Test rode a horse to buy, didnt go well.

Question

I put my horse of 21 yrs. down and looking for a another to keep her 6 yr. mare daughter company and for my 15 and 8 yr.old daughters to ride. Went to see one that apparently came from a girls camp but they had too many, the current owner had him only a few months and for unrelated issues can not ride over a walk and financial issues are causing his sale. Ground manners and saddling were beautiful, walking in saddle went great. When I tried to get him to trot, he gave a little buck and carried on for 30 sec. or so. When we stopped, he stood nice as I tried to calm him (and myself down). He walked again but would only walk to the owner, I could not turn him away from her. He is 9 yr. old gelding, 16 hands, breed: they are unsure but think Thoroughbred and/or Quarter horse. She apologized and said would have a trainer look at him (of course making his price go up). Could this have been a fluke or him just testing me? My 13 and 15 yr. old watching said it looked as if one of his back feet slipped before he started his hip hop routine. Price is a huge factor and we cant afford to get the "perfect" horse. It is an hour away but would I be crazy to try riding it again to see if it was a fluke?

Answer 1

i got my first horse in a bit of a situation like this when i took him out on a test he walked like a crab and when we got back to the lane that led to the farm he bolted with me on his back, i decided to get him on loan but in the end i had to return him he was unsuitable for me i would suggest u have a vet look at his hind feet first to out rule any foot problems

Answer 2

The market is soft right now and nice horses are going for pretty reasonable prices.  This horse is not an ideal mount at any price.  Keep looking and good luck.

Answer 3

I'm thinking he is either a bit green, or most likely, he's been allowed to get away with behavior like that so when someone gets on him, he tries his tricks to see if he can get out of doing work.  A lot of horses ridden by beginners figure out all these tricks, and if they can intimidate their rider, they'll take advantage of it.  Since a small buck and some stubborness was enough to unnerve you, you might want to look for a horse that is better trained and more suited to your ability.  I'm thinking this guy needs to be ridden for a while by an advanced rider... someone who won't let him get away with tricks like that.  If you are willing to work on this with him, or to hire someone to do so, go for it.  Otherwise, like a previous poster said, the horse market is so bad right now (like the housing market) that nice horses are going for pretty cheap.  You can probably find a well broke horse elsewhere for a good price.

One other thought... has this horse been ridden regularly?  Or was he out in a field for a year doing nothing?  That can make a big difference in how he went under saddle.  If so, he might just need to get back in the swing of things.

Answer 4

The horse could be attached to his owner. Try riding him while she is out of sight. Sounds like a "barn sour" type of issue.

Also, have you considered going to a horse rescue? Great way to find a horse in need of a home for little money.  

Answer 5

I think this horse was probably testing you, the way some horses will when they are ridden by a stranger whom they don't know. It could also have been a pain reaction, though, especially since the horse has an infection in his kidneys. I would not buy this animal without investigating that a LOT more thoroughly, because yes, it can cause problems down the road. Kidney problems are rare in horses to begin with, and if this horse has one now, he may have them later on- not to mention that he may be at risk for developing cancer in the organs. Could something else other than a kidney problem be going on, such as a hernia, for example? The only way to know is to have the horse vetted before you buy him- and by someone OTHER THAN THE SELLER'S vet. You need to have YOUR OWN VET do the pre purchase exam. If the seller objects to this, then DON'T BUY THE HORSE !!! It means she's hiding something- and that something could either cost you a lot of money later, or it could result in you or your daughters' getting hurt or killed by this animal. Any legitimate seller will allow the buyer's vet to do a pre purchase- to do otherwise is a red flag, and you need to be on your guard.

If the horse vets out clean, then he was just testing you, and you need to work on his discipline issues. He sounds like he's more than a little lazy and barn sour- and he clearly doesn't want to work any harder than he has to. You are going to have to over come your fears, get on him, and MAKE HIM WORK- and don't take NO for an answer, no matter what he does. If he bucks and acts stupid, put him on the longe line or work him in a round pen for a while, until he's good and tired. Then get on him again, and make him work. If you don't want to do this, or you're scared to do it, then send the horse to a trainer.

Good luck.