Hi there, i'm new to this and this is my first post on this forum...been reading it for a while now though, and I find it a godsend - so many of my questions and issues have been addressed here already!
But now I have a question of my own..and it concerns trust!
I used to ride as a kid, and left it in my teens (a common phenomenon it seems!), and have recently returned to it.
Horses are saving my sanity...literaly! Nearly two years ago I had a bereavement and have been finding it very tough to deal with, but since returning to horses I've been renewed and have been really coming back to my self.
The odd story of how I came back to horses starts with the fact that what I do for a living is teach drums to kids, and whilst having a chat and a laugh with one of my student's mums, the issue came up that she needed to buy a drum kit and that I was selling my old one! It also came up that she kept horses and that her other son was heading off to college soon and that she was going to be selling his mare! You can probably see where this is going....(the kit was a verry good one by the way!)!!!
I joked that I would swap my kit for the horse, and to my surprise she said why not!
In anticipation of perhaps getting this horse, I started getting lessons again (twice a week) and got completely hooked again!
Unfortunately though, this horse had an injury to it's leg which she had hoped was minor (but despite her efforts and numerous visits to the vet, it never healed properly). She doesn't feel right going ahead with the exchange as the leg bone has become infected and things don't look good for the poor thing (even though the leg doesn't look too bad) as the prognosis for infected leg bones is very poor. This was v. sad...she seemed like a lovely horse with a warm personality - I met her when things still seemed hopeful, and fed her carrots and apples, which she good-naturedly devoured!
As far as my riding is concerned, it has come on in leaps and bounds, and my fitness levels are gradually increasing too (before getting back into riding I was very down and sat still a lot).
My instructor is very good and knows my situation and seems to have the knack of pushing me just the right amount, so that each time I improve in some way, but she's still working at my pace.(the lessons are mostly one to one)
I've ridden about 5 or 6 horses in the school, and the latest one I find to be ` a dream, he's brought me on so much, and is touch button and has a lovely temperment !!! And she has told me that he's for sale!!!
I tack him up, and groom him and have gone out to the field for a "chat" with him, and he was completely approachable. I feel very comfortable with him in the close confines of the stable and it's like he was put here to give me confidence! Besides which, he's a handsome brute!!
He is a 15'1' bay cob/horse and he's only 6. If you are kind to his mouth he will do any thing you ask it seems... although I have't jumped yet, he does jump on a regular basis and is much loved by all who ride him!!
Sounds like he's ready for his sainthood eh?
The thing is, as you can see i've already fallen for him, and am about to start negotiations with my instructor about buying him.
She has already said that she will do an installment plan, and that what she would like would be for him to stay there working in the school for a year doing a few hours a week for her in exchange for cheap livery.
This would give her time to bring on a replacement for him and give me time to prepare our meadow (clear away rusty debris and fence it in and build a stable).
She has just sold one of the other school horses (a twenty yr old) in a similar arrangement for 3000 euros.
The only thing is, I don't feel comfortable asking her can I get him vetted!
When I was going to be getting the other horse my instructor herself had offered to look at him to see if he was suitable for me, but now that she is the seller I don't know how to go about getting an objective opinion without offending her!
She has told me that she thinks he is ideal for me, and I myself can feel what he's done for me already, but I don't want to risk souring relations with her by implying I dont trust her!
When buying a horse in these circumstances does any one ever just trust their instructors integrity and go with with it or would that be foolhardy?
Thanks everyone...and sorry about the length!!!
But now I have a question of my own..and it concerns trust!
I used to ride as a kid, and left it in my teens (a common phenomenon it seems!), and have recently returned to it.
Horses are saving my sanity...literaly! Nearly two years ago I had a bereavement and have been finding it very tough to deal with, but since returning to horses I've been renewed and have been really coming back to my self.
The odd story of how I came back to horses starts with the fact that what I do for a living is teach drums to kids, and whilst having a chat and a laugh with one of my student's mums, the issue came up that she needed to buy a drum kit and that I was selling my old one! It also came up that she kept horses and that her other son was heading off to college soon and that she was going to be selling his mare! You can probably see where this is going....(the kit was a verry good one by the way!)!!!
I joked that I would swap my kit for the horse, and to my surprise she said why not!
In anticipation of perhaps getting this horse, I started getting lessons again (twice a week) and got completely hooked again!
Unfortunately though, this horse had an injury to it's leg which she had hoped was minor (but despite her efforts and numerous visits to the vet, it never healed properly). She doesn't feel right going ahead with the exchange as the leg bone has become infected and things don't look good for the poor thing (even though the leg doesn't look too bad) as the prognosis for infected leg bones is very poor. This was v. sad...she seemed like a lovely horse with a warm personality - I met her when things still seemed hopeful, and fed her carrots and apples, which she good-naturedly devoured!
As far as my riding is concerned, it has come on in leaps and bounds, and my fitness levels are gradually increasing too (before getting back into riding I was very down and sat still a lot).
My instructor is very good and knows my situation and seems to have the knack of pushing me just the right amount, so that each time I improve in some way, but she's still working at my pace.(the lessons are mostly one to one)
I've ridden about 5 or 6 horses in the school, and the latest one I find to be ` a dream, he's brought me on so much, and is touch button and has a lovely temperment !!! And she has told me that he's for sale!!!
I tack him up, and groom him and have gone out to the field for a "chat" with him, and he was completely approachable. I feel very comfortable with him in the close confines of the stable and it's like he was put here to give me confidence! Besides which, he's a handsome brute!!
He is a 15'1' bay cob/horse and he's only 6. If you are kind to his mouth he will do any thing you ask it seems... although I have't jumped yet, he does jump on a regular basis and is much loved by all who ride him!!
Sounds like he's ready for his sainthood eh?
The thing is, as you can see i've already fallen for him, and am about to start negotiations with my instructor about buying him.
She has already said that she will do an installment plan, and that what she would like would be for him to stay there working in the school for a year doing a few hours a week for her in exchange for cheap livery.
This would give her time to bring on a replacement for him and give me time to prepare our meadow (clear away rusty debris and fence it in and build a stable).
She has just sold one of the other school horses (a twenty yr old) in a similar arrangement for 3000 euros.
The only thing is, I don't feel comfortable asking her can I get him vetted!
When I was going to be getting the other horse my instructor herself had offered to look at him to see if he was suitable for me, but now that she is the seller I don't know how to go about getting an objective opinion without offending her!
She has told me that she thinks he is ideal for me, and I myself can feel what he's done for me already, but I don't want to risk souring relations with her by implying I dont trust her!
When buying a horse in these circumstances does any one ever just trust their instructors integrity and go with with it or would that be foolhardy?
Thanks everyone...and sorry about the length!!!