Wow sounds like a great option and I am shocked no one took you up on that offer. Sad.
Considering a Schoolmaster
Relooked at the Schoomaster. Flexed him and guess what he’s lame. I thought the price was too good to be true. I am going to keeping looking. I know the right horse will come along.
I say lease a schoolmaster. When you outgrow the schoolmaster lease ANOTHER that can take you up the levels. Do not buy until you are absolutely certain you can afford the horse for the long term and it is a great match for you.
Leasing is so much more flexible and it is nice to not be stuck with a pasture puff if something major happens that makes the horse unable to do it’s job. Yeah it’s great if you have somewhere to retire the horse happily and cheaply but sadly that’s not the case for most of us. To me leasing is far less risky when it comes to ANY horse, regardless of age.
[QUOTE=dancersdressagegroom;3017474]
I am looking into a lease right now. The horse is 21 years old. The girl that owns him says I can keep him a month, a year, life whatever works out. She does not want him to sit. My trainer thinks this may be a good idea because I could be looking for a younger horse at the same time I am riding the schoolmaster who would not have to be in full training just a lesson a wk.
.[/QUOTE]
Excellent. I suggest you look into this further and learn as much as you can with this horse. These days 21 is not old for a horse who has been taken care of. Years ago, this was when we retired horses, not today. I can see you riding this horse for five or six years as long as his health is good and his maintenance is addressed. Win-win for your education.
Good luck :):):):)
i also want to encourage you that if the horse is basically sound, you can work them regularly well into their 20s with skillful, vigilent, maintenance and management…it can get expensive but its worth it. I was given a 19 year old grand prix school master and I was still showing him in florida at recognized shows in gp at 21 and scoring in the 60s. he is 24 now and still working happily at 2nd-3rd level… although he will also delight his riders with the occasional piaffe, passage and one tempis!
A senior schoolmaster will be much more beneficial for you if he can still carry weight on his hindlegs comfortably and move over his back. As you can imagine, many of these senior citizens have enough arthritis or other soundness issues that their backs are tight or they don’t want to carry their weight on the hind legs to the degree required for the level they are performing…so they may do a shoulder in or a flying change, but resist doing it in collection. That wont give you a correct feel to transfer later to another horse. So its not just important what movements they know, but how they do them. just my two cents.
I am a huge fan of schoolamasters oif all levels and credit them with most of what I have learned in dressage. I started dressage on two leased, lower level schoolmasters. The first was an older Arab gelding that got me showing first and a bit of second. At the end of the lease I helped the owner sell him and then leased a middle aged Appendex cross that I got my bronze with. Neither of these horses were fancy…but they taught me a ton and got me ready to really appreciate a fancy horse when I got him. I bought my FEI schoolmaster when he was 15 (currently almost 18) for an amazing price because I offered him a quality forever home with retirement! Boy has he earned it. Got my silver medal in four shows and have been showing I-1 and schooling I-2. Now has it been perfect…nope…he is out with his second suspensory tear now…but he came back better then ever from the firts one two years ago…so I doubt I will have to hang up my shadbelly forever;) Even if he did not come back from this…he is priceless in my eyes.
