So I got home from Mike's failed vetting with eyes full of unshed tears. Made myself a coffee and thought I would have a little look on Horsequest.
And lo and behold, there was this chap. His advert had been up for half an hour and he is at a yard only 15 minutes' drive from me:
Sid is 12 and 14.3. He's been the First Pony for 3 families. II phoned. Dealer answered. I said, "Still got him?" She said yep. I said "Come and see him?" She said "When?" I said "Now?" She said "OK."
So I was first to see him.
The good: He rides like Ziggy but better - longer stride, easier to stop, much much better schooled. Soft mouth. It was easy for me to ride him, because his paces and feel were so much more what I was used to. I got an inadvertent walk to canter transition, which he did beautifully! And when I tried to remember how my RI had told me to help Ziggy into an outline, Sid immediately dropped his head and lifted his back. Great feeling.
He's a great little jumper and enjoys it. The dealer showed him to me ridden and popped a jump, and when I got on him he was really forward because he thought I was going to jump him! I did go over a cross pole but not really a jump. However, he always always slowed down and/or stopped when I asked, no messing about or strongness, just forward.
I hacked him out along the road and up the track and he was fine. At the start of the track there was a pile of bright road signs and blue pipes, and he backed up a step or two and snorted, but passed when I insisted. He didn't try to turn back or fight me, just accepted my direction and went on. His paces (walk and trot) were the same out and back, and he goes easily and smoothly between the gaits.
The only bad things about him were that he is grumpy in the stable - puts his ears back and makes faces. Interestingly, though he did this to me when I brought him out, by the time I put him back he seemed to have decided that I was OK and snuffled my hair with his ears forward, the way you would want. Also, he is girthy. As soon as I took his rug off he was nibble nibble nibbling at his girth (both sides) and after he was saddled when I slipped my hand under the girth to check it he swung his head as if to bite. He didn't bite - I tapped his cheek and told him kindly to sod off and he did - but obviously it bothered him.
I asked why he was sold. Apparently the last family had 3 horsey kids up to age 12 and a very very un horsey mother. She wanted a pony she could primp and preen, because I suppose that was the value she could add to her children's hobby. She fiddled with his girth one day and he nipped her on the bottom. That was it, he is in sales livery. The dealer said, "He doesn't mind having a job, but he doesn't want to be a Barbie pony."
Fine by me. I need to get my RI to see him if she can - she lives nearby so I hope it might be possible - but if not at least she will look at the video and give me her opinion. Then I can send a deposit this evening subject to vetting (again).
If it's not one thing it's another! It is stressful, though, that everything seems to have to happen in such a hurry. If I had money, I would employ an equine agent to find the horse for me to make it easier.
What do you all think? I don't really like mostly-white horses, or blue eyes, but a good horse is never a bad colour...
And lo and behold, there was this chap. His advert had been up for half an hour and he is at a yard only 15 minutes' drive from me:
Sid is 12 and 14.3. He's been the First Pony for 3 families. II phoned. Dealer answered. I said, "Still got him?" She said yep. I said "Come and see him?" She said "When?" I said "Now?" She said "OK."
So I was first to see him.
The good: He rides like Ziggy but better - longer stride, easier to stop, much much better schooled. Soft mouth. It was easy for me to ride him, because his paces and feel were so much more what I was used to. I got an inadvertent walk to canter transition, which he did beautifully! And when I tried to remember how my RI had told me to help Ziggy into an outline, Sid immediately dropped his head and lifted his back. Great feeling.
He's a great little jumper and enjoys it. The dealer showed him to me ridden and popped a jump, and when I got on him he was really forward because he thought I was going to jump him! I did go over a cross pole but not really a jump. However, he always always slowed down and/or stopped when I asked, no messing about or strongness, just forward.
I hacked him out along the road and up the track and he was fine. At the start of the track there was a pile of bright road signs and blue pipes, and he backed up a step or two and snorted, but passed when I insisted. He didn't try to turn back or fight me, just accepted my direction and went on. His paces (walk and trot) were the same out and back, and he goes easily and smoothly between the gaits.
The only bad things about him were that he is grumpy in the stable - puts his ears back and makes faces. Interestingly, though he did this to me when I brought him out, by the time I put him back he seemed to have decided that I was OK and snuffled my hair with his ears forward, the way you would want. Also, he is girthy. As soon as I took his rug off he was nibble nibble nibbling at his girth (both sides) and after he was saddled when I slipped my hand under the girth to check it he swung his head as if to bite. He didn't bite - I tapped his cheek and told him kindly to sod off and he did - but obviously it bothered him.
I asked why he was sold. Apparently the last family had 3 horsey kids up to age 12 and a very very un horsey mother. She wanted a pony she could primp and preen, because I suppose that was the value she could add to her children's hobby. She fiddled with his girth one day and he nipped her on the bottom. That was it, he is in sales livery. The dealer said, "He doesn't mind having a job, but he doesn't want to be a Barbie pony."
Fine by me. I need to get my RI to see him if she can - she lives nearby so I hope it might be possible - but if not at least she will look at the video and give me her opinion. Then I can send a deposit this evening subject to vetting (again).
If it's not one thing it's another! It is stressful, though, that everything seems to have to happen in such a hurry. If I had money, I would employ an equine agent to find the horse for me to make it easier.
What do you all think? I don't really like mostly-white horses, or blue eyes, but a good horse is never a bad colour...