Help! My youngster has grown too big for me

Question

I bought him as a 2 year old, his dam is 15.3hh and his sire 16.0hh. He is now nearly 4 years old and a massive 17.3hh. Im only 5ft5 so he is way too big for me and I need to sell him but I have only been able to do a little work with him because he walks all over me. Is it expensive to send a youngster away to be broken in professionally?

He is my 3rd horse and Im in my late 20s so Im not an inexperienced kid, I just made a mistake buying him

Answer 1

Yea! It's pretty bloody expensive which i find very stupid.

I break and school in peoples horses for them but I'm not one of these charge a million Bucks type people.

I take their horses in for 6 months and work with the horse for an hour everyday. I charge them £1000 for the 6 months which includes the horses feed and turn out, i charge £1500 if they want farrier aswell.

Most places iv'e heard of charge £12,000 for breaking and schooling.

I'd say that if you can mabye back him and have him walk out in a saddle and full tack then you could sell him for around £5000.

But you can also loan him mabye???

Answer 2

Why would you want to pay to have a horse that big be bomb proof if you're just going to sell him?

Answer 3

Well, I'm 5'6", and i love riding horses that are over 17 h.h, so i don't think you are too small for him, but if you aren't comfortable working with him, then invest in a professional trainer before you sell him. He's your horse, and your responsibility.  

Answer 4

Have you tried to advertise him as available to trade for a smaller more suitable horse?  Perhaps there's someone out there with a horse that is smaller than they'd like to have, that would trade you.  You may still wind up with an unbroke 4 year old, but if it's a more suitable size, then you'd be in the position you'd have been in had your original horse not wound up too big.  Could be a win-win situation....  You get the smaller horse you want, and someone else gets the larger horse they want.

Answer 5

Some friends of mine are profession horse trainers and they charge somewhere around $600 a month for training depending on the time of year and how many horse's they have in their program at the time.  However, at the end of that month, the horse can drive and ride.

If you are trying to get your money back out of him, I'd say you don't have much of a chance of that since he isn't broke to ride or drive.  The horse market is really down right now around here (Central KY) with really nice, well-trained horses going for $2000 and much less.  It might be worth it to have him trained even 30 days, otherwise price him really low and sell him that way.

Good luck.

Answer 6

I'm HIGHLY doubting he is at 17.3 hands unless he has horses back in one of the lines that made it to be that height. but if every horse in his line is 16 hands or under, I really doubt he defied his DNA and grew.

second he's not too big for you. I use to handle a three year old 17.2 when I was 9, and about 4ft10inches, he wasen't broken to ride (at the time) but he had enough manners that a child could lead him. I am now a whopping 5ft 1in tall, yet can handle a horse in the 17 hand rage with ease. Its not about your height, it's about your confidence. My second horse (when i was 11) was 16.1 and scared the living daylights out of me (bolted, reared, bucked) yet one girl, just a bit taller than me (in her 20's) could hop on him and do a 4ft course and he wouldn't act up once. yet I couldn't even trot him. Why? she wasen't scared of him, I was.

If you let him walk all over you, he's going to do it. period. No amount of force is going to stop him, no madder how big someone is. I've met little 11 hand high ponies, and minis who walk all over people, drag them around, and are pain in the butts because no one ever told them "no". He just needs to learn manners, and your best bet would be to send him to a professional trainer to have him backed, and trained. Even if it is expensive, he's probably going to be more expensive being a lawn ornament then an actual riding horse.

Answer 7

I'd say if you want to sell him, sell him as is....but if you'd like to keep working with him, try some Natural Horsemanship methods to teach him to respect you more. My horse was very dominant and pushy but Parelli has made him a better horse. He listens to me better and respects me

It depends on the person who would be training....my old Barn owner spent $4000 for 60 days of professional training from some guy I've never even heard of.  

Answer 8

are you sure he is 17.3 that just seems to high for me considering how tall his parents are but i guess its possible. It dpends on where you go. The trainer im probably going to use charges $600 a month wich includes boarding, training, lessons, and feed.

Answer 9

I work part time for a trainer and she charges £150 a week for a schooling livery. I think u need to send him away ASAP before he becomes even naughtier, he is too big to have an attitude. It helps if the trainer works them in the school, hacks them out, does a little jumping and maybe even takes them to a small local show, its all good experience which helps to sell the horse.

Some horses come in worth maybe £3000 and 6 weeks later they are sold for £5000 so if u can afford to do it it is the best thing and if u are lucky u will get your money back plus some.

Use word of mouth to find a good trainer tho because there are some bad ones out there and I know u will only want the best for him. It may be difficult to sell him unbroken and a little schooling and hacking out will give him a far better chance of finding a good home

I can fully understand why u feel he is too big for u, it's not just his physical size. If u feel u need to sell him then u know whats best for both u and your horse's future

and dont listen to loggy I HIGHLY doubt their advice. Im sure you know the size of your own horse better than they do

Answer 10

You could advertise him in Horse and Hound, and with local studs.

You are right to want to sell him as he will just frustrate you, you need to have done more with him, but I can understand that.  But all is not lost.  He is young enough to learn still.

Perhaps you could sell him according to his breeding - ie as a potential dressage, showjumper, eventer and say that you have not had the time to do him justice.  That way, when buyers come to see him, they will understand his lack of manners.

If you can get hold of a controlling halter - which tightens and loosens according to the horses behaviour.  Carry a schooling whip to push him over when you want to, and if possible also make him wear a chiffney bit which will stop him rearing or forging ahead.  he is old enough for a bit.  Wear gloves and a hat and be a bit firmer with him.  Children can handle well trained shires, so he should not be allowed to get away with bad behaviour for much longer.

good luck.

Answer 11

I sent my youngster off to be started at 4 years old.  It cost me $350.00 no matter how long he had to keep him.  I sent a 50 pound bag of feed each week he was there.  He was there for 6 weeks and I was confident that he could be ridden when I got him home.  My daughter in law sent her horse to another trainer and he cost $400.00 per month.  If it took longer she would have to pay more.  She got her's back in 30 days but it is slow going at home - she is not nearly as confident in her trainer as I was in mine.

If you only need the horse started under saddle and you are capable of putting the miles on him that should increase his value beyond the price of the trainer.  Some trainers cost more than others, some trainers only do arena work, some, like mine, take the horse out on the trails which I believe gives you a better horse in the end.  Less spooky and more confident.

Be careful, do your homework, interview prospective trainers and ask for referrels and make sure you can visit whenever you want to observe training sessions.  It's kinda like sending your child to day care - you don't want to send them to just anyone.

Answer 12

i had the exact same problem!

i now have an arab who also had respect issues when he came, i found the best way is using a slip rope head collar my favourite is by richard maxwell and can be bought via the internet.

doing things like backing up with this changes of direction and stopping he should do as you do these should get him to respect you more.

Try spending time with him even if he just comes in for a brush- if he wont stand bring him in to a bucket of carrots or something, you must reward him for good behaviour even the smallest thing reassure by saying he's good it does work!

you'd be suprised how much more money you can get just for him looking in good condition!.

do you know any good riders who would be willing to have a go!?

im only 5ft2 and have broke a 16hh hunter and rode my sisters 17hh youngster.

i am in no way suggesting you should try to do this yourself but if you know someone who could help ask!

can you lunge him?

this is also a good way of excersising him and getting him to respect you.

never hit him this will only make him stick up for himself he clearly knows his size and is prepared to use it to his advantage!

It is expensive to have them sent away which why i have suggested somebody helping you that you know. maybe a local riding teacher?

Answer 13

return him

Answer 14

It can be really expensive..... see if there is someone around your barn with a bit of experience who can help you out for cheaper.... The horse market is really down ride now, maybe try lowering the price?

Answer 15

well i got my 3year old trained realllyyy good for like i think 300$.so it just depends(: