience, he may be worried by new things, he may argue but he needs to see you as the confident leader, not as someone who allows him to do as he wants.


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## Orangehorse (24 August 2014)

He is a baby, you have to be his teacher.  Every time you handle him, you are teaching him, so be consistent.  

It would be a good idea to get some help as suggested and an Intelligent Horsemanship person would be a very good idea.
You can also go along to your local library and see what books there are.  The ABC and breaking and schooling is a good basic book, and of course the books by Kelly Marks.


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## Fides (24 August 2014)

Where abouts are you?


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## Exploding Chestnuts (24 August 2014)

I think you should probably send it back, and accept that it was a all a bit of a mistake.


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## Shay (25 August 2014)

I'm really sorry - but Bonkers has a point.  Teaching a young horse is a job only for someone very experienced.  Mistakes at this stage can result in a dangerous or unrideable horse with a very bleak future.  If you can't send him away to be professionally backed you are going to need to get him to a more experienced home.  An unbroken  youngster is not a first horse - it is a disaster waiting to happen to both of you.  I am sorry.


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## Pearlsasinger (25 August 2014)

The owner cannot have it both ways, hanging onto the passport, because he still belongs to her and yet refusing to take him back.  IMO you should arrange transport and deliver him back to her.  You will lose the money you have already paid but it 's best to think of it as the price of an expensive lesson.
My advice is to be very careful when you next venture into horse-buying, make sure that you have enough money saved up to buy outright and get some-one truly experienced to help you choose a suitable older horse (minimum age 9 or so) which you can learn about horse-ownership with.  No matter how experienced a rider you are, owning a horse for the first time is a huge, steep learning curve.


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## JillA (25 August 2014)

Is this for real? "Support network"? Who says that - most people would refer to the friend or relative who was going to help. And how many new first time owners are familiar with passports? Hopefully OP will return and tell us it is genuine...................


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## oldie48 (25 August 2014)

i find it hard to believe that anyone would go into something like this, I smell a troll! If you are not a troll, just send the horse back, it's not for you.



JillA said:



			Is this for real? "Support network"? Who says that - most people would refer to the friend or relative who was going to help. And how many new first time owners are familiar with passports? Hopefully OP will return and tell us it is genuine...................
		
Click to expand...


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## FestiveFuzz (26 August 2014)

I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt and assume the OP is just incredibly naive. 

Personally I see you have a few options...

1. Send the horse back. As you currently don't own the horse you would be well within your rights to do this. IMHO this would be the best option all round. 

2. Pay whatever is left to make the horse yours and then send it away to a professional. This won't be cheap and I suspect given you didn't just purchase the horse outright that this might be beyond your finances, but if it's not and you've grown attached to the horse this could be a good option if you have the money to pay for training. 

3. Pay whatever is left to make the horse yours and then sell it to a more suitable home.


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## Woolybear (7 September 2014)

Bit of a nightmare scenario...

I think GG2B has some good points there.  Pretty much either send it back or pay the balance and sell on either as an unbroken 'project' or have it professionally broken and sell on.  Breaking youngsters is not for the uninitiated and if you don't know have an idea how to halter break then it can potentially only get more difficult at each stage and you'll do more harm than good.  there is no cheap easy route to getting a good horse.

I have read too many posts on this forum lately of people biting off more than they can chew and then throwing in the towel when it all gets beyond their experience or capability, leaving a horse that is use to no one or will end up being sold on and on becoming more problematic with each change of hands and then ending up as glue.

My advice is don't take on an unbroken youngster unless you know what you are doing.  You need bags of time, innate calmness and patience beyond patience.  It can be learned of course, but not on the fly.  If you want to break horses take a job/apprenticeship,placement at a yard where they do and learn from the bottom up.

Even if you do send it away to be professionally broken, dont keep it, 3 year olds are NOT first horses, you will end up with huge problems.

Sorry


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