I’m surprised that your trainer had him showing that quickly. It doesn’t give anyone a fair chance to get to know him, or him to settle in.
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yes
Yeah it’s strange that a horse with so much implied potential is being care leased to an ammy who is only riding him over a 3 jump gymnastic. No offense to you OP at all. In my experience if trainer no longer rides you would get a good riding pro or a brave skilled amateur to put a couple of successful shows on the horse. Not only to sell it but to give him confidence and confirm the stop was the rider. I would not buy this horse for $50k
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For FIFTY thousand dollars ? That’s a hell of a chance
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I may be wrong on this, but I’m pretty sure that’s not how Europe does it.
Just a heads up, wherever you go isn’t going to be like this. You are going to tell them you’ve been riding for 2 years and jump up to 2’6" and they are going to point out a course and tell you to go jump it.
I highly recommend using the 6 months to try out a different program, even on lesson horses— you may very well be surprised how fun it is to bop around 8 consecutive fences on a horse you can actually trust! Just re-reading your old thread about putting lesson horses on the bit (?!) and now this about 2’6" bounces and a rollback (weirdly precise exercise and I hope you are getting to do something else) and just… nothing about the place you’re at sounds normal for a beginner adult.
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It is very clear that this is the horse you want. It’s your money and time, so buy him if you can afford to and he is what you want and you don’t feel like looking for something else that might check your boxes. But you need to understand that he might not be what you want him to be. Even if you never get to 1m you may not be able to show him safely at any height. You have no way of knowing how he will be with you at shows. He might be perfectly fine or he might be dangerous, or he might be anything in between those extremes, but you won’t know that until you take him to a show and swing a leg over him yourself.
The biggest problem, especially since you are planning to move him after purchase, is that you don’t know how he will be with you anywhere but where you are right now, doing exactly what you are doing, right now. If things change and he can’t deal with it and you can’t deal with him, you will be in a place you might not want to be, but now he is your horse. So, you are stuck with a horse you can’t ride and won’t be able to sell unless you find someone who wants to do even less with him that you do (and it won’t be for 50k!).
I wouldn’t pay that much for a stopper- I wouldn’t actually buy a stopper, ever, because it is VERY hard to fix when it stems from behavior, not physical discomfort. All of the weird red flags about your trainer’s methodology with this horse aside, you need to understand that if you spend this money on this horse and he turns out to be, in fact, a stopper at shows, you are going to have to put a lot of your money into finding someone who can try to help you solve that issue, while dealing with the possibility that it can’t be solved. Maybe it can- but you won’t know that until you test him at a show, yourself.
It’s tough to fall in love with a horse that might not be the best fit for you, but that personal connection is important, too. So again- if you are 100% ok with the possibility that he might not ever be a show horse for you and you can afford the cost and the subsequent training you will need, even in the best case scenarios, go for it. If not, see what else might be out there that has less baggage, is jumping happily over what you want, and may end up being an ever better partner for you.
I’m also wrinkling my brow a bit over what you are allowed to jump. I don’t think anyone should be rushed into jumping, at all, and I ride with UL eventers so dressage is my flatwork. BUT: what they are having you do seems (to me) more tailored for helping a stopper than helping a rider learn how to jump.
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Absolutely before you spend $50k on a horse you should test the market. That’s a healthy budget and you should see what else is out there.
Other things that I thought after reading this thread:
Take this horse to a show and see how he performs. He may be fine at home and completely shut down in a more charged atmosphere.
If you are not ready to jump a course of reasonable height on this horse, pay someone to do it. Maybe it’s your trainer, maybe it’s someone else.
Ask if you can continue the lease on the horse while you move and then see how he does with another trainer in another barn. Have a way to back out of the sale if you discover the horse is not the same.
As someone upstream mentioned, if the trainer is willing to let you share lease this horse she does not think she could get a paid lease and the sales price may be aspirational.
Good luck!
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Ahhhh, thats not really correct and certainly not for the younger horses not elite level prospects destined for export. It is anything to get them sold. See the Irish thread but be aware more then just the Irish do not mollycoddle them, they get on and jump. Then teach them just enough to get around under a strong pro or apprentice rider, get some video over very plain jumps and sell them. ASAP. That is what many sale barns/dealers do anywhere. They are dealers, not training barns.
If you ever ride one recently off the plane, you would be shocked at what they do not know…like what the outside rein is, no clue.
I say this with kindness but I think there is much you do not know that you do not know. Worse, your teachers want you to stay that way. Treating you like a mushroom about why you cannot do a simple low 8 jump course and it is not your riding,
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OP, I’m not a pro, but listen to the more experienced people in this thread AND do take it from me a fellow ammie, I think you need to experience another program before buying ANY horse. The program you’re currently involved does not sound “normal” or standard (and my main love is dressage, so I’m certainly not anti-flatwork). Riding a course of cross rails or tiny verticals isn’t brain surgery and won’t mess up your flatwork or your ability to jump higher later on.
My opinion (free, given on the Internet) is that if a rider doesn’t come from a horsey background, before she buys a horse, she should ride with more than one trainer and see how more than one barn/program operates.
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How is that helping trainer sell the horse ???
This trainer … makes very. strange. decisions.
Go find a rider on your own. Time to start making all of your own decisions, and not rely on this trainer. This trainer seems to be doing way too much thinking for you, with peculiar results. It doesn’t have to be that way and it’s your choice.
Maybe this trainer is just somewhat out of date. Or … other things.
I’m back to: something else is going on with trainer & horse. No idea what. It may or may not be about the horse. But many things about the scenario you describe, OP, are – odd. Very, very odd.
With or without this horse, IMO it is past time for a new program. Just an opinion.
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I read your other thread.
Back away from the horse and try a different barn for a couple months. You can still lease this horse but go kiss some frogs before dropping 50k.
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This horse is on lease. She can’t just throw anyone she wants up there.
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@carrotgirl – All of us, as horse owners, need a fallback plan. Back of mind.
Let us say you purchase this horse at some price. Maybe the horse works out fabulously – I hope so!
But – what is your plan if this horse turns out to be a horse that you can’t really manage in another barn, another environment? And this continues year after year? This is the downside. Can you handle the downside?
Before or after you get to your new place, can you put the horse in training with a very good pro? Not your current trainer! Someone who is actually producing good quiet jumping horses.
Realize that this horse, as is, with the stops (on record!) and a bit hot, is not sellable in many markets. Hard to even give away. And if you do find a buyer, a horse with this record is unlikely to bring anywhere near $50k from any other buyer. Even one that believes in him.
The point is, you could be stuck with this horse. It would be taking up the space and budget for another horse that you would enjoy more.
I am not against you eventually buying this horse. But in the program you are in, you just have not had a chance to find out what this horse can, and will, really do for you.
As all have been saying – Buying this horse is buying what he is doing right now, and where he is located right now. That is what the $50k is for.
Move him elsewhere and you could end up babying and caring for this horse for years without getting much riding satisfaction from him. That downside is also part of the $50k purchase price.
Is that ok with you?
Maybe this horse is the horse. But IMO it’s way too early to tell.
Also and not for nothing – it is very easy for horse people to fall in love with a horse. Callous as it sounds, there will be other horses to fall in love with.
I know how hard it would be to say goodbye to this good boi. But – if you leave without him, then ride other horses in your new place, and still love this one and can’t forget him – I’m thinking he’s likely to still be with current trainer and still for sale. Go back and get him then. For a lot less than $50k.
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Carrotgirl. I ask this not trying to cause any angst or drama. But is this the same trainer ?
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Dayum, y’all. 
Holy *(&# $#!7.
OK Carrotgirl. In light of this other thread, this is an emergency. 
I think one of us needs to fly out to you for a week. Or fly you in to us for a week. (jk - maybe)
You are trapped inside a bubble. You desperately need to get some air in very different environments before you make one. single. decision. re horses / riding.
I know you love that horse. I get it, all day long (as they say around here).
But I doubt he’s going anywhere if you don’t buy him right now. Put this decision off. You aren’t canceling him, you are just ‘delaying’ while you clear your head.
JFC (as they say around here). 
Thank god you came to COTH. Some part of you knew you needed intervention rescue.
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offer 35K
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I have been at barns that didn’t have an excess of talented riders around, but the fact that your trainer can only come up with a single rider (who the horse “hates”) to jump him around a course is strange. Sounds like your trainer is well respected and has connections - I would think she could find a catch rider who could show the horse in a few classes (even at a low level). The fact that she presents the only option as a rider she has said doesn’t get along with the horse makes me wonder if she is building in an excuse in case it doesn’t go well. And/or she is afraid of what may happen with a strange rider. With all that being said - if that rider is the only option I would still absolutely want to see the horse show. One would hope that if it is an easy fix of just that rider being softer, they could make that adjustment.
It sounds like you are already tempering your goals and expectations to make this horse work. If you had a crazy low budget, or if you had years and years of experience and just knew that this horse was THE ONE - I would say go for it. But between the other thread and this one, I am guessing this is the first “nice” horse you have gotten to ride.
Take a step back, try a new barn, ride some different horses. There are so many nice horses out there without baggage. At your level, you even said you want something that will take care of you in the show ring. Find something that is proven to do that.
Also - I know others have brought this up but 6 months is a short time period to move a horse, especially one that is clearly sensitive and has had issues with transitions in the past. I know you said you were hoping that the move could be a positive for the horse and “reset” its mind - it could very well do the exact opposite.
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I think the right way to approach this is to ask yourself if you’d be happy spending 50k on this horse and only doing for the rest of his life what you are doing now. You obviously love him (and I get it - no animal that has ever entered my life in a serious way has ever left) and that has real value. But the question is whether it trumps all the other things you want. If it does, buy the horse. If not, this is not the horse for you.
I’ll throw another factor into the mix. If you buy the horse and he can’t progress - starts stopping at jumps - ask yourself whether you’d be open to changing disciplines. I know many people dread dressage, but lots of people (myself included) love it. Especially if the best part about this horse is your relationship because good dressage will help you develop it in a way that is totally different than what you are doing now IMO.
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@carrotgirl - Have you heard the saying, “you don’t know what you don’t know?” I think this applies here, and is not intended as a dig at you in any way. It sounds like you have been with one trainer, with some questionable practices and stories, who from what I can gather here is hoping and pushing to make an easy $50K off what you don’t know. For the record, I would be looking for a new trainer/barn/horse to work with with everything we know at this point.
The fact that are you relocating for 6 months then moving BACK is something to seriously consider. It can take 4-6 months for a horse to truly get settled in at a new barn/environment and its entirely possible, this horse doesn’t handle moves well. Everything is going to be upside down for you too for probably at least the first half of that 6 months. Then you have to move him BACK and have another settle in period wherever that may be.
Can you handle the thought of things going south and potentially having to sell the horse with $50K + down the drain plus a whole lotta heartbreak? That will be far worse than NOT buying the horse to start with. Many of us have seen very similar situations like this not going well sadly 
My advice would be continue to lease the horse for the 6 months youre gone and fly in a couple times a month to ride as mentioned upthread. In the meantime, find a new barn/trainer at your new location and take as many lessons on as many horses as you can. You can do this at more than one barn to get a flavor for different trainers.
If you have the time, see if you can help out around the barn to learn as much about horses/horse care as you can. This will really help you get a better feel for ownership. Once you move back…see what you think about buying the horse and if that’s still what you want to do. I would NOT buy before your move.
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If you want to learn how to jump courses and go to horse shows, don’t buy this horse. Maybe look for a lease at another barn in your area once you’re back.
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